THE UK’S BIGGEST TOURISM & LEISURE EVENT RETURNS

Taking place on 5-6 November 2025, NEC Birmingham...

The Land Leisure & Tourism Show is the UK’s largest event dedicated to holiday parks, leisure, attractions and rural businesses. Welcoming over 400 exhibitors and thousands of visitors, the show provides a creative space where you can gather ideas and learn from other experts in the field.

Whether you’re an established industry professional seeking fresh concepts or a newcomer looking to maximise your land’s potential, this event provides a unique platform for networking, learning, and innovation.

A HUB FOR INDUSTRY GROWTH AND INSPIRATION
This year’s show brings together three sectors under one roof, Holiday Parks, Family Attractions and Resorts, and Hospitality, creating an unmissable opportunity to explore the latest trends, connect with leading suppliers, and discover innovative solutions to enhance your business.

Plus with the Farm Business Innovation Show running alongside, farmers and landowners can access even more expert guidance on diversification and land optimisation.

EXPERT-LED SEMINARS & INDUSTRY ROUNDTABLES
Gain valuable insights from industry experts through a packed schedule of seminars, workshops, and discussion panels. The show’s keynote, Geoffrey Smith, CEO of Meadow Bay Villages, will open with a fresh perspective on the UK holiday park sector, rethinking the holiday experience through innovation and investment.

Expect thought-provoking discussions, covering key issues, trends, and opportunities that will shape the future of land, leisure, and tourism. This unique platform provides both professionals and newcomers in the industry the opportunity to network, learn and explore new opportunities.

Gain valuable insights from industry experts through a packed schedule of seminars, workshops, and discussion panels.

NEW FOCUS ON HOSPITALITY & VALUE-ADDED SERVICES
For 2025, we’re placing an even stronger emphasis on hospitality offerings, helping holiday park operators and rural businesses expand their services and increase profitability.

Expect tailored insights into enhancing guest experiences, adding premium facilities, and implementing effective marketing strategies to drive success.

YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT & GROW
Whether you’re looking to source new products, gain expert advice, or network with industry leaders, the Land Leisure & Tourism Show is the must- attend event to take your business to the next level.

Join us on 5-6 November 2025 at NEC Birmingham and be part of the UK’s most influential event for the tourism sector.
Scan the QR code to register for your free ticket today!

SPEAKERS NOT TO MISS!

MEADOW BAY VILLAGES REIMAGINING THE UK HOLIDAY PARK EXPERIENCE
05 Nov 2025 @ 10:00 - 10:30
Land, Leisure & Tourism Theatre

Geoffrey Smith, CEO of Meadow Bay Villages, opens the Land Leisure Tourism Show with a fresh perspective on the UK holiday park sector.

Discover how Meadow Bay is rethinking the holiday experience through innovation and investment and explore the opportunities shaping the future of holiday parks and rural leisure.

THE REAL COST OF ENERGY METERING - HEAR FROM PARKS WHO HAVE MADE THE SWITCH
05 Nov 2025 @ 10:00 - 10:30
Land, Leisure & Tourism Theatre

Join industry leaders and park owners as they share their real experiences with energy metering.

From reducing costs to improving guest satisfaction, hear first-hand what works, what doesn’t, and how.

HOW GULLIVER’S WORLD IS SHAPING TOMORROW’S ATTRACTIONS - JULIE DALTON, MANAGING DIRECTOR - GULLIVER’S THEME PARK RESORTS
06 Nov 2025 @ 10:00 - 10:30
Land, Leisure & Tourism Theatre

In this opening address, Julie Dalton, Managing Director of Gulliver’s Theme Parks and Resorts group, which includes Gulliver’s World, shares the journey of the independent, family-run theme park group as it adapts to shifting visitor expectations and industry challenges.

From launching immersive events and unique guest experiences to navigating changing leisure trends, Julie offers a behind-the-scenes look at how Gulliver’s has evolved its offer while staying true to its core values of affordability, accessibility, and family-first fun.

THIS YEARS MUST-SEE EXHIBTORS INCLUDE: TOP TEN

 

 

DESTINATION HOT TUBS

DESTINATION HOT TUBS

Holiday locations now have a wealth of compliant spas to choose from...

HOLIDAY BOOKERS continue to look for hot tubs as part of their vacation wish list.

The holiday market continues to recognise hot tubs as essential for attracting the best level of bookings. Key words and phrases such as ‘staycation UK with hot tub’, ‘hot tub staycations UK’, and ‘UK staycations with hot tubs’ all appear on a list of the most common staycation Internet searches. So, there is great appeal for the appropriately named Vacation Range, from Superior Wellness, that is ideal for holiday homes, cottages, B&Bs and Airbnb.

Ready to order now, you can choose from the Vacation Lounge or the Vacation Social depending on your customers’ needs. Great for guests who want to relax on holiday, the Vacation Lounge hot tub is suitable for five to six people and offers the perfect combination of one lounger and five seats. This 13 amp hot tub has R10 insulation and 25 jets.

 

SOCIAL TIMES
Superior’s Vacation Social is an all-seater hot tub for up to seven people, ideal for larger holiday rentals that need a hot tub big enough to fit all guests in. This 13-amp hot tub has R10 insulation and 26 jets. Not to be out-shone, Sunbeach Spas remain the exclusive supplier of hot tubs and related products to a number of holiday parks around the UK, including multiple sites with both Coastfields Leisure and Country & Coastal Holidays along the east coast, and also Lady’s Mile Holiday Park in the south.

“We continue to bring new holiday park companies on board, and most recently have been awarded a new contract to supply over 100 of our 344S spas and 100 saunas to a brand new park over the next six months,” reveals Sunbeach’s Wayne Green. Sunbeach’s 344S plug-and-play spa is now in its third regeneration and remains by far the spa of choice for most of our holiday park clientele.

Wayne confirms: “They appreciate its simplicity of design, combined with a good feature set for its price point - enough features to make it great for customers to have fun and relax in, but also be easy to maintain by site staff. The 344S features award-winning R10 insulation system, making it cost-effective to run, too. “For the next level in lower-cost, eco-friendlier running, it is also heat source pump compatible and pairs wonderfully with the iNHEAT range of heat pumps exclusively available from Sunbeach Spas,” Wayne shares.

“Our iNHEAT heat pumps are available with outputs from 3kW to 21kW, with either on/off switching or inverter controls, and can be retrofitted onto a wide range of spas and swim spas.” Matthew Lowe, Sales Manager with Coastfields Leisure Ltd, endorses the Sunbeach offering: “We have been in partnership with Sunbeach Spas now for over five years, we chose to use them initially due to the energy efficiency and ease of installation of the 344 tub. We are currently using almost exclusively the 344 spa,” says Matthew.

“We picked this model due to it looking the part, excellent build quality, great energy efficiency, ease of installation and we have not been disappointed,” adds Matthew. Coastfields currently have around 100 tubs on our fleet units and Sunbeach look after all the warranty and aftercare needs including the care chemicals and filters. There is also a stock of chemicals and filters in Coastfields’ shops so retail customers, who also have the same tubs, can keep them in perfect condition.

 

Matthew enthuses: “We are also currently near completion of another lodge development at Grange Leisure Mablethorpe utilising the 344 tub. It’s been a pleasure to work with Sunbeach Spas and look forward to many more years of excellent service.“ Relative newcomers to the holiday hot tub sector, Certikin offers a range of four true-hydrotherapy hot tubs, specifically designed for the holiday-let market for both guests and operators.

The commercial spas don’t just comply but some exceed the all-important health and safety requirements enforced by HSE and Local Authorities. The premium, energy-efficient smart spas feature an ozone generator, 24- hour filtration duration; a spa frog in-line chemical dosing system and have no perishable items such as headrests, diverter, or air valves fitted.

In addition, and going above and beyond the HSE and BISHTA guidelines, the hot tubs also feature a fast drain valve, reducing drainage time to 9-10 minutes; a reduced heating time of 3-5 hours with an additional energy source; tamper proof 2-3 button control panel and a silent, energy-saving circulation pump to protect the high-speed pumps.

They can be operated via a Smartphone App and Wi-Fi control that allows the operation of up to 100 spas. The Sevilla Plug and Play model features one lounger and five seats and has 46 hydrotherapy jets and relaxing LED colour-therapy lighting. Due to its low power consumption, it is ideal for parks with limited electricity supply.

The Cordoba comes with 40 hydrotherapy jets, StarLightTM corners, Central LED colour therapy lighting and accommodates six people. The smallest hot tub in the range is the four-seater Porto whilst the largest is the very spacious seven-seater Valencia.

 

HEALTH AND SAFETY
The main aim of the introduction of Health and Safety Guideline 282 (HSG282), that came into effect in early 2017, was to reduce the risk of Legionella outbreaks associated with spas and hot tubs. The guideline covers all spas and hot tubs in a commercial setting i.e. all those hired out and used by more than one party such as holiday destinations and lets.

The guidance aims to:
• Reduce the risk of Legionella and microbiological contamination
• Emphasise the operator’s responsibility
• Ensure testing is frequent and planned (at least three times a day)
• Highlights that results should be recorded
• Stresses there should be a written action plan if required

The Lovibond® Professional Pool and Spa Photometer Kit enables the operator to measure all the tests mentioned in HSG282 from one case. Contained within the kit is an MD 100 Professional Photometer for the measurement of chlorine, bromine and pH and an SD 80 Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Pen. All kits are supplied complete and ready to use. They use premeasured reagents which when added to the hot tub or pool water sample form a colour the intensity of which is proportional to the amount of substance being tested.

A typical test procedure would be
• Take a sample of the water to be tested in a sample cell, place it in a photometer and zero the unit
• Add tablet reagents and allow the colour to develop
• Return cell to photometer and read
• Record results and take appropriate action

Each HSG282 test kit purchased receives access to a FREE online Training Course. The training course covers:
• What is HSG282
• What to test for and why
• Correct Sampling
• Overview of pH, TDS, Chlorine & Bromine
• How to use photometers, comparators & TDS Pens
Importantly, the kit measures both chlorine and bromine so, if different disinfectants are used across your site, the same kit will cover both. Contact support@lovibond.uk for more information.

HOT TUB PAYBACK

HOT TUB PAYBACK

Spas clinch the holiday booking deal...

LADY’S MILE HOLIDAY PARK say payback on a hot tub can be as little as six months

Open 365 days a year and based in the picturesque location of Dawlish in South Devon, Lady’s Mile Holiday Park currently offers 90 hot tubs on its lodge and mini lodge accommodation. The multi-award winning, family-run park knows that hot tubs are a key component when sealing the booking deal. “Customers are asking for hot tubs as part of their booking requirements,” says Stephen Brown Lady’s Mile Holiday Park’s Operations Manager. “It is now getting to be an expectation rather than a luxury add on,” Stephen continues. Stephen confirms accommodation offering hot tubs are returning value for money. “Lodges with hot tubs command a 20% premium in the peak weeks and up to 80% premium in low income weeks due to increased levels of demand,” he confirms. “Payback on a hot tub can be as little as six months,” he adds. “We certainly will be looking to increase our hot tub range on lodges and high-end caravans for the foreseeable future.”

PLUG AND PLAY

Lady’s Mile Holiday Park’s preferred spa supplier is Sunbeach Spas offering the holiday park sector five models in a ‘plug and play’ range, designed to run from regular household electricity supplies and starting from £1,995. “Whilst these tubs tend to be at the lower end of the price range we offer, they are not lacking in features and have everything holidaymakers need in a hot tub – easy to operate with space for all the family, and offer powerful jets, music and lights,” explainsWayne Green, Managing Director of the UK- wide Sunbeach team. “Holiday park operators also appreciate the fact that all our plug and play spas come with our R10 insulation, providing massive reductions in incidental heat loss over standard insulation, with savings of over 70% in test conditions.”

FIT FOR PURPOSE

Sunbeach Spas also build their hot tubs with two separate pumps – one for circulation and one for jets, instead of the oft-used solitary twin-speed pump which performs both tasks with a single unit. “Whilst this has a marginally higher outset cost, it will allow for significant savings on overall costs – as holiday park hot tubs see significantly more use than general, the circulation pumps are running at maximum frequency to unsure the water is reheated and retreated at all times,”Wayne explains. This range has additional convenient features for the holiday park, including built in/non-removable headrests (no pillows to get damaged or stolen) and twin filters with inline chemical dispensers allowing for superior water cleansing, even whilst the tub is in use. “We have also developed an acrylic control panel housing to prevent unwanted tampering with the controls on systems which don’t have a user lock-out built in,” addsWayne. When considering large numbers of hot tubs running on the same site, the question of running costs becomes all important; even a small saving on a single spa will prove significant when multiplied across an entire holiday park, and so it is vital that any recommendation takes this into account. Wayne points out: “The common perception of the unbranded, low- cost hot tub was one of “cheap to buy, expensive to run”, with better insulation and power saving technology reserved for high-end hot tubs from well established brands. “Sunbeach Spas philosophy is that you can have the best of both worlds - the R10 insulation we build into each of our hot tubs won us the Spa Energy Efficiency Award at the 2019 UK Pool and Spa Awards and we continue to innovate to improve on that baseline.”

SIMPLE STEPS

For holiday lets, simplicity the key, both from the perspective of the park and of their guests. The average holidaymaker does not want to have to wade through pages of instructions, so it is important that the chosen hot tubs are simple to operate, but also come with the features that make having a hot tub so appealing – relaxing jets, a good music system, fun lighting and so forth. SaysWayne: “From the park’s point of view, simplicity of installation, using plug and play systems to avoid unnecessary and expensive upgrades to the park’s electrical grid system.” All Sunbeach Spas holiday park customers are offered free training days, which are held on their own site (so as many of their employees as they wish can attend easily) and are conducted by one of the leading chemical supply companies in the UK. “We also offer on-site training with our own staff for hot tub operational training, as well as all year round, out- of-hours telephone support,” adds Wayne.

 

“CUSTOMERS ARE ASKING FOR HOT TUBS AS PART OF THEIR BOOKING REQUIREMENTS.” LADY’S MILE HOLIDAY PARK say payback on a hot tub can be as little as six months. - Stephen Brown, Lady’s Mile Holiday Park

TRAINING MATTERS

“In our opinion, having a well-trained, on-site team is key for any holiday park; a hot tub breakdown, even if caused by the guests themselves, can sour an otherwise perfect holiday experience. Having an on- site team minimises downtime and will also be available for preventative maintenance,” Having hot tubs which are easy to maintain is vital to getting things up and running again smoothly. It’s equally important that the regular maintenance (cleaning, sterilising etc) is a hassle-free job, to ensure that the tub can be made ready for the next party of holidaymakers to use. “All our hot tubs have inline chemical dispenser options to keep the spa water clear and safe during their stay and minimising the impact on the clean down crew at the end of the stay,”Wayne continues. “In the last couple of years alone, we have seen the technology available on hot tub control systems jump forward.” New control systems are being developed all the time, with new features and ways of managing the spas more efficiently. But not all changes are suited to all cases, and it is easy to get excited about new features which are not of true benefit. One of the pitfalls of a hot tub at a holiday let is guests having the correct information on how to use the hot tub safely. “Most guests just want to just get in it and use it but if they don’t shower beforehand, rinse their costumes, not walk around in bare feet, drunk too much alcohol then their experience and safety can be at risk,” advises Sunbeach dealer John Threadgall of Yorkshire Spas. “We encourage holiday let owners to clearly display a user guide both next to the hot tub and in their welcome pack also giving users reasoning behind guidelines. “This information can prevent guests contacting the owners regarding dirty water, help quicker changeovers and help keep guests safe.”

Sunbeach Spas
Tel. 01623 706185
E. sales@sunbeachspas.co.uk
www.sunbeachspas.co.uk

Jewels In The Crown

Jewels In The Crown

ABOVE: Lady’s Mile Holiday Park was named as joint winner of the Holiday Park Pool Of The Year title.

ABOVE: Lady’s Mile Holiday Park was named as joint winner of the Holiday Park Pool Of The Year title.

A neck and neck contest, which left judges unable to separate two short-listed entries, has resulted in the pair sharing the coveted 2017 title of Holiday Park Pool Of The Year. Devon’s Lady’s Mile Holiday Park did not just shine for its investment in water leisure facilities. The Park’s outstanding team of lifeguards drew unanimous applause from the judges following the dramatic rescue of a young girl in distress in the outdoor pool. She was lifted from the water, and the team carried out CPR and saved the young girl’s life. The team acted professionally and responded to the incident with great care and compassion. Their efforts have been recognised by the Royal Lifesaving Society for outstanding bravery with a certificate of merit. Meanwhile, part of the Bourne Leisure group, Haven Holiday’s Hafany Môr Holiday Park, in North Wales, was named as co-title holders following an outstanding £3m refurbishment earlier this year. The upgrade featured an impressive makeover including the addition of three flume slides, play areas for young children, a multi-lane slide, bubble pool, Lazy River and wave pool, plus a lane pool for those wanting to just swim.

The Holiday Park Pool of The Year contest was one of 30 categories contested at the UK Pool and Spa Awards held at the Vox Conference Centre at Birmingham’s NEC last month. The organisers, Waterland Media, were joined by former Apprentice winner and TV personality, Michelle Dewberry, and over 200 representatives from all aspects of the pool and spa industry. The judges commented on the impressive standard of provision across the holiday park sector for swimming pools, hot tubs and wellness. Prepare to be impressed, as we bring you this year’s short-listed pools.

For More on Park Pools Of The Year Click Here

Making Waves

The UK’s best holiday park pools are celebrated at this year’s UK Pool & Spa Awards…

The overall category winner and coveted Holiday Park Pool of the Year title went to Tydd St Giles Golf & Country Club at the recent UK Pool & Spa Awards.

The overall category winner and coveted Holiday Park Pool of the Year title went to Tydd St Giles Golf & Country Club at the recent UK Pool & Spa Awards.

The UK’s multiple water leisure sectors celebrated their biggest night of the year at the hotly-contested UK Pool & Spa Awards last month. Overall category winners across 26 categories were each presented with a certificate and a trophy by Olympic swimmer and popular TV sports presenter Sharron Davies MBE at the special prize giving and networking evening, which was held at The Vox in Birmingham. Once again, the awards recognised the outstanding achievements of the country’s holiday park sector, with the Holiday Park Pool of the Year award. Within the category, six holiday parks were shortlisted and each received a Gold standard award. “Holiday parks play a big role in the UK’s provision of water leisure facilities and we’re delighted to be able to showcase some of the very best that the industry has to offer,” says Christina Connor, editor of Swimming Pool Scene magazine, the independent publication behind the annual competition.

STAND-OUT PARKS

“We received entries from a number of stand-out parks, who clearly value their pool facilities and work hard to keep them in top notch condition. The awards go some way in rewarding that hard work and raising the profile of those parks.” The overall category winner and coveted Holiday Park Pool of the Year title went to Tydd St Giles Golf & Country Club in Cambridgeshire, for its luxury heated swimming pool. The pool, which is located within a leisure complex on the lodge development, is open to holiday home owners, holiday guests and club members and welcomes around 23,000 bathers per year. The judges felt that the immaculate appearance and dramatic criss-crossing of exposed oak beams really makes this pool a head-turner. Meanwhile, the wellness facilities including a steam room and sauna further enhance the guest experience. The leisure complex at Tydd St Giles opened in 2013 and is managed by Lauren Buckingham, who has worked at the park in various roles since she was 13. Lauren is supported by a dedicated team who work hard to maintain the high standards that customers have come to expect.

GOLD STANDARD

Parks that achieved the Gold standard in the holiday park pool category included Lady’s Mile Holiday Park in Devon, Thornwick Bay Holiday Park in Yorkshire, Plas Coch Holiday Homes in Wales, The Pickaquoy Centre Trust in Scotland and Brean Leisure Park & Holiday Resort Unity in Somerset. The operators of Brean Leisure Park also scooped a Gold standard award in the Water Leisure Operator of the Year category. The parks were presented with their certificates and awards by Olympic swimmer and popular TV sports presenter Sharron Davies MBE. “We introduced the Holiday Park Pool of the Year award last year, and it’s great to see even more parks being recognised in this year’s competition,” added Christina Connor. “The holiday park sector has certainly raised the water leisure bar this year and we hope to build on that success in the 2017 awards.Watch this space!”

Founded in 2010, the UK Pool and Spa Awards are organised by Waterland Media, the publishers of Swimming Pool Scene and Hot Tub & Swim Spa Scene, the market-leading magazines for the combined water leisure sectors. The UK Pool and Spa Awards are open to the entire water leisure industry and aim to celebrate outstanding swimming pools, swim spas, hot tubs design, management and refurbishment and the outstanding people in our industry who make a difference. On-line voting accounts for 40% of the overall vote. Voting by the Judging panel – made up of industry representatives and professionals from all over the world - accounts for 60% of the vote.

For more information on the competition, or to get involved in next year’s awards, visit www.ukpoolandspaawards.co.uk.

Lady’s Mile Holiday Park

ladyThe pool at Lady’s Mile Holiday Park in Devon is well known for being one of the warmest and cleanest pools in the area, with the average temperature around 33C. Complete with a flume and a separate paddling area, the pool very popular with young families, couples and older guests alike. The park also has a close connection to Ratcliff School for special needs, which uses the pool for private school sessions.

Thornwick Bay Holiday Park

thornThe main pool at Thornwick Bay Holiday Park was recently refurbished by Leisure Concepts. It features fun splash and spray jets, a new children’s pool area with water play slides, and an all new activity and swim pool. There’s also a new multi-lane family speed slide, new splash pool with tipping bucket, spray features and a bubble seat.

Brean Leisure Park & Holiday Resort Unity

breanThe large modern splash park at Brean Leisure is used by members of the public, holidaymakers, schools and triathlete clubs, for swimming lessons and fitness classes.
The pool was in operation for 30 years prior to the rebuild in 2011. Over £5 million was spent in the first phase of the rebuild, making the pool into a 25m indoor modern leisure facility.
The pool is operated by the House family who have owned the site for the past 70 years, and are involved in the day to day running of the business.

Plas Coch Holiday Homes

plasThe pool at Plas Coch park is open to private residents and offers a range of water-based activities such as swimming lessons, water walkers, snorkelling, scuba diving, pool parties, aqua fun and fitness classes. Welcoming up to 20,000 bathers each year, the pool is run by Park Leisure 2000, which operates ten holiday homes parks throughout the UK. The pool has recently had the walls, ceilings and floors refurbished and painted to ensure the integrity of the facility remains first class.

The Pickaquoy Centre Trust

pickaThe pool and spa the Pickaquoy Centre is used for a number of sessions from public swimming to group exercise classes, swimming lessons and inflatable sessions. Although the pool is part of the facilities the Trust manages on behalf of the Council, it is attached to the caravan and camping park and is used by holidaymakers and the general public. The pool has an annual bather load of 70,000.

Net Gains

Net Gains

Net-Gains

The caravan and holiday park sector is recognising the value of cashless card systems like Embed.

Startling figures from internet giants, Google, show that more than 80 per cent of Brits use the internet to research their holidays.

With more holidaymakers than ever then going on to book their holidays; from holiday and touring parks to caravan and campsites.

Sharp and effective websites with user-friendly online booking systems, search engine optimisation, e-blasts, apps and cookiebased promotion – the e-marketing revolution is here and is ignored at your peril.

“In today’s day and age, it’s more important than ever that park operators keep pace with technology – especially when it comes to maximising online bookings and sales,” urges Niall Norris of management software CampManager.

Net-Gains-google

E-marketing is not just about selling holidays, but also about user-friendly booking systems.

“There are basic principles, which if adhered to can really make a difference to a park’s online booking service,” Niall adds.

For a visitor to the website, the online booking system should be straightforward and easy to use, and clearly provide the visitor with all the information they need to book their stay. It must be logical, with quality pictures and descriptions so that customers can make their preferred selection.

“Customers like to feel comfortable and secure as they navigate around the website booking pages. Having the booking page designed in the same style as the website and having the payment taken directly from the website page considerably helps this, and directly increases the number of online bookings made,” advises Niall.

MAKING IT EASY

Equally, the system should be just as simple for the reservation team to use, making it easy for them to carry out tasks such as taking payment, amend bookings, calculate tariffs, generate arrival and departure reports and undertake online marketing initiatives.

“A common mistake that park owners make is using a system more suited for hotels,” says Niall. “A more flexible booking system is required for campsites and caravan parks, as the accommodation options are far more complex, plus all of the added extras available.”

“A key advantage of having a web based booking system that operates from one platform, is that when an online booking is made it immediately goes into the management system, therefore avoiding mistakes and errors.”

CampManager is fast becoming a popular choice for campsites and caravan parks looking for a complete management and booking system that is efficient and easy to use.

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