North Devon holiday parks operator predicts bumper ‘staycation’ season

The operator of three North Devon holiday parks is bracing for a bumper tourist season as more people look for a UK staycation due to the global jet fuel crisis.

Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parks says there has been a 61 per cent increase in Google search trends for Devon holidays amid uncertainty due to high fuel prices caused by the Iran conflict, with some airlines cancelling flights.

It comes as the benchmark European jet fuel price hit an all-time high of $1,838 (£1,387) per tonne at the beginning of April, prompting a frenzied search for UK summer getaways instead.

Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parks – which runs Woolacombe Bay, Twitchen House and Easewell Farm in the Woolacombe and Mortehoe area – says this is backed up by its own numbers.

The company says weekend bookings in June are already up 28 per cent compared to this point last year and bookings for the first two weeks of the summer holidays are also up 20 per cent.

Kevin Darvill, director at Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parks, said: "British families are looking at the aviation headline news and asking themselves if the airport hassle and skyrocketing flight costs are really worth it.

“The data shows a massive shift in mindset. Holidaymakers are deliberately moving away from hyper-frenetic itineraries and high-emission short-haul flights. Instead, they are choosing to stay longer in one place, slow down and truly immerse themselves in the local environment.

“People want reliability, they want value and they are rediscovering that we have world-class beaches right here on our doorstep. We’ve had so much interest in May and it shows no sign of slowing down any time soon.”

The business has recently spent £4million on new caravans, extended its Surf Village, upgraded the Seaview Farmhouse and built a new outdoor activity tent for the ranger-led nature activities at Twitchen House.