The German Vereinigung der Caravaning- und Touristik-Journalisten e.V. (CTJ) annually honors outstanding achievements from industries that generally offer tourist overnight, or have rendered outstanding services to these industries – with the CTJ “Milestone” Award. For the year 2023, Thetford has the great honor of receiving this award
The Milestone Award
The CTJ, is a group of prominent German journalists, connected by the joint journalistic tasks in and passion for the caravanning and tourism industries, with the associated areas such as leisure vehicles, leisure activities, wellness, sports, hotels and gastronomy.
The CTJ annually honours outstanding achievements from industries that generally offer tourist overnight stays – be it in vehicles such as caravans, motorhomes or ships, be it in hotels, guesthouses, campsites, amusement parks or outdoors, or have rendered outstanding services to these industries – with the CTJ “Milestone” Award. For the year 2023 the Milestone Award is granted to Thetford.
Thetford Visit
For the laudation and ceremony, CTJ recently visited Thetford on Friday 31st March . A group of 30 members of the CTJ, were warmly welcomed at the headquarters and factory of Thetford in Etten-Leur, The Netherlands. After a short introduction the group was offered a tour in the Thetford factory and a workshop about iNDUS, Thetford’s smart sanitation system. And, on behalf of CTJ, Chairman Raymond Eckl (chief editor at DoldeMedien Verlag GmbH) offered the Milestone Award to the Thetford team, expressing the appreciation for 50 years of Thetford dedication to the
Camping and RV market.
Norbert van Noesel, Marketingmanager at
Thetford: “We are really proud to receive this Milestone Award. This lifetime award really shows the appreciation for the Thetford brand and team. It’s great to be lined up with strong brands such as Erwin Hymer, Dethleffs, Tabbert, Hobby, Knaus and Frankana. This will only motivate us to continue our dedication to this beautiful market!”
The Swift Group, one of the UK’s biggest manufacturers of caravans, motorhomes, and holiday homes, is delighted to announce its partnership with The Tour 21 – Cure Leukaemia’s biggest fundraising event of the year.
The Tour 21 is an incredible endurance challenge where dedicated amateur cyclists take on the entire Tour De France route just one week before the pros tackle the track, starting on the 23rd June 2023 in Bilbao and finishing on the 16th July in central Paris.
The first and only official UK charity partner of the Tour de France, Cure Leukaemia’s The Tour 21 will see 25 riders take on the full 21 stages and over 3,000km of the legendary race, replicating the experience of the professionals – and raising over £1million in the process!
Joanne Mitchell, Head of Marketing at Swift Group, said “We are thrilled to announce this exciting year-long partnership with Cure Leukaemia as the official The Tour 21 sponsor for 2023; we are incredibly proud to be able to support such a worthwhile and inspiring cause.
“Cure Leukaemia uses cycling and physical activity as a power for good for both patients and fundraisers, and we are so excited to help them with this mission. At Swift, cycling is part of our DNA – we know that our customers love to get out into nature to ride their bikes, with Swift Go – our leading motorhome hire company – an official partner of British Cycling. When the opportunity to become the official sponsor of The Tour 21 emerged, we jumped at the chance to get involved!”
“Our Swift motorhomes are ideal for cyclists – with routes often limited by a lack of suitable accommodation, Swift offers cyclists the option to extend their routes, and take on the challenges that really matter to them.”
The Tour 21 is the brainchild of Cure Leukaemia Patron and leukaemia patient, Geoff Thomas MBE. Diagnosed just months after his retirement from professional football, Geoff was given three months to live; but a stem cell match and cancer treatment over a number of years meant that Geoff was able to beat the disease.
Within six months of going into remission, he decided to take on an iconic sporting challenge – The Tour de France. Since completing five Tour de France routes, Geoff has worked with Cure Leukaemia to develop The Tour 21 to raise essential funds for the charity.
Ex-England, Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers footballer Geoff Thomas MBE added, “The Tour 21 is an event very close to my heart and having ridden the full tour route 5 times, I know the training, preparation and sacrifice that the 25 members of the team are putting themselves through to be ready for the Grand Depart in Bilbao on the 23rd June and take on the 3,000km+ required to roll into Paris down the Champs Elysee.I speak on behalf of everyone associated with Cure Leukaemia when I say how proud we are to be welcoming The Swift Group as an event partner; a business, like Cure Leukaemia, synonymous with cycling.”
To find out more about Cure Leukaemia visit https://www.cureleukaemia.co.uk and to find out more about The Tour 21 event, the riders participating this year and how to support with their fundraising, visit https://www.thetour21.co.uk
Pedal to the metal: A record breaking result for the 2023 Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show
Over 108,000 visitors attended the 2023 Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham between 21st – 26th February. The UK’s largest start of season display of Leisure Vehicles, tents, trailer tents, camping essentials, tech and gadgets’ was very well received with a new wave of visitors from across the country – all eager to discover the latest and greatest the industry has to offer.
For those who may have missed out this time, tickets for the Motorhome and Caravan Show (17th-22nd October 2023) are now on sale at https://mcshow.co.uk/.
With the industry’s leading manufacturers, dealers, experts and retailers all pitched-up across five halls (almost 20 acres), at the NEC, many exhibitors including Bailey of Bristol, RP Motorhomes, Wildax Motorhomes,Premium Motorhomes, Knaus, Auto- Sleepers, Adria, Campervan Co, Bradcot Awnings, SUP Co and more have praised the success of the Show, particularly due to the record number of visitors and volume of sales. Following a sell-out 2022 event, the 2023 Show saw even more outdoor enthusiasts arrive at the NEC.
As well as getting up close to compare the new-for-2023 campervans, caravans, motorhomes, tents, camping essentials and shopping from a huge range of tech, gadgets and accessories to level-up those on-the-road-holidays, visitors were also greeted by a star-studded line-up of guest speakers at the Inspiration Theatre. Featuring talks from the UK’s biggest outdoor- loving personalities and advocates such as Camping and Caravanning Club President Julia Bradbury, Channel 5’s Motorhoming with Paul Merton & Suki Webster, extreme adventurer Aldo Kane and wildlife cameraman and ornithologist Hamza Yassin.
Terry Dullaghan, Managing Director at NCC Events, said: “We are ecstatic with the outcome of the Show. It’s been a record breaking event in terms of visitor numbers, and we are pleased that this wave of new visitors resulted in a high level of sales for so many of our exhibitors. It’s great to see that despite the challenging economic times,the appetite and interest for camping and touring holidays and the outdoor lifestyle continues to grow. As always, we’d like to give a massive thank you to all exhibitors and visitorsfor their support and we look forward to delivering another fantastic event– the Motorhome and Caravan Show – here at the NEC in October.”
Seasoned caravanners, campervanners, motorhomers and campers as well as those looking to enter the lifestyle headed to the NEC to immerse themselves in the Show’s impressive catalogue of product, get advice on all aspects of camping and touring holidays and buy all the essential products and services needed for enjoyable and successful trips. Many exhibitors were surprised with the constant footfall heading to their stands:
Ian Rawlings, Sales Director at Bailey of Bristol said: “It’s been fantastic, a really positive Show. Great to see so many visitors here and sales have been very strong – in fact, both caravans and motorhomes have outperformed last year. We had a record day of motorhome sales, the best we have had in 10 years. We are really pleased to see so many people here and it’s a really positive start to the season.”
Duncan Wildman, Managing Director at Wildax Motorhomes said: “We have had a very good Show and it’s been busy – very busy! The opening of the Show has been very good and sales-wise we are above expectations so we’re very happy indeed.”
Jaye Young, Director at RP Leisure Group Ltd said: “The Show has gone well and we have had wonderful footfall and lots of enquiries. We have sold lots of build slots which is what we do at RP. We are very happy and will be back here again next year.”
Lee Roberts, Sales Director at Wandahome South Cave said: “It’s gone really well and we are really pleased. The Show has been really well attended, the organisers have brought the audience in, we are still seeing new customers to the industry which is good. We have already booked to come back next February and are looking forward to the October Show as well.”
Jarrod Clay, Managing Director at Robinsons Caravans said: “It’s been really good as we have both motorhomes and caravans down here covering everything from entry level right up to Morelo’s. It’s been really good with great footfall. Sales have been good, particularly on motorhomes but over the weekend people were buying both types of Leisure Vehicles.”
David Williams, Sales and Marketing Director at Auto-Sleepers Group said: “The Show has been very good, above our expectations. We came in thinking it would be difficult to replicate what we had achieved last year with the circumstances but we have been delighted with the results – it’s been fantastic. Footfall has been very good, we have had it through all days of the week so it has been great to see that the enthusiasm is still out there. People are still clearly seeing holidays as an important part of their budgets.”
Slavica Sterk, Managing Director at Adria UK said: “The Show was another success for the brand and sales. It is a pleasure to be here and not explain who we are, we are not a niche market anymore which also means there has been very good marketing from the industry. People are coming here looking for our exact models and then it’s only one more step until they buy at the Show. There has been a lot of people, so thank you to the NCC for bringing so many people through the door. Attendance was great and we are going forward positively.”
Tony Jones, Managing Director at The Sup Co said: “This is our 7th year where once again, it has delivered. Not only are the people we are meeting previous customers but people we get to introduce to the fantastic sport that paddleboarding is for the very first time.
Michelle Jewell, Senior Marketing Manager (Partnerships & Events) at Camping and Caravan Club said: “We’ve been delighted to meet so many members at the Show and even more delighted with the number of new faces who have visited the stand to find out more about the benefits of Club membership and sign-up. Our membership recruitment was up over 17% on the 2022 event – which was a record! It’s wonderful to see that interest in camping and touring holidays is showing no signs of waning and we very much look forward to another fantastic event in October.”
Harvey Alexander, Director of Marketing and Membership Services at the Caravan and Motorhome Club said: “It’s been another fantastic show at the NEC! Our stand has been very busy. We are really pleased to have met so many new visitors interested in not only our UK site network, but our overseas destinations and Worldwide tours too. Our motorhome manoeuvring courses were booked-out and our new virtual caravan towing computer game was a hit! We can’t wait to do it all again in October!”
Mike Lake, UK Agent at Knaus said: “This has been lovely. Great crowd, lots of people and lots of positive vibes from our visitors and we are looking forward to coming next time.”
Steve Biggs, Managing Director at Isabella International Camping said: “We have had a good response on all our new products with sales being very very good. Overall I am pleased with the sales and will definitely be coming back next year.”
Dom Pemberton, Sales and Marketing Executive at Tent Box said: “The Show has been great and we’ve had a lot of exposure and sales from the Show.”
As strange as it sounds, after 20 years we are still doing the Japanese imports. And for 2023/24 we plan to increase the production of these – it seems some things don’t change. Thank you to all our customers over the last 20 years.
The best-selling Bailey Adamo 69-4 received further recognition from leading industry experts by winning the Best Three or Four Berth Coachbuilt Motorhomes under 7 metres award in the Motorhome & Campervan Design Awards 2023 Competition
The Adamo 69-4 is a sub 7 metre motorhome with an MPTLM of 3,500kgs making it suitable to drive by anyone holding a full UK driving licence, without the need for a B + E entitlement. Built upon a ‘Metallic Silver’ Ford Transit cab and chassis platform powered by the latest 2.0 litre 170 bhp engine complete with automatic gearbox it has power and performance in abundance. Whilst a fully specified cab includes a host of features to enhance on-the-road comfort including air conditioning, cruise control and fully adjustable Captain’s seats with dual arm rests all as standard, while the factory-fit reversing camera with a mirror mounted viewing screen allows you to manoeuvre the motorhome with complete confidence.
A Manchester woman is planning a summer of caravanning after winning a Swift Basecamp 6 and Vango RVA porch awning worth £27,000 in a Camping and Caravanning Club competition.
Debbie Hammett from Northern Moor collected her prize at Glossop Caravans in Derbyshire on 30th January. Debbie, who didn’t believe the Club when she received the call to say she had won the caravan, said: “We saw the competition and we love camping, we love the outdoors and I thought, why not?
“People say ‘it doesn’t happen to me’ but it does, and it has, and I am here to prove it. I can’t describe how happy I am, it’s beautiful and I love it.
“We’re foster carers and our kids can’t wait to see Ermintrude – as I’ve already named her. Thank you to everyone from Swift and the Club, we are elated.”
Debbie and the family have big plans and she has already bought new accessories to decorate the Swift Basecamp 6 caravan. The prize also included a year of Club membership plus a Glossop goodie bag. She added: “We’re taking the kids down to see Stonehenge in the summer, but the first chance we get, we’re going to get the caravan out and go somewhere local – the Peaks or the Lakes – to get used to towing her. We’re just going to get out and have loads of adventures this summer.”
Michelle Jewell, the Senior Manager for Partnerships and Events at the Club, said: “I’m so pleased for Debbie, and the Club is happy to help out as she sets off on her caravanning journey. With her Club membership she has access to thousands of campsites across the UK that are ready and waiting to be explored.”
Joanne Mitchell, Head of Marketing at Swift, said: “We’re delighted to present Debbie with the Basecamp 6, which is the perfect caravan for her family. This year, we are teaming up with the Club again to give away a Swift Monza campervan, and we hope to see another great response.”
Photo caption: Pictured inside her new caravan is Debbie Hammett, who was presented the prize by The Camping and Caravanning Club’s Huw Hopkins, Swift’s Head of Marketing Joanne Mitchell and Glossop’s Eddie Collins (pictured outside the caravan from left).
Holidaymakers looking for an award-winning campsite in Europe this summer should head for the riverbanks of L’Homme in Belgium, or poolside near Alicante. La Clusure in Belgium and Alannia Costa Blanca,near Alicante have been recognised as overall winners of the prestigious Caravan and Motorhome Club and Alan Rogers Annual Campsite Awards.
The awards were announced at the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show held at the NEC and the winning campsites were recognised for their outstanding quality, fantastic facilities and consistent great service.
The winners of the awards were selected from a shortlist compiled by the Club’s experienced campsite teams, members in the camping and caravanning industry and feedback from members over the last year, including consistency of the campsites popularity and comments from campsite assessors. Nick Lomas, director general of the Caravan and Motorhome Club, said: “The awards recognise the quality offered by European campsites with their great service, friendliness and innovation to ensure our members have the best possible choice and to help members and non-members make the best decision of where to travel this year based on their individual travel needs.”
The awards had a total of 11 categories including three new awards this year recognising exceptional service and facilities, accessibility and the most attractive campsite.
La Clusure is situated in lush countryside on the banks of the River L’Homme. It is the first-ever Belgium winner of the overall category. The campsite has undergone a substantial investment including new wheelchair-accessible caravans and its brand new pool complex that includes a water slide and indoor pool, making it a great campsite choice for families. Alternatively, in the summer months, why not enjoy a river walk, a spot of fishing or a dip in the shallow river waters. Other on-campsite activities include hiking, cycling and archery. Prices start from £22.41 per night*.
Located in sunny Costa Blanca, this complete 5 Star resort offers amazing facilities and services including an onsite hair salon, gym, tropical Tahiti pools and slides and a restaurant offering regional cuisine. Those wishing to get out and about can also enjoy cycling routes around the nearby nature reserve, or take a day trip to the Costa Blanca beaches a short drive away. Prices start from £24.75 per night.
Set amidst a family-run olive grove and a vineyard in the sun-soaked region of Occitanie in France, this campsite offers a perfect blend of tradition mixed with sophistication. For the past 10 years, this campsite has received 5 stars from members, boasting exceptional facilities, a new aquatic playground, a restaurant with panoramic views over the waterpark and striking architecture. Prices start from £23.71 per night.
Nestled behind protective sand dunes, on a white sandy beach, right next to the Mediterranean Sea, Kiko Park Campsite offers a perfect setting for a relaxing holiday. With direct access to the beach, tourers can enjoy a number of watersports from paddle boarding, windsurfing and jet skiing. Yoga, beach volleyball and aqua fitness are just some of the other sporting activities available. In the summer months, the campsite’s Xirikiko Beach Bar opens offering chilled music, cocktails and stunning sea views overlooking the nearby marina. Prices start from £32.93 per night.
Situated in the heart of the Loire Valley, Les Saules Campsite is ideal for nature lovers. The campsite’s environmentally conscious owners have designed the campsite with wildlife in mind, for ‘everyone’. Guests will be able to spot over 50 species of birds on the nature and fitness trail or learn about the bees kept in the onsite hive. The campsite swimming pool has a special lift for access and the adapted facilities for reduced mobility are excellent. Prices start from £21.55 per night.
Nick Lomas continued: “As a Club we have very close relationships with each of our European campsites and have been particularly grateful for their support over the last few years, from flexibility for members that needed to go or stay longer, removing cancellation fees on packaged holidays and discounted nights for many stranded. It is due to their continued support and commitment that has meant our members’ overseas touring holidays are the highlight of their time in Europe.”
The Caravan and Motorhome Club offers the widest choice of crossings and is an impartial partner of all the major operators, ensuring tourers have the best choice. The Club negotiates great deals with the ferry companies, Eurotunnel and its European campsites, offering members a ‘lowest price guarantee’. The online booking system can easily show the best fares and deals when planning a trip, meaning members can save money wherever possible. Tourers are urged to book early to avoid disappointment and if booking a ferry or Eurotunnel trip with a campsite stay, members benefit from packaged travel protection.
Members of the Caravan and Motorhome Club can also benefit from Red Pennant emergency assistance to keep them protected when travelling across Europe. This travel insurance has been specifically designed for touring holidays and includes options of motoring breakdown cover or personal travel insurance for single-trip or annual multi-trip cover. Cover options include European breakdown roadside assistance, vehicle and passenger repatriation, continuation of holiday travel, medical emergency and ski cover. When travelling with one of the Caravan and Motorhome Clubs’ European tours, members feel at ease with Red Pennant insurance – which even has access to a 24-hour, multilingual emergency assistance line with all assistance requests managed by Club staff.
For full details on the 11 awards categories, winners and runners-up look out for the May issue of the Caravan and Motorhome Club magazine or visit the blogwww.caravanclub.co.uk/blog/.
The Camping and Caravanning Club’s Torchlight Festival of Camping is returning for its second year and will once again be held at Walesby Forest in Nottinghamshire from 18-21 August.
The event was a big success last year and tickets have gone on sale. Family weekend tickets are available from £270 and the music line-up will be led by headliners Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Will Young. The festival will also see Club President Julia Bradbury, Invisible Circus, Duke, Fleetwood Bac and, of course, The Camping and Caravanning Club Band entertain campers over the weekend. More acts are still to be announced.
At nightfall, an illuminated light trail will be open to festivalgoers where they can learn about the Club’s history while taking in the forest surroundings. For £20 campers can purchase a day pass to the Walesby Forest Activity Centre and enjoy outdoor experiences including archery, climbing and zip-lining. Campers can also keep the Club’s century-old tradition of ‘lighting up’ alive by decorating and illuminating their tents, caravans and motorhomes.
The Torchlight Festival is also more than just music. Campers can recharge and unwind in the Wellness Sanctuary and enjoy tasty treats as part of the event’s Festival Feast. For little ones, there’s the Family Tipi and a small vintage fun fair.
Nicola Simpson, the Club’s Director of Marketing, Communications and People, said: “Our 2022 event was a huge success and if you joined us last year, rest assured all the most popular attractions will be back. We have an exciting line-up of musical acts plus fun festival activities that will take Torchlight forward after its launch last year.”
Torchlight tickets are only available to members of The Camping and Caravanning Club and are now on sale. Electric hook-ups will be available from £79.50.
THE CAMPING AND CARAVANNING CLUB LAUNCHES TOURING OFFERS FOR 2023
Camping offers affordable holidays for all the family
35% off selected campsites during July and August
Pitches from as little as £8.45 per adult per night
The Camping and Caravanning Club has launched eight offers on holidays across its UK Club Sites this summer.
Among the deals are discounts offering campers up to 35% off stays in July and August at 15 scenic locations.
Campers pitching up at sites including Adgestone on the Isle of Wight, Tavistock in mid-Devon and Nairn near the shores of the Moray Firth in Morayshire can book now to peg down a bargain. A grass pitch can be booked from as little as £8.45 per adult per night* when redeeming the offer.
And for families, Club Sites at Alton, The Star and Drayton Manor in Staffordshire are included in the promotion and within easy reach of the popular theme parks.
Nicola Simpson, the Club’s Director of Communications, Marketing and People, said: “With the current pressures on our personal finances, pitching up on a campsite is a really affordable way to enjoy a holiday. The Camping and Caravanning Club has nearly 100 Club Sites around the UK and understands that campers are looking to plan their holidays in advance to get the best value for money.
“You can book any number of Club Sites across the UK today and qualify for discounts – whether you are a member or non-member – paying just a small deposit of either £25 or 25% of the total cost of your booking, whichever is bigger.”
Nicola added: “By booking early, campers can secure the very best pitches in the prettiest of locations, and all at the best prices.”
Our Club Site offers for 2023 are:
35% off July and August bookings (available at 15 Club Sites)
30% off grass pitches (available at 67 Club Sites)
10% off all pitches year-round (available at eight Club Sites)
15% off weekend camping on selected weekends (available at 30 Club Sites)
25% off midweek camping (available at 49 Club Sites)
The date has been set for this year’s National Camping and Caravanning Week (NCCW) – and it promises to be full of ‘outjoyment’.
The week, which runs from 29th May to 4th June and is organised by The Camping and Caravanning Cub, will be celebrating the fact camping officially makes you happier, according to the findings of a major new study.
The Outjoyment Report was commissioned by the Club and carried out by a team of academics at Liverpool John Moores University and Sheffield Hallam University looking at the health and well-being benefits of camping in the great outdoors. Key findings discovered campers are:
Happy: 97% of campers say happiness is their top motivator for going camping while 48% of campers reported feeling happy almost every day, compared with 35% of non campers
More connected to nature: 93% go camping to enjoy being in nature – the second highest motivator after happiness, and they score highly on measures of nature connection
Enjoying better well-being: 93% of campers value camping for the benefits it gives to their health and well-being – an increase on the 85% of our Real Richness Report in 2011
Less stressed: 88% of campers are motivated to go camping to take time out of everyday life and have higher levels of psychological well-being than non campers
Active outdoors: 98% of campers take part in outdoor activities. 91% go walking, 39% cycle and 26% enjoy bird-watching.
To celebrate the pastime and highlight the importance of the report’s findings during National Camping and Caravanning Week, the Club will host unique outdoor experiences at city centre locations around the UK by creating immersive campsite experiences in urban settings. Guests will be invited to reconnect with nature, and discover how camping can reduce stress and anxiety, leading to feelings of ‘outjoyment’ – a blended word of outdoors and enjoyment.
The Club’s Simon McGrath said: “Outjoyment is the feeling people get when camping in the great outdoors, and during National Camping and Caravanning Week we want people in urban areas to really enjoy the benefits of immersing themselves in nature despite not being in the countryside.
“We have official proof that camping makes you happier and this year we’re taking camping out of the campsite and into the city so more people can discover the health and well-being benefits of camping.”
Simon added: “Pitching up on a campsite puts us on the doorstep of the great outdoors and provides a clear pathway to a happier and healthier lifestyle.”
The Club will be revealing more details about our city roadshow in the coming weeks.
The Caravan and Motorhome Club, the UK’s number one rated touring club, continues to make a positive impact on local economies, predicting that the £420 million contributed annually by members will continue to grow in 2023.
Despite the continuing cost of living crisis, Caravan and Motorhome Club members are still intending to make the most of their holidays and spend in local economies in 2023. Over 80 percent of respondents of a recent survey* said they intend to eat and drink out whilst on their UK touring holiday this year and over 90 percent said they will buy food shopping locally. A further 60 percent said they would be purchasing take-aways and food from local restaurants whilst on their holiday.
The Club has more members and more offers than any other UK touring club and encourages them to make the most of the great outdoors, it also offers more choice with more UK and overseas campsites than any other UK touring Club.
According to the recent Centre of Economics and Business Research (Cebr) report commissioned by the Caravan and Motorhome Club, owners of leisure vehicles feel more in control of the cost of their holiday and whilst they are saving on accommodation, they are likely to spend money on shopping, eating out, visitor attractions, etc.
Owners of leisure vehicles also tend to stay away for slightly longer, increasing local spending. The Cebr report shows that motorhome owners’ average holiday length is nearly a whole day extra at 8.5 nights.
Harvey Alexander, Director of Marketing and Membership Services said: “Our members love to make the most of the great outdoors while travelling and exploring new destinations. Our extensive network of campsites across the UK, combined with the spending power of our members, makes a significant impact on the rural economy, helping to support local businesses and communities.”
In addition to the economic benefits, the Caravan and Motorhome Club offers its members a range of benefits, including savings of £15 per night on average, no additional costs for children under five years old, dogs go free and awnings are free when staying on Club campsites. Members also have a choice of more European campsites, more training courses and venues and more access to small 5-pitch campsites than any other UK touring club.
In 2023 the Club will also extend its offers and savings for members meaning more deals on great days out and activities. Members and non-members can also book with a low deposit from only £25, with free cancellations or amendments up to 21 days before arrival. The Club will also be adding evenmore locations to its glamping offering – called Experience Freedom – across nine different campsites, making it the perfect choice for those looking for a memorable and affordable holiday experience, while supporting the local economy.
Alexander continues: “We are proud to have the largest membership base of any UK touring club and to be trusted by generations for our advice. By providing members with access to 2,700 quality campsites in the UK and overseas and helping them getaway for less with a growing range of great offers, Caravan and Motorhome Club members will continue to travel frequently and make the most of their holidays whilst supporting the rural economy.”
For further information about becoming a member of the Caravan and Motorhome Club or to book, please visit www.camc.com or call 01342 318 813.
Switch Off and Reconnect: Campers are Pitching Up For Longer This Summer
Campers are planning longer holidays this summer, spending more nights under the stars for breaks booked between June and September.
Since 2019 The Camping and Caravanning Club has reported an increase in the average length of stay for summer stays on its nearly 100 Club Sites across the UK, as campers look to switch off and reconnect – and the trend is set to continue in 2023.
Camping is officially the home to happier holidays. According to The Outjoyment Report, commissioned by the Club and carried out by Liverpool John Moores University and Sheffield Hallam University, campers are 23% less anxious than non-campers, with 97% saying happiness is their top motivator for going camping, caravanning or motorhoming. Pitching up on a campsite this summer has measurably positive effects on our health and well-being.
Nicola Simpson, the Club’s Director of Communications, Marketing and People, said: “Even though we are seeing booking patterns normalising more compared to the last three years, our membership levels are still holding up really well and we have some 750,000 members of the Club. We are seeing strong levels of new recruits join the Club, and we’re retaining existing members at really high levels too, which is always a good way to gauge just how popular tent camping, caravanning and motorhoming is.”
Here are some tips from the Club to make the most of your camping trips this spring and summer – and help you save money at the same time:
Back to basics: Borrow a tent and equipment from friends and family and pitch up on a Club Site from as little as £16 per person per night for a service pitch in high season.
Get money off at attractions: Club members get exclusive discounts at top visitor attractions across the UK. Membership starts from £45 a year: www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/membership.
Enjoy affordable easy camping: Club members save £49 when they book a three-night stay this June for themselves and a loved one at our Ready Camp tents at Windermere Club Site in the Lake District, saving 20% with their member discount.
Save on high season camping: Campers get 35% off stays in July and August at 15 scenic Club Sites when using promo code SUMUK35.
Pick a campsite close to home: You don’t have to travel far to experience something completely different – and the less mileage you clock-up, the less you’ll spend on fuel. Visit www.siteseeker.co.uk to search campsites just a mile from home.
