CMT 2026: A Successful Outcome and New CMT Partner Country
- Written by Portal Editor
CMT 2026 - For nine days, CMT 2026 delighted travel enthusiasts with a wide range of offerings centred on exciting destinations, caravaning innovations, and a vast selection of vehicles including the largest technology and accessories section ever as well as outdoor and active vacation options.
The extensive supporting program comprising a total of 720 events, including travel cinema screenings, stage shows, conferences, and lectures contributed just as significantly to the fair's success as did the 1,660 exhibitors filling the fully booked exhibition grounds.
Around 268,000 Fair Visitors / Subsidiary Fairs and CMT Partner Destinations Score Big / CMT Partner Country for 2027 Confirmed
"Despite the difficult general economic climate and the current challenges of our times, the visitor turnout and the universally positive feedback regarding CMT 2026 demonstrate more than clearly that travel and vacations are indispensable to people in this country," said Roland Bleinroth, CEO of Messe Stuttgart, on Sunday evening.
"We were able to welcome around 268,000 visitors to our grounds thereby inspiring three percent more people to visit CMT than in the previous year.
Feedback from exhibiting companies has also been positive this year: visitors didn't just look and compare; they also booked, bought, and placed orders."
With growing interest from trade visitors in the numerous conferences and industry-specific events as well as strong engagement from representatives across the business and political spheres CMT continues to expand its significance as a B2B trade fair
CMT 2026 - Trade Visitor Program Expands
A total of 20 new industry-specific events were added to the program this year.
During a dialogue between political leaders and the tourism industry held at the opening of CMT, Dr. Christoph Ploß the Federal Government’s Coordinator for Tourism emphasized, for instance, the vital importance of tourism for economic development.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) serve as a vital pillar of this sector. In this context, Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, Baden-Württemberg’s Minister for Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism, also highlighted the significance of tourism as a key economic driver for the region:
“The tourism industry creates numerous jobs, strengthens regional value chains, and contributes significantly to local economic development.” In this regard, the Minister also commended the commitment demonstrated by the tourism industry at the CMT trade fair:
“Industry stakeholders are prioritizing high quality, regional identity, and authentic experiences to ensure that guests continue to feel welcome and at ease in Baden-Württemberg for years to come.”
With core themes such as sustainable tourism, female leadership, and current trend and market analyses, CMT-business addresses relevant industry topics, provides opportunities for networking, and generates valuable new insights.
This was reflected in specialized events such as the Future Tourism Congress, the Baden-Württemberg Tourism Day, the Female Leaders Lunch, the CycleTourismSummit 2026, and the Tourists & Campers Workshop Day 2026.
“I was particularly impressed by the open and honest dialogue between the business sector, tourism destinations, and sustainability experts, as well as by the high quality and depth of the content presented,” affirmed Marco Giraldo, Managing Partner at TourCert gGmbH and organizer of the Future Tourism Congress.
CMT 2026 - Partner Destinations Resonate with the Audience
There was also great delight on the part of partner country Angola. “As the largest consumer trade fair of its kind, the CMT was a resounding success for Angola a travel destination that we, the Kleber Group, represent here in Europe.
We were able to introduce trade fair visitors to the country through striking visual displays at our booth, as well as through the performance of a wonderful dance troupe from Angola, ‘Rhythm of Life.’ Angola’s Minister of Tourism, Marcio Daniel, also expressed his utmost satisfaction with the visitors' overwhelmingly positive response to this until now relatively unknown travel destination,” says Hanna Kleber, Founder and President of the Kleber Group. And Kleber adds:
“The trade fair offers visitors excellent inspiration for their next travel bookings, and we hope that many will choose Angola and the ‘Rhythm of Life.’”
The Grand Tour de Catalunya also enjoyed a great deal of interest: “Visitors were particularly keen to learn about the possibilities of exploring the Grand Tour de Catalunya by camper van. Active holidays especially the hiking and cycling routes within the Grand Tour also piqued the interest of fairgoers.
For us, attending the trade fair certainly paid off. With our offerings, we clearly struck a chord with the public,” says Montserrat Sierra, Director of the Catalan Tourist Board for Central Europe.
Another highlight: Slovenia has already been confirmed as the partner country for the coming year. "We are delighted to have secured Slovenia a strong and fascinating European destination whose versatility and diverse natural landscapes are sure to captivate audiences at CMT 2027," says Alexander Ege, Director of Trade Fairs & Events at Messe Stuttgart.
High Level of Regional and National Interest
Visitors to the trade fair appreciated the wide variety of exhibiting companies, the extensive supporting program featuring a "holiday cinema" and stage shows and the comprehensive offerings across the fully booked exhibition grounds.
They awarded CMT 2026 an overall grade of 1.9. Furthermore, 96 percent of surveyed visitors stated they would recommend the trade fair to their friends and family. On average, visitors spent more than five hours at the fair, gathering information from exhibitors or booking their next vacation.
In total, 92 percent of surveyed visitors travel at least twice a year. Just under one-third of the fair's guests travelled more than 100 kilometres to reach Stuttgart. 16 percent one percentage point higher than the previous year travelled from Bavaria alone to explore the latest models, trends, and travel offers in the caravanning halls.
CMT 2026 - Camping and Caravanning Remain Highly Popular
CMT 2026 also demonstrated that "vacations on four wheels" remain firmly in vogue. "With 1,200 vehicles on display, numerous innovations and new releases, and a host of attractive trade fair discounts, CMT truly gets buyers' hearts racing," noted Alexander Ege. Many exhibiting companies also reported a positive trend regarding sales closures.
This sentiment is echoed by Markus Freitag, Head of Sales and Marketing at Concorde: “Thanks to the move from Exhibition Hall C2 to Hall 3, we encountered a significantly more engaged audience at our booth than in previous years.
Furthermore, we are observing a consistently more positive mood in the market compared to just six months ago. There was a great deal of interest, and sales were quite strong.”
CMT 2026 Satellite Fairs in High Demand
Exhibitors at the satellite fairs covering DIY Vehicle Conversions, Golf & Wellness Travel, and Cruise & Ship Travel were equally enthusiastic; these events opened their doors during the second weekend, running from Thursday through Sunday. Their unanimous verdict: Not only was the visitor turnout gratifyingly high, but so was the “quality” of the visitors specifically, their concrete interest and readiness to book.
This assessment is confirmed by Sven Mammach of the Busbastler Academy: “Both the quality and the volume of people visiting our booth were excellent. The individuals who come here are deeply engaged with the subject of vehicle conversions and optimization options. A major topic this year was auxiliary heating systems specifically, their installation or retrofitting. Regarding electrical setups, however, we are seeing growing demand for portable power stations.” In general, off-grid solutions and vehicle power supply systems remain in high demand.
With more than 1,800 accredited media representatives, CMT 2026 once again underscores its unique significance not only as the world’s largest public trade fair for tourism and leisure, and as a key networking and trend-setting platform for industry professionals, but also as a high-profile political and media event.
The next CMT will take place from January 16 to 24, 2027, at the Stuttgart Trade Fair Centre.
Here are the Equipment & Motorhome Highlights from CMT 2026
Hobby and Fendt are offering entry-level caravans priced under €20,000.
A patented world premiere is the self-contained waste bag cassette by LooBuddy from Austria. This solution allows for the chemical-free disposal of human waste via standard household refuse.
ADRIA (Hall 5): The "Supertwin" Mercedes-Benz panel van conversion originally unveiled as a concept vehicle makes its CMT debut and is entering series production with the 600 and 700 4×4 versions. It is based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and features all-wheel drive as standard.
AFFINITY (Hall 7 / Stand B52): New "Freedo" entry-level models built on the MAN TGE chassis: the Freedo M 599 (featuring a U-shaped rear lounge/single beds) and the Freedo M 684 (featuring rear single beds).
Ahorn Camp: Ten new models, including three world premieres.
ASIMO (Hall 10 / Stand D51): The "Elefantenrüssel" (Elephant's Trunk)—an innovative hydraulic leveling jack/novel leveling system featuring a minimal installation height, making it suitable for installation in almost any vehicle (from mini-vans to truck-based expedition vehicles).
BENIMAR (L-Bank Forum [Hall 1] / Stand B12): For the "Sport" alcove motorhome series, the new S 344 floor plan introduces an L-shaped lounge seating area to the lineup. The semi-integrated "Tessoro" series gains a new variant the family-oriented T 425 floor plan which features large bunk beds in the rear, a drop-down bed, and seating equipped with seatbelts for up to six passengers.
BOBs GARAGE / Camp & Bike (L-Bank Forum (Hall 1) / Stand D01): Making its CMT debut is "youRS-mini," a smart storage solution for rear garage hatches. This system utilizes previously unused space on the rear garage doors, with hooks, shelves, and "MiniBoxes" mounted directly to the interior side of the door.
CAMPTECH (Hall 8 / Stand C33): Premiering here is the *Brillant* motorhome awning—the first of its kind in Europe to be showcased as an air-tube awning. It features a new air-tube frame system designed to achieve lower pressure requirements, greater durability, and enhanced stability. Additional premieres include the new *Kristall* lightweight awning for caravans and the inflatable *Türkis* roof-top tent for cars.
CAMPWERK (Hall 8 / Stand C73): A traditional concept featuring a "hardside" design combined with solid walls.
CHALLENGER / CHAUSSON (L-Bank Forum (Hall 1) / Stand A52): The "Slimline" models built on a Ford Transit chassis have been expanded to include the S 294/S 614 floor plan. This narrow, semi-integrated motorhome features a layout with a "face-to-face" seating area at the front and a transverse double bed at the rear, designed as an electric drop-down bed.
CLEVER (Hall 7 / Stand A31): The *Drive Kids 600* by Clever is available for purchase for under €50,000. This model serves as an affordable entry-level family vehicle, offering four fixed sleeping berths (bunk beds located at the rear).
EKALIN (Hall 10 / Stand C54): New to the lineup is a kit designed for flexible solar mats. This bundle intended for bonding and sealing flexible solar mats, solar panels, and solar panel mounts includes two MS polymer-based adhesives from the *Dekasyl* product range. DIRNA BERGSTROM (Hall 10 / Stand E73): Prototype of the new integrated Ever air conditioning system for campers with pop-up roofs.
EURA MOBIL (L-Bank Forum (Hall 1) / Stand B52): New configuration of the popular Profila semi-integrated models; the use of innovative lightweight materials yields a weight advantage of over 150 kilograms. New Integra Line GT.
FARFALLA CAMPER (L-Bank Forum (Hall 1) / Stand G09 / G10): Making its trade fair debut is the Farfalla Camper Flip Up, featuring a pop-up roof and a second double bed. Based on this design is the Flip 4, offering four sleeping berths within the bodywork.
FENDT-CARAVAN (L-Bank Forum (Hall 1) / Stand A12 / A32): New brand, NEXT-Caravans caravans with a technically permissible total mass starting at 1,000 kg.
FORD (Hall 7 / Stand B53): Ford Terranger a specially developed 4×4 conversion and variant of the Ford Nugget.
FORSTER (L-Bank Forum (Hall 1) / Stand B32): Entry-level vans the Livin’ Up Pro models starting at approx. €44,000.
FRANKIA-GP (Hall 3 / Stand A11 / A12 / A31 / A32): New model: the semi-integrated Noctra Cruiser 7.6 L Edition ONE. Frankia Together—a new, exclusive premium model series.
GOLDSCHMITT TECHMOBIL (Hall 10 / Stand E13): Smartphone app update owners of an RHC auxiliary air suspension system can now determine their rear axle load directly via the app. Once calibrated, the new weighing function provides real-time weight readings without the need for a separate scale.
GOK (Hall 10 / Stand E83): New Caramatic ConnectClean gas tank filter, which prevents contamination in the gas systems of permanently installed LPG tanks.
G+S DIE POLSTERMACHER (Hall 10 / Stand G31): New custom-made carpeting for motorhomes, caravans, and boats.HAHN AUTOMOBILE / VW (Halle 8 / Stand B11): Neuer Plug-in-Hybrid-Allradantrieb eHybrid 4Motion für Multivan und California.
HORNTOOLS (Hall 8 / Stand D74): The new "Cloud" roof tent will make its debut in Stuttgart.
KUCKOO CAMPER (L-Bank Forum (Hall 1) / Stand G15/G18): At the CMT, Kuckoo Camper is presenting its newest model the "Max" mini-caravan which boasts a low starting weight of just 400 kilograms and is available in three variants: as a DIY conversion kit, with a pop-up roof offering space for up to four people, or with a roof rack system.
LINNEPE (Hall 10 / Stand H11): The "SlidePort" carrier system is making its CMT debut in the "Black Edition." Manufactured entirely from aluminum, these platform carriers are ideal for motorhomes built on a Fiat Ducato (or Citroën/Peugeot) panel van chassis and have a load capacity of up to 170 kilograms.
LIONTRON (Hall 10 / Stand H61): With a capacity of 660 ampere-hours (Ah), Liontron is presenting the most powerful compact under-seat battery available one that fits neatly beneath the front seat in the Ducato, Jumper, and Boxer models.
LMC (L-Bank Forum (Hall 1) / Stand B11): Introducing the new "Tracer" series of semi-integrated motorhomes. Thanks to lightweight construction techniques, the vehicle's weight has been reduced by approximately 100 kg a significant saving that allows for increased payload capacity within the 3.5-ton weight class.
MEGASAT (Hall 10 / Stand F72): New compact and portable satellite antennas designed to provide space-saving satellite TV solutions.
MI-MOBILE (Hall 7 / Stand B71): Has taken over exclusive distribution rights in Germany for the Spanish brand Norantz. Norantz manufactures family-friendly 4x4 panel van motorhomes based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and MAN TGE chassis. These high-quality vehicles are positioned in the mid-range price segment and come with an extensive list of factory-standard features. • NÄGELE CAMPERVANS (Hall 8 / Stand B34): Showcasing Moro rear carrier systems for the first time and serving as an exclusive installation partner.
PANAMA (L-Bank Forum (Hall 1) / Stand A13): The company is introducing the Peak P10H Hybrid, based on the Ford Transit Custom chassis in a plug-in hybrid version.
PERFECTVAN (Hall 10 / Stand H12): A newly developed, high-quality dry composting toilet designed for DIY camper conversions.
REMIS (Hall 10 / Stand C11): Specialist manufacturer Remis is bringing three new cab darkening systems to Stuttgart for the Ford Transit Custom (model year 2024 onwards), Ford Tourneo Custom (2024 onwards), VW Transporter (2024 onwards), and VW Caravelle (2024 onwards). The set will be available through specialist retailers starting in February 2026.
RHÖNCAMP (Hall 7 / Stand A34): Van conversion specialist Rhön Camp will unveil three new products based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter at the CMT show.
SETRENLO (L-Bank Forum (Hall 1) / Stand G71): Making its debut in Stuttgart is the company's new composting toilet.
SKANFRIENDS (Hall 8 / Stand D91): The CMT show will feature the presentation of what the manufacturer claims is the world's lightest roof tent.
SOLAR SWISS (Hall 10 / Stand A53): New to the lineup are framed solar modules with power outputs of 100 and 220 watts.
STUFF BUBBLE (Hall 7 / Stand A03): Stuff Bubble is presenting innovative textile furniture for campers, along with other new products. The highlight is the world's first inflatable kitchen—touted as the lightest and most fully functional kitchen available in the camping sector. The new Stuff Bubble awning weighs less than two kilograms. An innovative pop-up roof for campervans—featuring the largest usable interior volume on the market rounds off the new product lineup as a concept study.
WEINSBERG (Hall 2): Effective immediately, the popular Fiat-based CaraBus campervan is also available as the new CaraBus Grey Edition Fire featuring a distinctive grey exterior design.
WM-AQUATEC (Hall 10 / Stand A71): A new release is the UV 8 series a UV-C LED water disinfection unit.
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