Onggowinarso assumed the role of Managing Director at the CIVD in March 2017, but his connection with the association goes back even further. After studying in Germany as a mechanical engineer, Daniel Onggowinarso began his career in the automotive sector at FIAT-GM Powertrain, working on catalytic converters—a role he quickly realized wasn’t his true calling. Soon after, he joined the CIVD as Technical Manager, working closely with Jost Krüger, Hans-Karl Sternberg and other long-standing colleagues. What was supposed to be a short stop became eight formative years, until 2013, when he left to take on a new challenge abroad. Invited by the Vöhringer family, he moved to China to oversee their joint venture in Shanghai, a period he recalls as the “golden times,” with the company eventually going public. During those years, he also completed an Executive MBA, broadening his profile beyond engineering. After four years in China—and with international experience that also included time in Indonesia and Australia—he returned to the CIVD in 2017 to succeed the late Hans-Karl Sternberg, who had passed away prematurely. Today, almost ten years later, Onggowinarso looks back on a career that has combined technical expertise, global experience, and leadership at the very heart of the European caravanning industry. Join us as we dive deeper into this market through the insights of a true expert, who offers a clear and thoughtful perspective on both the present and the future of caravanning.

 
Aboutcamp BtoB − Over the past eight years, how has the CIVD evolved under your leadership? What are the achievements you are most proud of, both in terms of the association’s work for the industry and the team you have built?
Daniel Onggowinarso − I think my biggest accomplishment isn’t something you can put on one person’s shoulders, but rather the fact that we’ve been able to keep and develop a great team. Without our people and without the trust of the board, we’d be nothing. What makes me proud is the alignment we have within the CIVD—from the board, where competitors work together toward common goals, down to every single employee. Everyone here knows what’s good for the industry, and we really care. That culture gives people room to take ownership and pursue new ideas. Two examples: we developed a robust tool that sharpened our market statistics, and over the years we helped establish the CI‑BUS as a widely adopted standard for appliance integration here in Europe. Another milestone was the CARAVAN SALON 2020. Despite pressure due to the pandemic situation, the show went ahead and kept momentum for the entire ecosystem. It was commercially successful, but more importantly it in the end strengthened unity and confidence across the association. That is something we are very proud of.

Aboutcamp BtoB − With weak economic growth and unemployment now above three million in Germany, many industries are under pressure. Yet the caravanning sector continues to show remarkable resilience: in 2024 there were 96,392 new registrations (+6.7%), one of the best results ever, even if in the first eight months of 2025, CIVD reported a modest slowdown. What strategic factors make the caravanning sector so resilient in such a difficult economic climate?
Daniel Onggowinarso − We see three main drivers of resilience. First, a deliberate image shift: together with our members we’ve repositioned caravanning as a contemporary, aspirational way to travel through consistent, high quality marketing and PR. Second, Germany offers strong fundamentals: robust purchasing power, a large cohort of active baby boomers and decades of familiarity with the lifestyle. Third, a dense domestic manufacturing base ensuring availability and choice. Put simply: when you combine a modern narrative with solid fundamentals and a strong industrial ecosystem, demand holds up even in a tougher economy. Candidly, production outpaced demand for a time. Excess inventory had to be brought to market to preserve liquidity.

Aboutcamp BtoB − How has the stock influenced prices, and what does it mean for the market now and in the near future?
Daniel Onggowinarso − Inventory can’t sit at dealers or in factories; it has to be converted into cash. That’s what happened: we brought stock to market, at times with price reductions that compressed margins for dealers and manufacturers. It was the right step to safeguard liquidity and keep the system moving. For customers, this created a temporary buyer’s market – very good products at very good prices. But it’s a transitory phase. As the overhang clears, pricing and margins will normalize and conditions will rebalance. Our industry is cyclical: after the extraordinary COVID years the pendulum swung to buyers, next comes a more even market and in time the cycle will turn again.

Aboutcamp BtoB − From what we understand, the excess stock was largely a result of the transition from Euro 6d to Euro 6e, which compressed production and created an imbalance. Is this really the main issue behind the current stock situation? And when do you expect dealer inventories in Germany to return to a more sustainable level across the different product categories?
Daniel Onggowinarso − I wouldn’t attribute the inventory overhang solely to the Euro 6d to 6e transition; doing so would let other, more consequential missteps – some deliberate, others inadvertent – off the hook too easily. When you assess stock, you have to look at the entire European market and at each vehicle class, because units move cross border and the picture isn’t uniform. For caravans, production has been curtailed for two seasons to reduce inventories. In absolute terms we’re trending back toward 2017/2020 levels; relative to new registrations the ratio is still somewhat elevated, so either production must remain disciplined or demand needs to catch up. I wouldn’t call caravan stock “flashing red” anymore, but the job isn’t finished. With financing costs biting, the industry understandably prioritized cash conversion on higher-ticket motorized units, touring caravans didn’t always get the same focus. In motor caravans the situation is mixed. Differentiate between large liners/A class, integrated, semi integrated, panel vans and urban vans. The largest overhang came from the smallest units (urban vans) after many players, including automotive OEMs, ramped up output. By contrast, conventional integrated and semi integrated models are broadly back at healthy levels, supported by resilient private demand. For urban vans specifically, the structurally “right” stock level is still being learned; reasonable people differ on its long term potential. In Germany, dealer inventories are already moving down across several categories. Assuming a stable macro and geopolitical backdrop, we expect to be largely through the overhang by the start of next season around June. It has been painful and will remain so for some, because stress and relief travel the value chain in the same order: dealers feel it first and recover first, manufacturers follow and suppliers are last.

Aboutcamp BtoB − The caravans have often been a first step towards motorhome, with many customers starting with the caravan and later upgrading to a motorhome. With the progressive decline in caravan sales, is there a risk that motorhome segment could also be affected in the future?
Daniel Onggowinarso − I don’t see a structural risk that softer caravan sales will undermine motor caravan demand. Historically many started with a touring caravan, but for 20+ years we’ve had additional entry paths. Since 2007 Germany has sold more motorhomes than caravans annually and the overall vehicle stock keeps growing. Hence, the pool we’re fishing in is larger. Today customers enter via smaller camper vans, via pre-owned vehicles and rentals; they also trade up and down between segments over time. The affinity for the lifestyle remains strong. There’s even activity we don’t fully capture i.e. roof tents and small pop-up trailers produced by numerous small manufacturers. We lack exact figures, but my thesis is that part of the “missing” caravan volume has shifted there. Net-net, the funnel into motorized products is broadening, not shrinking.

Aboutcamp BtoB − Caravan Salon attracted 269,000 visitors – the second-highest figure in the show’s history – with more than one-third attending for the first time. Generational shifts, changing holiday habits, and the rising appeal of “on the road” travel are clearly reshaping the market. What do you think about this trend?
Daniel Onggowinarso − Attendance exceeded expectations and confirms the strength of our products and lifestyle. Even with abundant options e.g. low-cost flights, cruises, package tours, city breaks and all-inclusive resorts more people choose caravanning, although it isn’t the cheapest holiday. The draw is self-directed independence, proximity to nature, and spontaneity: a weekend break needs little planning. Demographics help, too. The last wave of baby boomers is retiring. People are healthier and live longer, many have “seen the world” and prefer not to fly. Multigenerational travel (grandparents with grandchildren) also fits our products perfectly. There are so many factors that speak for a continuous success of the industry that I’m very positive about. The perception shift over the past 15-20 years is real: from something niche to an aspirational lifestyle you can openly embrace.

Aboutcamp BtoB − How has CIVD contributed to the growth in registrations in recent years? What role have marketing initiatives, political representation, and member services played in supporting this development?
Daniel Onggowinarso − Our nationwide awareness campaign has done the heavy lifting: we’ve helped reposition caravanning in Germany as a socially accepted and frankly aspirational way to travel. You can see that in mainstream coverage and in how consumers talk about the lifestyle. Where we still have work to do is in politics. Many decision-makers haven’t fully internalised this shift. A core task for us here and, I suspect, in other countries is to make it easier for policymakers to identify with the community, to say openly “I’m a camper,” and to recognize the economic, social, and societal value our sector delivers. That is where an association like the CIVD can build bridges and keep the momentum going.

Aboutcamp BtoB − Can you go a deeper into CIVD’s marketing strategy?
Daniel Onggowinarso − We started in print like everyone, but our reach today is built on TV plus a strong digital spine. On TV we target premium, high-attention environments adjacent to the 8pm daily newscast “tagesschau” and the flagship football highlights show “SPORTSCHAU”, because they deliver broad, credible reach into our target groups. We avoid low-quality formats and focus on lifestyle contexts that align with our brand: travel, food, outdoor, mobility and family programming. That keeps the imagery aspirational and the message consistent.
Digitally, we run an always-on mix across paid, owned and earned: content marketing and social campaigns, high-impact online video and creator partnerships that move people from awareness to consideration. We aim at brand lift and intent and we drive qualified traffic to dealer locators and show pages. Ambassador work is key – Timo Boll is a great example: authentic, widely recognised and genuinely into caravanning. We also test new arenas to reach younger audiences, like sending top Twitch creators on a road trip and we activate non-organized niche sports communities e.g. Wakeboarding, Parkour and BMX. We have send these athletes on tours with several vans producing daily content. Print remains part of the plan, used surgically in quality titles such as the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung to reach opinion leaders and policymakers. The through-line across channels is clear: a modern, lifestyle-led narrative that makes caravanning both desirable and socially accepted. Lastly, we are also still physically out there with promotional teams meeting target groups where they spend their free time such as at events, festivals, trade fairs and shopping centres – always present on- and off-line, if you will.

Aboutcamp BtoB − What are the key messages you aim to convey through your marketing campaigns?
Daniel Onggowinarso − We focus on the lifestyle, not on specific products or price points. The only exception is a short lead-up to CARAVAN SALON, where we amplify the show because it’s essential for the ecosystem. In our TV and digital work we avoid the price funnel and emphasize what people actually feel: freedom, independence, proximity to nature and the ability to pursue what you love such as culinary trips, culture weekends, beach time, sports adventures or just good old family quality time. In the end, our vehicles are the enabler, the tool that makes those priceless moments possible. That’s the through-line of our message: follow your passions – with caravanning, you can do so much, whatever you want.

Aboutcamp BtoB − The European Parliament has approved a reform of the Driving Licence Directive that will allow holders of a category B licence to drive motorhomes up to 4.25 tons. In your view, what is the expected timeline for this regulation to come into force, and what concrete impact do you anticipate on the motorhome market?
Daniel Onggowinarso − We expect the new directive to be published soon, at the latest by year-end, after which Member States will have up to three years to implement it. In Germany there is clear momentum to move faster. The open question is the pathway each Member State may choose: test or training. That has not been finalised yet because the directive itself has not been published, but discussions with national stakeholders and legislators are already under way. For Germany, given examiner shortages at TÜV/Dekra, a short training module, similar to today’s touring-caravan B96.01 (around seven hours, no test), appears the most practical option. Our aim is to make access simple, affordable, and scalable. A training-led model can also be an opportunity: offered via dealers or manufacturers with accredited partners, it resolves the licensing hurdle, strengthens customer relationships, and can even generate new leads. Affordability matters. A regular B licence here costs nearly €4,000; we therefore need to ensure the new upgrade, the so-called “B96.02”, is available at a fair price. It should be clearly attractive, not least because it unlocks benefits such as higher payloads and access to a much larger pool of >3.5-ton motor caravans in both the new and used segments. Politically, the direction of travel is set – a fast and affordable implementation of the driving license directive is even mentioned in the current Government’s coalition agreement – so we are confident legal implementation will come quickly. Demand will be high. Our conservative estimate is that roughly 200,000 people in Germany would have immediate interest, followed by around 10,000 per year thereafter. Rolling it out in the field will face bottlenecks in the beginning, but we are confident it will work out well.

Aboutcamp BtoB − In recent years we have seen increasing consolidation, with many brands merging into larger groups. How has this reshaped the market landscape, and what opportunities has it created for CIVD to operate more effectively on behalf of the industry?
Daniel Onggowinarso − We only have a reason to exist if we represent a fragmented market. The more we unify, the more meaningful our mission becomes. Yes, consolidation has taken place, is taking place and will take place, but so far I wouldn’t say we’ve felt any negative effects. For the time being, we still have a healthy, heterogeneous setup with natural limits to further large-scale M&A, so I’m comfortable with the current balance. Larger groups add scale and political weight, smaller members often add agility and specialist expertise – the “cherries on top.” In this mix we can work efficiently and democratically and, under strict compliance, we can draw on member resources for joint tests or working groups that benefit the whole market, not just individual firms. Strong players create momentum, broad membership creates legitimacy; together they make our advocacy more compelling.

Aboutcamp BtoB − In 2024 the used market reached a record 187,219 transactions. We are not sure how to interpret this figure: on one hand, it shows strong consumer interest, but on the other hand it is not a direct indicator of growth, since it does not add vehicles to the fleet but merely redistributes them. Should we see it as a positive signal? Why?
Daniel Onggowinarso − A strong pre-owned market is a positive signal: it proves underlying interest remains high. Yes, used vehicles compete with new ones in the short term, but rising used transactions usually mean owners are selling to trade up. Maybe their family situation changes or perhaps the current product simply wasn’t the right one. That’s why the pre-owned market is so important. It keeps people in the system and helps them bridge the gap from used to new more easily. That’s healthy renewal and growth, not loss. A liquid pre-owned channel also supports rentals, which are critical for onboarding newcomers and for refreshing fleets regularly so first-time experiences are excellent. We don’t want worn down three- or four-year-old vehicles giving the wrong impression. As long as stock in use grows and the sell–trade-up–renew cycle keeps turning, the system stays vibrant across dealers, manufacturers, and suppliers.

Aboutcamp BtoB − The shift from combustion engines to electric mobility is a revolution, yet it still seems to have little impact on our sector. The rise of electric cars seems to be one of the reasons behind declining caravan sales, and unless legislation changes, by 2035 motorhomes too will have to be electric. So far, however, we have only seen a few tentative steps in this direction. How do you see this transition affecting the caravanning industry in the years ahead?
Daniel Onggowinarso − For caravans, electrification isn’t the primary headwind. Early BEVs limited towing, but that is improving. In Germany, growth in alternatively powered cars is largely driven by hybrids (including PHEVs), whose towing capacity generally remains adequate – even if they are mostly petrol-powered and therefore typically a bit more expensive to run than diesel. So the idea that EVs will “kill” caravans is overstated; the challenges in that segment lie elsewhere. For motorhomes, the picture differs. Technically, electric motor caravans are possible, but today they don’t make practical sense for most users: cost and weight are high, charging infrastructure is patchy and the perceived loss of spontaneity due to range anxiety versus the “good old” diesel undermines the core promise of freedom. Over time, electrification will come, most likely starting with camper vans at specific price points as technology and infrastructure mature. Current projects are encouraging experiments, but they’re not yet economically or practically compelling for the mainstream.

Aboutcamp BtoB − Caravan Salon Düsseldorf and CIVD are active in China through the “All in Caravanning” trade fair. At the same time, Chinese carmakers are rapidly gaining ground in Europe more than doubling their market share year on year. Should the German and European caravanning industry be concerned that a similar development could one day happen in our sector as well?
Daniel Onggowinarso − China is eyeing Europe, mostly from an automotive perspective, which makes sense given many contenders are affiliates or spin-offs of major OEMs. In China, the camping lifestyle often means: drive a motor caravan, park briefly, enjoy some time and be just as happy to stay in a hotel. The emphasis is still more on the driving, not the habitation part. That doesn’t translate well to Europe. Here we don’t build cars, we build houses on wheels and the habitation quality gap remains significant. That’s why I don’t expect fully China-engineered and -produced products, built to European standards, to scale here soon. If there is a plausible first step, it’s camper vans. They require less conversion work and Chinese makers may even have an edge as electrification takes hold earliest in the van segment. We also see exploratory talks about partnerships or investments and one day someone may eventually acquire a local brand. But for now, success in Europe will depend less on drivetrain and more on mastering European-grade habitation, compliance and brand trust – areas where our manufacturers are strong.

Aboutcamp BtoB − With great power comes great responsibility. What is your view on Germany’s dominant role in the European caravanning market?
Daniel Onggowinarso − You’re right. Great power does come with great responsibility. My concern is concentration risk: too much of Europe’s success rides on a few markets, especially Germany. No one knows the remaining headroom here and when you’re already at a high level, assuming endless growth would be complacent. We need to broaden the base and develop more markets and new customer groups instead of squeezing the last drops from the big three, which account for more than 70 percent – almost three quarters – of all European registrations. It’s always easier to focus on strong markets where we’re already present, but we also have to cultivate new markets and lift underperforming ones. That means empowering associations and initiatives in countries with potential. Our aim is to “bake a bigger cake for everyone”, ideally returning to a healthier balance where other markets stand eye-to-eye with Germany again. If we rely on one engine alone, a setback can be severe; diversification gives us resilience and is the responsible path for long-term stability and growth.