The Market for Caravan Holiday Homes in Wales

1. The Market for Caravan Holiday Homes in Wales

2. The Brief • Commissioned by WTB and BH&HPA • Aim= Increase the understanding of holidays taken in caravan holiday homes in Wales. • Focus on caravan holiday homes (‘static caravans’) rather than touring caravans. (Abbreviated to CHH)

3. The Brief Collect information about: • Visitor profile • Visitor motivations, expectations and satisfaction levels • Use of local facilities • Booking behaviour • Past and future holiday taking patterns • Expenditure patterns • Segmentation of the market • Occupancy of caravan holiday homes

4. Method Industry view • Structured interviews with 26 park managers/owners across Wales Caravan holiday home (CHH) users’ view • 807 interviews with caravan users spread across 17 sites in July, August and September

5. Method (Sample) • British Holiday and Home Parks Association’s database of caravan holiday home parks in Wales • 322 parks (158 graded) • 35,895 CHH pitches (21,652 graded)

6. CHH USER SURVEY

7. CHH USER SURVEY Visitor Profile

8. Sample • 58% owners • 15% renting from private owner • 7% renting through an agency or holiday company • 6% renting direct from park owner • 5% renting from friends/family • 4% borrowing from friends/family (no fee) • 4% DK/NA/None

9. Age

10. Socio-Economic Group

11. Family life-stage

12. CHH USER SURVEY Holiday taking patterns

13. Average length of CHH holiday

14. Type of holiday

15. Average No. of holidays taken in 2002 • 45% of owners took 5 or more short breaks (compared with 27% of renters). • Renters were much more likely to have not been on a short holiday or break than owners (73% as compared with 27%).

16. Use of Owned CHH Frequency of use Allow use by friends / family?

17. Holidays taken in 2002 (Destinations)(Percentage of trips) Figures relate to total trips

18. Alternatives (destinations)(Percentage of trips) We asked what other locations CHH renters would consider for a holiday or break.

19. Alternatives (accommodation)(Percentage of trips) We asked what other types of accommodation CHH renters would consider for a holiday or break.

20. CHH USER SURVEY Motivations and satisfaction levels

21. Renters - Factors influencing holiday choice

22. Renters - Appeal of CHH

23. Owners - Appeal of CHH

24. Reasons for choice of park

25. Satisfaction with CHH holiday

26. CHH USER SURVEY Booking behaviour

27. Time of booking (renters only)

28. Information Sources (renters only) • Been before 39% • Word of mouth 26% • Advert in newspaper/ magazine 13% • Holiday brochure 11% • Internet 5%

29. Influence of grading schemes (renters)

30. CHH USER SURVEY Expenditure Patterns

31. Expenditure on accommodation and subsistence

32. Comparison of spend figures 1. UKTS 2002 – figures for rented and owned caravans are based on very small samples and should be taken as a guide only 2. Gwynedd Tourism Survey, 2000, System Three

33. Expenditure (% spent on various elements)

34. CHH PARK OPERATORS’ SURVEY Structured interviews with 26 park managers/owners across Wales

35. The Market Split into two main markets: • Owned CHH • CHH Hire Fleet

36. Owned CHH Pitch Fees • £750- £3000 per yr (+ insurance, rates and utilities) Sub-Letting Policy • Majority don’t allow commercial sub-letting • Friends and family only Occupancy • Difficult to get figures on occupancy due to confidentiality issues or lack of info.

37. Promotion - Owned CHH • Word of mouth very important • A lot of owners introduce friends • Hirers who then go on to buy • Very little indication that any active promotion is undertaken

38. The Market - Hire Fleet Letting Fees & Policies • Range from £125 - £530 per wk (depending on season) • Some offer short break rates (even in high season) • Vast majority handle the letting of CHH themselves rather than use an agency Occupancy • 60-100% during high season • Occupancy is seen as relatively stable over the last few years.

39. Promotion - Hire Fleet • Word of mouth important • Advertising in local /WTB guides • Increasing importance of internet • Up to 80% of business • WTB & BH&HPA websites were cited by as important for a number of operators

40. Park Operator Attitudes Market Trends • Shift back towards taking domestic holidays • People are taking more holidays so not worried by people taking overseas holidays • Central heating in CHHs has extended the potential season • People are willing to invest more in their leisure choices

41. Park Operator Attitudes Outlook for Industry • Generally very positive • Can’t see any major problems affecting business • Limited opportunities for physical expansion of parks means business growth will come from up-grading of CHH and parks • Park owners / managers still enjoy the job but feel it is getting harder

42. Park Operator Attitudes Grading schemes • For hired CHH, operators find it hard to judge importance of grading schemes to customers, but don’t get asked directly about it • For Owned CHH, operators feel it is not important at all • Over-emphasis of grading schemes on facilities rather than customer service • David Bellamy Award scheme is generally well thought of

43. Park Operator Attitudes Frustrations • Increase in health and safety legislation • Strictness of employment law (leads to reticence to employ in favour of sub-contracting) • Negative view of local authorities towards CHH parks • Problems with recruiting some staff (e.g. cleaners) • Duplication within inspections (i.e. Fire boxes being checked by more than one organisation)

44. SUMMARY

45. Older, half aged 55+ Slightly greater tendency to be ABC1 than Wales holidaymakers as a whole Couples and families Prolific holiday takers Tend to buy on rural parks with fewer facilities Quality of park environment is very important Profile - Owners • Looking for sedate pace and peace and quiet • Enjoy time on the park but also enjoy the surrounding countryside • Value freedom of CHH • Main provider of rented CHH • Average length of stay is twice average for Wales

46. Younger profile Lower socio-economic groups Dominated by families Caravan holiday taken as main holiday Kids’ needs drive park choice Past experience and recommendation are main reason for holiday choice Profile - Renters • On-park facilities important although sea/beach is a major draw • High satisfaction with Welsh parks leads to high repeat business • As active as Wales holiday-takers as a whole • Overseas destinations are main competitor for long holidays

47. Economic impacts • Total spend in Wales £209m (Owners £73m /Renters £136m) • 55% spent on subsistence • Half of this spent off park (Owners 61%/ Renters 52%) • A third of people bring food with them • 43% of owners at some point have used CHH holidays to make major purchases • Small park (e.g. 100 owned CHH) - £535k • Large park (e.g. 300 owned and 200 rented CHH) - £7.4m

48. Social impacts • Little appeal to non-white ethnic groups • Appeal to families and older groups • Owners 2/3 ABC1, average hh income £25K • Renters 2/3 C2DE, average hh income £20K • Socially inclusive holidays • Main/only holiday for half respondents. Only 30% had been abroad

49. Tourism impacts • An important strand of tourism for Wales • Delivers high degree of satisfaction • Perceived as good value for money • A captive market for Wales • Sustainable consolidation rather than expansion?