Carol Smillie wants you to change rooms. Nothing new in that you might cry, considering the presenter was the face of the BBC’s home improvement classic Changing Rooms. Yet she’s endorsing a campaign for Brits to change from the living room to living the caravan lifestyle, as the Caravan Club urges the UK to “Discover Touring”.
In April this year the Club launched Discover Touring which is a major national marketing campaign highlighting and promoting the fun in caravanning. Already there have been 8000 requests for the magazine of the same name, while 10,000 have visited the website since launch.
Carol Smillie is an avowed fan of travelling the British countryside and is an enthusiatic endorsee of the Discover Touring campaign. ‘As a lover of the great outdoors generally, and walking in particular, I know that touring with a caravan or motorhome is a brilliant way to explore the countryside.’ She believes ‘nothing else offers such freedom, fun and flexibility’.
Smillie also believes there has never been a better time to start the hobby. ‘Modern caravans are so comfortable and they cover a vast range of prices. If Discover Touring encourages more people to get out there and discover the great outdoors, it will have contributed so much to the quality of their lives’.
It appears that the British public agree, with the Caravan Club registering 30,000 more site night bookings this year compared with the last. With advanced bookings up by 40% the Club has been galvanised into expansion.
Emma Cosby is the head of marketing for the sites owned by the Caravan Club. She revealed ‘to cater for the extra demand the Club has added nine new sites to its network for 2009’.
Those who have visited the site have already expressed excitement at starting down the road of caravan holidays. ‘It has fired my imagination as to the kind of holidays we could enjoy when we own a motorhome, thank you’ applauded one respondent, whil another chuckled ‘can’t wait to start – don’t think we’ll be at home very often!’
Visit Britain are another UK organisation who have noted this year’s trend of the ‘staycation’ in the face of the credit crunch. Patricia Yates is their Director of Strategy and Insights and she had the following comments to offer:
‘Money is being spent wisely, and the UK is the place to spend it according to holiday booking trends. Caravanning accounts for 19% of all holidays taken in the UK and is the largest paid-for holiday sector.’
More information on how to start down the road to caravan holidays can be found at the Discover Touring website.
