It’s generally appreciated that the heyday of the British Holiday, caravan parks, sticks of rock and beaches, was in the 1960s but in recent years we’ve seen a massive increase in the number of Brits holidaying at home! There’s no doubt that the recession played a huge part in what the industry has called the rise of the staycation but it’s meant huge growth in an industry that had been long in decline. Now with much needed investment, we could be seeing a new heyday for the good old British holiday!
During the 1960s, no summer trip down an A road was complete unless you were stuck behind someone towing a caravan, and making your own fun on the beach or in a campsite was considered very on trend. Slowly as the price of foreign holidays came down the trend changed and many people chose the dependable weather of Europe rather than home shores, seeing huge expansion in many French and Spanish coastal resorts.
However, the recession drove those people to home shores when money was tight, and with it many people have rediscovered youthful memories in exploring the UK again, and while the recession has tailed off, the market for staying at home has only increased.
Over the winter when many holiday parks are taking stock they get to assess just how the last year has gone, and 2014 in particular was a very successful year for many holiday parks. Just in the last few weeks several parks have signalled expansion plans including Lochlan’s caravan park in Angus, and the family owned Wigley Orchard caravan park near Tunbridge Wells. Several holiday chains are also getting very competitive for the summer and there are many special offers from Haven, Hoseasons and others.
And if caravan holidays weren’t already on trend enough, campervans are pretty en vogue at the moment too, making British Holidays appeal to those who don’t want to spend most of the holiday driving. Now the National Caravan Council has also employed the help of PR company Capella in a bid to further popularise caravans, and motor homes.
Will 2015 be the year of the British Holiday? We think it might be!
