Chile: Motorhome boom causes over-demand and longer high season

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – As in so many other areas, the Covid-19 pandemic came to influence Chile in some habits of people in terms of rest and vacations. One of them is that it intensified and has generated a boom in the use of mobile homes, campers, or motorhomes in recent times. It is an option of transportation and overnight stay that allows keeping social distance, traveling to different places, and enjoying nature.

Tourism on wheels increased by 30% globally with the coronavirus, and Chile has not been alien to this trend. “The offer of services associated with motorhomes has been increasing in the country, and today many tourists are looking for support in camping areas. It is a type of tourism that is coming, which is very much associated with what Chile offers, which is nature tourism. It allows reaching places that otherwise could not be reached. It is a segment that Chile has been observing, that has been increasing exponentially, and that will probably continue to increase in the future,” explains Helen Kouyoumdjian, executive vice-president of Fedetur.

In Europe and the United States, this type of vehicle for vacations has been popular for many years. In Chile, it is a relatively recent trend, which has exploded with the arrival of the pandemic. Nómade Motorhomes is one of the leading companies renting these vehicles. They say that the growth in demand has accelerated with the vacation leave and that the reservations are full many months in advance.

“We have noticed a considerable increase this past year (from 2021 to today). The boom in motorhomes has not stopped since the vacation permit came into effect a year ago and then the mobility pass. In fact, most of the companies of this type and we were already fully booked six months or more in advance,” says Constanza Beltrami, head of administration and sales at Nómade Motorhomes.

They have several models available, according to the needs of the passengers, and the prices of the motorhomes fluctuate between CLP 130,000 (US$160) and CLP 190,000 per day, depending on the model and the season. The age range of those who decide to travel in these vehicles is very wide and goes up to senior citizens. Most of them are families or groups of friends.

“Traveling in a motorhome has become a much safer and more secure alternative to go on vacation in the current context. In the beginning, many people contacted us for this reason, the feeling of security and not being exposed in hotels or airports. But nowadays it goes much further; every day, more campsites focus on this type of vehicle and information on attractive routes to carry out. The fact that there is a greater flow of information gives our clients more security when deciding to fulfill their dream of touring Chile in a motorhome, without a doubt an unforgettable experience,” adds Beltrami.

MORE MONTHS TO TRAVEL

Experts explain that another fact that has occurred recently is that the high season has been extended from September to April. In contrast, before the pandemic, it was from December to March.

Rolling Patagonia is a company that rents motorhomes and campers in Aysén and has seen how more and more people are joining this trend to visit destinations such as the Carretera Austral or Torres del Paine.

“We have always had over-demand in high season, but I have a higher over-demand than before the pandemic. About 30% more. In June, I usually already have the following season sold out. There is very little left for people who call a month or two months before, or it is a last-minute cancellation,” says María Cecilia Cheyre, owner of Rolling Patagonia.

Last year the company had to raise rental rates because some supplies such as lubricants and tires increased in price. The largest motorhome Rolling Patagonia has available costs CLP 245,000 per day in high season and CLP 195,000 in low season. Depending on the season, the cheapest ranges from CLP 220,000 to CLP 170,000.

In the case of camper vans, these range from CLP 125,000 to CLP 105,000 in high season and from CLP 98,000 to CLP 90,000 in the off-season. In addition, they say that the business is looking good since new companies have joined the leasing of these vehicles.

“Before, we were a handful of companies, and now there are many companies, which indicates that it is a business that looks prosperous over time. Motorhomes have gone up in price. We buy in the U.S., but we also look at the domestic market in case something good comes out. A ’90 motorhome goes for almost CLP 50 million, which is crazy. They are hyper-inflated. People have opted to buy their trailers or campers, which was seen a lot this year,” adds Cheyre.

With information from La Tercera