We are not alone it seems as we embark on a plan to launch a Land Yacht to our very own design.
One of the UK’s largest caravan companies has reported a sharp increase in the sale of caravans and motorhomes during the Coronavirus crisis, and new research reveals a huge spike in people buying a campervan caravan or motorhome this year – many of whom, like us, are first-timers.
Voyager, our own Land Yacht, a cross over vehicle for yachties wanting to switch in to land based RV’s, will be completed in late September 2020.
We will then begin new adventures as we drive around the UK exploring the countryside.
The UK has so much to offer when it comes to holidays, and campervans can be the best way to do this.
New research
With restrictions on overseas travel and holidays, new research reveals that 2.5 million people have already had a caravan or motorhome holiday in the UK this year, and a further 20% are planning on doing this or considering it. Of these people, nearly half (46%) said they only went on a caravan holiday or planned to do so because of the Coronavirus crisis.
In June and July 2020, Robinsons Caravans, based in Brimington, Chesterfield, and owned by the MBH Corporation, saw sales of new and used fixed caravans increase by 9% and 14% respectively when compared to the same period last year. For campervans and motorhomes, it exceeded sales targets by 250% in June alone.
For just over one third (36%) of people who have taken or plan to have a caravan holiday this year but would not normally have done so, it will be their first time.
For those people who chose a caravan holiday as their second-choice vacation this year, the main reasons for doing this were not wanting to travel abroad (54% of respondents), preferring not to fly (49% of respondents) and to save money (30% of respondents). Some 29% didn’t want to stay in a Bed and Breakfast or hotel during the COVID-19 crisis.
The research suggest that Covid-19 could strongly impact the growth of the caravan market in the long term because of those people who have been on a caravan or motorhome holiday over the past five years -many of whom were first-timers this year – just over nine out of ten said they really enjoyed it, and 93% said they would do it again.
Regardless of Coronavirus, people still want to go on holiday and need to recover from the stresses of lockdown and the crisis overall. It is now harder to travel overseas and more expensive to do so, as a result, more people are turning to caravan holidays in the UK, and this is reflected in the increase in campervan sales. There has also been a substantial increase in enquiries from potential first-time buyers, particularly from a new, younger demographic than in the past.
The trend for holidaying in caravans and motorhomes, especially among a younger demographic was already looking very strong. We are not alone, the pandemic has just reinforced many of the benefits for holiday makers and those like us building their own campervans.