Caravan 2026 drew nearly 14,000 visitors to Lahti over four days, bringing together motorhome enthusiasts, road travellers and companies from across Finland as the recreational vehicle industry presented a broader picture of how people are travelling and spending their free time.
Held at the Lahti Exhibition Centre over the weekend, the event, described as Finland’s largest nationwide exhibition in the sector, featured new recreational vehicles, equipment, accessories and services covering everything from rentals and financing to maintenance. The exhibition also reflected a market that has changed considerably in recent years and is now entering a more stable phase.
Caravan 2026 was built around the theme “Kaikille teille”, or “For All Roads”, which placed the variety of recreational vehicle travel at the centre of the event. Traditional caravaning remained part of the programme, but it shared space with newer forms of travel, including vanlife, active leisure and journeys built around hobbies, events and shorter breaks.
The vehicles on display ranged from compact models to premium recreational vehicles and solutions designed for off-road travel. For visitors, the exhibition offered an opportunity not only to compare vehicles but also to look at the wider ecosystem surrounding recreational travel, including accessories, equipment, rental services, financing and maintenance.
The changing market has also altered the way recreational vehicles are being used. While longer holidays remain part of the appeal, recreational vehicles are increasingly being used for weekend trips, visits to events, hobbies and other forms of active leisure. That shift was visible in both the exhibition programme and the range of vehicles and services presented in Lahti.
“The exhibition showed how versatile recreational vehicles have become. Interest in recreational vehicle travel has remained strong, while the ways people use these vehicles have diversified,” said Mika Jokinen, Executive Director of Matkailuajoneuvotuojat (MAT) ry. “Above all, a recreational vehicle offers the freedom to spend your leisure time in your own way. A good trip can just as well be a weekend in another destination, a journey to an event or a longer adventure.”
The event’s reach extended beyond the exhibition centre itself. Recreational vehicle enthusiasts also gathered at campsites around the Lahti region, at a meeting organised by SF-Caravan Lahden Seutu and at a van meet-up in Vääksy. The wider programme helped turn the exhibition weekend into a broader gathering for the recreational vehicle community in the region.
For Lahti, the event also demonstrated the way a large specialist exhibition can draw visitors into the surrounding area rather than keeping activity within the exhibition grounds. Campsites, local gatherings and related events all formed part of the weekend’s recreational vehicle culture.
The next Caravan exhibition is scheduled to take place at the Lahti Exhibition Centre from 23 to 26 September 2027, continuing an event that has become a major meeting point for Finland’s recreational vehicle industry and the people who use these vehicles in increasingly varied ways.
