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

It was thought to be the busiest day on the roads this year, with ten million heading away for the weekend, a 13 per cent rise on last year, according to the AA. The RAC is predicting a third more short trips than this time last year, while British resorts are ready for a bumper Easter as families opt for value breaks in this country over expensive foreign trips.

Accidents soon brought congestion, with the M25 around Heathrow and the M6 Toll in Birmingham the early blackspots, according to the AA. By mid-afternoon, traffic was heavy on the A303 in Wiltshire, the M1 in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, the A66 in Cumbria and M40 in Northamptonshire.

Roadworks will affect 32 major roads over the weekend, although a further 51 works have been suspended until the end of Monday, according to the Highways Agency.

CCTV cameras were showing heavy caravan traffic, particularly in Somerset and Wales, the AA said. Jon Dale, of the Camping and Caravanning Club, said that there had been a resurgence in interest. Site bookings were showing a rise of 30 per cent and it was expected to be a boom year.

“With the credit crunch and the strong euro, we’ve been getting a lot of interest,” he said. “People do have the perception that if money is tight, why not go on holiday in this country and help the local economy.”

Traditional British holiday camps have had a surge in bookings, with Pontin’s up 22 per cent on last year. Butlin’s has been fully booked for weeks, and summer bookings are already up 15 per cent.

Popular destinations were expected to have heavy traffic throughout the weekend, particularly Brighton, Bournemouth, Cambridge, Edinburgh and Nottingham, the AA said.

Three and a half million passengers are expected to travel by rail over the weekend, but they will have to contend with disruption on some main routes. The West Coast Main Line between Milton Keynes and Rugby is closed from tomorrow until noon on Monday. Services in and out of Waterloo and Liverpool Street stations in London will also be affected by engineering work.

Rail and ferry links to France are expected to be crowded, with P&O ferries due to carry 132,000 passengers between Dover and Calais this weekend, a third more than this time last year. The airports will also be busy, with two million people expected to fly out over the weekend.

City breaks outside the eurozone, such as in Budapest, Prague and Belgrade, are popular, according to the Association of British Travel Agents.

Those who are on their way to resorts in the Mediterranean are likely to be greeted by rain and low temperatures.

Source: The Times

With a less than favourable weather forecast over the next few days, tourism leaders here are divided over the prospects for the Easter break, but all are agreed the biggest winner will be the caravanning sector.

With the pound continuing to struggle against the euro – yesterday one euro cost 90p compared to December 2004 when it was worth just 69p – holidaymakers are looking to cut back on the costs of travel.

The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) has said the economic crisis means that the 3% to 4% growth the foreign holidays market traditionally achieves in favourable economic circumstances is unlikely to materialise this year.

The National Caravan Council says its members are seeing their bookings grow by between 20% to 50%.

Here, director of Pembrokeshire Tourism Bobby King says reports suggest some caravan parks within the county are seeing bookings shoot up by 60%.

And chairman of the Wales Tourism Alliance Julian Burrell said holidaymakers are not all looking for cheap and cheerful alternatives to trips abroad – some are booking stays in the luxury end of the caravanning market.

Windmill Hill Caravan Park, in Pembroke, is fully booked for Easter and August, and they attribute their success to the strength of the euro.

A spokesperson for the site, which can accommodate up to 30 touring caravans, said: “I think it’s down to the euro being so expensive – that has a huge influence on things.”

Mr King said, based on forward bookings, the county’s operators as a whole expect their business to improve by a third on last year over Easter and during the summer. Easter fell three weeks earlier last year in March and Mr King feels the warmer weather April might bring has produced a surge in bookings.

Also last summer was a disappointment for many tourism operators because of the disastrous weather.

Mr King, who runs the Jalna Hotel in Saundersfoot, said those families who have not been affected by the recession are very reluctant to give up their breaks.

“Forward bookings-wise we’re about 30% up on last year so the coming season is looking quite vibrant.”

But Mr Burrell offered a more cautious view of the prospects for Easter and summer.

He said the evidence shows many families are not booking ahead and it’s only the caravanning sector that expects to prosper.

Other operaters would be happy simply to match what they achieved last year, said Mr Burrell.

He added that the outcome was likely to be determined by the weather: “For the people who are undecided, if the sun shines they will come and that would make the difference between it being nothing special and a good Easter.

“But the one sector that has said it’s doing better is the caravan sector.

“I think it’s the top end of the caravan market – the holiday home parks that are doing well.”

Mr Burrell says this year’s Easter holidays have fallen in the same two-week block, unlike in 2008 when schools in England and Wales returned at different times.

He believes this should work to the industry’s advantage, providing a concentrated boost over the next few days.

Spokesperson for the National Caravan Council Louise Wood said the sector has moved upmarket over the last four years.

As a result, she said, it was now better suited to the tastes of those used to continental luxury.

She said: “Now they’re often marketed as lodges and some of the very smart ones in the best situations can change hands for significant amounts of money – for a really good development it could be £250,000.

“But something like that could have a jacuzzi, fabulous views, a long lease, fantastic leisure facilities with an on-site golf course and an upmarket spa and swimming pool.”

For those who decide to take an Easter break, the RAC is predicting traffic levels will be lighter than in previous years as many families are planning to stay at home.

According to research from the RAC, 60% of Brits plan to stay at home this Easter – twice as many as last year.

The main factors influencing the return of the ‘stay-cation’ are people having less money coming in (40%), the cost of fuel (26%) and the anticipation of bad weather (19%).

The M4 in Cardiff between junctions 28 and 30 has been named as one of five hotspots to avoid by the motoring organisation.

Source:walesonline.co.uk

Due to economic conditions we are having more holidays in the UK and Easter bookings at the Caravan Club sites have increased on last year. If you’re lucky enough to have booked into a site, consider travelling at off-peak times and take some provisions with you.

There are some glimmers of hope though. The Highways Agency (HA) will suspend 73% of the roadworks on motorways and A-roads, and you can plan your journey with up-to-the-minute info at the AA or HA sites, or by listening to your local radio station.

The weather forecast is good compared to last Easter when snow caused road problems, so the roads should keep moving. Meanwhile, to keep your own van on the move check the tyres for cracks and ensure the pressures are correct.

Source: caravanmagazine.co.uk

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