Express & Star

Staycation boom leads to record motorhome sales in Stafford

Campervan showrooms are enjoying record sales, all thanks to a post-lockdown rush for self-drive holidays.

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Ross Edwards

The staycation boom has helped one of the UK’s biggest motorhome dealerships to bring in its best ever monthly sales figures.

Specialist luxury motorhome dealer Erwin Hymer Centre Travelworld in Stafford sold nearly 100 motorhomes in August.

That was more than twice as many as the company’s most successful August, while it was 30 per cent higher than the number sold in any previous month on record.

Ross Edwards, managing director of Erwin Hymer Centre Travelworld, said: “The ongoing demand for motorhomes is quite staggering and demonstrates that people are adjusting their medium-term holiday plans and crave the freedom you experience when owning a motorhome.

“Yes, people will undoubtedly return to mainstream holidays abroad, but there is no doubt in my mind that there is now a growing trend towards people staying in the UK for their breaks and a desire to be self-contained and away from the crowds.

“I would suggest that trend looks here to stay for quite some time.

“I’ve been in this industry for nearly three decades and I’ve never seen demand on this level."

Mr Edwards added: “Speaking honestly, we thought that there would have been some cooling down of the market by now but August sales figures have blown that argument out of the water.

“As with so many industries, we are suffering badly from stock delays and supply, but that doesn’t seem to be dampening buyers’ spirits.

“We are experiencing a sustained flow of customers now willing to place orders for delivery of some motorhomes in 12 months’ time and it is showing no signs of stopping.”

He said that while foreign holidays were back on the agenda, there remained great uncertainty over what restrictions would be found in different countries and the quarantine issues at either end.

“We are seeing a much wider demographic of customers buying motorhomes and camper vans and, with so many people now understanding the advantages of our industry such as the flexibility and freedom it brings, it’s not difficult to see why it’s so appealing.”

Interest is set to continue to surge with Travelworld hosting an event from October 2 until October 17 at its state-of-the-art showroom located in Valley Drive, just off junction 14 of the M6.

The event will display the hotly-anticipated new releases from Carado, Dethleffs, HYMER and Niesmann+Bischoff.