More and more Austrians want to spend their holidays in a camper. First you rent, those who like it buy their own mobile home. Over the past nine years, this number has increased by almost 80 percent – and the trend continues to rise.
Austrians are increasingly spending their holidays in a camper with an adventurous atmosphere instead of in a hotel with an all-inclusive package. This type of holiday is especially appreciated with children. If you want to travel around the country for a longer period of time, you can also get away cheaper by cooking yourself. How popular independence has become in this country is also evident from the increasing number of registered campers. The stock has increased by about 78 percent since 2015. According to Statistics Austria, there was an increase of around 15 percent in caravans over the same period.
“Fortunately, the camping trend is continuing: more and more people want to own their own mobile home,” says Tomas Mehlmauer, chairman of the Austrian Camping Club (ÖCC). Newcomers and young travelers who want to try out a camping holiday will obviously not immediately buy a house on four wheels, but rather rent campers, motorhomes, etc. According to Öamtc, there are a few things to take into account.
If you want to rent a camper, you must book well in advance; the sooner you know when you want to leave, the better. This not only saves you money, but you also have a greater choice of vehicles in the desired period. Because the demand for rental campers has increased steadily in recent years, if you book too late, there may be no vehicles available for the planned holiday weeks. “If you want to rent vehicles as cheaply as possible, you should not only book early, but also compare prices from different providers and offers,” says Mehlmauer. In order to calculate any additional costs, it is important to look at the entire package. For example, it must be stated which insurance is included and whether and how many free kilometers are included in the package offered.
When renting a camping vehicle, a large deposit usually has to be paid, so that the rental company can damage themselves if something happens. The costs for this are usually between 600 and 1,000 euros. The expert advises to check in advance under what circumstances the deposit will not be fully refunded. Otherwise, there might be a rude awakening at the end of the trip. “Before booking, please check terms and conditions and insurance coverage carefully. This way it can be estimated in advance whether additional costs will arise,” Mehlmauer explains. For example, a surcharge is often charged for young drivers under the age of 25.
Return conditions important
When picking up the vehicle, you must have the vehicle explained to you in detail. The use of gas for stoves and heating is just as important to understand as the use and emptying of the camping toilet. When taking over, the fresh water tank and gas bottle must also be full and the waste water tank empty. If there are any complaints about or in the vehicle, it is important to note these in the rental agreement. Photo documentation can help with arguments.
It is also advisable to make it clear in what condition the rental car must be returned. As standard there is a full tank and an empty waste water tank. Otherwise, high additional costs may arise.
When determining the pick-up and return date, you can also ask whether the private car you drive to the rental accommodation can be parked in the rental car park during the trip and whether additional parking costs apply.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
