Prices too high or falling interest in camping

I think the prices of all club sites is high and we very rarely use them. No facility sites like Thetford, which we like, used to be one price all season, roughly the price of an average CL. Last time we looked, much more expensive. Like you, mainly use CLs, CSs and ccc sites with age discount.

The 'From' price for pitch + 1 adult is accurate and surely the word 'from' tells you it is the lowest price? I don’t see any "cunning plan".

As for prices, have you noticed there’s a sharp rise in the cost of living? Absolutely everything is costing more so it’s to be expected that site fees will be dearer. Take a look at commercial/privately owned sites and you will see their prices are up too. Some might be cheaper than both clubs off peak but sky high in peak season. Even CLs are much more expensive than they used to be. I'm not sure that lowish occupancy mid-May during term time and between bank holidays is unusual.

Have you noticed the rocketing prices of new caravans and motorhomes? Another example of soaring prices and it’s my contention that someone affording a current offering - and many are buying them - shouldn’t really have much trouble paying to use it.

The discounts and offers on site fees are there to be taken advantage of. Go for it!

Mark, Your headline asks about a possible falling interest in camping.  RyanAir recently announced profits increased to 1.6 billion pounds. Does that give you a clue what people are doing and where they are going instead of visiting UK campsites. 

Site fees at both clubs are rather expensive. Some commercial sites cost more and some cost less.

We were undertaking a tour of Scotland earlier in the month and had booked all of the sites, usually staying for a coupleof nights at each. At three commercial sites we had to pay the full balance of site fees a week in advance. Unfortunately, my wife developed a problem with her back and we had to abort our trip. Obviously, I informed the sites and knew that I would not get any refund at two of the sites. Amother site re-imbursed the full fees, including the original deposit, even though I had to cancel four days prior to our scheduled arrival.

With a CCC site I obviously lost the deposit but that was all.  The same would have been true with CAMC.

It is  better only losing a deposit rather than the whole amount, especially if the stay is for a longer period.  Some people would be unwillingto pay the full amount before arriving and therefore would be happier using Club sites. It is certainly something to consider.

You're quoting one site, but I can't get a full week (the longest is two days) on six sites for up to August. These are on SP where the cost is even higher and only slightly better availability on standard pitches. The one for next week I finally managed to get on due to looking for a cancellation to make a longer stay.

I’ve just stayed at Rookesbury Park as a solo traveller and the price I paid was marginally less than local CL’s in the vicinity without facilities. For me it was a no brainer 

Mark

I assume you are not particularly talking about Thetford Forest as that site, at an average price of £26 a night in June, for two people, is very good value even compared to CL's many of which are pushing £25 a night? For some reason there is a lot of confusion about the way the Club shows prices for sites, you only have to look at Facebook groups! In my forty odd years of membership the Club have always priced per person. What seems to cause the confusion is that the Club quote and promote the minimum cost of a site which is pitch fee plus one person. It wouldn't change anything but would it be better that the Club did away with quoting the minimum price? Even if you did that it wouldn't change how the booking system looked as that has to quote the minimum occupation price to which you add additional members of your party. I think why we have had so many offers with discounts is because the deposit system has been a bit too successful? Most of the offers require you to book in advance and at specific time frames. By doing that the Club have a clear view of future bookings, if everyone left it to the last minute it could cause problems. 

On the bigger picture about the hobby, yes maybe we are seeing less interest or maybe moving back to the position we were in prior to Covid. There has certainly been a downward pressure on used prices since the turn of the year for both caravans and motorhomes  with lots of discounting of the price of new vans. We do have to remember that the pricing of sites is just one element of the hobby cost.

David

No one is forced to use club sites. Take your wallet and caravan somewhere else if they are cheaper and better suit your needs. 

Club has developed a much more aggressive marketing policy this last few years, and utilises many well know marketing techniques, such as dynamic pricing, deposit schemes, rigorous terms and conditions, targeted “discount schemes”. None are particularly unusual within the holiday sector.

What is a bit more of a difficult swallow though, is that CAMC also takes in substantial funding via its Membership fees, which most other companies don’t take. You either go with this or you don’t.

A lot of CLs are now more expensive for single tourers, and you might not get the same value for money around certain provision. Everything has risen in price. Best way to tour more economically is to mix and match places to stay around a lot options, including CLs, THS, pub stops (with a MH) When we do longer tours, this is how we keep the nightly average price down. Club will charge whatever Members will be willing to pay nowadays, so you either embrace it, or you look at other options. The canny Member gets the Membership fees back via discount partnership deals. 

Do I think interest in camping is falling? Possibly with Club type sites, as a lot of Members, us included, are ageing, looking at other options, and it’s questionable whether or not families can afford to spend huge sums on a tow car/caravan or MH option, particularly if it’s just for school holidays and odd weekends. But other camping type options are out there, and second hand caravans seem to be doing ok. PVC’s and micro campers are very prevalent on a lot of sites, and you do see a lot of work going on with older, classic outfits.