UK campsite and cottage bookings for summer 2021 on the rise
As holiday bookings abroad continue to look uncertain for travellers, more holidaymakers are booking their trips to UK cottages and campsites for 2021
UK accommodation providers have reported a significant spike in bookings for July and August 2021, with camping sites seeming to be particularly popular. The campsite booking website pitchup.com has had 1,400 bookings for next summer, which constitutes an increase of 500 per cent compared to 2019.
Pitchup Founder Dan Yates told UK newspaper The Guardian that the launch of pop-up campsites this summer will probably be seen again next year, as demand remains high.
“Camping is the only type of accommodation that has been able to expand to meet demand from the many holidaymakers who’ve switched plans from abroad to stay on home turf,” he said in an interview with the paper. “Hundreds of farms have set up ‘pop-up’ sites, and already look likely to repeat this next summer.”
Alistair Handyside, owner of three cottages in south Devon and chair of the Professional Association of Self-Caterers, told the guardian: “[Places] with sea/harbour views, great locations, or pools, plus larger properties and ones that are dog friendly are normally gone by late January; it will be much sooner this time.”
He warned: “I think it is highly likely that there will be a shortage of supply in late July August next year as many people still won’t want to travel abroad.”