As the Whitsun bank holiday weekend begins, the National Caravan Council (NCC), the trade body for the UK caravan industry, is reporting that caravanning is retaining its popularity, with many caravan parks full. The Camping and Caravanning Club, for example, reports the vast majority of its sites at capacity.

In 2004, over 32,000 touring caravans were produced in the UK - the highest number since 1990. Caravan holiday home production ended the year at just under 28,000, while motorhome registrations were the highest ever recorded level at 8,487 (approximately three quarters of these are UK produced). Sales of new caravans are slowing in 2005, but still positive, according to NCC Director General Graham Beacom. �The Moving Annual Total (MAT) for home sales of touring caravans at the end of the first quarter of 2005 stood at +6% (31,000), while sales for caravan holiday homes were slightly down on last year (26,000), with growth being tempered by difficulty in obtaining planning consent for new or expanded parks.

�As the Office of National Statistics figures show*, there are currently much more difficult trading conditions for retailers. Most caravans are bought by the 50+ age bracket - exactly those people who are most worried about stagnating house prices, tuition fees and falling pension values. However, caravans have an enormously loyal fan base, and improvements in the product have attracted a new, younger market in recent years.

�The industry is now looking for a period of consolidation rather than expansion but nevertheless this year over one and a half million people will enjoy a caravan holiday � whether in a caravan holiday home or touring caravan. Which is why this bank holiday weekend will see significant numbers out on the roads, heading for seaside and countryside, where they will make a valuable contribution to the tourism economy - especially in rural areas� Beacom said.

-ENDS-

Editors� Notes:

� The NCC is the representative body for the caravan, motorhome. caravan holiday home industry and park home industry. The Council represents approximately 500 companies and over 800 outlets. Statistical source: Analysis of returns by NCC member manufacturers

� There are approximately 500,000 touring caravans in use in the UK, plus 330,000 caravan holiday homes and 118,000 motor homes.

� Office of National Statistics: �Following the slowdown which began in late 2004, the underlying rate of retail sales growth remains significantly lower than in the first half of last year. The volume of retail sales in the three months February to April 2005 was 0.2 per cent higher than in the previous three months.�

See: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=256

Press contact: Louise Wood, PR Manager, NCC, tel: 01252 796064, mobile: 07786 317629, email: louisew@nationalcaravan.co.uk