Back in 2006, the humble caravan was the most searched for term on eBay. This was when the long defunct eBay Pulse listed the post popular searches but it was replaced when tech became popular and iPhone and Android accessories took over along with computer gaming and other consumer electronics.
Now, due to the pandemic and uncertainty of overseas holidays, the caravan is making a come back. Caravan manufacturers have seen more demand than ever before and can’t keep up with demand. There’s been a 350% jump in caravan holiday bookings since the government announced their plans to ease lockdown restrictions so sales aren’t going to slow any time soon.
So the big question is, if you’re going to buy a static caravan, where should you choose? You won’t be using it 52 weeks a year and so by UKCaravans4hire have revealed the best places in the UK to buy a caravan to hire out for holidaymakers.
Top ten locations to purchase a caravan
Looking at the most popular staycation destinations, the new ranking is based on the number of average monthly searches for ‘caravans sites’ in each destination, the number of average monthly searches for holidays in each location, the number of caravans for sale in each location, the number of converting customers in each location and the number of holiday homes in each location currently listed on UKCaravans4hire. The final ranking was developed by looking at the average ranking position across all five data sets.
- Dorset
- Cornwall
- Lincolnshire
- Devon
- Kent
- Somerset
- Essex
- Suffolk
- Norfolk
- North Yorkshire
Across all data sets, Dorset came out on top of the new study and was highlighted as the best destination in the UK to purchase a static caravan, closely followed by Cornwall and Lincolnshire. The top ten locations hint that investing in a holiday home in the south of England could provide the best return on investment.
Looking at the locations with the highest number of online searches for caravan sites in that area, Cornwall sees the highest on average each month with 5,400, followed by Northumberland (3,600) and Devon (2,900). Cornwall also leads the way in the average number of monthly searches for holidays in that area with 40,500, with Isle of Wight (14,800), Devon (9,900) and Dorset (4,400) close behind.
“The past 12 months have changed many parts of our lives, including how and where we travel. With travel restrictions likely to continue into the summer, we’ve seen a huge increase in interest and bookings for caravan getaways right across the UK.
We anticipate this staycation trend will continue, meaning it’s a great time to invest in a holiday home, in particular a static caravan. We wanted to conduct this new study to help anyone who is thinking about investing in a caravan in the UK as it can be difficult to decide on the best location.
On top of everything we’ve highlighted, it’s important to think about the costs of running the caravan such as site fees. So it’s essential to fully research all the costs involved ahead of time.”
– Gareth Irving, director, UKCaravans4hire
This news bodes well, not just for caravan sales but also for merchants supplying caravan accessories and general holidaying goods from beach towels and swimsuits to picnic hampers and windbreaks. With demand stepping up, consider your investment in paid search on marketplaces (eBay Promoted Listings, Amazon Sponsored Products/Brands). Caravans are back in fashion and if you get your strategy right then this is the year to cash in on unprecedented demand.
