With greater demand for camping, there is an increase in interest in camping cars as well.
As JTBC’s entertainment program is getting popular, interest in camping cars is also on the rise. ‘Camping car prices’ were on the real time portal website search keyword list, and the Korea Tourism Organization provided an opportunity to win an event by September 4th for the 1st place winner to go on a camping car trip. Let’s take a look into the world of camping cars that are getting much interest with the recent camping rave.
Camping car market grew with the increasing camping rave
With the weekly 52 working hour system, people now have more time to enjoy, hence the increase in demand for camping.
Camping is now a solid travel trend. According to data from National Statistics Office, etc., Korea’s camping population grew tenfold from around 600,000 in 2010 to 6 million. There are a lot more camping grounds as well. Since the national leisure camping site construction project started in 2004, there are now around 1,900 camping sites in Korea. What’s the reason behind such a big growth in camping demand over a relatively short period of time? Experts say that this is due to more people going on weekend trips as the 5-day working week system took place from the 2000s, an increase in family oriented cultural activities, and more people who are able to enjoy their leisure time with the weekly 52 working hour system.
Last year, there were 9231 camping cars registered. This is about 26 times greater than that of 2007.
Korea’s camping rave is likely to stick around for a while. According to a survey conducted by Gyeonggi Research Institute’s Future Vision Research Center, the most favored vacation trip was outdoors camping after trip abroad. This is due to the fact that camping provides various kinds of fun including that of auto camping, where you can drive off to camping grounds as well as backpacking with a simple backpack, and sleeping in your car, etc. People have begun to take interest in camping cars as camping became a big trend. There were only 346 camping cars registered in Korea in 2007, but last year it went up to 9,231. This is more than a 26-fold increase.
My very own, original camping ground
Camping car is great in that you can create a camping ground for you and your family regardless of time and place.
Initial purchase cost is a burden, but a camping car is special in that you can create your very own camping ground whenever and wherever once you have it with you. It’s also a joy to discover hidden places that are unknown to many. Places like Yongdamseom rock in Jinan, Jeonbuk and a hill in Hwarang, Gyeongju that appeared in weren’t proper auto camping grounds. Recently, it’s a trend to go to a nearby place for a short while with minimum necessities rather than taking many expensive equipment. The camping car fits this recent camping trend as it allows you to sleep and eat in the car with minimum baggage.
Camping car market is better developed in countries that have large land and longer vacations like U.S. or European countries.
Camping cars are largely categorized into motor caravans which can move on their own and trailer caravans which are towed behind vehicles. A motor caravan allows sleeping, cooking, and showering in the car while a trailer caravan has a separate space connected to the vehicle for these facilities. Korean motor caravans are remodeled versions of mini vans, buses, and trucks. People usually remodel Startex and Carnival. Price depends on which car you buy and which options you implement.
Motor caravans are great in that those with 2 type regular license can drive them. Trailers require small size towing car license, and it’s recommended that a savvy driver gets behind the wheel as there’s also a risk of going over when driving fast or cornering a sharp curve.
The imminent sedan camping car era
Hyundai Motor Company The New Grand Starex camping car was designed to not only allow sleep and cooking but also a simple shower.
If you want to purchase a camping car, you first have to think about whether you want to remodel a vehicle or purchase a camping car model. Hyundai Motor Company produces ready-made camping cars. Last year, they launched The New Grand Starex camping car. It comes with a bed, a sink, electronic range, foldable indoors table, and it can also hold about 50L of water which is enough for 2 adults to take a shower as well as a simple outdoor shower head on the back of the car. Price is 51,000,000 KRW. Hyundai Motor Company also introduces an official remodeling company for customers who wish to remodel their car into a camping car.
From now on, we will be able to remodel all vehicles into camping cars; the camping car market is likely to be activated further.
At the moment, we can only remodel 11 person vans into camping cars, but with the recent passing of camping car law (automobile management revision), we will be able to remodel all types of vehicles including sedan, freight cars, special cars, etc., into camping cars. You can install camping facility on top of the sedan roof or freight car roof and use them like camping cars. You will be able to use 9-person Carnival or Starex as camping cars soon. Since it will be possible to turn a spacious small size car like Kia Motors Ray into a camping car, we will be witnessing a new type of camping cars as well. The bill that was passed will take effect in early 2020.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport expects 6,000 cars to be remodeled into camping cars each year, creating a 130,000,000,000 KRW size market. With the camping car bill taking effect, automobile companies will also be able to launch various types of camping cars which will also activate the camping car market furthermore. It will be not too far in the future when we will see different types of camping cars on the road, from tiny, cute mini camping cars to sizeable camping cars for the whole family.
