Banking on new travel trend
Motorhome distributor working with partners to set up facilities and support systems
DRIVING around in a motorhome during the holidays could be a common thing in countries such as Australia and New Zealand. But Mohd Arne Haffnee Abas is hopeful that this could also become a common thing in Malaysia.
Haffnee, who has been operating a travel agency which organises motorhome and caravan tours Down Under, recently launched Luxe Motorhomes & Caravans, the sole distributor of Benimar Mileo models in Malaysia.
“We saw that there was also growing demand for this kind of travel here so we decided to bring it in,” he says.
In its first month alone, Luxe has already sold five units of the motorhome.
“I foresee the trend picking up because of the change in people’s lifestyle. People are now more open to adventure and travellers are looking for something new.
“They are looking forward to stay in a motorhome because you have all the facilities with you wherever you go and you are free to drive anywhere. This allows you to explore more places on your road trips or driving holidays,” he adds.
Haffnee is aiming to sell 30-50 units of motorhome this year and about 200 units over the next three years.
He has been working with a few resorts and has mapped out roadshows as well as pushed materials out on social media to increase awareness among local holidaymakers on the availability of such facilities.
However, Haffnee notes that there are challenges to growing the motorhome market in Malaysia, one being its hefty price tag.
A motorhome costs about RM600,000 to RM650,000.
“It does cost quite a bit. There has been a lot of request to rent the motorhomes instead. But we don’t want to handle the rental market on our own so we are working on agreements with potential partners to look into the rental market.
“So that’s a possibility in the near future,” he says.
He reckons the bulk of its sales will come from the corporate segment where companies would buy these motorhomes for their own roadshow and promotional efforts or for VIP use.
Another obstacle for Luxe is the lack of charging facilities in Malaysia to accommodate motorhomes.
“Motorhomes run on diesel and use electricity to power the facilities. A three- to fourhour charge is enough for five days of usage without the air-conditioning,” he explains.
Haffnee is working with small resort operators to convert additional space into motorhome parking lots with charging facilities.
“This is a win-win situation where resort operators will get additional income from rental of parking space and charging facilities while motorhome users can have a secure place to park for the night or to recharge.
“People enjoy driving. Once the facilities are in place, I believe more people will get into the idea of using motorhomes. We are already getting travellers from overseas who drive their motorhomes into Malaysia,” he says.
Haffnee hopes to bring in more models from different brands once demand picks up and is tying up with various workshops and automotive brands to ensure that there is strong after-sales service support for the motorhome users.