Peas In A Pod
One in four holidaymakers are now choosing to stay in the UK rather than travel abroad. So, having compromised on flights, when it comes to booking closer to home, the calibre of accommodation is undoubtedly the decision maker or the deal breaker for potential holiday park guests.
From lodges to hobbit holes and from safari tents to yurts, holiday parks offer multiple levels of accommodation, with both varied quality and pricing. Of these, it is the fast-moving pod sector that currently stands out from the crowd.
The explosion of interest in pods is one of the key factors behind the rejuvenation of British camping with increasing numbers of young people and families opting to experience ‘the great outdoors’ while still appreciating the comforts of home. Since its first appearance in 2008 the pod has become a well-established and much enjoyed alternative to the tent and the caravan holiday home and is now a widely available feature on many sites throughout the UK and Ireland as well as most of the countries in Europe.
Although selling the idea of the new concept pods to holiday park operators was a challenge ten years ago, owners are now seeing the perks and can create an interesting setting with the added benefit of using ground that may be unsuitable for camping or tourers. “Pods can and will provide a good stream of income as they are set up nicely to offer an exclusive visitor experience,” says Ian Bone, Director of the Original Pod Company. Creators of the trademarked Pod range, Newfoundland Lodges are the originators of the pod concept.
CANVAS HOLIDAYS
Ian says the growth in the industry is a cause for innovation. “Our recent wet summers have tempered the ‘canvas holiday’ to some degree which has certainly been to our advantage, plus the pods are an all year round option and will see occupancy outside of the traditional camping season,” comments Ian. The Cowshed - a ‘boutique bunkhouse’ hostel in Uig on the Isle of Skye - highlights where the Pod is well placed, and how to make the most of this sector of the industry.
The Cowshed site was initially transformed by the new owners and quickly became a highly popular stopping off point for visitors to Skye and the Western Isles. To increase capacity and add interest an area of ground was developed at the back of the hostel which offered excellent views down to the harbour and the island seascapes beyond.
Says Ian: “The north-west coast of Scotland is a tough place when it comes to weather so it was decided to use Thermowood as external cladding on all seven of the MegaPod-S units as well as using double skinned outer walls.” The hostel is open all year and comfort levels need to be maintained.
“Overall, I think the diversity on offer is healthy and gives this sector energy,” says Ian. “We have been here from the start and have seen ideas come and go but it does seem to be the case that you have come to the market with something original if you want to survive” Although the glamping experience may be usurping the traditional camping holiday, there are still a variety of options for visitors hoping to have a break under canvas.
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COMPANY CONTACTS
It's Show Time!
Will continues: “The show is an entirely unique event for entrepreneurs striving for success in one of the most vibrant and competitive sectors in British business today, and we’ve assembled the most exciting new products, services and ideas as well as the best industry leading experts around to put visitors on the right path towards a successful holiday business.”
Join Alex Brown, Business Development Manager at Dial An Exchange, as he leads a seminar highlighting the many benefits that offering a holiday exchange system can bring. Advantages include offering the best possible service to existing owners, assisting with new lodge sales and increasing product value. All parks regardless of size, standard of accommodation and on site rules can benefit from an affiliation.
Visitors to the Wicksteed Playgrounds stand 932 will be able to view the extensive range of outdoor play and gym equipment that is ideally suited to the leisure and holiday park sector. Wicksteed uses advanced 3D printing technology to create complete play and fitness areas in perfectly formed 1:10 scale to offer a true visual interpretation of plans and ideas to its customers. The play experiences can be themed with bespoke elements to reflect the individual site and its surroundings.
Somerset based glamping specialist Boldscan has a range of tents from safari style to ultra-modern, plus the unique and flexible Clubhouse. The company has recently added the innovative and stylish Etosha model to its range of quality tents. Boldscan can advise on planning, finance, positioning, as well as assembling and maintaining. Meet us at the Holiday Park & Resort Innovation Show at Stand number 1032.
We are committed to making the world a better place by offering innovative aquatic play solutions to the global community. Our full suite of products includes play features designed to splash and spray, activity centres, waterslides, and architecturally-inspired urban features. Whether you’re building an aquatic play pad complete with a water management system or refurbishing an existing facility, our goal is to deliver an end-result that pushes play outside the bounds of everyday fun and into a world of discovery.
Our toilets use no water, require no sewage systems and create no waste. Simple to use, easy to maintain, odourless and chemical free. A completely natural solution, for all camping and glamping sites. Waterless toilets, an old concept brought bang up to date for modern living and water saving. We are introducing the Water from Households Aboveground Living Ecosystem (WHALE). Grey water is piped from the dwelling through a series of gravel and reed planted troughs then recycled for showers and washing machines.
Your one-stop-shop for swimming pool and water play advice, World Leisure provides a complete range of design, technical and installation services in the water leisure industry. With expertise in pool and plant design and installation, we undertake both domestic and large commercial projects with energy conservation at the forefront of the design. As well as pool finishes, other core areas of expertise include water treatment plants, wave machines, water features, water slides, moveable floors, wellbeing controlled environments, and all other aspects of swimming pools that most developments require.
Using our extensive knowledge of the holiday and residential park sector, we are able to offer parks a competitively priced insurance solution tailored to your specific needs. Lorica’s holiday parks policy includes not just the usual array of buildings, contents and liability cover but also specific extensions for caravans, lodges, chalets, holiday homes and park homes whilst on park, in transit, in storage, whilst being sited and unsited and whilst being worked upon, sales stock and rental fleets.
We are a successful garden room manufacturer and installer and are taking our expertise into the build and design of glamping pods. All pods are built in our workshops by our skilled carpenters and are delivered to the site as a complete unit. Each unit is built to order and can be installed on-site, ready to use within six weeks of placing your order. Visit the Future Rooms team on stand 1234 to discuss the options and designs available for your park.
Having built their first holiday park swimming pool in 1989, Cresta Leisure are recognised as being one of the leading swimming pool designers and contractors in the holiday park sector. Their extensive portfolio of pools, as well as lazy rivers and water leisure, is testament to their understanding of the particular design and financial requirements in this sector. Their mission is to provide attractive swimming and water leisure facilities able to cope with the rigorous demands of holidaymakers at prices that are not prohibitive. All Cresta commercial swimming pools are designed to European standards to maintain top water quality.
Hippo offers a range of play features that will bring a twist to the pool or poolside of any holiday park. Working closely with children has contributed to the success of Hippo’s product design and developments. Hippo’s play equipment is extremely versatile and can be expanded and updated gradually to spread costs and keep features fresh and appealing to customers that return to holiday parks year upon year. Hippo can work with any budget, pool shape and size to create a customised water play zone.
Maxxton was the first company in Europe to launch a fully integrated, cloud based, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution specifically for the holiday park sector. Working hand-in-hand with our customers, the software has been developed alongside Europe’s top holiday parks. We offer a complete management and marketing solution that saves you time, helps you to increase your bookings and allows you to focus on your guests. To find out more about our solutions come and visit us at stand 1244 or get in touch via our details below to discuss your needs directly.
Visit the Rollins Marine & Caravan Services (RMCS) team on stand 740 at the exhibition. Rollins Caravan Services has over 25 years industry experience and are fully conversant with all the latest electrical and water regulations throughout Europe. Our range of products are competitively priced and manufactured from products that are tried and trusted in the industry. As well as supply, we have a team of dedicated professionals, offering a bespoke design and installation service. RMCS can satisfy all marina and caravan site requirements and can produce over 300 different specifications of service pedestals and hook up units.
For over 45 years, World of Rides has been the leading UK manufacturer of children’s leisure rides in the UK. Our vast knowledge and experience ensures that every ride we manufacture is rigorously tested both in the factory and on-site before being released for sale. We maintain a dedicated customer support office, which ensures that all our customers receive the very best advice on the profitable and safe operation of their rides. How long do they last? Almost all of the rides we have ever made are still in daily use!