Park Holidays UK Press Releases Archive

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20/04/10

Volcano is firing-up UK bookings, says Park Holidays UK

An eruption of bookings is being recorded by one of Britain's leading holiday park groups as volcanic ash keeps Britain's airlines grounded.

According to Tony Clish, director of Park Holidays UK, bookings at its 25 holiday parks have been up 15% in the days following the eruption of the Icelandic volcano.

Fears that flight bans could reoccur throughout the summer, as predicted by some experts, are in part responsible for the increase, believes the company.

"People just aren't prepared to gamble on their main leisure event of the year, and as a result we are seeing some summer weeks nearing capacity on our parks," said Tony.

Also helping to fuel bookings, says Park Holidays UK, is the threat of future industrial action by some airline staff - plus increased demand following last year's boom in British holidays.

The group's parks are all based in seaside locations across western, southern, and eastern England, and in 2009 played host to a record number of families opting for a UK stay.

"The great news is that people clearly enjoyed their experience, and are re-booking this year - but now other factors are really putting the heat on demand," commented Tony.

"Fears over industrial disputes by airline workers were already having an impact, and now we are witnessing the misery of British people trapped overseas by the cancelled flights.

"For many families, it's reinforcing their view that a UK holiday booked now is likely to be the least stressful way of spending the next few months before their break," he added.

Even the weeks in the run-up to the school holidays are experiencing a bookings boom, says Park Holidays UK which has discounted many July prices by up to 20% to try and even out demand.

Since last year, said Tony Clish, the group had invested millions in new and upgraded accommodation at its parks in anticipation of a continued booking surge:

"As such, we are pretty confident of being able to cope with this extra pressure - but we are urging families to book as early as possible to get the greatest choice," he said.

Details about the group's parks and 2010 holiday availability and prices - including early summer discounts can be found at ParkHolidaysUK.com.

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11/03/10

Holiday group reveals its parks with the Rex Factor

Devon is dog heaven for pet-owning families, a major holiday parks company has disclosed.

After boning-up on its booking figures, Park Holidays UK says that Devon romps ahead of other counties as the most popular doggie destination.

Parks in the county took the top three places in a tail-count of four-footed guests staying last year at the group's 25 parks across eastern, southern and western England.

Altogether, more than 2000 dogs joined their owners for seaside stays at Dawlish Sands and Golden Sands holiday parks, both in Dawlish, and Waterside holiday park in Paignton.

Just over ten percent of bookings included a dog in the party at the three parks, compared with under three percent at Park Holiday UK's other locations.

Devon's many Fido-friendly beaches, and areas of open countryside such as Dartmoor, helped the county take the lead among dog owners believes Park Holidays UK director Tony Clish.

And this year, he says, Devon could welcome even more dogs at leisure as the company is presently running 15 percent ahead of last March's booking figures:

"Many families hate being separated from their pets when they go away, but a holiday park solves their dog dilemma at a stroke," said Tony.

"There's plenty of room in a caravan holiday home for everyone, and our holiday parks are a great place to exercise a dog on a lead as the grounds are virtually traffic-free.

"Dogs benefit as much as humans from a change of scenery, and owners won't have to fret that their pets are pining for them in expensive boarding kennels far away," added Tony.

Although Devon had the greatest pooch pulling power, said Tony, the group's parks in Dorset, Sussex, Kent, Essex, Hampshire and Suffolk were far from being paw losers.

Parks in these counties accounted for the remaining 2300 dogs accommodated last year.

A small extra charge is made for dogs accompanying guests at Park Holidays UK, and pets are restricted to certain grades of caravan holiday homes to avoid allergy problems, commented Tony.

"There are a few rules just to ensure everyone is safe and happy - but overall, we're delighted that owners think our parks have the bow-wow factor," he said.

More about the group's parks and 2010 holiday bargains - which start from just £69.00 for a three-day break - can be found here, or call 0845 815 9797 for a brochure.

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04/03/10

How much fun can a family of four have for £69?

 

    * A meal at Pizza Express (but hold the garlic bread)
    * Matinee performance of the Lion King (restricted view)
    * Two adult passes for Alton Towers (kids in rucksacks)
    * Afternoon tea at the Ritz (no tip, so sit near door)
    * Boxed set of Flintstones DVDs (yabba-dabba-do!)

 

Or 3 or 4 night holiday in a caravan holiday home for up to 6 people with free use of indoor / outdoor pools and fantastic entertainment at a choice of award winning holiday parks on the south coast.

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02/03/10

Now it's scissor-free snips for £69 at Park Holidays UK

Families in search of a March holiday bargain are promised a real snip at Park Holidays UK - without having to snip a single voucher, or search the internet for secret booking codes.

The group's website - www.ParkHolidaysUK.com - has just been loaded with thousands of £69.00 three-night stays in caravan holiday homes which sleep up to six people.

It can mean mum, dad, and kids paying under £4.00 each a night for their spring break at one of the company's 25 seaside parks in Devon and across southern England to Suffolk.

Longer stays and different accommodation grades are also available at heavily discounted prices - but everyone who wants a £69 deal should be able to grab one, says director Tony Clish:

"Most of our parks open for the first time in March, and this year we've decided to create a summer atmosphere on them right at the start of the season.

"There's no need to search out newspaper coupons or special booking codes, and there are no hidden extras: the entertainment, the swimming pools, the kids clubs - they're all included.

"Nor is it lucky dip on where you end up. You specify precisely the park and the dates you want - either on the website or at our call centre - and the holiday is confirmed instantly.

"Summer season bookings at Park Holidays UK are at an all-time high this year, and these spring tasters would be ideal for anyone considering their first ever park experience," said Tony.

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01/03/10

Park group offers six steps to happy homecomings

The holiday parks group credited with driving down the cost of second-home ownership in Britain has issued a six-point guide to the true cost of owning a holiday caravan or lodge.

Park Holidays UK says that its pointers will be of value to buyers on any park, and not just the 25 seaside locations which the company owns in southern England (www.ParkHolidaysUK.com).

Directory Tony Clish hopes that the check-list will encourage would-be second home owners to look beyond the headline price to discover the actual annual cost.

Since Park Holidays UK began selling caravan holiday homes at prices from £5000, says Tony, a number of other operators have tried to match their offers.

But, he warned, there may be hidden expenses which could turn a bargain into a burden.

For example, said Tony, many people use finance offered by the park to fund their holiday caravan - but forget that the business may be making a healthy profit from a hefty interest rate.

Park Holidays UK, he said, had negotiated with financial institutions to achieve an APR of under ten percent. Some sellers, warned Tony, quote more than twice this figure.

Pitch fees which rocket after the first year are another way to end up paying dearly for a supposed bargain - so check there will be no sudden large hike in the contract to which you'll be committed.

As a third precaution, Tony advises checking if those fees really are inclusive. Some owners, he says, have been horrified to find hidden charges added to their bills for water and rates.

Electricity could provide another shock for the unwary, he cautions, along with sky-high charges for gas. Tony suggests buyers obtain a written quote from the park on what it will invoice per unit.

At Park Holidays UK, he says, owners are often surprised to find themselves paying up to a third less per unit of electricity than they do at home - thanks to the group's policy of passing on the benefits of its massive buying power with energy companies.

Tony's fifth suggested reality check is to question the park closely on its insurance policies. Do they insist you buy your cover from them? If so, what's included, and how much will it cost?

He says that although Park Holidays UK is happy for buyers to shop around for insurance suppliers, most prefer using the comprehensive and keenly priced policies negotiated by them.

Finally, if your intention is to earn extra money from sub-letting, Tony advises quizzing the park closely on what level of income owners have previously enjoyed.

Park Holidays UK, he says, publishes figures for each park - and can show annual earnings of up to £10,000 from a single unit, with many owners funding all their running expenses from letting.

According to Tony, the group's affordable pricing policies for new and used caravan holiday homes has sparked reactions from within the industry - but buyers should tread with caution:

"A proper comparison will always involve weighing up the additional costs of ownership, and we are completely up-front about these because we know they are fair and transparent.

"Holiday homes are all about relaxing and escaping everyday concerns - so the last thing we want is people worrying about what's going to drop through the letterbox!" added Tony.

Park Holidays UK has introduced a special section to its website (About Ownership) giving general guidance to first-time buyers on the ins and outs of ownership.

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31/01/10

Park holiday homes: inside stories revealed

Buyers of caravan holiday homes who regard kitchens as a decision hot-spot can now get a sneak preview of what different manufacturers have cooked up for them.

They can also take a peek in the bathrooms, linger in the lounges, and eyeball the bedrooms in a fascinating feature on the new website of Park Holidays UK (Holiday Home Showcase).

The 25-strong parks group has arranged a showcase of interior photographs taken of the four principal rooms in caravan holiday homes now being built by Britain's top eight makers.

It gives a revealing side-by-side comparison of the room styles, decoration and fittings on offer - and also includes exterior shots of the 40-plus models featured in the line-up.

Images and descriptions of each room can be run as a slideshow, or viewers can click on small mini-shots to bring them up to full size, so enabling quick contrasts on a shortlist of favourites.

The showcase is part of a major new section on the group's website dedicated to holiday home ownership - and which includes a wealth of helpful information for prospective buyers.

Sales this year of holiday homes on its seaside parks in south and west England are once again tipped to reach record figures, says Tony Clish who is director of Park Holidays UK.

Although many customers are either current owners who are trading-up or families moving from other parks, he comments that there is also a growing percentage of first-time buyers:

"I wouldn't blame anyone for feeling a bit bewildered at the choice on offer, and making brochure comparisons isn't that easy as you can't instantly put different makers' units side by side.

"But now you can do just that on our website, and hold your own beauty pageant of the top models to compare their appearance and features," added Tony.

New buyers, he hoped, would benefit too from the pages of new information on the website giving general guidance on how to choose a holiday home, and different aspects of ownership.

Visitors can also browse details and images of the group's parks which extend from Devon to Suffolk, all in seaside locations and providing top quality leisure facilities and entertainment.

But as a starting point, said Tony, the showcase of over 200 comparative holiday home photographs should prove an excellent curtain-raiser to the lifestyle and standards on offer:

"Looking around the rooms in different holiday homes can give a real feel of which is most likely to suit you, and some of the images are a real eye-opener.

"There are luxury full-size bathrooms with stone sinks, kitchens which would shine in a glossy lifestyle magazine, and bedrooms which a five-star hotel would be proud to feature.

"You can go from a country cottage look to a trendy city apartment in just a click - and spend as long in the bathrooms as you wish without any pressure to make a decision," said Tony.

New models would be added to the Park Holidays UK's showcase as they became available, added Tony, and the website also features an up-to-the-minute list of pre-used holiday homes for sale.

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15/01/10

Reward for keeping it clean on new parks website

Keen-eyed holidaymakers are being offered £10.00 vouchers if they can spot any minor mistakes on the newly launched website of Park Holidays UK (www.ParkHolidaysUK.com)

Even a misplaced apostrophe or a minor spelling slip will be enough to claim the discount, promises group director Tony Clish.

The aim, he says, is to ensure that one of the UK's biggest holiday park websites is also the cleanest.

For those in search of a £10.00 prize, there is certainly no shortage of pages over which to cast an eagle eye. Park Holiday UK says its 2010 website is its most comprehensive and fact-packed ever.

The group owns 25 holiday parks in popular seaside locations from Devon to Suffolk, and last year provided over one million holiday bed-nights.

This year, says Tony, bookings are up by over fifty percent compared with last winter - thanks in part to a new airline-style discount policy which offers money-off for advance bookings.

Savings of up to £70 for a family week in peak season can be achieved - a deal which represents almost a quarter of the price of some stays.

But the new Park Holidays UK website, says Tony, is also strong on facts as well as figures - making it ideal for those who like to research fully their holiday before taking a decision.

As well as information about the parks themselves and the facilities and entertainment on offer, there's plenty about what each holiday region provides in the way of visitor attractions.

Different types of accommodation are also fully described and illustrated, together with options such as book-ahead meal packages which can save a family up to £200.00 over their stay.

Reserving a holiday online has also been made much easier with a new, simplified booking system.

Visitors to www.ParkHolidaysUK.com can also find out about the boom in popularity of holiday home ownership, and view both new and pre-used units currently for sale at different parks.

And for those with their own touring caravan, motorhome or tent, there's a special section of the website dedicated to Park Holidays UK centres with pitch facilities.

"We've had a great time putting the website together, and feedback from customers since it went live has been overwhelmingly positive," commented Tony.

"But it's not impossible that a few tiny errors may have been overlooked, which is why we're asking visitors to keep their eyes peeled for anything we may have missed," he added.

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