By Emma Dodd
Despite the country still being in lockdown and no news of when travel restrictions may be lifted, staycation bookings have surged recently.
Fuelled by the idea that a trip abroad will be out of the question, Brits are booking holidays in the UK for the spring and summer hoping they will get some sort of escape.
This has led to concerns that demand for staycations will be so high there won’t be enough to go around.
Dan Yates, the founder of Pitchup.com, offered some reassurance in The Express recently.
He said: “Figures from VisitBritain show that of the 3.2 million bed-spaces in the UK, 1.4 million are non-serviced.
“Of those, outdoor accommodation accounts for some 65 per cent of bed spaces – three times more than ‘holiday dwellings’, such as cottages, bungalows, apartments, and more domestic holiday bed-nights than any other type of accommodation including hotels.”
Therefore, the trend for purchasing motorhomes and caravans that has been seen during lockdown will offer many people the freedom to get away and enjoy a holiday.
On top of this, the government has amended laws around pop-up campsites for 2021, which will increase the capacity for holidaymakers.
Such temporary campsites used to be restricted to operating for 28 days a year, but the government has doubled this to 56 days.
This means farmers’ fields and private land in stunning surroundings could be welcoming more caravan owners throughout the season, taking pressure off other areas.
While anyone who has their heart set on a specific site at the height of the school holidays would be advised to book sooner rather than later, there are wider options for those who simply want to get away.
As things are still uncertain, it’s important to check individual sites’ policies around cancellation, but most are offering reassurance that caravanners will not be out of pocket should their stay not take place due to Covid.
