The amount of people choosing to book a caravan or camping holiday has seen a welcome increase in advanced bookings in comparison with last year in parts of the industry. According to the Camping & Caravanning Club, this growth is supported by the rise in popularity of luxury camping, nicknamed ‘glamping’, in yurts, teepees and cabins.
Other reasons for this increase may include the fact that last year, the industry escaped government plans to introduce a levy on VAT on the sale of caravan holiday homes. Instead of a planned 20% tax hike the government changed its plans and imposed only a 5% VAT rate. Or the increase may simply be that more people are opting to stay in the UK due to the cost of flights and other requirements when going abroad.
Head of Caravan Industry Training (CITO), Jenny Pritchard said, “With ‘quality’ becoming the industry’s watchword, caravanning and camping holidays have completely shaken off the somewhat homespun image of yesteryear and as a result, there are now many more holidaymakers who are discovering the delights they have on their own shores instead of opting to go abroad.
The options for caravanning and camping have broadened significantly, giving a diverse range of luxury options and ‘glamping’ to accompany those that already exist in the marketplace.”
A late surge in bookings after the cold winter was very welcome, with the Camping and Caravanning Club reporting a very positive 56% increase on last year’s figures for May. This is a substantial industry, responsible for some 53,000 direct and indirect jobs in the UK, and worth £4 billion total turnover and visitor expenditure.
At CITO, we hope you carry on ‘glamping’! There are some great places to explore in the UK and each area has its own surprises and pleasures. If holidaymakers are caravanning for the first time, they are likely to be impressed by the industry’s professionalism and wide range of facilities. Now, widely varying parks have offerings for all tastes and types of holiday, and a highly professional workforce, trained through NVQs, apprenticeships and an industry specific Foundation Degree as well.
