Boost for Caravan & Camping sector as domestic overnights up by 30% in 2013

 

As the 2014 caravan and camping season kicks off in earnest this week, figures* published by the CSO show that caravan and camping in Ireland is back in vogue and growing in popularity among Irish people.

The CSO’s latest Household Travel Survey shows a significant growth in the camping and caravanning sector with the number of nights generated by domestic tourism up by 30% from 2012. This represents a welcome return to growth for the sector following a number of challenging years according to the Irish Caravan and Camping Council. 

 

“Sixty seven per cent of caravan and campsite operators reported increased visitor levels with all citing the fine weather experienced in 2013 as a driving factor,” said Con Quill, chairperson of the Irish Caravan and Camping Council (ICC).

 

“More and more Irish people are discovering the benefits of caravanning and camping in Ireland with the majority of people who camped in Ireland with us in 2013 (61%) trying it out for the first time. Last year especially, we experienced an uptake of families arriving with their car and tent (58%) and a significant percentage (30%) camping on the recommendation of friends or family,” said Quill.

 

According to the ICC, the majority of those who holidayed at caravan and camping parks last year stayed for between 1-7 nights, visiting 2-3 Parks during their trip.

Some of the most popular reasons for choosing a caravan and camping holiday were the family orientated nature of the holiday (26%), to get the outdoor experience (23%), the freedom to come and go as you choose (21%) and value for money (17%).

“We’re experiencing a lot of repeat business this year, especially from families and our long-term seasoned camping couples. Camping is ideal for bigger families as it’s so much easier than packing a typical Irish family abroad,” said Quill.

The wide selection of amenities available, the beautiful locations and surroundings of the parks, the friendliness of the staff and the well-maintained facilities were also quoted as enticing reasons to go camping.

 

Visit www.campingireland.ie to download the Camping Ireland App free of charge or order a copy of the 2014 Caravan, Camping & Motorhome guide. The Guide can also be picked up from any Tourist Office.

For those considering a caravan and camping holiday this year, a discount Camping Key Card can also be purchased for €16 from www.campingireland.ie. This card offers discounts on certain sites, visitor attractions, activities and a whole range of restaurants. Full details of the discounts can be found on the website.

* CSO Household Travel Survey

Unlock great offers with Camping Key Europe

The new Camping Key Europe (CKE) card has been introduced in Ireland

 

Friday 17^th May 2013: The Irish Caravan and Camping Council (ICC) has launched Camping Key Europe, the largest camping benefits scheme in Europe. The card, which is recognised by over 2,500 parks across 20 countries, offers holders great discounts at visitor centres, tourist attractions, camping parks and ferries at home and abroad. 

The Camping Key Europe cards are now available on-line through www.camping-ireland.ie for €16. The cards can be used in all ICC member parks as well as being used to avail of discounts and special offers.

Apart from money saving offer, additional benefits of the Camping Key Europe card include:

·       The new card acts as a valid ID for camping parks, carrying your personal details in print and digital format, including passport and ID number. So there’s no need to leave your passport behind reception anymore.

·       Using your Camping Key Europe allows easy check-in to over 2,500 parks across the continent as well as discounts of at least 20 per cent, even during high season.

·       With Camping Key Europe, the card holder, along with up to six travelling companions, are covered by third-party liability insurance as well as being covered by accident insurance while staying at any of the participating parks.

·       As well as discounts at participating parks, there are a large number of extra special offers available such as discounts on ferry crossings, local attractions and activities.

Con Quill, chairperson of the ICC, said: “Offering great savings at member parks and plenty of other benefits, the Camping Key Europe card is a must-have for anyone thinking of going on a caravan or camping holiday this year.”

 

The ICC is also inviting additional partners and local businesses to sign up to the scheme to maximise opportunities during over the summer season.

Quill commented: “The scheme is a risk-free marketing opportunity to attract customers over the summer and has proven to increase footfall in other European countries. We’re inviting businesses associated with tourism to come on-board, from outdoor adventure centres to museums, theatres and restaurants. There is no cost to joining the scheme; the only prerequisite is that the special offer is agreed with us in advance.”

The Camping Key Europe card is valid for one year from the date of issue. More information on the benefits is available at www.campingkeyeurope.com. Any business interested in signing up its special offer should visit www.camping-ireland.ie.

Innovative App launched for Camping in Ireland

 Camping Ireland

 

A new mobile app for caravan & camping in Ireland has just been launched by the Irish Caravan & Camping Council (ICC)

Camping Ireland app is the first and most complete application for caravan and camping enthusiasts throughout the Island of Ireland and can be downloaded on Android and iPhone devices.

The app contains 85 Failte Ireland registered campsites plus camping equipment and Motorhome sales and hire agents.
Users can browse and search the full range of campsites on their mobile devices while touring around Ireland.
The app can be used to locate campsites with ease and contains the following features, a built-in route finder to help you travel from site to site, Interactive slideshows and descriptions that give you a detailed view of every campsite, Select your favorite campsites and plan your journey with ease, plus one touch enables you to contact the campsite and make a last minute booking.

Speaking at the launch of the new Camping Ireland app, Con Quill, ICC Chairman said, “We are very excited about this new app as it delivers a comprehensive list of campsites and information for our visitors in an easy to use mobile application.

Niall Gibbons, CEO Tourism Ireland, Niamh Darcy, ICC, Leo Varadkar, Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport and Con Quill, ICC Chairman recently launched the 2013 Camping Guide and Camping Ireland app

 

Please visit campingireland.ie  for more information, including screenshots of the app.

The Camping Ireland app is free and available both on iPhone and Android

An essential guide to caravan and camping holidays in Ireland

Five year old Amy Walsh is pictured with the Guide

With the number of Irish people holidaying at Irish caravan and camping parks increasing there will be considerable interest in the 2012 Guide to Caravan, Camping and Motorhomes now available from the Irish Caravan and Camping Council (ICC).

The 90 page guide is available from www.campingireland.ie. It is a full colour guide to all ICC members touring and holiday home parks throughout Ireland, both North & South, the Guide also lists equipment sales & hire providers.

Each park entry includes details of pricing and facilities both on-site and in the local area. Details are also provided of opening times, number of pitches available, the size of each park and full contact details.

“This guide along with our website highlight the attractiveness of our camping and caravanning holidays for both individuals and families. Apart from the friendliness and opportunities to see the Irish countryside at its best, our members offer quality facilities and value for money", said ICC Chairperson Niamh Darcy.

Figures published earlier this year show that just over 80% of those who holidayed in Ireland at caravan and camping parks in 2011 were from Ireland. This compares with 56% in 2010.

Want to pitch up, get out and see the sites? Try a glamping holiday

Friday June 03 2011

GOOD weather and festival fever is prompting a return to recession-busting camping trips.
More than 300,000 Irish people took camping trips at home last year, as Celtic Tiger boutique hotels gave way to canvas and sleeping bags for cash-strapped families.

Failte Ireland said the caravan and camping sector outperformed all others last year, with two-thirds of campsites reporting an upturn in the number of nights spent under canvas during 2010 -- a trend other tourist providers can only envy.

And the Irish Caravan and Camping Council said a record number of people went camping over the Easter holidays, with campsites predicting a similar influx this weekend as the temperature rises.
Two big trends have helped the revival in camping fortunes, according to Tracey Coughlan of Failte Ireland: the need to economise and a big growth in luxury camping spreading from other countries.
"Glamping" in top-end tents and old-style yurts -- large wood-framed tents -- are offering people a different experience and one Irish operators are looking at developing to cash in on people's desire for something different on their holidays, she said.
"Camping was definitely something people turned away from for a few years -- it was all hotels people wanted -- but it's back now and it's sexy because of yurts and glamping and all that. You even see tents and camping gear on sale in supermarkets, which you wouldn't have before," she said.

Failte Ireland is carrying out a review of the sector to see how it can appeal more to this desire for a novel holiday experience and to attract more visitors from Britain and Europe, with motorhomes another growing market.

The growth of music and arts festivals such as Electric Picnic or this weekend's Flat Lake Festival in Hilton Park, Co Monaghan, have also helped, as these actively encourage visitors to pitch their tent or bring a camper van. This is a trend that's particularly popular with families with small children who otherwise might be left out of the festival loop.
Bell tents and yurts are also up for rent at the Flat Lakes festival for those who don't want the hassle of bringing their own.

Figures from the Central Statistics Office show Irish people made 309,000 camping trips at home in 2009, up from 279,000 in 2006.

Though the 2010 data is not yet available, it's expected to show a significant upturn, based on a Failte Ireland survey showing 65pc of campsite operators had seen an increase in the number of nights Irish visitors spent with them last year.
The ICC said that, altogether, Irish people and foreign tourists spent 2.4 million nights on Irish campsites in 2009, contributing €96m to the local economy.
Its 90 member-parks had seen a significant increase in the number of Irish visitors who now made up nearly half the total, and it wasn't just families as 52pc had seen more couples staying.

- Aideen Sheehan

Irish Independent

Caravan and Camping back in vogue

Published on Wednesday 20 April 2011 14:43


CARAVAN and camping in Ireland has experienced a dramatic increase in popularity among Irish holidaymakers.

In the last two years, there has been a 10 per cent increase in the number of Irish people going camping, according to the Irish Caravan and Camping Council (ICC). The Council is predicting similar growth for the coming season.
The figures were released at the launch of the Council’s new website, www.campingireland.ie and its 2011 Camping Guide.
“People are much more conscious now of how they spend money when it comes to holidays, while also wanting to support Irish goods and services. We’ve seen a surge in the numbers of Irish families and in particular, young couples, staying in our members’ campsites around the country. Irish visitors now account for nearly half of all campers to our sites,” said Niamh Darcy, ICC Chairperson.
She continued, “Apart from the friendliness and opportunity to see the Irish countryside at its best, our members offer fantastic facilities and great value for money. From as little as €20 per night, people have the choice of 90 sites nationwide. And, many of our members are offering special deals of an extra night free if visitors stay for three nights or more.”
The new website, campingireland.ie also carries details of all ICC campsites around Ireland, up to date information on special offers and information on the sale and hire of caravan and camping equipment. It is the only place to go for all your caravanning and camping needs.

Camping – Have you forgotten how much fun it is?

http://www.camping-ireland.ie/

There is nothing to beat the feeling of booking a holiday, planning an escape, a break from it all. Its what keeps us going when everything gets on top of us. But theres’s no doubt holidays can be expensive, especially if you are confined to holidaying in peak season.

Affordability is probably the main reason for the rise in popularirty of Camping and Caravaning holidays in Ireland. They offer fantastic value, you can pitch a tent for a little as €20 a night or hire a mobile home or chalet for a little €160 per week off season and approximatley €500 per week peak season. Log onto www.campingireland.ie to see rates and special offers in over 100 campsites thoughout the whole of Ireland. The website also gives details of caravan and motorhome hire and retail and is a one stop shop for any equipment you may need.

Facilities in campsites have improved dramatically in Ireland and needed to, as our weather is changeable to say the least. As well as excellent shower rooms, they almost all offer laundry services, childrens play areas and many have shops, restaurants and internet facilities on site. Many include a whole range of services like boat hire, fishing trips, bicycle hire and hiking excursions.The campsites registered with campingireland.ie have all been independently assessed by Failte Ireland who award a 1 to 4 star rating.

Ask any camper what sums up a camping, caravaning, motorhome holiday in one word and nearly everyone will tell you the word is “fun”. The cameraderie that exists between campers is something you feel within hours of arriving at the site. Great friendships are stuck up between adults and children, many meeting up every year to share more fun filled days and nights. Children in particular seem to prefer a camping holiday to any other kind. Campsites provide a safe environment for young children, who revel in the freedom they offer. Campers talk fondly of communal barbeques, group activities and impromtu get togethers with a glass of wine watching the sun set.

For many people, the appeal of a camping holiday lies in the flexability they offer. You can chart your own course and go the length and breadth of Ireland stopping off wherever you fancy. Sites can be booked on the day or months in advance. From small family run sites, to working farms where children can feed the animals, to larger ones with lots of amenities located in forests or hugging Irelands coastline. Many parks are truly breathtaking in their natural beauty and will awaken your senses to the stunning scenery we have in Ireland.

No wonder so many people are opting for the “staycation” and rediscovering the fun of a camping holiday.