This summer has been a boom one for caravanning as staycationers continue to pour money into the most comfortable and cost-effective way to get out and about.
The latest figures come from the National Caravan Council (NCC), who report an increase in motorhome sales of 16% in the year up to June 2016.
John Lally, the NCC’s Director General, said the thriving industry was tempting consumers in with a much better holiday experience.
He said: “Better on-site facilities, more exciting entertainment and higher quality accommodation all mean that the UK caravan industry has an opportunity to deliver exactly what the British holiday-maker wants – enormous choice, excellent value particularly with a weaker pound, and at home.”
That great value is also proven. Visit Britain, the country’s tourism body, reported in 2014 that campers and caravanners in England enjoyed not just a lower cost for their holidays (an average of £162 against an average of £247 for all holidays); but also a cheaper daily cost, spending just £39-a-day compared to the £73 other holiday makers shell out.
There are now reported to be more than 1 million leisure vehicles in the UK. The seaside remains the most popular type of holiday, with almost half of leisure vehicle owners taking their breaks there. The south-west is top of the regional charts.
The industry is now said to be worth £6 billion-a-year according to the NCC.
And some of those enjoying the caravanning experience don’t appear to be doing it just to save money.
At October’s Motorhome and Caravan Show at Birmingham’s NEC, record-breaking Olympic cyclist Sir Bradley Wiggins will head a parade of caravan-fan stars that also includes architectural TV presenter, George Clarke, consumer champion, Matt Allwright, and Britain’s favourite outdoors girl, Julia Bradbury.
Frank Bruno recently spoke out about his love of ‘vanning, and the golden couple of the Olympic games, cyclists Laura Trott and Jason Kenny, are promising to spend their honeymoon in a campervan this September.
Perhaps these starry ‘vanners would appreciate another step into the world of fashion being taken by a uniquely trendy park in Melbourne Australia.
The Notel is a set of six stylish Airstreams – the classic chrome-look van – parked on, well, a multi-storey car park. Visitors to these vans, which are decked out with the very smartest interior design, will have to cough up £228-a-night.
While they come with hipster-friendly extras like a minibar of local food and drink, and iPads with Netflix on tap, they’re still very much caravans, with no extra facilities outside the van and no staff on site.
While many caravan fans love the access to the countryside that their chosen accommodation gives them, the Notel is based around a top city-centre spot. And the site’s owner, James Fry, reckons that’s a selling point, telling Australian Gourmet Traveller: “If you are coming to stay with us, we want you to go and experience Melbourne and really enjoy it.
“You’re going to love our Airstreams. But more than that, we want you to find the hidden gems, live like a local.”
As he has a reported A$1 million investment to recoup he’ll need to sell that idea, but at the moment, caravans seem to be selling themselves.
