Pitch perfect for camping shops as Scots get ready to holiday under canvas when the wilderness opens

Scots are preparing to head for the hills when lockdown permits as camping shops report booming sales.

With summer trips abroad having to be postponed or cancelled due to Covid-19, it looks like summer 2020 will be the year of the staycation, with many planning to go back to basics in tents and caravans.

Since lockdown began, sales of camping equipment are up 77% and tents have seen an 87% increase during May, according to Pricespy, and online searches for staycation locations are through the roof.

A survey, commissioned by Auto Trader, found that 33% of those planning a staycation this summer would consider staying in a caravan.

Alex Barclay, director of the Scottish Camping website, said: “The outdoor life in Scotland will have a massive appeal through these times and I know a huge amount of people are missing their outdoor fix and camping is a great way to enjoy it – especially with this nice weather we have experienced. Hopefully, it continues through the summer.”

Rebecca Dearden, editor of Campfire Magazine, says reader numbers have doubled from this time last year, as more people consider camping holidays than ever before.

And experts are predicting a surge in sales and rentals of caravans and motorhomes over the next few years.

“Holidaymakers will be looking for safe ways to take a break this year, and health will remain a more prevalent concern in the years to come, so a caravan or motorhome holiday will have an even greater appeal,” said Rachel McConachie, editor of Scottish Caravans and Motorhomes magazine.

“Once we are able to travel within the UK and parks are open, they provide a ready-made socially-distanced holiday.

“This is particularly the case in vans that have their own washroom and cooking facilities.”

Rachel says staycations are growing in appeal, given the restrictions on foreign travel, which include anyone returning from abroad having to self-isolate for 14 days upon their return. “We don’t know how long restrictions on foreign travel will last and there may be an unwillingness to be part of large crowds at airports or resorts due to hangover worries even after the pandemic is over,” she said.

“This means that next year and even further into the future, there could be a significant rise in demand for sales and rentals of motorhomes, caravans and camping holidays within the UK.”

At the moment, lockdown restrictions permit us to partake in outdoor, non-contact activities close to home. But by phase three, there will be a relaxation of restrictions on accommodation providers, meaning campsites could open from July 9 at the earliest.

“At this point, travel will be relaxed and we will be able to drive further for leisure and outdoor pursuits.”

Perthshire Caravans has been selling caravans via its website – and is expecting demand to be huge when the showroom gets the green light to open again.

VisitScotland is already working on a plan to encourage Scots to rediscover their home country, on day trips and, later, longer holidays.

And Scottish tour firms are gearing up for a busy time when it’s safe to travel again.

Mark Allan, owner of tour operator Scotland Travel Expert, added: “I would certainly expect there to be an increase in domestic tourism.

“I’m often quite surprised at how little of Scotland many Scots have visited.”

Tour operator Mackinlay Kidd’s marketing executive Emma Greer added: “Beaches found throughout the Outer Hebrides can do an excellent impression of the Caribbean on a sunny day, with white sand and turquoise water.

“A trip to far-flung Orkney will introduce you to millennia of history about our earliest ancestors.

“World-class road trips can be found along Scotland’s North Coast 500, Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way and Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coast.

“With expert assistance, you’ll spot fantastic wildlife – from otters and eagles through to whales in the coastal waters off the West of Scotland and Ireland.”