Camping now stylish as purse strings tighten
Brits are returning to camping as the credit crunch bites, according to Canvas Holidays which has seen a 10-20% increase in bookings in the last six weeks.
The operator released the figures alongside a survey it has commissioned about current British holidaymaking trends which revealed that 75% would now choose self-catering above any other board option when booking a holiday.
Latest Hitwise stats back up this trend towards spending less on holidays. They show searches for camping holidays online trebled in May compared to the beginning of the year.
The Canvas Holidays survey also showed that as modern life becomes ever more stressful, increasing numbers are citing the sense of freedom and personal space as top priorities when it comes to choosing a holiday. Some 29% told the survey they needed three to four days before they could even start to relax.
But although the need for seclusion and wide open spaces is key to the 21st century Brit’s ideal getaway, the desire for exhilarating activity is also part of the package.
Some 30% say they want to do something different on their break, with yoga, archery, dancing, quad biking and zip wiring all popular activities for holidaymakers.
A spokesman for Canvas Holidays said: “As financial fears continue this year and the mortgage and housing market slows down holidaymakers are increasingly opting for either the all-inclusive market or indeed opting for the self–catering option in a bid to save money. A massive 75% of those surveyed by Canvas said they would choose self-catering as the ‘board’ type. This certainly reflects the fact that people are tightening their belts but are not ready to give up any holidays.â€
By Dinah Hatch
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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