local attractions

SCOTLAND’S TOP CAMPSITE IN 2025

Posted on July 31, 2025

FIVE-STAR VIEWS TOWARDS the Firth of Forth and Arthur’s Seat from Drummohr Camping and Glamping site.

Drummohr Camping and Glamping Site near Edinburgh has been crowned Scotland’s Camping Site of the Year at the 2025 Scottish Hospitality Awards, adding to a growing list of national accolades. The AA five-star site, located in Musselburgh on the shores of the Firth of Forth, beat strong competition across the country to claim the title at a black-tie ceremony in Glasgow.

It follows two major wins in 2024, including Campsite of the Year in the Camping Awards and top site in Scotland via Pitchup.com. “We’re absolutely delighted,” said site manager Angie Purves. “This reflects our whole team’s passion and dedication to delivering exceptional guest experiences. We also take pride in supporting local attractions and events, offering that extra level of service that makes Drummohr stand out.”

Owned by WCF Ltd, Drummohr features luxury lodges with hot tubs, themed glamping pods, family bothies, and touring pitches—all with electric. The family-and dog-friendly site boasts underfloor heated facilities, scenic dog walks, and excellent transport links into Edinburgh. Drummohr is open year-round and sits close to East Lothian’s beaches, golf courses, and the John Muir Way, making it a prime destination for both relaxation and adventure.

A DIGITAL UPGRADE

Posted on July 31, 2025

In today’s digitally driven world, guest expectations are evolving fast — and holiday parks, campsites, and glamping sites across the UK are rising to meet the challenge. From the initial booking to the end-of-stay farewell, the entire holiday experience is increasingly shaped by technology.

And for park owners and managers, embracing smart systems like online bookings and mobile guest apps isn’t just about keeping up — it’s about staying ahead. Whether you’re managing a family-friendly caravan park, a luxury glamping retreat, or a coastal touring site, digital tools have become essential for delivering the seamless, personalised service that modern travellers now expect.

Let’s take a closer look at how guest apps and online booking systems are transforming the industry — and how three companies are helping UK parks lead the charge.

FROM GLAMPING TO OWNERSHIP, CampManager’s Guest App supports every step of the guest journey.

YOUR PARK. YOUR BRAND. YOUR APP.
The team at CampManager understand that guests want convenience — and they want it on their phones. That’s why they’ve launched a powerful new Branded Guest App, tailored specifically for holiday parks, glamping sites, and touring parks. At its core, the app is about putting your brand in your guests’ pockets.

Available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play, the app features your colours, logo and messaging — giving you an identity that stays with your guests from booking to check-out, and even beyond. “It’s not just a tool, it’s an extension of your park’s experience,” says the CampManager team.

Guests can use the app to check-in digitally, explore site maps, access Wi-Fi codes, browse menus, and view local attractions or on-site events. For your team, that means fewer repetitive questions — and more time spent delivering great hospitality. But the functionality doesn’t stop there. The app becomes your central communication hub, with built-in messaging linked directly to CampManager’s system.

CUSTOM-BRANDED GUEST apps from CampManager keep your identity front and centre.

Whether a guest wants to ask about dog-friendly walks or amend a reservation, all messages are routed to the right team member and logged securely — no missed emails, no phone tag. From a revenue perspective, it’s also a powerful sales channel. Guests can book add-ons, pay balances, or rebook future stays at the tap of a screen.

App-exclusive offers, flash deals, and push notifications can drive repeat business, direct bookings, and seasonal occupancy boosts, all without relying on OTAs. For parks with holiday-home ownership, the app even acts as a digital showroom, showcasing your available stock and feeding warm leads straight into CampManager’s CRM.

And it’s not just for guests. Holiday-home owners can log in to request maintenance, gas refills or cleaning, with every task tracked in CampManager’s integrated Jobs & Tasks system. The result? A fully integrated, branded, end-to-end experience — for guests, owners, and teams alike.

SMART INTEGRATIONS from GemaPark help deliver modern, sustainable service.

GEMAPARK & PEMBREY’S SMART EVOLUTION
Down in Carmarthenshire, the award-winning Pembrey Country Park Family Caravan & Camping Park is showing just how impactful the right technology can be. Nestled in 500 acres of woodland and coastal beauty, Pembrey has long been a favourite with families seeking adventure and tranquillity.

A long-standing user of GemaPark, Pembrey recently elevated their guest experience with two digital upgrades: Pay-as-you-go electric pitches and a fully branded Guest App. Thanks to GemaPark’s integration with E-Pitch, guests can now pre-purchase electricity during the booking process and top-up from their phones or the hardware itself.

No queues, no meter readings, no lost credit — just seamless, real-time control that enhances convenience while supporting sustainability. As Mags Pullen, Commercial & Facilities Manager at Pembrey, explains: “The ability for guests to manage bookings, electric usage and activities in one place has greatly improved the experience. Our new app adds a personal touch while reducing our reliance on paper and physical resources.”

The app, developed in collaboration with Holidaymaker and fully integrated into GemaPark, gives guests instant access to all their booking details, payment history, activities, and now — even their electricity usage. It also allows for real-time notifications, updates on local events, and a completely paperless arrival and stay experience.

GemaPark’s forward-thinking, open API strategy means that these kinds of smart integrations are only becoming more common and more important. As Dawn Bee, Director of GemaPark, puts it: “We’re committed to connectivity. With our plug-and-play integrations, parks can pick the best tools for their needs and know it will all work together — simply and smoothly.”

AT PEMBREY COUNTRY PARK, guests top up electricity and manage bookings right from their phone.

DIRECT-TO-GUEST MARKETING
While the digital experience is evolving, the goal remains the same: great hospitality. As Allana Tigwell, Head of Marketing at Holidaymaker, points out: “Technology should enable, not replace. It frees up your team to spend more time with guests and less time on admin.”

Holidaymaker’s Direct-to-Guest (D2G) Marketing™ approach helps parks build a connected journey — starting from the moment a potential guest sees a lodge on social media. Through apps, screens and messaging tools, D2G keeps guests engaged throughout their holiday, delivering relevant content, reminders, and offers at just the right time.

Forward-thinking parks like Waterside Holiday Group and Freshwater Beach Holiday Park are showing what’s possible. From in-app AI chat, activity booking and real-time rebooking nudges, to on-site Seeview screens with local info, guests are kept in the loop, without needing to ask at reception. And importantly, this helps bring guests back into your ecosystem.

Instead of relying on OTAs or third-party platforms, branded apps and content help guests stay connected to your brand, long after they’ve left. Whether it’s reducing your carbon footprint with paperless check-ins, or encouraging in-stay upgrades with personalised offers, D2G tech turns one-time visitors into loyal fans.

HOLIDAYMAKER APPS, screens and AI chat helping guests stay informed, entertained and connected.

A SMARTER, MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
One of the most significant advantages of online bookings and apps is their contribution to sustainability and operational efficiency.

From reducing paperwork and streamlining check-in, to cutting down on power waste with smart metering, these tools support both environmental goals and bottom-line savings. More importantly, they support a more human experience. By automating repetitive admin tasks and enabling better communication, they free your team to do what they do best: create welcoming, memorable stays.

Today’s guests aren’t just booking beds, they’re booking experiences. And digital tools, when used right, make those experiences smoother, richer, and more connected.

D2G TOOLS KEEP GUESTS in the loop without pulling staff away from the front line.

YOUR PARK, EVOLVED
The future of holiday park management is not about replacing people with screens — it’s about supporting people with smart, flexible tools.

Whether you’re looking to:
• Reduce OTA commission and increase direct bookings
• Deliver five-star communication from pre-arrival to post-check-out
• Provide smarter on-site services with less manual admin
• Or just bring your brand to life in a guest’s pocket

...then CampManager, GemaPark and Holidaymaker have the technology and expertise to help you get there. As the UK staycation trend continues to grow, the parks that will stand out are those that blend modern tech with traditional hospitality, creating experiences that are personal, seamless and brilliantly memorable.

Ready to bring your park into the palm of your guests’ hands?
Explore these leading providers:

CampManager
www.campmanager.com

GemaPark
www.gemapark.co.uk

Holidaymaker App
www.holidaymakerapp.co.uk

LARGO LEISURE PARKS

Posted on May 14, 2025

Putting the needs of their customers at the heart of their business is the philosophy of Largo Leisure, owner and operator of half a dozen award-winning Scottish holiday parks. Largo Leisure Parks was founded in 2003 when it acquired its first holiday park in Scotland, Sauchope Links Park in the East Neuk of Fife.

Over the years, three further parks joined the portfolio: one more in Fife - Letham Feus Holiday Park, and two in Perthshire - Loch Tay Highland Lodges, and Braidhaugh Holiday Park. In March 2022, Largo Leisure Parks was acquired by Limerston Capital.

Perthshire’s Cruachan Farm Caravan and Camping Park was acquired in 2023 and in 2024, Campsite Glen Holiday Park, close to Glasgow, joined the group, making a total of six parks. Each Largo Leisure park has its own unique characteristics and offers a varied choice of holiday accommodation to rent and own including self-catering glamping, wooden cabins, cottages, deluxe beach huts, premium lodges, and caravans.

With a 50/50 split between holiday home rental and ownership across the portfolio, all parks share a common theme, providing luxurious accommodation in stunning natural surroundings. Considered a flagship park of the group, Loch Tay Highland Lodges is situated on the private Milton Morenish Estate in Killin, Perthshire.

ONE OF TWO LUXURY Loch Tay Highland Lodges that are available for holiday rental at Loch Tay.

Acquired in 2006, the park offers an exceptional base for a holiday in one of the most beautiful parts of Scotland. Visitors can choose from the widest variety of accommodation: from camping and glamping in Geodesic domes and wooden pods, to Scandinavian-built holiday lodges, and two luxury large self-catering houses that can sleep up to eight and ten guests respectively.

“Our two luxury houses in Loch Tay are the epitome of luxury holiday homes and the flagship rental accommodation at our parks,” says Rachel Mabbs, Commercial Director at Largo Leisure Parks. “Both properties are perfect for large gatherings of family and friends. Loch Tay House boasts a hot tub for up to ten people and superb views of the Loch from its balcony.

We added the architect-designed Mill House in 2020. This stunning four bedroom home also offers a large hot tub, and a secluded, tranquil setting in amongst pretty woodland with scenic mountain views. Mature, private gardens, fire pits and the finest fixtures and furnishings complete both houses.” Whatever accommodation they choose, guests staying at Loch Tay Highland Lodges can take advantage of a host of activities that showcase the best of the park’s natural setting.

From archery, hill walking, bird watching and golf, to canoeing, boat hire and stand up paddle boarding courtesy of the on-site activity provider, In Your Element, Scotland After an active day out on the water or out and about in the countryside, it’s time to enjoy the waterside setting and delicious Scottish delicacies of The Boathouse Kitchen & Bar.

BEACH HUT accommodation with wood-fired hot tub at Sauchope Links Park.

Elsewhere in Scotland, 2024 saw two large developments within the Largo Leisure group. Their seaside holiday park, Sauchope Links, benefited from an £800k investment in July to create eight new holiday home pitches and five new units. Sauchope Links offers an innovative mix of accommodation including one bedroom beach huts and glamping pods, with a few offering hot tubs.

The park’s enviable setting, moments from the idyllic fishing village of Crail, and just ten miles from Scotland’s home of golf, St Andrews, means that Sauchope Links is also a popular choice for holiday homeowners. The park offers a variety of new and used lodge-style homes for sale including those from leading manufacturers such as Willerby and Prestige.

In September 2024, a £350k development at Braidhaugh Holiday Park in Crieff saw the introduction of 14 new caravans. The project was a key part of ongoing investment from Largo Leisure’s owners, Limerston Capital, demonstrating their commitment to enhancing Scottish tourism and supporting local economies.

Nestled on the banks of the scenic River Earn, on the doorstep of the historic market town of Crieff, Braidhaugh is an ideal base for a self-catering countryside holiday. “Previously, we only had contemporary lodges and glamping pods at Braidhaugh,” explains Rachel Mabbs.

PET-FRIENDLY holidays are encouraged at Largo Leisure Parks.

“Since the site was already popular for its hard-standing touring pitches, we decided to landscape this area and expand our accommodation choice with some more traditional caravan units to cover a greater range of price points. The park now offers four new rental units: two 2-bedroom caravans, and two 3-bedroom caravans. One of each size is pet-friendly accommodation also.”

As part of the same re-development, ten new caravans for holiday home ownership were also added to the park. Further expansion is also planned. “During the development work, our team worked closely with the David Bellamy Conservation Scheme to help sustain the many animal, bird and plant species in the grounds,” says Rachel Mabbs.

“The work included the planting of native trees and hedgerows, as well as maintaining areas of wildflowers to provide new and protect existing wildlife habitats.” With parks situated in some of the most beautiful parts of Scotland, Largo Leisure embraces their commitment to the environment wholeheartedly.

Recycling facilities encourage greater responsibility for guests and staff at all the parks, and many of the glamping accommodations offer wood fired hot tubs that are greener and more sustainable. They are also more in keeping with the natural surroundings.

RETREAT LODGES AT SAUCHOPE LINKS PARK.

“Each park page on our website promotes the local wildlife, historical sites and other local attractions in the area. We’re also planning to create wildlife guides for each of our parks to point out the many animals and birds which can be seen from our parks and in the local area,” explains Rachel Mabbs. The organisation is also keen to give back to the wider community.

Through their active partnership with the charity ‘Give us Time’, Largo Leisure donates much-needed respite breaks to UK military families facing difficulties. During 2023 and 2024, a total of 58 breaks were pledged, offering a chance for families to reconnect and enjoy quality time together away from the pressures of daily life.

Encouraging guests to switch off and unwind is at the heart of the Largo Leisure business model. The parks offer an enticing choice of accommodation, much of it pet-friendly, and first-class facilities – no big, noisy entertainment venues here. Moreover, it’s the tremendous natural beauty of their locations that is the big attraction.

Expanding their parks so more people can enjoy Scotland’s magnificent countryside, is key to Largo Leisure’s future development. Most recently, the group has responded to the opportunity – and challenge - of increasing last-minute demand by introducing flexible arrival days and two-night weekend stays with a late check-out on a Sunday. No visit is too short for guests to appreciate Scotland’s natural splendour.

Largo Leisure
01567 820323
www.largoleisure.co.uk

EXPANSION GETS THE GO AHEAD

Posted on March 13, 2024

EXPANSION GETS THE GO AHEAD

The multi-million expansion of a south Pembrokeshire holiday park, that will create dozens of new jobs and provide a welcome boost for regional tourism and leisure, has been given the green light by Pembrokeshire County Council. The proposed development at the Heritage Park, Stepaside, will be delivered by Heritage Leisure Development (Wales) Ltd.

It will result in the provision of 48 new, high-quality holiday lodges, along with an equestrian centre, five-star leisure spa, café, and cycle hire facility. The £6 million project will expand the local tourism offer while also breathing new life into a former pub, craft village and animal farm that have been abandoned and vacant for a number of years.

Heritage Park sits within a popular tourism location, attracting high levels visitors due to its close proximity to the seaside resort of Tenby as well as other local attractions and towns, including Saundersfoot. According to the Welsh Government, Pembrokeshire is ranked as the fifth overall most visited local authority in Wales, with millions of people coming to the region from within the UK and overseas annually.

The proposed development will provide a significant boost to the local economy in this area. An economic impact assessment estimates that people staying at the site are expected to spend significantly within the area, and together with Park spending, there will be an extra nearly £1 million additional expenditure in the local economy each year. Jobs will also be created during construction phase of the development, which is now expected to start next year.

These will be in addition to a number of full-time and part-time jobs that will be created once the park and the other the associated leisure facilities fully open for business. Working on behalf of the owner and operator, Helen Ashby-Ridgway, planning director at the Cardiff office of planning and development consultancy Lichfields, said Heritage Park is well-deserving of its 5* Visit Wales award.

Karl Watson, owner of Heritage Leisure Development, added: “We’re clearly delighted to have secured approval, which marks the next phase in ambitious proposals to provide top quality hospitality and leisure facilities in south Pembrokeshire for holiday- makers and visitors. This project will also breathe new life into a location that’s ready to be transformed, signalling a new chapter for the local area and creating opportunities and jobs for local people.”