LV= research reveals Brits carry on camping this summer

LV= research reveals camping holidays are experiencing an unprecedented surge in popularity this summer as Brits tighten their belts and seek out cheaper breaks.

The results from travel insurer, LV=, found that nearly twice as many Brits (30%) are considering a camping or caravanning holiday this year compared to those who took one last year (17%).

Research amongst campsites (Camping and Caravanning Club Mar09) also found that advanced bookings are up 27% year-on-year as campers rush to book their patch of grass. Across the country the most popular beauty spots include Cornwall (15% of planned camping trips), the Lake District (12%) and Devon (11%).

According to the survey, amongst all UK adults, 30% are planning or considering a camping or caravanning trip this year, with the majority citing cost as the primary motivator for choosing this kind of holiday. On average, campers plan to spend £450 on their trip which equates to an estimated injection of £6.1 billion* into the UK tourist industry.

The research findings also highlight a surge in campers planning to turn their backs on organised campsites and pitch their tents wherever they like (27%). Getting off the beaten track is the major motive**, yet very few people (21%) know the UK laws around camping in the wild, and 13% wrongly believe they can camp wherever they like, whereas in fact they are likely to find themselves on the wrong side of the law. According to legislation in England and Wales there is no legal right for people to camp wherever they like and landowners have the right to move them on. However there are areas in the country where the practice is more accepted and anyone planning a trip should research where the best places are.

Emma Holyer, spokesperson for LV= travel insurance, said: “Camping is a fantastic way to experience the great British countryside, and with a hot summer predicted it’s set to be a bumper year for camping and UK holidays in general. However with camping sites full to bursting point, this could attract thieves who are looking for easy pickings. As well as taking sensible security steps such as locking the tent with a padlock, campers should ensure they have a travel insurance policy in place or extend their home insurance cover to include insurance cover for possessions outside of the home.”

ends

Notes to Editors:
Research carried out by Opinium Research using an online poll of 3,237 British adults from 9th to 15th April 2009. Results have been weighted to be nationally representative.

* UK adult population = 45,434,897, with 30% considering a camping holiday this year. Average planned spend by campers = £449 in total. This equates to a total of £6,120,080,581.
** 46% of wild campers stated ‘getting off the beaten track’ as their reason for eschewing campsites

About LV=
LV= is a registered trade mark of Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society Limited (LVFS) and a trading style of the Liverpool Victoria group of companies.

LV= employs over 3,800 people, serves around 3.2 million customers and members, and manages around £7 billion on their behalf. We are also the UK’s largest friendly society (Association of Friendly Societies Key Statistics 2008, total net assets) and a leading mutual financial services provider. LVFS is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority register number 110035. LVFS is a member of the ABI, AMI, AFS and ILAG. Registered address: County Gates, Bournemouth BH1 2NF.

LV= PR contact:
Emma Holyer
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LV=
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0208 256 6714
Emma.holyer@lv.com
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