True Value of UK Holiday Park Sector

Posted on March 23, 2018

True Value Of UK Holiday Park Sector

A similar survey in Scotland put the gross holiday park visitor expenditure at £700 million

The leading players in the holiday park sector are banking on the support of holiday park operators with a major study into the value of the holiday-park sector to the UK economy. This is the first time that such a survey has been undertaken and it follows the study done in Scotland in 2014, which revealed just how important the sector is; the gross visitor expenditure was £700 million and the gross FTE (full-time equivalent) jobs were 13,000. The report was invaluable to parkowners in Scotland because it enabled them to support planning and funding applications with hard facts and, in general terms, the report was used to lobby the Scottish Government, local authorities and VisitScotland. The BH&HPA, the Caravan and Motorhome Club, the Camping and Caravanning Club, and the National Caravan Council have formed a working group, the Economic Impact Research Group (EIRG) and engaged Frontline Consultants to undertake the research in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland during 2018, with the aim of publishing the report at the end of the year.

• Park-Owners and Operators, will be surveyed online between March and April to ascertain their expenditure on wages, maintenance, capital investment, etc, via an online questionnaire. A small, but representative, number of park-owners will be invited to undertake a more detailed survey by telephone. Parkowners will be contacted by email or telephone by Frontline Consultants .

• Visitors, who will be asked to complete an online survey between Easter and the end of September, in order to ascertain their spend, both on the park and in the local area, length of stay, kind of accommodation used, etc. The EIRG will seek your help to publicise the survey via your website and newsletters and at reception.

Without the participation of parkowners it will be difficult for the EIRG to get robust data and the funding organisations would be grateful if you could give your active support. On behalf of the EIRG, Nick Lomas, Director General, Caravan and Motorhome Club, said: “Committing to this major survey not only demonstrates our enthusiasm in working together for the benefit of the sector, but, importantly, the survey will generate some powerful, robust evidence which will help parks and organisations across the country.”

The report will establish the value of the holiday-park sector to the UK economy, enable comparisons to be made across the four countries, and provide statistics covering various categories, e.g. by area and by type of accommodation. The resulting report will be immensely important to the sector, especially as such a survey has not been done before and it will therefore establish a benchmark as well as identify the overall economic value. In Scotland, the overall profile of the sector was raised in both the public and private sectors, with key organisations and decision-makers being sent a copy of the report and publicity in the national media. The EIRG will ensure that the report is put into the hands of relevant key organisations across the UK. And, of course, you will be able to access the full report for your own information and use.

Vital Scot Holiday Park Tourism Role

Posted on February 7, 2018

Vital Scot Holiday Park Tourism Role

Tourism minister Fiona Hyslop MSP has told holiday park owners that their businesses are a vital component of Scotland’s tourism industry. The minister made her remarks at November’s annual conference of the British Holiday & Home Parks Association Scotland which was held at Edinburgh’s Our Dynamic Earth.

Fiona Hyslop, cabinet secretary for culture, tourism and external affairs, was welcomed as chief guest speaker at the conference by Scottish association chairman Colin Fraser. The event was attended by delegates from many of Scotland’s 200-plus park businesses which offer holiday options from camping and glamping to luxury lodges to rent and own.

In her address to delegates, Fiona Hyslop said that her department recognises the important role played by parks in producing visitor income and sustaining employment: “Holiday parks offer visitors to Scotland both great value and a wide range of high quality accommodation options, as well as helping to sustain employment in some of our most remote and rural areas,” she said.

Picture Caption: Above- Fiona Hyslop MSP (centre) is welcomed to the conference by director general of BH&HPA, Ros Pritchard OBE, and retiring chairman of BH&HPA Scotland Colin Fraser

Scottish Parks Meet At Annual Summit

Posted on January 16, 2017

Scottish Parks Meet At Annual Summit

Pictured are chairman of BH&HPA (Scotland) Colin Fraser; national BH&HPA chairman Henry Wild; Scottish tourism minister Fiona Hyslop MSP; BH&HPA (Scotland) policy director Jeanette Wilson, and director general of BH&HPA Ros Pritchard.

Owners and managers of many of Scotland’s 200 plus park businesses attended the annual conference of the BH&HPA (Scotland) in November, at the end of what was generally regarded as a highly successful year for their sector.

Scottish tourism minister Fiona Hyslop MSP was the guest speaker at the event and was welcomed by Aberdeen park owner Colin Fraser who is chairman of BH&HPA (Scotland). Mr Fraser told the minister that an independent economic survey published last year found that Scottish holiday parks generate around £700m of visitor spending each year in Scotland.

This figure, he said, accounts for 8% of all the revenue produced by Scotland’s tourism economy, and allows the Scottish park sector to support more than 5,600 full-time equivalent jobs. In her address to delegates, Fiona Hyslop said: “The holiday homes sector is a unique but vital part of our tourism and hospitality industry.

The sector provides important geographic spread, allowing visitors to see more of our country and, in doing so, to support our rural economies.” Other speakers at the Edinburgh event included Director General of BH&HPA, Ros Pritchard, who outlined some of ways in which the association engages with politicians to help frame UK and EU laws and regulations affecting park businesses.

National BH&HPA chairman Henry Wild also gave his perspective as a holiday park owner on how the association helps its members develop their businesses and meet customer expectations.

Holiday Park Scene Magazine