Camping fewer bookings this year than last

[flowerpot]

Usually end up on the ground if using an air bed. Haven't found one yet that didn't leak through the night.

Family member has a large holiday let 21 maximum I think if included baby accommodation. She is busy with long weekends but hardly any week long lets. But the price difference isn't very much, as the most of the cost is in the change-over: thorough cleaning with 4 cleaners working, laundry, making beds.

 

[steveR]

Usually end up on the ground if using an air bed. Haven't found one yet that didn't leak through the night.

Been there, got the bruises to prove it... I was in N Spain and had been told to save luggage on a small trail bike, leave the tent and airbed at home.... Damn tent leaked like a leaky thing on the penultimate night, and the bed was so crap, I went to the Go Outdoors equivelent and bought one!!

Need to spend a bit on a good bed, but mostly chinese crap about...

 

[SilliamWhale]

Usually end up on the ground if using an air bed. Haven't found one yet that didn't leak through the night.

Family member has a large holiday let 21 maximum I think if included baby accommodation. She is busy with long weekends but hardly any week long lets. But the price difference isn't very much, as the most of the cost is in the change-over: thorough cleaning with 4 cleaners working, laundry, making beds.

I find you cant reduce much for short let's and location to cities is key for long weekends. I can hardly sell long weekends for groups

 

[br jones]

The £4800 must be a first rate holiday let.
Camping two tents £50 a night 12 nights is £600, admittedly not in hot spot Devon.
A far cry from your £3500.

but your in a tent crapping in a bucket/ ,all inclusive with kids clubs ,waiters etc i know where i would be going

 

[Jsmith2211]

ours is only £20 a night I think. Bottom end of somerset on the border with devon. Lovely scenery good walks etc. Good cheap holiday really. Started it a year or two ago this is the busiest year yet. Definitely paying to do.

 

[PI Stsker]

ours is only £20 a night I think. Bottom end of somerset on the border with devon. Lovely scenery good walks etc. Good cheap holiday really. Started it a year or two ago this is the busiest year yet. Definitely paying to do.

One of the few that price reasonably rather than putting prices sky high and then wondering why you have no bookings…

family friends went camping last weekend for a short break, paid £70 per night for a bare field, the only thing that was supplied was a place to empty your own chemical khazi in to…!

 

[hally]

One of the few that price reasonably rather than putting prices sky high and then wondering why you have no bookings…

family friends went camping last weekend for a short break, paid £70 per night for a bare field, the only thing that was supplied was a place to empty your own chemical khazi in to…!

People simply get too greedy, I was away last weekend on a farm site on the edge of the lake district and it was £15/night for a caravan with electric. Basic outside toilet facilities but all you need is in the caravan.
High end farm caravan sites around here about £30 per night and a fully serviced pitch on a fancy site with showers and toilet blocks getting on for £50. Yet local hotels are all offering deals at £80/ night for two with breakfast and non of the caravan sites are full, so pricing must be keen.

 

[PI Stsker]

People simply get too greedy, I was away last weekend on a farm site on the edge of the lake district and it was £15/night for a caravan with electric. Basic outside toilet facilities but all you need is in the caravan.
High end farm caravan sites around here about £30 per night and a fully serviced pitch on a fancy site with showers and toilet blocks getting on for £50. Yet local hotels are all offering deals at £80/ night for two with breakfast and non of the caravan sites are full, so pricing must be keen.

The way I see it is you want quantity through the gates…
Generally speaking the upkeep of the site and staffing costs the same whether you have 3 guests or 30. Surely you’re better off charging £30/night and being max pax with 30 on site turning over £900 a night than you are charging £50/night only having 10 on site.
if you just supply a bare field with water, no electric I don’t see how the overheads can be very high…. And most people pay cash sooooo…?

 

[OffGridCamp]

You may like to consider registering your land on Off Grid Camp. We link 4x4 overlanders with landowners willing to share the wilder corners of their land. All our members agree to be fully self sufficient, expect no facilities and respect the leave no trace principle. It is free to list your location and members book and pay you directly. We take no commission.
Lots more info on our website: https://www.offgridcamp.co.uk/landowner-faqs/

 

[Jsmith2211]

Ours has composting loos, a solar shed for people to charge their phones, a freezer powered by the solar panels on said shed, a bell tent with a few odds and ends in it for the children to play with, few books on birds and trees etc etc. plus a fenced off dog exercise area. we’ve also put in a couple of fenced pitches this year so people can come with their dogs and not have to worry about them getting out - these are both pretty much booked up till September - I think it’s an extra £4 for that but don’t quote me. It’s mother’s thing really, she does dog agility training as well so has tried to make it fairly dog friendly. They say you need to find a niche and I think that’s what we’ve done. Only been doing it a couple of years but wouldn’t be surprised if it’s making more profit than the other 300 acres of farm before long (which isn’t difficult really). We are 3 minutes from the M5 (one of our fields is visible from the motorway) and just off the A38 as well so in the perfect place for people on their way to Cornwall or doing lands end to John o Grotes. Think we provide a lot of stuff for the money really, compared to going to Spain and being caught on fire I’d say it’s far better value!

 

[tullah]

Middle of holidays and what few bookings we have are now cancelling because of the weather. Worse too now everyone has a site on farm.

 

[Jsmith2211]

Middle of holidays and what few bookings we have are now cancelling because of the weather. Worse too now everyone has a site on farm.

Do you not have a good enough cancelations policy? Ours I think is they get nothing refunded if they cancel (1 week but changing to 2 next year if i remember rightly) before coming. Personally I think its ideal if they cancel a day or two before, they've still paid and you dont have to do anything!

 

[tullah]

Do you not have a good enough cancelations policy? Ours I think is they get nothing refunded if they cancel (1 week but changing to 2 next year if i remember rightly) before coming. Personally I think its ideal if they cancel a day or two before, they've still paid and you dont have to do anything!

Yes we have the same cancellation policy so better off as you say. Just demoralising seeing the trend of bookings drying up too.

 

[Jsmith2211]

Yes we have the same cancellation policy so better off as you say. Just demoralising seeing the trend of bookings drying up too.

I see you are up in linconshire, down here in good old zummerzet seems to be just fine

 

[Bongodog]

Alitalia are nearly bust , Norway air are bust , Lufthansa getting govt bailout , TAP are insolvent ...........

Alitalia are always nearly bust, this has been going on for at leats 10 years, same with TAP, Norwegian went more or less belly up pre covid.