Europe is increasingly living in a state of tension, and this is affecting not only armies but also civilian life. In the Netherlands, which was previously associated perhaps only with bicycles and sea windmills, there is a real boom in mobile homes today. People are massively buying campers and caravans—vehicles that were considered a means for recreation just yesterday, but are now perceived as mobile housing in case of unforeseen events.
The statistics are telling: in the first eight months of 2025, 2,558 new motorhomes were registered in the country. This has already exceeded the figure for the entire year of 2024, when 2,465 were sold. Towed caravans are also showing explosive growth—over 6,000 in nine months, compared to fewer during the same period last year. Overall, as of September 1, there are almost 634,000 mobile homes officially registered in the Netherlands—a record result in its entire history.
The growth also applies to the “secondary market”: during the same period, the country’s residents purchased over 12,000 used campers and more than 11,000 caravans. So, demand is coming from everywhere—both from those buying new and from those looking for budget options.
The reason is clear. The war in Ukraine has shown how important it is to have evacuation transport at hand, capable of providing autonomous living. And recent incidents with “Shahed” drones, which are now reaching not only Ukrainian cities but also Poland and even further, are only adding fuel to the fire of anxiety. Europeans are increasingly thinking not about a vacation at sea, but about the possibility of quickly moving to a safer place with a minimal set of comforts.
The year 2025 promises to be a record one for the European mobile home market. But this is no longer a story about the romance of travel—rather, it’s about pragmatic preparation for an uncertain future. But then again, who are we telling this to…)