by Holly Tribe
Orders for caravans and other expensive leisure items have been steadily increasing since the height of the financial crisis two years ago.
GE Capital’s Big Ticket Leisure Index shows that sales of leisure goods rose by 22.3 per cent in June compared to a year ago.
A GE spokesman told the Daily Telegraph the index could provide a useful indicator of consumer confidence because it exclusively tracks leisure spending.
They have assessed that customers now have the confidence to invest in non-essential, big ticket items such as caravans and motorboats without great financial risk. The news will be welcome to caravan dealerships and show organisers around the country ahead of the autumn season, where new product from Swift Caravans and Bailey Caravans will be on offer to tempt buyers.
“You are never going to need to buy these things” the spokesman told the news provider. GE Capital have assessed that customers who are willing to spend substantial amounts of money on luxury items do so with a renewed faith of having more disposable income in the future.
Rich Green, chief executive of GE Capital’s commercial distribution finance business, explained that the upward trend has not been a smooth one, faltering after the Greek sovereign debt crisis earlier this year.
“The concerns about the economic climate affected sentiment in April and, to an extent, in May, but since then the recovery has continued and, while the rate of sales is some way below pre-crisis levels, we’re encouraged by its continued strength”, he commented.
In other news, Coachman Caravans recently reported a 50 per cent rise in orders at their 2011 trade show.
