Caravan and motorhome sales on the up, with record ‘staycation’ figures as UK heads towards largest leisure vehicle show

Figures released by the National Caravan Council (the NCC), the event arm of which runs the UK’s largest leisure vehicle show, confirm the UK’s continuing enthusiasm for caravanning and motorhoming. Staycations and domestic trips in leisure vehicles are also on the rise.

The Motorhome and Caravan Show 2017 heads to Birmingham’s NEC from 17 to 22 October, where leisure vehicle manufacturers and dealers show their 2018 product ranges and around 100,000 visitors are attracted to the annual event.

According to the NCC, production of touring caravans was up 13.7% in the first six months of 2017 compared to the same period last year, while motorhome registrations rose by 11.3%.

Caravan holiday homes are also steadily increasing, with a 5.6% growth in deliveries to holiday park locations between year start and end of June 2017 compared to 2016.

From January to April 2017, Britons took a record 14.4 million domestic holidays, or ‘staycations’ within Great Britain: a figure up 3% over the same period last year.

VisitEngland reports that British residents took 44.7 million holiday trips in England during 2016, up 2% over the previous year. Over 10.2 million, or nearly one in four of these vacations, used caravans, motorhomes or camping as accommodation. Short breaks of one to three nights made up two thirds of all English holiday trips, with 29.3 million taken in 2016.

VisitEngland’s figures also demonstrate that Brits are increasingly using caravans, motorhomes and camping as accommodation for other trips made, such as to sporting events or to visit relatives, contributing to a grand total of 11.94 million trips taken in England during 2016: an increase of 2.5% over 2015.

The Camping and Caravanning Club, formed in 1901, has grown to a record membership of 300,000 households this year. With over 100 UK sites, pitch night sales have risen 9% year to date compared with 2016. The club puts the increase in caravanning, motorhoming and staycations down to warmer British summers, lower fuel prices and a wider range of camping options such as glamping.

The Caravan and Motorhome Club’s membership continues to grow as it invests in new and existing sites in the UK and enhances its offering in Europe. Overall bookings for the 2017 summer are up 2.2% on last year and motorhome bookings are up 8%. The club has also witnessed a 5% increase in family bookings.

“We see a consistently strong market for leisure vehicles, and their continuing appeal as accommodation on a wide range of trips away in both the UK and abroad,” says Jenny Summers, Group Marketing Director for the NCC. “The European tourer and motorhome industry is providing innovative and stylish products at competitive prices, with products such as campervan conversions appealing to a younger market. These figures also endorse the popularity of staycations in the UK.”

The Motorhome and Caravan Show is the biggest launch event of its kind in the UK, with all the new-for-2018 motorhome and caravan models revealed. Visitors can access over 700 leisure vehicles from leading manufacturers and dealers and try their hand at caravan towing and motorhome manoeuvring. Celebrity chefs cook from newly-launched leisure vehicles in the LIVE Theatre and industry experts share their tips on leisure vehicle ownership and holidays. With attractions for all the family, children enter free.

Tickets are on sale now for the UK’s largest leisure vehicle show from as little as £8.50*. Visit www.mcshow.co.uk or call 0844 873 7333.

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Notes to Editor

*£8.50 Senior (over 60s), £9.50 Adult when booking before 23:59hrs 16/10/17 after which time prices revert to the on-the-door price of £12.00 Senior and £13.00 Adult. A £1.25 transaction fee applies. Calls cost 7p per minute plus your ‘phone company’s access charge. Car parking is included in the ticket price. No dogs (except assistance dogs). Children 15 years and under go free when accompanied by a paying Adult/Senior. Tickets are non-refundable.

The NCC (National Caravan Council) is the trade body for the UK caravan industry comprising touring caravans, motorhomes, caravan holiday homes and residential park homes. The NCC represents some 850 member outlets within manufacturing, park operations, distribution and retail, and in the provision of specialist suppliers and services within the caravan industry, which is worth more than £6 billion per annum (sale of products, services and holiday spend).

Further details about the NCC can be found on its website, www.thencc.org.uk

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