Site Occupancy

[RogerL]

I cannot think of a better way to kill off caravanning in the long term then this proposal. Families are the future of caravanning, if they are priced out then there over time it will die. The sites need to be pricing themselves so they have maximum occupancy, a quadruple priced Saturday would see sites empty.

To obtain maximum occupancy then sites fees need to be lower when there's less demand, ie mid-week - or higher when there's more demand, ie weekends - they're the same thing - most sites charge the same for Saturday night as a mid-week night despite demands being very different.

Caravan Club used* to reduce the pitch fee by 50% for mid-week nights but retain the per person charges at full rate - so only a small % reduction for a whole week booking for a family.

Sites can set their own business model and choose whether their market is weekenders or holidaymakers who are there 7 days/week.

* maybe still does, I've given up even looking at the Club Site charges.

 

[Buckman]

The CC probably has more "peak" seasons than any other club or even commercial sites. By increasing the cost too much during high demand may lower occupancy as people avoid the higher costs.
The 50% reduction on the price of a pitch mid week is hardly worth bothering about when commercial sites offer far better rates and facilities. We would not use any club site during a peak season.

 

[Dustydog]

I have an Excel spreadsheet with all the CLS which have FSP. Can't post it on here.

I have the same.Not my own but a download off the CAMC using their drill,down search engine

 

[Gagakev]

I think cost is having a major effect - we regularly go to Norfolk where there's 3 CLs within 1/4 mile - one at £20/night with hard standings, fully serviced pitches, toilets/showers and regularly wins awards - the second at £18 with hard standings, EHU and shower toilet and the third at £10 on grass with EHU and shower/toilet - all three were fully booked for most nights over the last three weeks - a new CL has opened this year 1/4 mile away but at £25 with no toilet/shower it was empty every night.

I've heard some eye-watering prices regarding club sites - and cramped pitches compared to most CLs we use.

RogerL, dont suppose you want to share those CLs with us do you?
We have been looking for a while as we are thinking about Norfolk later in the year as we have not been there yet, Thanks in advance.

 

[Dustydog]

The CC probably has more "peak" seasons than any other club or even commercial sites. By increasing the cost too much during high demand may lower occupancy as people avoid the higher costs.
The 50% reduction on the price of a pitch mid week is hardly worth bothering about when commercial sites offer far better rates and facilities. We would not use any club site during a peak season.

Historically I viewed it that the weekday price was standard and prices were hiked for weekends. What CAMC haven’t done is give 7 /14 stays the lower rate throughout. Don‘t penalise the long stayer!

 

[Buckman]

Historically I viewed it that the weekday price was standard and prices were hiked for weekends. What CAMC haven’t done is give 7 /14 stays the lower rate throughout. Don‘t penalise the long stayer!

Some commercial sites offer 7 days for the price of six or offer some sort of other incentive for longer stay.

 

[JTQ]

Some commercial sites offer 7 days for the price of six or offer some sort of other incentive for longer stay.

Doing that would completely screw up the business model based on ripping off weekenders, in a double way, a pesky long stayer would be pigging a pitch, and getting it at a relatively give away price!

 

[Dustydog]

Doing that would completely screw up the business model based on ripping off weekenders, in a double way, a pesky long stayer would be pigging a pitch, and getting it at a relatively give away price!

Oink oink! I’m pigging a pitch for two weeks🤪. Jokes apart it must be better for a site to have full occupancy rather than a weekend only.

 

[JTQ]

Jokes apart it must be better for a site to have full occupancy rather than a weekend only.

It depends on the revenue vs expenditure the various options yield.
If they "man" up differently, to cover a weekend or school holiday vs weekday, close off ablution block, or need time for site maintenance as examples then a high yielding weekend model might be for them a better or at least as satisfactory model.
Pricing incentives, or lack of real ones, seem to indicate the C&MHC find their model works for them.
We have not for quite a few years been using these main sites, mainly because we could rarely get the stay length packages we wanted. Not yet found a desire to retry to see if the issues have eased.

 

[Hutch]

Some sites, without hardstandings, don't mind having part occupancy, during the week, as it allows the pitches to recover.

 

[Dustydog]

Going full circle I now understand why one our favourite sites has gone 100% seasonal only

 

[RogerL]

Doing that would completely screw up the business model based on ripping off weekenders, in a double way, a pesky long stayer would be pigging a pitch, and getting it at a relatively give away price!

It us vs them! Weekenders are the bane of our lives for those of us who can, and do, go away for longer - giving sites more income over the year.

 

[Buckman]

It us vs them! Weekenders are the bane of our lives for those of us who can, and do, go away for longer - giving sites more income over the year.

We are away for almost 3 weeks in June and have booked onto one site for the duration. Initially it is for 10 days to seem if OH can cope and we have paid for that period. However if there is no issue they have pencilled us in for another 11 days without having to pay a deposit or upfront payment for that period. Very kind of them and doubt if we could do the same with either club?

 

[otherclive]

It us vs them! Weekenders are the bane of our lives for those of us who can, and do, go away for longer - giving sites more income over the year.

I can only apologise as when I was working weekends were often the only viable way to get a break. Now I’m a pensioner I’ve still not adopted the pensioners approach to life

 

[Buckman]

I can only apologise as when I was working weekends were often the only viable way to get a break. Now I’m a pensioner I’ve still not adopted the pensioners approach to life

I think most of us have not adapted to the pensioners approach to booking as strangely we still prefer to book weekends although weekend starts on Thursday to finish on the Monday.

 

[RogerL]

I can only apologise as when I was working weekends were often the only viable way to get a break. Now I’m a pensioner I’ve still not adopted the pensioners approach to life

In our case we never really did weekend caravanning while I was working, just 15 nights in summer and 8 nights each in spring and autumn - but of course we would been the bane of their life for weekenders by including an extra Saturday night onto multiples of 7 nights.

 

[Hutch]

Being retired, we have the chance of getting away, after the weekend, pitch up on a Sunday afternoon, and stay until the Thursday of Friday Morning.
If only the Doctor, Hospital, Dentist appointments allow, or of course SWMBO gets her hair appointment sorted out, then there is the, "We can't go then it's George/Henry/Madge/Christabellas Birthday"
We will get away soon.

 

[RogerL]

Being retired, we have the chance of getting away, after the weekend, pitch up on a Sunday afternoon, and stay until the Thursday of Friday Morning.
If only the Doctor, Hospital, Dentist appointments allow, or of course SWMBO gets her hair appointment sorted out, then there is the, "We can't go then it's George/Henry/Madge/Christabellas Birthday"
We will get away soon.

I've built up a list of sites that we use, close enough to home to allow a return visit if an appointment occurs - so we don't need to compromise on our time away.