Nordic Motorhome Rentals have seen a new era in customer behaviour, revealed by data.

The Nordic market for rental cars is a good example of how customer attitudes can lead to change in a market. The research for Elle Tick's dissertation is based on rental transaction information since 2017 to look at the trends in customer origin, demographics, length of time and preferences in the market.

Prior to the onset of the pandemic, foreign visitors ruled the roost in terms of motorhome rentals in the Nordic countries. In 2017, international customers accounted for about 80% of rentals, which rose to about 84% by 2019. Some of the leading markets within the international market were Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands and France.

The market also had a fairly sophisticated customer base. Families continued to be the largest customer group and the average recorded driver age was about 45-46 years. Families comprised about 65% of the rentals included and couples about 35%, in 2019.

This data shows a high level of association between motorhome rental and extended holiday experiences and planned leisure travel. At an average rental time of some 12 days, customers were booking longer trips than short getaways.

There's been a huge shift in the market in 2020.

With the effect of the international travel restrictions on mobility, the number of rentals fell from 2290 in 2019 to 1257. At the same time, the customer base shifted to a much more domestic base. In 2020, local customers rose by around 37 percentage points compared to the previous year to a majority share of 53% of rentals.

The change offers a significant lesson for businesses. There was a decrease in international mobility, but this did not cancel out demand for leisure experiences. Rather, customers were flexible with their travel habits in response to their context.

The local trend persisted in 2021 with about 47% of the local rentals included. When the market got back to a post-pandemic normal, it shifted once more. In 2022, about 86% of rentals were from countries outside the country.

The evolution shows the need to track the actions of customers all the time. Volume of demand can change and so can the customer with market conditions.

Another significant takeaway from rental duration is on this point. In 2021, the average length of the rental periods was around 12.7 days, while in 2022 it was around 14.3 days. Average did not change significantly until 2025.

A longer lease term can indicate increased demand for an immersive experience in road transportation, which can bring new demands on service providers. For customers travelling over longer distances, a higher level of vehicle comfort, reliability and flexibility is often needed, as is an improved end-to-end experience.

It also reveals a changing demographic trend in customer segments. In 2025, while couples accounted for almost 46% of rentals, they made up around 35% in 2019.

This is important for rental companies to consider when planning future growth strategies because there are various customer journeys to take into account. There are different reasons and expectations of families, couples, international visitors and domestic travellers.

Nordic motorhome customer story ultimately shows that it is not just a customer book that needs to be understood, but behaviour. Companies can leverage data-driven customer insight to understand how to evolve and adapt to shifting markets and uncover new sustainable growth areas.

GlobalX Publications helps researchers and professionals to share their valuable ideas from the academic and business world.

Get your thesis, research, thought, business or book published by GlobalX Publications and allow your thought to spread throughout the world.

GlobalX Publications: https://www.globalxpublications.com/

Read More: https://www.globalxpublications.com/blog/who-are-the-customers-and-how-have-they-changed-2017-2026

For Enquiry: +1 (307) 295-0570