What is happening in the caravan world?
Lots of positive news on both the sales of new caravans and advance bookings for caravan sites!
Sales
First of all, caravan production is on the increase reports Glass’s Guide. Citing figures from the National Caravan Council (NCC), Glass’s reported that at the end of the last quarter of 2009, production of UK market touring caravans totalled 6,450 units. This was a 21.8% increase on the 5,296 produced in the same period in 2008.
This surge reflects the recent strong demand for touring caravans that UK caravan manufacturers have been experiencing.
Sales between September and November 2009 also were up on the previous year, by 4.3%. 6,265 tourers were sold in the last quarter of 2009 compared with 6,009 sales in the same months of 2008.
Glass’s recent trade survey highlighted that the demand for 2, 4, 5 and 6-berth touring caravans was well up on the same period twelve months previously, though slightly less so for twin-axle models. For manufacturers, who no doubt due to the aftershock of the economic crisis, tend to work to a more cautious level of production, this means that delivery lead-times are extending noticeably.
Manufacturers reported very little build-up of new stock and almost half confirmed their stocks were lower.
Bookings
As we mentioned a few months ago, the Camping and Caravanning Club reported advanced booking rates already up 16% compared to the same time last year. And look through any newspaper or online, and you’ll probably find something about the virtues of staycations, where people holiday in the UK.
Certainly, as various reports have highlighted, it’s not always about the money. Reasons why more Brits are choosing to holiday at home typically may include:
- it’s green – eco-friendlier than flying and you get to see a lot more looking out of the window;
- great for families – it’s easier to drive to a caravan park than load you and couple of youngsters on to a plane;
- easy to get to – less travel and chance of long delays;
- no issues – with food (if one of your group is a fussy eater) or a foreign language!
These staycations could be going somewhere in your own caravan or visiting a caravan holiday park. Whatever your holiday choice, we say – Viva the caravan!
Tags: caravan news
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