Camping remains one of the most popular and cost effective ways of a ‘staycation’ for UK holidaymakers, according to a new survey by leading outdoor clothing and equipment retailer GO Outdoors.
As part of the survey, GO Outdoors questioned a total of 2,831 campers about their holidaying/camping habits and choices, and the findings suggested that the pastime remained popular among a wide range of age groups, and was attracting more and more newcomers.
While 37 per cent of respondents said that they went camping in the last month, 80 per cent said they had camped in the last year. Nearly half – 48 per cent – have been camping veterans for more than 20 years, but 20 per cent had only started camping within the last five years.
On the top five reasons for choosing camping, 61 per cent of respondents said they wanted to escape the hustle and bustle of urban life, while 56 per cent cited cost as a factor and 53 per cent said camping offered quality time with the family. 46 percent cited closeness to nature as the reason.
‘What’s particularly encouraging about this survey is not just that there are so many veterans who are still active campers after all these years, but that so many newcomers are getting involved,’ said Sinead Miller, Digital Marketing Manager at GO Outdoors. ‘This really bodes well for the future of camping in the UK and suggests that events such as music festivals are helping to boost its popularity among young people.’
The poll found that 58 percent of Britain’s campers head out more than three times a year, no matter what the weather condition is. More than two-thirds of those surveyed were aged between 30 and 49, with 45 per cent of those aged below 19 saying that they camped more than five times a year.
The Lake District, Cornwall and the Scottish Highlands were found to be the top three UK camping destinations, while France was overwhelmingly the most popular (61 per cent) overseas camping destination. Spain (15 per cent) Germany (14 per cent) and Italy (10 per cent) were the three other preferred overseas destinations.
