WKND Spotlight: Campers fuel a caravan boom in the UAE

Dubai - Why the UAE’s caravan industry is on the precipice of a big boom.

Abu Dhabi national Naser Bader Mohamed Thani Almansoori has been camping for as long as he can remember. As a kid, he remembers having a place in the desert that his family would regularly take him to. “We had rooms, but my cousins and I would stay outside in our little tents, no matter what the temperature was — even if it was 50°C,” he relates. It was the start of what has turned out to be an undeniable and abiding love for the great outdoors.

Today, the 27-year-old Emirati is the proud owner of a Coachman caravan, whose living room can easily seat about 8-10 people. And he hauls it out every chance he gets — which practically translates to any day that he’s off work. It’s precisely why he decided to invest in his own RV (recreational vehicle). But he is certainly not alone in his love for the activity.

Earlier this year, in January, Khaleej Times had interviewed several happy campers on Al Sufouh Beach, where more than 30 caravans could be seen parked on the sandy shores between Burj Al Arab and Palm Jumeirah. While the pandemic required them to pack off for a few months, interest in the activity is rapidly growing again, now that cooler climes are setting in.

An engineer by profession, Naser confesses a love for adventure and “basic living”. Living in an RV ticks those boxes perfectly. “You get to be far away from the city, and away from technology (to a degree, at least),” says the youngster, who works in a power plant in the capital. “I’d pick caravan camping over going to a hotel any time. You can check in and out whenever you want!”

What’s more, camping builds character — not to mention, good memories. “When you’re organising for anywhere between 10 to 80 people at a time, it teaches you about responsibility and leadership, even selflessness.” he observes. “You learn to be considerate of other people’s needs.”

A self-confessed lover of cooking (“especially steaks”), he greatly enjoys the flexibility that comes with mealtimes. “I can cook anything you like,” he declares, gamely. “Eggs, beans, rice, pasta, a whole sheep…”

Naser acknowledges that not everyone may understand the appeal of living this way, though. “Some people don’t like to stay in what they think is a dirty place — but it’s just Nature,” he reflects. “Our forefathers used to live in these environments in a very basic and simple way. And they built this country. So, it’s good to take a break sometimes, and look back at where this country has come from.”

‘The next big thing’

With Dubai Municipality recently designating Jebel Ali beach as an approved caravan camping site, adventurers have another reason to start whipping up plans again. Syrian expat Alhasan Alnaasani, founder of DJR Caravan Rental, says he gets inquiries all the time from residents of all nationalities. “Ninety per cent” of the demand comes ahead of weekends and the winter season.

karen@khaleejtimes.com