PEAKLIFE

Wake up to the sounds of nature, be amidst scenic panoramic views, camp by a riverside, or take off when you like; these are some of the perks of travelling in a caravan. Popular in the West, campervans or caravans are booming at a rapid pace here in India. Sanjeev Babbar, Director, JCBL Limited, shares with PEAKLIFE how caravan tourism is a fresh new way to refine itineraries and travel experiences in the new normal.

This concept has been around the corner for quite some years, but caught rage during the pandemic due to its features that aid social distancing and safety while travelling. With many youngsters now looking at travelling to offbeat places and preferring road trips more than other ways of travelling, caravans are becoming a different travel thrill of their own.

As of today, Total Foreign Tourist Arrivals in India have gone up by 406.6% from January-July 2022 when compared to 2021.

The Madhya Pradesh state government was the first one to have caravan-based tourism through a special campaign in 2020. Slowly, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Maharashtra joined the trail and introduced caravan tourism policies in their states. This year, Kerala has an entire caravan park launched and the state government is aggressively popularising this concept. With many government-owned to private companies getting into Caravan Tourism, the niche is becoming quite the rage.

WHEELS ON DEMAND

So what is making travellers choose caravans and make it their preferred way to explore? Besides becoming the safest option in the post-pandemic times and maintaining social distance, caravans make for an intimate yet economical travel journey.

Explorers can cut down on local commute costs, flight fares and accommodation prices as caravans bring all these facilities at one place. Moreover, it helps travellers to minimise their carbon footprint with the limited space and resources it offers. Therefore, this becomes a viable option that can substitute conventional tourism, which causes much wastage on the go.

Caravans have the capacity of containing 5-8 people, depending on the different sizes the companies offer. They are well-stocked with kitchen supplies, hygiene is the highest priority and you have sanitation under your control. Opt for local food or make your own nutritious plate, caravan gives you these facilities along with options to camp around at night. With no restrictions of check-in and check-out timings, every caravan comes with a driver and a helper in some cases, so that travellers don’t have to worry about the hassle of driving around and the exhaustion that comes along.

NAVIGATION AROUND ROADBLOCKS

While the camper vans become your home, it is crucial to have a space for its safety. There aren’t dedicated spaces, especially in the urban landscape, to park caravans. Some states are coming up with exclusive parks that limit caravan tourism only to certain regions that guarantee its safety. Moreover, parking caravans do not come at an affordable cost.

Besides the lack of infrastructure, unrealistic expectations of customers are yet another major challenge. For the current price range and nature of caravans, which are designed for rustic and offbeat ways of travelling, people expect luxury options. They often expect caravans to imitate hotel rooms. However, manufacturers have already started catching up to the customer’s expectations and educating the customers better about what to expect from their caravan services.

The rules of operation of caravans change from state to state. If the central and state governments come up with regulations and policies for caravan tourism, a bumpy road can be avoided.

As caravans are often taken to the countryside and rural parts by travellers, the locals get curious about what caravans are. This lack of awareness might also pave the way to invasion of privacy at times. Hence, with a strategic approach to develop this niche of travel and tourism, both governments and private players can make the potentials become reality and help this segment peak.

Disclaimer: The article is authored by Sanjeev Babbar, Director, JCBL Limited. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not represent those of PEAKLIFE.