Daily Telegraph
25/06/2008

As taken from the Daily Telegraph 20/11/2008.

Caravaning comeback as credit crunch drives holidaymakers down memory lane

More than a quarter of British parents are thinking about booking a caravan trip around Britain next year, in order to cut back on their holiday costs, according to a survey.

By Harry Wallop, Consumer Affairs Editor
Last Updated: 10:25AM GMT 20 Nov 2008

With Britain heading into a recession, holidaymakers are turning to memories of their childhood British breaks to get them through the downturn, with seaside holidays and caravans set for a boost in popularity.

The plunging value of sterling, which has lost a quarter of its value this year, means that holidays in Europe and American have become much more expensive. Holiday companies have also warned that they will need to increase their prices next year in order to recoup these costs.

A survey conducted for insurance company Towergate Bakers suggests that rather than jet off abroad, 27 per cent of parents intend to take their children on a caravan holiday to save money.

Nearly half – 49 per cent – are thinking about taking a trip to the seaside. Two in ten are thinking of camping.

Paul Havenhand, at Towergate Bakers said: "Sticking to the best of British is becoming the fashionable thing to do. Rather than take off abroad, parents are choosing to revisit the places of their childhood in the year ahead so their children can have the same experiences they did."

Caravaning, despite – or perhaps because of – its fusty image, is very popular with the Labour Government. Jacqui Smith, the home secretary, frequently holidays in a caravan with her family in Norfolk while Margaret Beckett, the housing minister, famously enjoyed taking her caravan to France for her summer holidays – in stark contrast to Tony Blair's jaunts to the Caribbean.

According to the Caravan Club, caravaning is now the most popular holiday in the country, taking 17 per cent of UK holiday spending.

The club boasts more than 350,000 families are its members.