Unlocking the potential of swimming pool at your site...
From serene morning swims to chaotic family splash sessions, swimming pools have long been a key draw for holidaymakers across the UK.
Whether it’s the thrill of a flume, the sensory joy of a splashpad, or the luxurious calm of a hot tub, aquatic attractions continue to be a powerful way for holiday parks to boost appeal, increase bookings, and improve guest satisfaction.
But in 2025, swimming pools are not just about water, they’re about experience, safety, accessibility and even profitability.
"Swimming pools are not just about water, they're about experience, safety, accessibility and even profitability."
A POOL IS JUST THE BEGINNING
A well-designed pool area is more than a place to cool off. It’s a hub of activity, a selling point on brochures, and increasingly, a profit centre in its own right. That’s where specialists like Ustigate Waterplay come in.
Their installations go beyond traditional pools to create immersive aquatic play spaces that work for all ages and abilities — even where space or staffing is limited. Ustigate’s innovative splash pads, for instance, are especially well suited for holiday parks. Because they don’t have any standing water, they require no lifeguards, and are therefore low-maintenance, safe, and accessible.
They’re perfect for outdoor play areas and create fantastic visual impact, with over 15 features capable of running from the same water management system as a traditional pool. According to Ustigate, the modern pool experience should not “stand alone.” It should be part of a broader strategy to maximise fun, inclusivity, and efficiency in every square foot.
Their installations often include lazy rivers, interactive water cannons, and customisable water features designed by their long-standing partner, Vortex Aquatic Structures International Inc, who offer a portfolio of over 300 products. We create a space that entertains a multitude of guests simultaneously, whether that’s kids racing through water tunnels, teens battling with spray cannons, or families relaxing under shaded structures by the pool.
FOR LEISURE OPERATORS, water testing isn’t just a routine task, it’s a critical part of keeping guests safe and happy.
TESTING TIMES
However fun or visually impressive your aquatic offering might be, nothing is more important than safety and that starts with the water itself. Enter The Tintometer Ltd, who provide vital equipment for routine and regulated water testing in pools and spas.
Their Lovibond® MD150 photometer is fast becoming a go-to for leisure operators across the UK, especially in parks with multiple facilities or hot tubs in private lodges. The MD150 allows for accurate and efficient testing of chlorine, bromine, pH, calcium hardness, alkalinity and cyanuric acid — all with a user-friendly digital interface.
Crucially, it also helps parks comply with HSG282, the Health and Safety Executive’s guidance for hot tubs and spa pools — which are now widely featured in glamping pods, luxury lodges and cabins. “Accurate, fast testing isn’t just about compliance,” says a spokesperson from The Tintometer Ltd.
“It’s about protecting your guests, your staff, and your reputation. The MD150 gives operators the tools they need to meet the high expectations of health officers, insurers and today’s savvy holidaymakers.” The device’s portability makes it ideal for large sites, and ongoing service and calibration support helps ensure long-term performance and peace of mind.
SPLASH ABOUT provide bespoke retail solutions and branded products, giving your swimming pool facilities the retail wow factor.
TURNING POOLS INTO PROFIT CENTRES
Swimming pools have traditionally been considered a cost centre — expensive to maintain, staff and heat. But what if they could generate income too? That’s the question answered by Splash About, who are helping holiday parks across the UK transform poolside areas into high-performing retail spaces.
Working with over 85% of UK holiday park operators, including household names like Haven and Center Parcs, Splash About brings what they call “retail theatre” to poolside merchandising. Their formula is simple but powerful: great products, clever displays, and a smart stock management system.
From UV-protective wetsuits and swim nappies to toys and goggles, Splash About offers a full range of swim and water play products. These are merchandised on custom-designed, durable displays that thrive in the humid, high-traffic poolside environment. Their unique back-end portal system even automates reordering, keeping shelves looking full without overloading on-site storage.
“This approach works,” says Managing Director Lesley Beach. “Some of our partners have seen poolside retail quadruple, moving pools from cost centres to profit centres.” For holiday parks looking to add a revenue stream without expanding their footprint, this is a proven solution.
THE YORKSHIRE SPA RETREAT were crowned overall Winner of Holiday Park Pool of the Year in the 2023 UK Pool & Spa Awards.
RECOGNISING EXCELLENCE
Of course, the holiday park industry is filled with innovation, creativity and quality — all of which are celebrated at the UK Pool & Spa Awards. These prestigious awards recognise excellence in design, management, and customer experience across all sectors of the wet leisure industry.
For holiday park operators, it’s a chance to benchmark standards, discover new suppliers, and even gain a valuable marketing edge by being shortlisted or winning an award.
From eco-conscious filtration systems to high-tech water features and inclusive splash zones, the awards provide a snapshot of the very best in British pool design and operation.
If you’re proud of your pool facilities, whether newly installed or lovingly maintained, the UK Pool & Spa Awards are a brilliant opportunity to showcase your efforts and earn industry recognition.
A USTIGATE SPLASHPAD is great because it offers water play without water depth, making it inclusive, accessible, safe and fun for everyone.
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
The way guests use pools is changing. They want more than just a dip, they want experiences, comfort, and personalisation. Meanwhile, operators need to balance this with safety, staffing, sustainability, and space constraints.
Today’s swimming pool offering needs to work hard, not just during peak summer weeks but year-round, come rain or shine. That might mean adding a heated splashpad for shoulder season appeal, investing in automated water testing to free up staff time, or turning your poolside into a miniature high street.
Whatever the size or style of your site, there are now smarter, safer, and more profitable ways to use aquatic facilities to their fullest. Whether you’re running a coastal caravan park, a woodland glamping retreat or a luxury resort, your pool can be a standout feature — one that guests remember, share, and return for. Now might just be the time to dive in!
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Lovibond Water Testing
www.lovibond.com
Splash About
www.splashabout.com
Ustigate Waterplay
www.ustigatewaterplay.co.uk
UK Pool & Spa Awards
www.ukpoolandspaawards.co.uk
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- USTIGATE WATERPLAY offer a full turnkey solution in aquatic play with Splashpad® and Elevations™ from Vortex International and a full suite of waterslides from their partner wiegand.waterrides.
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- ADDING SOME AQUATIC PLAY features from Ustigate Waterplay to your swimming pool is great for enhancing your offering.
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- PLAS COCH HOLIDAY PARK were crowned overall Winner of Holiday Park Pool of the Year in the 2021 UK Pool & Spa Awards.
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- USTIGATE WATERPLAY can enhance your swimming pool area by accompanying water features in and around the pool.
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- ADDING SOME AQUATIC PLAY features from Ustigate Waterplay to your swimming pool is great for enhancing your offering.
Taking the plunge with a holiday park swimming pool can be as daunting as diving off the highest board. But be bold. Investing in on-site swimming offers many avenues for return on investment from initial visitor appeal to encouraging maximum ‘on park’ spend. But don’t just think swimming pool – rather, think water leisure and entertainment. After all, maximum payback will come from an aquatic feature that does not just offer lane swimming, but entertains all ages and abilities with excitement and splash appeal.
certainly an activity that many of visitors enjoy when on holiday, and therefore a swimming pool will influence bookings.
Ustigate's 31-station Dippy the Dinosaur inspired splashpad has met its original goal in making Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure in Norfolk, even more popular than before.
Rather than spend money on renovating the outdated outdoor pool, Freshwater Beach Holiday Park on the Jurassic Coast, decided to undertake a temporary upgrade to the filtration plant and line the pool with a commercial pool liner. They also decided to undertake a feasibility study, to develop a brand-new indoor pool facility. Cresta Leisure was invited to join the project design team, to develop and deliver a wet-leisure facility that would appeal to all ages. This co-operation has resulted in a very popular, purpose built pool complex that incorporates a splash zone, a paddling pool, a play pool, interactive tower with tippers, sprays and slides, a stand-alone four-lane slide with integral catch, a 20m deck level swimming pool and a spa. Following the success of the new indoor pool complex, Freshwater asked Cresta Leisure to come up with a scheme to improve the outdoor pool facilities. Because the filtration and circulation on the existing outdoor pool was below current standards, it was decided to break out the old pool and start afresh. All the groundworks were undertaken by Freshwater’s own team. In just five months, Cresta has built a brand new 25m x 12m outdoor pool with 12m2 paddling pool packed full of interactive water play features from Hippo Leisure. This new pool facility is fully compliant with European standards and is proving to be a smash hit with everyone.
