Caravan Satellite Systems » caravan sales http://www.caravan-satellite-system.co.uk/blog A caravan related blog page Mon, 10 May 2010 15:41:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 New generation discover appeal of roaming with a home http://www.caravan-satellite-system.co.uk/blog/316/new-generation-discover-appeal-of-roaming-with-a-home/ http://www.caravan-satellite-system.co.uk/blog/316/new-generation-discover-appeal-of-roaming-with-a-home/#comments Mon, 10 May 2010 11:36:28 +0000 admin http://www.caravan-satellite-system.co.uk/blog/?p=316 Sales of motorhomes and caravans are on the up.

There are some trends even the experts were convinced would never ever come back into fashion.
When it came to hostess trolleys, shell suits and perms for men,
hindsight showed us the error of our ways. They were fads never to be repeated, and many thought much the same about caravanning.

With the arrival of cheap flights, wet weekends in Cleethorpes were replaced by mini-breaks to Rome and while there were still a hardened few who refused to give up their home on wheels, many decided it simply wasn’t worth the hassle. Why spend a Friday night crawling along a
B-road when you could hop on a plane and be in Paris for dinner.

Caravans became a second- class kind of holiday, but as with every good underdog, the fight- back has begun. Suddenly, it seems the idea of swapping a four-bedroomed house for a week in a tiny box where the kitchen doubles as a bedroom is back in vogue.

The signs that something was stirring in what marketing people like to call the roam-with-a-home sector were first spotted last year. When the credit crunch bit, many decided to cut back on foreign trips, and when the euro exchange rate fell, normally cheap breaks abroad didn’t seem quite such a bargain.

Holidays in the UK were rebranded as staycations and caravan and motorhome showrooms unexpectedly saw trade increase and the average age of buyers fall.

According to specialist insurer Safeguard, which has witnessed a 62 per cent increase in the number of quotes for caravan and motorhome cover being sought by 20 to 30-year-olds over the past year, caravanning has nudged its way in to the lucrative “glamorous camping” market.

“The younger generations are feeling the pinch from the economic downturn, and as a result they’re choosing to staycation,” say Rita Sadler, Safeguard manager. “With the return of the great British holiday, caravan sales have increased, with some showrooms reporting a 15 per cent rise in business. Young couples, and families, are helping to fuel the boom as they see it as a way of getting really good value
for money.”

Those who have been quietly championing the humble caravan admit it has suffered from a bad image in the past.

However, there is a new determination to break out from under the awnings, the Caravan Club website has been revamped with images of
nice middle-class families picnicking by their motorhome and membership and bookings are now at record levels.

“We launched a Discover Touring campaign to promote the benefits of holidaying by caravan or motorhome,” says the club’s director of marketing, Nick Lomas.

“Essentially, it’s about freedom and since its launch last year, more than 70,000 people have clicked on our website’s new-to-caravanning section.”

There are now more than half a million caravans and motorhomes in regular use in the UK, according to the National Caravan Council, and site bookings throughout the country this year are looking
exceptionally buoyant.

Car drivers might bemoan the fact that the annual great caravan crawl is now well underway on Britain’s B-roads, but the ever-optimistic Caravan Club recommend the frustrated should consider the vast amount of cash generated by their owners.

“Our members alone spent more than £400m in the rural tourism economy in 2009 – and that’s without taking pitch fees into account,” adds Nick.

“Club sites in the UK will also get £12.7m spent on them in 2010, and there are also plans to acquire more sites to meet demand.”

Research also shows that while the age of the average caravanner is 53, it’s dropping fast and with the likes of former Formula One racing driver Mark Blundell – a youthful 44 – coming out as a tourer, the embarrassment factor is fading.

“Holidaymakers are now far more budget-conscious following the downturn,” says Rita. “It isn’t hard to understand why more and more younger drivers want to avoid costly package holidays, long queues at the airport, and cancelled flights.”

And with the Icelandic volcano still casting a dark shadow over air travel, the age of the caravan looks like it just might dawn.

]]> http://www.caravan-satellite-system.co.uk/blog/316/new-generation-discover-appeal-of-roaming-with-a-home/feed/ 0 Reasons Behind The Increased Popularity Of Camping And Caravan Holidays http://www.caravan-satellite-system.co.uk/blog/217/reasons-behind-the-increased-popularity-of-camping-and-caravan-holidays/ http://www.caravan-satellite-system.co.uk/blog/217/reasons-behind-the-increased-popularity-of-camping-and-caravan-holidays/#comments Fri, 13 Feb 2009 02:18:20 +0000 admin http://www.caravan-satellite-system.co.uk/blog/?p=217 Quay West Splashzone

In the previous twelve months sales of caravans and camping accessories have reached levels that have never been reached before. A current market report estimates that thanks to an increase in the popularity of caravan and camping holidays approximately two billion pounds have been inserted into the UK economy. Commentators are now realising that camping and caravan holidays are now the most popular form of holiday in Britain. While the reasons for this are wholly unclear, some have attributed this rise in caravan sales and camping equipment to a greater recognition of the beauty of the British mainland and the benefits of outdoor holidaying.

Whilst on holiday campers and caravan owners are estimated to spend around thirty pounds daily in local amenities and tourist attractions. This figure may not sound much at face value, but taken across the breadth of the caravanning community it quickly becomes vast. Included in this daily spend are petrol sales as well as sales of food and drink. With a figure of around seventeen million camping and caravan holidays taking place annually it is easy to realise where the two billion pound injection comes from. Added to the thirty pounds a day spent locally, if this figure was to take into account caravan park and campsite fees it would be almost fifty pounds a day.

While the pub trade in Britain is currently suffering a loss in alcohol and food sales generally, it is caravan and camping holidaymakers that are keeping it afloat. The same report researched the spending habits of holidaymakers in Britain and found that almost fifty seven percent spent their money in pubs on food and drink. In addition to the money spent in pubs and local eateries, British tourist attractions are also benefitting from the increased popularity of camping and caravanning holidays in terms of ticket sales. Around seventy percent regularly visit UK tourist attractions while holidaying.

As well as the economic benefits in terms of sales of tickets, food and drink the environment is also experiencing the pros. The majority, almost eighty five percent of campers and caravan holidaymakers prefer to walk to their destination rather than drive. Not only does this show that this type of holiday is better for the environment, it is also better for your health as the outdoor pleasures of walking and cycling are realised; further boosting the UK economy with sales of hiking equipment and bicycles.

It is a symptom of the modern world that rural economies are suffering greatly. It is thanks to those Brits that are holidaying in the countryside that these rural places are keeping their heads above water. The sales of food and drink in local pubs and restaurants as well as the money poured into local shops helps keep the businesses in small towns and villages afloat. Without this key contribution the high streets of these rural idylls would most likely be desolate and abandoned.

The link between caravan and camping holidays and good health does in fact seem to be viable. In another survey it was found that a regular outdoor holiday helps to increase a feeling of wellbeing and health. Almost all campers and caravaners were adamant that their holidays positively impacted upon their lives. This is probably due to this type of holidaymakers being more inclined to undertake activities such as walking, cycling and swimming.

As fuel becomes an evermore precious resource it seems clear that sales of caravans will increase. While you may still have to fork out for fuel to get to your destination, it is still a cheaper option than going abroad. In the current climate of tight purse strings it can be ascertained that the popularity of camping and caravan holidays will increase; the affordability can be considered a major appeal as after the initial outlay is made, subsequent holidays can be take for next to nothing. Undoubtedly we will see the popularity of caravan and camping holidays go from strength to strength in coming years.

About the Author:

Market expert Thomas Pretty looks into how caravan sales are increasing and how camping and caravanning holidays are becoming more popular.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/reasons-behind-the-increased-popularity-of-camping-and-caravan-holidays-446333.html


The increasing trend to save on the expense of foreign holidays …
PR-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung), Wien,Austria on Thu, 12 Feb 2009 07:00:37 -0800

Steve said: ‘The cost of holidays abroad and the comfort and freedom that you get from taking a holiday in a motor home or caravan means that more and more …

]]> http://www.caravan-satellite-system.co.uk/blog/217/reasons-behind-the-increased-popularity-of-camping-and-caravan-holidays/feed/ 0 40 years with the same company http://www.caravan-satellite-system.co.uk/blog/17/40-years-with-the-same-company/ http://www.caravan-satellite-system.co.uk/blog/17/40-years-with-the-same-company/#comments Wed, 17 Sep 2008 11:33:33 +0000 admin http://www.caravan-satellite-system.co.uk/blog/?p=17 40 Years with same company

40 Years with same company

A MAN who started his career building special showman’s caravans for circus performers is celebrating 40 years with motorhome and caravan sales company Salop Leisure.

Service engineer Evan Capes started working at M. R. Pascalls Ltd at Oakengates before moving to Salop Leisure when workmate Geoffrey Betts and his wife Marjorie bought Salop Leisure at Meole Brace, Shrewsbury.

Forty years on and Mr Capes now travels in excess of 30,000 miles a year servicing and repairing caravan holiday homes across Mid Wales and the Heart of England.

Reflecting on his career, he said: “During my first five or six years building showman’s caravans we often had circus people and animals around. If there were repairs to be done to a showman’s caravan the circus people would live in another of their caravans while we were doing the work in the workshop.

“They would be practising their acts, like walking the tightrope and feeding the lions in the rear yard while we worked.

“I also made special exhibition units for banks and building societies and mobile incident rooms for the police. When I joined Salop Leisure, I worked mostly on repairs and I am still repairing caravans 40 year later.

“Modern caravans with their central heating, double glazing and all mod cons are phenomenal, totally unrecognisable from the early models that I worked on.”

Salop Leisure Chairman Tony Bywater commented: “Forty years’ service to the same company is a remarkable achievement It has been a pleasure and privilege to work alongside him for most of those 40 years.”

Mr Capes (seated in the picture) celebrated his 40 years’ service with a special anniversary cake presented to him by Salop Leisure directors Dylan Roberts, Tony Bywater and Mark Bebb.

Thanks to Out & About Live for this news item.

]]> http://www.caravan-satellite-system.co.uk/blog/17/40-years-with-the-same-company/feed/ 0