Meet Mark de Vos, CEO and Co-Founder at Motorhome Sharing Platform: GoBoony

Goboony is a digital platform that allows everyday owners to rent out their campervans safely and securely. We operate in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy; and as of this year France and Germany too.

Goboony is a key player in two areas:

1.  We are providing a  solution for the millions of motorhomes that currently sit on driveways for many months throughout the year, not getting used but still running up maintenance costs. Our service allows owners to recoup some of these costs and hire out their vehicle whenever, and to whoever, they want to.
2. We are sharing with  the millions of people who want to enjoy a stylish and comfortable road trip, but are faced with high booking costs and depots in awkward locations. Motorhomes on the platform are located up and down the country, from Inverness to Cornwall – providing something for everyone no matter where you choose to travel.

How did you come up with the idea for the company?

 
In 2011 I was travelling New Zealand in a motorhome with my family, when I met fellow Dutchman Foppe, who also happened to be travelling in a motorhome in the opposite direction. We got chatting at the campsite and realised we shared a love of business ventures and motorhome travel so we kept in touch.

The idea came about when I realised my motorhome wasn’t getting used as often as I had hoped. I started renting it to family and friends, and then later down the line, began renting it to strangers. Yet there wasn’t a secure online platform that could help with the documentation and payment security. I knew Foppe would be the one to join on this adventure, and so in 2015 Goboony was born.
 

How has the company evolved during the pandemic?

 
It’s been interesting to see how things have changed over the course of the pandemic. At the start, it was full of uncertainty and the strict lockdowns put everything on hold. However, when restrictions started to lift ever so slowly, our bookings suddenly boomed. By July 2020 we had already seen a 12050% increase compared to April of that same year.

Campervanning was one of the best ways to travel whilst remaining completely self sufficient and isolated. Campsites are naturally socially distanced. Cooking in a campervan is safer. All of a sudden local travel was the only option and we saw a dramatic increase in people looking to hire.

Then came the second surprise, when international travel began to open up our regional bookings were still increasing. Instead of campervan travel being one of the few options, it became the number one choice for many. The flexibility and freedom it provides travellers swiftly makes it a preferred way to travel and we’re continuing to see this trend which is very exciting. In fact, by July 2021, when international travel was possible, we still saw a booking increase of 75%.
 

What can we hope to see from Goboony in the future?

 
Earlier this year we expanded into France and Germany which are huge markets for campervan travel. We will be increasing our supply here over the coming months and continuing to inspire people to try out campervanning closer to home, especially with the environmental impact that long haul travel has.

Something I want Goboony to become a pioneer in is a business encouraging the benefits of motorhome travel as a sustainable option. At the moment electric motorhomes are currently unattainable for many people, so we will be looking at ways to see how Goboony can help shape this future.