Kent caravan numbers on the up

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The number of holidaymakers staying in caravans in Kent next year is expected to rise.

Following the publication of figures from the Caravan Club, which showed bookings increased by 40 per cent in summer 2009, Kent Online has reported a rise in reservations for 2010.

Bearsted Caravan Club warden Sue Greenaway told the online resource that the Hollingbourne site had noticed a record number of new caravanners.

She said people have purchased either a new or secondhand model and are making the most of it when they can.

“At sites such as those run by the Caravan Club, there are good showers and loos, tidy sites,” she claimed. “You have the freedom to just pitch up.”

According to Park Holidays UK, advance bookings are up by more than 65 per cent year-on-year, thanks to a combination of the low value of the pound and the recession.

Aside from Kent’s array of Blue Flag beaches, it boasts a range of gardens, castles and cathedrals just waiting to be explored.

Caravan maker celebrates bumper sales

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The recent International Caravan and Motorhome Show has helped boost the fortunes of a number of manufacturers.

Romahome and its retail partner Freeborn Motorhomes are celebrating strong sales at the event, with more orders taken than in any other year.

The firm used the exhibition to reveal its R25 model and sold nine of them, while eight R10 orders were taken.

In total, the company sold 32 campervans – a “fantastic achievement”, according to Romahome managing director Brian Bailey.

“The high volume of sales, many of them achieved directly by Freeborn Motorhomes and Romahome staff, was augmented by our national dealer network bringing in a dozen orders,” he explained.

Mr Bailey added that the news will be a boost to staff at the firm’s Isle of Wight factory, with the knowledge that their order book is double the size it was before the expo.

The International Caravan and Motorhome Show took place in Birmingham’s NEC last week.

East Anglia enjoys tourism surge

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Caravan owners looking for a new UK destination to explore may be interested to hear that East Anglia has seen a surge in domestic tourism this year.

According to Hoseasons, the region has benefited from a growing number of Brits choosing to take a holiday in the UK.

Chief executive Richard Carrick explained that the area has broken records, with the holiday company noting a marked increase in enquires.

“That’s part of the recession – people are hunkering down and looking inwards at their families and going back to basics,” he stated.

Mr Carrick added that financial factors would continue to see people spend their holidays in the UK.

A recent British Hospitality Association study showed that vacations were the main purpose of UK tourism trips by Brits.

More than four-fifths (81 per cent) of the total number of trips and 75 per cent of spending was for this purpose.

Meanwhile, trips abroad declined by 15 per cent in the first half of 2009 compared to the same period last year, while 1.2 million more holidays were taken in the UK.

Bailey celebrates caravan show sales success

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Caravan manufacturer Bailey Caravans has unveiled its new Pegasus model at the International Caravan & Motorhome Show.

The model has been responsible for helping the company achieve its best ever sales performance at an exhibition, with £12 million-worth of retail orders taken.

It equates to double the figure taken at last year’s sale and will help consolidate Bailey’s status as the top provider of touring caravans in the country, it claimed.

Around 65 per cent of the orders taken at the event were for the Pegasus – a statistic the company said it was “delighted” to report.

“Particularly encouraging is the fact that included in the many new Pegasus owners are a significant number of senior caravan journalists and other leading industry figures,” Bailey said in a statement.

The range also scooped two top prizes – Practical Caravan Magazine Tourer of the Year for the Pegasus 534 and Which Caravan? Caravan of the Year for the Pegasus 624.

The International Caravan & Motorhome Show took place at Birmingham’s NEC during 13-18 October

Staffordshire school to use caravan as classroom

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A Staffordshire school has come up with a novel way to make lessons more interesting by using a caravan.

According to the Sentinel, St Michael’s First School in Stone has come up with a plan to procure a second-hand caravan to use as a class room.

The mobile holiday home would be decked out with different displays to help children envisage the country they are pretending to visit during their lessons.

Pupils will get their wish if the school wins the Barclays Class Act competition, which would provide it with £5,000 in funding.

“It is going to be so exciting for the children,” explained teacher Hazel Weddell. “They’ll think they are going on holiday. Some are already asking if they can sleep in the caravan.”

The school plans to deck out the mobile classroom with colourful cushions and create an area for pupils to read quietly.

Nominations for the Class Act competition will run until November 30th, with three winning schools or colleges being awarded £5,000.

‘Wrong sort’ of campervan knocked back from holiday site

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Owners of Hobby, Quest and Talbot brands of motorhome planning a trip to Arbroath’s Red Lion Caravan Park should look elsewhere.

The Press and Journal recently revealed that the site has a policy of refusing these models as they have a reputation for being used by travellers.

It came to light when Calum and Elaine Jaffray took their daughters on a caravan holiday in their grandmother’s vehicle.

On arrival at the site, they were told there was a problem as the Hobby vans are banned.

Mr Jaffray explained that he had to take his family to another facility at Tummel Bridge, where they were granted entry and allowed to continue their holiday.

Staff at the Red Lion also told the family that the position of their £58,000 mobile home’s door on the opposite side from most other models was a privacy issue.

Meanwhile, caravan fans in England are able to attend the Caravan and Motorhome Show at Birmingham’s NEC, which is taking place until October 18th.

Chris Malone

Camping tickets go on sale for Beautiful Days festival

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Camping enthusiasts may be aware that a number of the UK’s top music festivals welcome tents and caravans to their sites.

One such event is Beautiful Days, which takes place in Devon’s Escot Park.

Tickets for next year’s weekend – which runs from August 20th to 22nd – went on sale this morning, according to eFestivals.co.uk.

Adult camping tickets are priced at £100, while the children’s versions start at £5 and increase depending on their age.

Campervan passes are £35, while car parking permits will cost £15.

Everyone at the festival will be camping, as there are no day passes available.

Organised by and featuring the Levellers, the event will welcome up to 12,000 people and host music on each of its five stages.

Beautiful Days has been nominated for the Family Festival Award, Best Toilets, Best Medium-Sized Festival & Grass Roots Festival Award for its 2009 instalment.

Other UK festivals which welcome campers include T in the Park, Reading, Leeds and the renowned Glastonbury.

Chris Malone

Caravan enthusiasts could see road rules change

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Caravan enthusiasts may be interested to hear the Climate Change Committee has suggested a number of methods for cutting transport carbon emissions.

The government advisory body recently published a report stating that eco-driving lessons, tougher speed limits on motorways and increased road pricing could help drive down greenhouse gas levels.

Backing the proposals, WhatGreenCar.com managing editor Ben Lane explained they would be likely to have a positive effect over the longer term.

“We are supportive of the fact that road pricing is one of the measures which will help to control carbon [emissions] and fuel use more efficiently,” he said.

However, Mr Lane added that the governments should also invest additional funding into the UK public transport system.

The expert concluded that other options had to be available if people are to be encouraged to leave their cars at home.

The measures could affect the UK’s thousands of caravan enthusiasts who spend their summer weekends holidaying in their mobile homes.

Chris Malone

Halfords figures show camping popularity is rising

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The trend for camping and caravan holidays in the UK has been highlighted by growth reported by an industry retailer.

Halfords posted growth of 2.2 per cent during the second quarter of 2009 and specifically noted its success in the cycling and camping markets.

The recession has seen a number of Brits decide to take staycations – holidays in the UK – and the retailer has benefited, with profits of up to £61 million forecast.

Meanwhile, the outdoor trend is not only taking place in the UK – the Barcelona Reporter recently revealed that the Barcelona Camping and Caravan show drew a record crowd this year.

Around 22,000 visitors attended the event, which was showcasing the latest vehicles for outdoor holidays.

The show had 70 exhibitors and representatives from more than 100 Spanish campsites and attendees were also able to take part in a seminar organised by the Federation of Camp Sites in Catalonia.

Chris Malone

Caravan Club to invest more in advertising and sites

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The Caravan Club is set to spend more cash on advertising campaigns and expanding its presence at travel industry events as part of plans to continue to develop the trend for holidaying in mobile homes.

Director Nick Lomas explained the organisation is preparing to invest in its Discover Touring project, as well as growing its portfolio of sites.

He revealed it has added Burrs Country Park to its list of facilities in recent weeks in addition to the eight other sites opened in 2009.

Advance bookings for the network have increased 40 per cent in comparison to 2008 figures and Mr Lomas stated the rise in interest is due to both returning caravanners and first-timers.

He revealed many of the club’s customers are sharing their childhood experiences with their own kids.

The organisation has also sent 50,000 families across the English Channel to France since the beginning of the year.

The news comes in the same week that the Caravan and Motorhome Show is taking place in Birmingham’s NEC.

Another instalment of the event is set to take place in Manchester at the end of January.

Chris Malone

Caravan show’s name changed

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Mobile home enthusiasts planning on attending The National Boat, Caravan & Outdoor Show in February may struggle to find information on the event.

This is because organisers Ocean Media have decided to change the brand name of the expo to The Boat & Caravan Show, according to a Boating Business report.

Due to take place in Birmingham’s NEC from February 23rd to 28th, the exhibition is now in its 49th year.

Around 80 per cent of the exhibition space has already been sold for the event – which Ocean Media claims to be the largest outdoor show in the UK.

Visitors will be able to browse information and products from tents to campsites to caravans.

Exhibitors from both the UK and abroad will be in attendance, meaning there is a diverse choice of displays for those buying tickets.

Ocean Media marketing director Karen Dodd told the online resource that the show’s name has been shortened by visitors and explained the company felt it should respond by re-launching the brand.

Meanwhile, the NEC is this week hosting the International Caravan and Motorhome Show.

Chris Malone

New Romahome model to be launched at Birmingham show

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A new compact motorhome based on the Citroen Berlingo is to be launched by Romahome at the International Caravan and Motorhome Show.

The event, which is taking place in Birmingham’s NEC today (October 13th), will showcase the latest in mobile homes.

It will be used to unveil the R25 – the latest design from the Isle of Wight company that won Motorhome Manufacturer of the Year.

Managing director of the firm Brian Baily said: “The Romahome has become the Swiss Army Knife of the motorhome world because it manages to pack so much in the way of useful detail into such a compact form.”

He explained that the model has been “keenly anticipated” by caravan and motorhome fans and added he is sure no one will be disappointed.

The R25 is the fifth in the range, with the first – the Citroen Nemo-based R10 – being launched only a year ago.

Visitors considering a trip to the International Caravan and Motorhome Show have until October 18th to attend.

Chris Malone