Carry on camping to counter the credit crunch

Nights under canvas in crowded camp sites are the recipe that more British holidaymakers are choosing as their preference for summer 2008…

Two interesting stories in the Guardian and the Telegraph point to a significant boost to the camping and caravan market in the UK for summer 2008.

Demand for campsite reservations has boomed, with many camp site owners having to turn customers away because they are consistently full (a good example of capacity management).

Sales of camping-related equipment are also growing strongly. Tesco Direct are reporting a 38 increasing in camping equipment sales and market leading specialist retailer Blacks are also doing well.

With the pound weak against the euro and the credit crunch biting into family budgets, it is not surprising that the domestic holiday market is doing well. Thousands are swapping airport queues, charter airlines and cheap hotels for shorter car journeys, campsites and the less predictable British weather.

Camping is perceived as being a low-cost alternative in terms of the accommodation options available in the UK, although holidaymakers are often surprised at how good the facilities are in many of Britain’s campsites.

A great example of a market that is benefitting from increased demand when other consumer markets are suffering badly.