THE falling pound could mean a summer boom for the British tourists industry, according to a New Year forecast from the Caravan Club. Caravans may not be the most popular vehicles on Yorkshire Dales roads but the income their owners bring into the area is invaluable to small business.

We confidently predict that 2009 will be the year that welcomes the return of the great British holiday

Nick Lomas - Caravan Club

Caravanning is booming. Last year (2008) was a record year for UK site bookings for The Caravan Club, yet advanced bookings for the 2009 season are up by 40% on the previous year. A massive 50,623 bookings were made in five days alone during December with Club members planning and booking their holidays for 2009.

Nearly 55,000 households joined the club in 2008 and 1,311 families joined in December alone. For 2009 it looks like the “Great Escape” will become the “Great British staycation” as people rediscover the delights of domestic breaks at a choice of some 3,000 destinations UK-wide.

Quarterly travel and tourism figures released by the Office of National Statistics show that the number of visits abroad by UK residents was down by 6% for the three month period between August and October 2008 compared with the previous quarter; and in a recent survey by VisitBritain, the majority said they would consider British holidays.

And the statistics show that although 90% of British people claim to be saving money in this tough economic climate, few plan to cut back on holidays. In light of the decrease in overseas visits, this suggests that Brits are still holidaying, but doing so without leaving the country.

Nick Lomas, Director of Marketing for the Caravan Club said, “We confidently predict that 2009 will be the year that welcomes the return of the great British holiday, something Caravan Club members have enjoyed for over a Century.”