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Hitting the road in a hotel-on wheels equipped with queen size beds, washrooms, kitchenettes, smart televisions, speaker systems and air-conditioning is an idea hard to resist. The newly started caravan tourism has turned this idea into reality.
People seem to be warming up to caravan tourism, which is becoming popular in the country for outdoor camping activities and road-tripping.
Deepak Jobanputra, a businessman from Mumbai, recently hired a caravan for a trip with his family and friends to Goa. “We were six adults and a pet. It was the first time we had an experience like this. We had a driver and a cleaner to assist us during the journey. It was very comfortable and the journey was planned with adequate breaks,” he said, adding the economics turned out to be slightly cheaper than flights and hotels.
While travelling on camper vehicles, vacationers don’t have to deal with hotel bookings, worry about outside food or miss the comfort of home.
Krishna Rajagopal made a three-day trip from Bengaluru to Hampi on a caravan. “We visited a wildlife safari and saw the monuments in Hampi. We had a small kitchenette on the camper so we sipped on some filter coffee in the morning as we drove to different destinations. It was extremely comfortable and convenient. My children enjoyed it too,” said Rajagopal.
Popular operators are offering caravans in Maharashtra, Karnataka and in the North-East. “We offer nine caravans on our platform at present and are booked for about 20-25 days a month. Most people opt for shorter three-four-day trips in and around Mumbai. We also customise trips based on preferences,” said Sachin Panchal, founder of Motohom, which has a presence in Pune, Mumbai, and Hyderabad and is looking to expand.
The organisation has collaborated with Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) to avail parking and other facilities at its resorts. “We are in talks with seven to eight caravan operators to offer about 25 vehicles on rent in the state. We provide parking at MTDC resorts in the state and have a very affordable parking tariff at each of the resorts,” an MTDC official said.
To attract tourists from Southeast Asia, Odisha Tourism conducted the third leg of its International Tourism promotional campaign with a Roadshow in Hanoi, Vietnam. Director of Tourism, Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav, emphasised on attracting tourists from Vietnam, especially those interested in exploring the Buddhist Circuit. Indian Ambassador to Vietnam assured full support from the Embassy in promoting Odisha’s diverse tourism offerings in Vietnam and boosting collaboration.
From the expensive luxury ones to the affordable outdoor camper vans, there is a variety of caravans for travellers in the market. “The caravans we offer are largely a sporty version of the regular ones. We have overlanding vehicles which are typically self-driven. Customers can stop the vehicle at the location of their choice and pitch a tent to camp outdoors,” Heena Manav, co-founder of Camping Co said.The camper vehicle renting company has tied up with over 100 campsites in the northeast, which include nature resorts or smaller homes with open areas with fully functioning kitchens, washrooms, charging points and other facilities. While a six-to-eight-seater luxury caravan can cost anywhere between Rs 35,000 and Rs 40,000 a day, including fuel, driver and cleaner charges, overlanding camper vans could cost as low as Rs 3,000 a day.
Hyderabad-based doctor Ashwin Kola rented a camper van for a road trip with two other friends across different parts of Meghalaya, including Mawphanlor, Cherrapunji, Ibankordor and Shillong.
“We were initially a bit nervous as it was a self-drive camper trip and in remote parts of Meghalaya. But it was planned very well and was something that we had never done before. We were lucky to not have any issues with the vehicle or on the road,” Kola said. Caravan operators also offer chargeable add-on facilities like barbeque, karaoke sets, sports gear, hammocks, fishing rods, and outdoor tents for customers.
“We took a two-day caravan trip to Shivneri Fort in Maharashtra in April and we had a great experience. We are planning the next trip with my parents,” said Ambuj Sharma, a businessman from Mumbai, who travelled with his wife and pet.
Private caravan operators are also tying up with local farmers with access to basic infrastructure like electricity to give tourists an option of a farm experience along the route. A few years ago, the department of tourism issued policy guidelines for the development and promotion of caravan and caravan camping parks. “Considering the immense land area and the multitude of landscapes in India, caravans and caravan parks are sure to add an exciting new facet to tourism in Incredible India. The initial demand in this niche segment is expected to come from domestic tourists and then from the inbound tourists,” the guidelines said.
Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have also issued detailed caravan policies but a lot of groundwork is still needed for implementation.
“There are no designated caravan parks yet in India and private operators have to tie up with third-party resorts to provide safe parking spaces and electrical charging points, etc,” a caravan operator said. With travellers no longer wanting to restrict themselves to single destinations and hotel locations, caravan tourism is likely to see an upsurge.
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