Stay updated with breaking news from Dan Yates. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
CAMPING and caravan holidays boomed in popularity last year when travel reopened and it's set to be a similar story this year after the 'roadmap' out of lockdown was unveiled last night. But as bookings increase fivefold, is there enough campsite space left?
Roadmap for easing lockdown in England disappoints tourism chiefs Isabel Choat © Provided by The Guardian Photograph: Carl Court/AFP/Getty Images English tourism bosses have expressed dismay at losing a second Easter holiday after Boris Johnson confirmed that holiday lets and some outdoor attractions will not reopen until 12 April at the earliest. In a speech to parliament on Monday, laying out plans to ease lockdown, the prime minister said self-contained holiday accommodation in England will open for individuals or single-household groups from 12 April at the earliest, an...
Last modified on Sun 14 Feb 2021 05.33 EST While transport secretary Grant Shapps might not be planning a summer break given his declaration that “people shouldn’t be booking holidays right now”, it seems that many others are. Bookings for glamping and camping places have surged to record levels, a rise matched by the rapid growth in new sites. “We’ve had the busiest January and February yet in terms of bookings,” says James Warner Smith, founder of Cool Camping. “But there’s also been a huge increase in numbers of new sites wanting to advertise.” Mike Bevens, MD at glamping...
Last modified on Sat 13 Feb 2021 00.09 EST A day is a long time in the pandemic. On Wednesday morning Grant Shapps’ “don’t book a trip anywhere” warning was greeted with dismay by UK tourism businesses, but by the end of the day it was clear that the public had no intention of heeding his advice: they were booking UK holidays regardless, and in droves. Pitchup, an online platform listing 2,000 campsites, caravan parks and glampsites in the UK, ended Wednesday 47% up on the same day in 2020, and was 92% up by the end of Thursday. Beth Bailey of Premier Cottages saw “absolutely no slo...
Gary Garth Special to USA TODAY Coronavirus has wreaked havoc over the past year, infecting 107 million people and killing 2.3 million worldwide – with 27.1 million of those cases and 468,000 of the deaths coming from the United States. By any measure, things have been disrupted. How COVID-19 will ultimately affect 2021 is unknown. But a few things are evident. COVID-19 fatigue is real. People are ready to get out and on the move. And for more than 50 million Americans, that likely means a camping trip. Camping – be it via a tent in the backcountry or a hard-sided camper parked in a full...