To "preserve the importance of this great Aussie holiday tradition," the privately-run Tripcony Hibiscus Caravan Park at Caloundra and the council-run Cotton Tree and Noosa River parks will be added to the register, the Queensland Heritage council revealed yesterday.

Since as early as 1880, people have come to Cotton Tree, north of Brisbane, to camp, swim and fish, with Noose and Caloundra also popular since the early 20th century.

Queensland Heritage Council chair David Eades made the announcement in Caloundra yesterday, saying the listing would not affect the day-to day running of the campgrounds and would preserve them from the rapid shore development on the Sunshine Coast.

"Seaside holidays are in our blood," Mr Eades said,

"They are quintessential Queensland experiences and some 650,000 Queenslanders stay in caravan parks around the state every year.

"The advertising of 1910 got it right when it described a two-week camp at Cotton Tree as `Nature's pick-me-up'.

"These three caravan parks not only demonstrate the evolution of tourist accommodation but remain true examples of waterfront caravan parks that blend nature with accessible, affordable amenities."

Unlike the owners of the Big Pineapple, who vowed to bring legal action against the Environmental Protection Agency over its listing, (http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/articles/2009/03/24/1237656893995.html), the owner of the Tripcony Hibiscus Caravan Park was pleased with the move to heritage list his property.

"This, on top of confirmation of a 30-year lease, gives us confidence in the future," Tripcony Hibiscus owner Thomas Booker said,

"We can move ahead with our planned redevelopment, bringing facilities up to the 21st century."

Source: brisbanetimes.com.au

As the Easter holidays come to an end, Pembrokeshire Tourism, which represents 500 holiday businesses said it had seen a "huge upsurge" in late bookings.

North Wales Tourism said better than forecast weather over the bank holidays helped boost trade.

The Caravan Club also said it has seen a 40% increase in bookings this year.

A key feature that also seems to have emerged in the rise in the use of the internet to grab late bookings.

Barry Chapman, manager of the Hotel Plas Hyfryd at Narbeth in Pembrokeshire said: "Although traditionally its never a really busy time of year for us, this year broke the mould.

"With leisure guests up by over 50% and a number of guest booking for the whole three night period, we are delighted with the results of our new on line marketing campaign."

Nick Evans, chairman of Pembrokeshire Tourism added: "It's encouraging to see more market confidence from a high percentage of our members across the tourism spectrum."

Sunshine

Mr Evans counterpart at North Wales Tourism, Chris Jackson, was a little more cautious, but agreed that there had been a positive start to the tourism season.

"Operators are reasonably happy. It's the start of the season in north Wales and we have benefitted from good weather - much better than the weather forecasted," said Mr Jackson.

"There has been some last minute bookings and the visitor attractions have done rather well."

But Mr Jackson said his members were "not throwing their hats in the air" just yet.

He said many were hoping that the recession would see more people looking to holiday closer to home, and that the industry was "looking ahead cautiously".

One part of the tourism sector that definitely appears to have benefitted is the caravan park operator.

'Value'

According to The Caravan Club, which owns and operates 200 sites across Britain, it has seen bookings for 2009 already up by 40%.

It said its network of parks in Wales were at 90% occupancy for the Easter holidays.

"I think people in the current climate are looking where they get real value and are making the most of their own time," said the club's spokeswoman Fiona Bewers.

"New families are taking up caravanning as a fun option, it gives them flexibility to go when and where they want."

Source: BBC

Park owners say they are fully booked over the Easter school holidays and have seen a boom in trade since the credit crunch began as people favour cheaper breaks.

At East Midlands Airport, 9,000 fewer passengers flew off on holiday, compared with the same time last year.

Lesley Kind, who runs Whetstone Gorse Fisheries and Caravan Site, in Whetstone, with husband, Martin, says they have been booked up for the Easter holidays for more than seven weeks.

The site has room for 26 vans, a converted barn with a bar and stage and a licence to hold up to 400 caravans at special events.

She said: "We're in a very good location and a lot of people like to come here to fish.

"We're also noticing that more and more people are booking spaces with us.

"Over the past nine months, we've seen bookings go up. I think the fact the exchange rate is quite poor at the moment is making people think twice about going on holiday abroad."

Diane Swain, manager of Quorn Lodge Caravan Club, on Loughborough Road, Quorn, said they were busier than ever.

She said: "We're finding that more people want to caravan in the UK rather than driving down to France or Spain.

"Petrol prices are an issue and the fact the pound is so weak is meaning people cannot afford to go abroad so they are going to local caravan sites instead.

"We're booked up over Easter, mostly with people who are travelling here to spend time with family members living close by."

Steve Tizzard, general manager of The Caravan Company, on St Margaret's Way, Leicester, revealed that sales were up by 25 per cent on last year.

He said the average price people were paying for caravans at the moment was about £6,000.

He said: "Caravanning is becoming more and more popular.

"A lot of people are buying caravans for the first time because it's far more expensive to holiday abroad these days.

"The pound is so weak against the euro right now and people are realising they can buy a caravan which they can keep forever, for the same price as a family holiday abroad.

"This is traditionally the busiest time of year for us as well because we're approaching summer and a lot of people traditionally have their first caravanning holidays around this time of year."

Source: thisisleicestershire.co.uk

Flintshire Council's executive member for regeneration and tourism, Cllr Mel Higham said the county was well prepared to welcome an influx of holidaygoers eager to avoid the strong Euro and take advantage of the attractions on offer here.

He said: "We're finding that people are definitely looking to stay at home rather than venture abroad for their holidays." We've seen a big leap in caravan bookings so far this year. The fact that the facilities in Flintshire have improved greatly in recent years is also a factor."

The National Caravan Council says its member sites are seeing bookings grow by between 20 per cent and 50 per cent on last year.

With top attractions including Greenfield Valley Heritage Park, Moel Famau and Talacre beach, there is a feeling that Flintshire is poised to become a Mecca for credit crunch-aware tourists.

Easter fell three weeks earlier last year, in March, and Cllr Higham said warmer weather, coupled with the fact that English and Welsh schools are on holiday at the same time this year, could provide a further boost.

He said: "The number of people coming in has definitely improved and it can only have a good effect.

"Early indications show the weather forecasts are better than last year too, so let's hope we have a good summer."

A spokesman for Greenacres Caravan Park in Gronant said: "We are getting a lot more calls than usual, but unfortunately for them we've been fully booked for a couple of weeks.

"Maybe people are leaving it to the last minute having realised a bit late that it will be cheaper to stay at home.

"There definitely seems to be a greater interest this year."

Source: eveningleader.co.uk

Families living at Haven Village, Brightlingsea, formed a defensive shield around Jonathan Edwards’ caravan, after they claimed park managers tried to move it from the site.

Mr Edwards, a 58-year-old father, was on holiday in Cornwall when residents called him to say park officials were trying to move his mobile home off the site in Promenade Way.

It follows a four-year legal battle between residents and caravan park managers Brightlingsea Haven Ltd, and Hamerton Leisure Ltd, over money and housing rights.

Steve Foster, chairman of Haven Village Residents’ Association, said: “They just turned up and took the doors off so they could get inside and turn the electricity off.

“We all stood in front of the caravan and they started to drive it towards us.

They had to stop, otherwise they would have run us over.”

Mr Edwards said: “The first I heard of it was when my neighbour phoned to say someone is moving your caravan.

“I’m surprised they did this. I think it’s disgusting.”

Last November, residents won a legal battle to live in their mobile homes all year round.

Jacqueline Morris and Stephen Foster said they bought their homes on the understanding they could live there permanently, even though the caravan park is closed from December to February.

But park managers told them they were breaching the site licence, and applied for an injunction to prevent them returning to the park in the day during the closed season.

However, residents were told they should be allowed to occupy their homes until 2019, when the company’s lease runs out.

Both sides will reappear at court in June in a bid to resolve the remaining issues, which includes planning and financial matters.

The Gazette tried to contact Brightlingsea Haven and Hamerton Leisure Ltd, but no one was available for comment.

Source: gazette-news.co.uk