In the four peak caravan purchase months of April to July 2014, Salop Leisure noticed a four-fold increase in people under the age of 35 enquiring about mobile and static caravans, compared to two years ago. It is not only young families that are being seen in growing numbers, but grandparents are bringing their grandchildren in for a joint purchase.
“We’ve noticed that the average caravan user is younger than they were just a few years ago” said Mark Bebb, managing director of Salop Leisure. “There is a rising group of young consumers in their twenties and thirties who aren’t bothered by the stereotypical image of caravanners. They are embracing the freedom that this kind of holiday offers.
“Our traditional caravan buyers are still coming in to the showroom, but we’re often seeing them accompanied by their grandchildren. Frequently, a mobile or static caravan is becoming a joint purchase for these family members as they discover a shared interest in this kind of holiday.”
Membership of national caravan clubs also appears to be changing. Nikki Nichol, head of publicity at The Caravan Club, said: “We are seeing many young families in our membership. This is visible when you visit any Caravan Club site.”
Data from Google further confirms that young people are embracing caravan holidays and even buying caravans of their own. More than a quarter (28%) of visitors to caravan websites in the last 12 months were under 45. Not only that, but one in five visitors (20%) to websites that sell caravans and motorhomes were under the age of 45.
Long-term strategic planning is a key step to caravan and holiday park businesses that need to maximise performance and reach their full potential in order to appeal to a new and changing clientele.
Milsted Langdon’s specialists will work with you to identify where you are now and where you want to be in the future, as well as help you to define your objectives and the actions you need to achieve them.
We can help with issues including cash flow projections and forecasting in order to support proposals for funding for new developments and assist in raising finance. For more information, please contact us.