If there’s a recession this year, no one appears to have told the caravan industry. More Britains than ever have taken an interest in holidaying at home this year, leading to the term ‘staycation’ being coined.
And it is caravan dealerships which have benefited with a surge in caravan sales during the downturn. A 15% increase in purchases has been reported by showrooms surveyed across the UK , according to insurance comparison service Confused.com.
As a result of these findings, the price comparison site is for the first time making insurance for caravans available via its website. The online service works in a similar way to their popular car insurance offering, where customers are shown comparisons as a simple way of getting the best cover and price.
The entry of a significant player such as Confused.com to the caravan insurance market comes at a time where the business of caravan sales is a very lucrative one. With 4,000 caravan parks and 498,000 touring caravans in the UK, the market is worth £3billion to Britain’s economy. This figure is only set to rise as holidaymakers search for more bang for their buck during the economic squeeze.
John Cooper has been appointed caravan product manager at Confused.com and he gave thoughts on the increase in popularity of caravan holidays. “Confused.com recognised the increase in demand for such holidays which was a result of household budgets being squeezed. Adding caravan insurance to our already comprehensive suite of products, enables our customers to obtain cover at cheaper prices during the credit crunch.”
He also noted that previously caravan insurance was “often provided via specialists” which limited the opportunities for direct comparisons. The success of caravanning in 2009 looks likely to benefit a number of sectors in the industry for a while longer as more and more holidaymakers take to touring their country.
