Caravanning in the United Kingdom gets more popular

At the beginning of the summer, millions of tourists were stranded in airports all over the world. Weddings were missed, work schedules disrupted … and all because of an ash cloud.

Various media reports said that the International Air Transport Association estimated that airlines have lost over one billion pounds due to the volcanic eruption that stopped air travel over major airspace. Yet the British caravanning industry may benefit in the long run. Here is why caravanning could be set to gain popularity with the British public.

Caravanners are in control
The ash cloud may have caused widespread disruption, but it also caused frustration as holidaymakers lost control of their holidays. With a caravan, one of the main advantages is that the caravanner is always in control. If a road is closed, you can simply go around it. If you experience a delay in getting to your destination, why worry? You have your accommodation attached to the back of your vehicle!

The joys of caravanning are not lost on young families either, as you can fit considerably more of the paraphernalia needed for babies and toddlers into a caravan than you can into a suitcase!

Cost
We may be edging our way out of recession in the United Kingdom, but as a nation we are still too nervous to start spending thousands on holidays again.
This theory is backed up by statistics from research by caravanning trade body the National Caravan Council, which showed that 17 million fewer passengers flew out of British airports in 2009 than the previous year*.

Apart from the initial outlay of the van itself together with a yearly premium for insurance for caravans, those who choose to holiday in the United Kingdom do not have to pay much for their new hobby.

The great outdoors and going green
The green movement is growing in Britain. The Green Party even has its own Member of Parliament. So it stands to reason that greener holidays must be the way forward. And a new generation of drivers may be able to help reduce their carbon emissions on the roads – the British driving test is set to include a section on reducing carbon emissions this autumn.

According to the National Caravan Council, caravanners genuinely want to travel in as green a way as possible. Accordingly it gives tips on how to load and tow your caravan in the most economical way possible, and how to be a green tourist when you arrive at your destination.

Has this trend towards caravanning and away from foreign air travel been born out in the figures? Time will tell for 2010. But for 2009, figures for the first half of the year showed that 24% more British caravanning holidays were taken compared with the same period the previous year**.

*http://www.caravanningnews.net/?p=1063
**http://www.nationalcaravan.co.uk/home/index.asp?id=22&rid=458 (press release dated 12.10.2009)