South west holiday park

Impact Of Scottish Parks Revealed

Posted on December 19, 2014

Impact Of Scottish Parks Revealed

park

The Scottish Caravan and Camping Forum (SCCF) undertook an assessment of the economic impact of the holiday park sector in Scotland.

Holiday parks in Scotland are worth an estimated £700 million to the Scottish economy, according to new figures from the Scottish Caravan and Camping Forum (SCCF).

For the first time ever, the SCCF has successfully gained an accurate picture of the economic value of the holiday park industry in Scotland, following a major survey across the country.

The research has identified the significant contribution which holiday parks make to the Scottish economy, as a result of visitors’ spend and expenditure by park owners in operating their parks. Results of the survey also reveal that over 5,680 full-time jobs are created by the holiday park sector alone.

David Key, a representative of the National Caravan Council and chair of the SCCF commented: “The Committee is delighted with the results, because we have, for the first time, established the value of this sector to the economy. £700 million is a significant contribution, as are the 5,688 FTE jobs.

“Caravan parks are important to the rural economy because of the jobs they provide and the money spent by their visitors. This report enables the SCCF and the sector as a whole to present robust data to the Scottish Government, to local authorities and to tourism organisations.”

The findings confirm that the holiday park sector attracts a large number of non-Scottish tourists, with 57 per cent of all holidaymakers to Scottish parks visiting from outside of the country. Visitors tend to take a holiday or short break on a holiday park several times over the course of a year, with renters and tourers taking, on average, 4.1 holidays per year, and owner-occupiers taking, on average, 9.1 trips per year.

Forty-five caravan park operators took part in the survey - some of whom operate more than one park - who, together, provided information on 89 parks. An online survey was undertaken of 7,034 people who had taken a holiday on a holiday park in Scotland in either 2013 or 2014.

Pampered Campers

Posted on September 9, 2014

Pampered Campers

Glamping-2

The camping pods at Woodovis Park in Devon have had a positive impact on the business.

The glamping phenomenon, or boutique camping as it is also becoming known, has inspired a new generation of holidaymakers looking to combine a grass roots camping experience with a few home comforts thrown in for good measure.

Made popular by celebrity fans and fuelled by the UK's staycationers, an increasing number of switched on park owners are cashing in on the glamping concept; offering luxury camping accommodation options alongside their existing caravans and lodges.

For those parks that have taken the glamping plunge, business is booming. The Caravan and Camping Club has seen a 42% increase in the number of bookings for its glamping accommodation in the last five years and pitch night bookings are up by nearly 5% compared to this time last year.

Glamping-3

The Caravan & Camping Club has reported a significant increase in glamping bookings in the last five years.

Rob Ganley, communications manager at The Camping and Caravanning Club comments: “The Club has enjoyed strong site occupancy this year so far, and our booking stats confirm that camping and caravanning continues to be one of the nation’s favourite pastimes.

“With many camping and caravanning brands investing in new technology plus the option of fixed on-site glamping accommodation, camping and caravanning can be a luxurious experience making it a more attractive and accessible holiday option to the wider travel market.”

Kate Paulwell of camping accommodation website Unique Sleeps agrees: "For businesses that are unsure whether to venture into the glamping market, it is not too late to jump on the bandwagon. Glamping is as popular as ever, and its future looks secure and set to continue."

To read more on this story please subscribe to Holiday Park Scene online today.

Fern Backs Free Holidays Scheme

Posted on November 13, 2013

Fern Britton, who sacrificed part of her and her husband Phil Vickery’s holiday in Cornwall to help highlight the free holiday scheme, was taken around Mother Ivey’s by Patrick and his wife Meg

Fern Backs Free Holidays Scheme

TV presenter Fern Britton took time off in Cornwall this summer to help launch a new scheme by holiday parks to provide free holidays for struggling families.

The former star of ITV’s This Morning was at Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park in Padstow where the initiative, described by Fern as ‘a genius idea’, is being pioneered. She said that her own happy memories of holidays in Cornwall, and her belief that a family holiday is ‘not a luxury but an essential’, had persuaded her to freely lend her support. The scheme is the brainchild of Patrick Langmaid, owner of Mother Ivey’s, who has pledged to give away a week’s holiday to a needy family for every hundred bookings his park takes.

NO COST STAYS

With the scheme already in action, Patrick hopes that the number of families enjoying no-cost stays at his park will be into double figures by the end of the season. He hopes too that his initiative will also be adopted by many of the UK’s other 3000- plus holiday parks as part of a national effort to provide holidays to families in crisis.

Mother Ivey’s beachside park has been owned by the Langmaid family for 25 years, and has 60 holiday caravans for hire. Three years ago, it won the tourist board accolade for the best holiday park in the South West. Patrick said a number of other South West holiday parks had already committed to his charity initiative including the Surf Bay Holidays group and Hendra Holiday Park in Newquay. “I really believe that this idea has huge potential to make a significant difference to the lives of struggling families, and I would like to see as many other parks on board as possible,” said Patrick.

“Offering one holiday to charity for every hundred holidays booked is practical and possible without incurring any major outlay,” he added. “The real cost of providing holidays is in maintaining the infrastructure of the park and the holiday homes, and this is generally covered by normal commercial activity.

“Every park has some spare capacity during the year, so to give some of those holidays away to needy families makes perfect sense. Parks will only have to bear the marginal cost of cleaning, laundering and energy.