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Caravanning statistics
Discover more about caravans in the UK.
Caravanning is an increasingly popular option for people holidaying in the UK. This booming industry contributes more than £9.3 billion to holiday parks and campsites every year and employs around 130,000 people. Caravanning has also become part of the growing popularity of staycation holidays, as people look to save money while enjoying the convenience of a home on the move.
Quick facts
- There are over 555,000 caravans in use in the UK.
- More than 2 million people take holidays in caravans and motorhomes every year.
- Nearly 65 million nights were spent camping and caravanning in Great Britain in 2018.
- The country with the most caravans is Germany, which has over 674,700 caravans in use.
Google search interest
If you were thinking about camping or renting a caravan this year, we’re not surprised. Every year around July, the Google search interest for “caravan” and “camping” hits its highest levels. In July 2020, interest was at an all-time high for the last five years – 56% higher than it was in July 2019.
Camping industry revenue
The camping industry drives a big revenue each year, and probably even more so in 2020, the year of the staycation. In 2019, £2.41 billion was spent by campers all over the UK. This was a bit lower than the hot summer of 2018, when campers and travellers spent £2.5 billion while on the road.
In total, the whole industry contributes more than £9.3 billion to the UK economy each year, which is 8% of the holiday spending market. The industry also employs around 130,000 people.
| Year | Amount spent by campers |
|---|---|
| 2019 | £2.41 billion |
| 2018 | £2.50 billion |
| 2017 | £2.25 billion |
| 2016 | £2.14 billion |
| 2015 | £2.49 billion |
| 2014 | £2.34 billion |
| 2013 | £2.43 billion |
| 2012 | £2.53 billion |
| 2011 | £2.57 billion |
| 2010 | £2.30 billion |
Number of motorhomes registered each year
Motorhomes are becoming an increasingly popular option in the UK, with the number of new motorhome registrations almost doubling between 2012 and 2017. During the hot summer of 2018, 14,700 new caravans were registered in the UK – the most it’s ever seen in one year.
| Year | Number of new registrations | Decrease/increase from the previous year |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 14,655 | 4.22% |
| 2017 | 14,062 | 14.03% |
| 2016 | 12,332 | 16.65% |
| 2015 | 10,572 | 21.06% |
| 2014 | 8,733 | 17.62% |
| 2013 | 7,425 | -4.00% |
| 2012 | 7,734 | 6.46% |
| 2011 | 7,265 | -0.68% |
| 2010 | 7,315 |
Number of touring caravans in use across Europe
Caravanning isn’t only popular in the UK. Many other European countries also enjoy holidaying in caravans and motorhomes. Germany has the highest number of touring caravans in Europe, with an estimated 674,700 vehicles. This is closely followed by the UK, with 555,000 motorhomes. Touring caravans are also popular in France and the Netherlands, where there are close to half a million caravans in each country.
| Country | Number of caravans in use |
|---|---|
| Germany | 674,700 |
| UK | 555,000 |
| France | 535,800 |
| Netherlands | 433,900 |
| Spain | 330,000 |
| Sweden | 285,200 |
| Denmark | 127,700 |
| Norway | 119,400 |
| Finland | 66,700 |
| Italy | 63,000 |
| Others | 52,000 |
| Belgium | 45,000 |
| Austria | 38,500 |
| Switzerland | 35,100 |
| Portugal | 18,000 |
| Slovenia | 11,000 |
| Total | 3,391,000 |
The best camping sites across the UK
From “glamping” (glamorous camping) to caravanning, there’s something for every person and taste in the UK. Hendra Holiday Park in Cornwall won the People’s Choice award in 2019 for being the best camping site in the country. If you need some inspiration, these are the award-winning caravan and camping sites in each region of the UK.
| Region | Winner | Commended |
|---|---|---|
| Scotland | Craighead Howfs, Perthshire | Highfield Holidays, Argyll |
| Wales | Trwyn yr Wylfa Camping Site, Conwy | Florence Springs, Pembrokeshire |
| South West | South Lytchett Manor Caravan and Camping Park, Dorset | Golden Cap Holiday Park, Dorset |
| South East | Blackberry Wood, East Sussex | Hill Cottage Farm Camping and Caravan Park, Hampshire |
| East of England | Deepdale Camping, Norfolk | Pinecones Caravan and Camping, Norfolk |
| West Midlands | Lucksall Caravan and Camping Park, Herefordshire | Castle Farm Holidays, Shropshire |
| East Midlands | Dale Farm Rural Campsite, Derbyshire | Middlehills Farm, Derbyshire |
| North West | Castlerigg Hall Caravan and Camping Park, Cumbria | Park Cliffe Camping and Caravan Estate, Cumbria |
| North East | Buckden Camping and Pods, North Yorkshire | The Hideaway at Baxby Manor, North Yorkshire |
Sources
- National Caravan Council
- TNS
- VisitEngland
- Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
- European Caravan Federation
- Motor Home Depot
Click here for more research. For all media enquiries, please contact:
Matt Mckenna
UK Communications Manager
T: +44 20 8191 8806
UK Communications Manager
T: +44 20 8191 8806
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