Staycations drive caravan boom

CARAVAN holidays are known for rainy British summers, boardgames and walking to the outdoor toilets in the middle of the night.

But caravans and motorhomes are making a comeback thanks to the rise in staycations and a rather more luxurious experience.

The British touring caravan industry produced 13.7 per cent more caravans in the first six months of this year.

At the same time the number of motorhomes made increased by 11.3 per cent, according to the National Caravan Council (NCC).

This helped drive the number of caravan and campervan trips made over the six months to nearly 12million. The mod- ern caravan and campervan is an altogether more comfortable experience than in the past. An American-style Airstream can cost £70,000, and VW has developed modern versions of its iconic campervan, priced at £40,000.

Modern caravans have showers, flushable toilets, flatscreen TVs, a decent kitchen and even a dishwasher.

The fall in the value of the pound has made going abroad too expensive for many families, who have opted for caravan and camping in the UK instead.

At the same time, a growing number of recently retired people are taking to the open road, zig-zagging their way around the nation’s beauty spots. This might involve turning up on a relative’s doorstep and parking outside, rather than demanding a freshly made bed.

A spokesman at the NCC said: ‘People visiting their relatives in campervans is a growing phenomenon as these days not everybody has a spare room.’

There are currently about 550,000 touring caravans in the UK and around 205,000 motor homes.

Visit England figures show a total of 11.9million UK caravan trips taken last year, representing an annual increase of 2.5 per cent.

It also found that we took 44.7million trips in England during 2016, up 2 per cent over the previous year. More than 10.2million used caravans, motorhomes or camping as accommodation.