Hi-de-hi holidays set to sweep Britain this summer
A Travelsupermarket.com survey has highlighted the comeback of the traditional British holiday park this summer.
A poll of 2,012 adult Brits found one in 10 are more likely to visit a holiday park this summer due to the credit crunch.
Travelsupermarket says nostalgic Brits plan to flock to the likes of Butlins, Pontins, Haven and Center Parcs this year, even so 6% said they haven’t been to one since they were a child.
Bob Atkinson, travel expert at travelsupermarket.com, said: “The humble holiday camp has come a long way since its invention in the 1950s, offering more activities, better accommodation and greater value for money than ever before.
“While Glamorous Granny and Knobbly Knees competitions are long gone, the entertainment has been updated for people of all generations to reflect today’s needs. From indoor water parks to spa experiences, sporting activities to performances from X-Factor stars and TV personalities, the array of activities on offer caters to all markets.
“With high hopes for good weather this summer, it makes sense for people to save a little money by holidaying in the UK this year, help the economy in the process – and show their families the fun they used to have holidaying at home.
“All companies have been investing heavily in their product, including £50m by Pontins and a new £20m hotel for Butlins at Bognor Regis.â€
The trend is backed up by figures recently released by the holiday parks. Pontins has seen a 20% rise in bookings compared to last year, Butlins has seen a 15% increase in guest numbers over peak July/August period and Center Parcs is anticipating a record year with people booking much further in advance for the peak July/August period.
Comparing regions, the highest number of people who visited holiday parks as children came from the North West (57%), and people in the South East were proven to be the most likely to visit one this year (73%).
Travelsupermarket.com’s top UK destinations for summer ’09 are:
_ Longleat Forest
_ Blackpool
_ Prestatyn
_ Camber Sands
_ Skegness
_ Lake District
_ Sherwood Forest
_ Northumbrian Coast
_ Bognor Regis
_ Minehead
By Bev Fearis
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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