EA BAGS, CORKSCREWS AND NO 4G: HIPCAMP REVEALS HOW BRITS ARE CAMPING THIS SUMMER
- Brits revisit camping days gone by with many camping from as little as THREE, and nearly half plan to pass on to the next generation and take their kids this summer
- Getting off-grid continues to be a key driver, with campers looking for stays with no phone signal for a sense of escapism
- Corkscrews, wine and tea bags cited as some of the ultimate camping essentials, with more practical items like gaffer tape left at home
With the summer holidays upon us, more Brits than ever are trading their holiday abroad for a UK camping break.
Hipcamp, the world's largest provider of outdoors stays, has seen bookings surge with a 460 percent increase since 2019.
And while more Brits are pitching up, traditional tents are just one of the ways campers are celebrating the great outdoors this summer.
According to James Warner-Smith, Camping Consultant for Hipcamp, demand shows no sign of slowing down as nostalgia bites for Brits this summer, with nearly a quarter (23%) camping from as young as three. Brits are passing the camping bug to the next generation, with nearly half (46%) planning to take their kids this summer.
Hipcamp's Summer 2022 Camping Report also found that more than a quarter of Brits (26%) are looking to camp with their pets this summer, with one in 10 (12.8%) looking to camp completely solo.
Natural beauty, great value and proximity to the coast make up the ultimate UK wish-list for camping enthusiasts, but Brits are opting for shorter stays with more than a third (37%) citing a long weekend as the optimum break.
With camping breaks slightly shorter, Brits are holidaying closer to home, with less than a quarter (21%) revealing they would travel for two hours. In fact, nearly half (43%) admitted that the current cost of petrol has made them less likely to travel far for their summer camping trips.
From local staycations, Brits are looking for other ways to save on their camping breaks with one in 10 (12%) admitting that they are more likely to borrow camping gear than buy it brand new, showing the shift towards more conscious camping as Brits seek to live more sustainability.
Hipcamp found that more Brits are looking to get off-grid on their camping holidays, with more than a third (38%) admitting they love it when they don't have 4G or Wi-Fi. In addition to time away from screens, the report found nearly one third of Brits (31%) are looking to get outside for their mental health, and a quarter are looking to relax (24%), no doubt in a bid to escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
And while Brits might be looking for escapism on their camping breaks, they are not leaving home comforts at home with wine and a corkscrew, two of the top camping essentials. Alongside a tipple, it will come as no surprise that tea bags also make the cut with more than half of Brits (54.9%) citing it as a must-have item.
With more Brits embracing this pastime this summer, Hipcamp has just awarded its Best Summer Job to Grace Kelly, a self-confessed camping obsessive from Stratford-upon-Avon, who is set to travel 15 Hipcamp glamping and camping sites this August, receiving £15,000 as they go.
