by Ed Davies
The Camping and Caravanning Club enjoyed a growth of 5% on last year in the number of campers on its network
The club has capitalised on good weather throughout summer in particular and benefited from a wider trend towards staycations within the UK.
Traditionally seen as a low-cost holiday option, more and more people are turning to the pastime as a leisure activity that offers an increasingly high standard and wide choice of accommodation.
Regionally, the areas with biggest year-on-year growth are Wales, where the Club’s five sites saw an 18% increase in pitch night sales, Scotland which increased by 8% and the South West of England, which also grew by 8%.
Bob Hill, Club Sites director, said: “We’re thrilled with the Club’s success in 2016. Enjoying our highest ever membership has clearly extended to more bookings made on our network of campsites.
“We have helped hundreds of thousands of campers enjoy a break away this year, with well over one million pitch nights on Club Sites.
“The Club is committed to improving the provision of hardstanding pitches across each of our sites to make it easier for members and non-members alike to explore the best Britain has to offer throughout autumn and into the winter.”
At individual site level, Cambridge, Crowden in the Peak District and California Cross in Devon have all experienced increases in the numbers of campers, with each running unique offers on pitches.
The discounts, redeemable only when booking online, have made pitching up on more than 30 Club Sites more cost-effective for families and midweek arrivals throughout the year, including the peak camping season of June-September.
