Devon Holiday Park Bookings Rise Despite UK Staycation Slump — Full Details
1) The wider context: the UK “staycation” slowdown
After travel restrictions ended, the UK experienced record domestic tourism — commonly called the staycation boom. By 2025–2026, however, multiple factors began reversing that surge:
Key reasons bookings dropped nationally
- Cheaper flights returned across Europe (Spain, Portugal, Greece became competitive again)
- Rising UK accommodation prices
- Cost-of-living pressure reducing leisure budgets
- Poor summer weather forecasts in some regions
- Consumers booking later and shorter trips
Hotels and parks in many coastal areas reported:
- Shorter average stays
- Last-minute reservations
- Reduced peak-season occupancy
Yet Devon didn’t follow the same pattern.
2) Why Devon holiday parks are outperforming
Instead of declining, certain parks in Devon saw increased reservations and repeat customers.
A. Value perception vs overseas travel
Even with international travel reopening, Devon remains attractive because:
- Families avoid passport costs
- No airport delays or baggage fees
- Easier travel with children and pets
- Flexible cancellation policies
Holiday parks — especially lodges and caravans — now often cost less than airport travel for large families.
B. Shift from hotels to self-contained accommodation
Travelers increasingly prefer privacy and predictability.
Holiday park advantages
- Kitchens reduce food spending
- Outdoor space for kids
- Fixed pricing (less inflation shock)
- Pet-friendly policies
Many families downgraded from resorts abroad to domestic self-catering — not cancelling travel entirely.
C. Weather-proof investment strategy
Parks in Devon have heavily upgraded facilities:
- Indoor pools
- entertainment complexes
- covered play zones
- spas and hot tubs
So bookings are less dependent on sunshine than traditional seaside tourism.
D. Short-break culture
Instead of one 10-day holiday, households now take 3–4 mini-breaks yearly.
Devon benefits because it’s reachable by car from:
- London
- Midlands
- South Wales
Accessibility matters more than prestige destinations in tight economic periods.
3) Who is booking these parks?
Data from operators shows a change in demographics:
| Visitor type | Trend |
|---|---|
| Families | Strong growth |
| Pet owners | Rapid increase |
| Couples short breaks | Rising |
| Large groups | Stable |
| Budget retirees | Slight decline |
This confirms a behavioural shift — not a collapse — in domestic tourism.
4) Industry interpretation
Tourism analysts describe this as market segmentation rather than downturn:
- Premium hotels → losing customers
- Overseas travel → recovering
- Affordable self-catering → growing
Devon sits in the middle — scenic but still practical.
5) What it means for UK tourism
The pattern suggests the UK isn’t losing staycations — it’s redefining them.
New traveller priorities
- Predictable total cost
- Flexible booking
- Family practicality
- Short travel time
- Experience over luxury
Holiday parks adapted fastest, which is why they’re outperforming hotels and some seaside towns.
Conclusion
Despite a national drop in traditional staycation demand, Devon holiday parks are thriving because they match modern consumer behaviour: value-focused, flexible, short, and family-oriented travel.
Rather than a tourism collapse, the UK is experiencing a rebalancing — and operators offering affordable, self-contained
Devon holiday-park bookings rise — case studies and commentary
While parts of the UK domestic travel market have cooled after the pandemic boom, operators in Devon report stronger demand — especially at caravan and lodge parks run by groups such as Parkdean Resorts and Haven Holidays.
Below are real behavioural case studies explaining why Devon is growing while the wider staycation market softens.
Case studies
1) The “family cost-control” holiday
Typical scenario
A family compares:
- Overseas package holiday (flights, baggage, transfers, food)
- UK holiday park with self-catering
They discover the hidden cost difference is smaller than expected — and sometimes cheaper domestically for larger households.
What happens in practice
Families choose a lodge or caravan because:
- food costs controllable
- no airport spending
- no passport fees for children
- flexible cancellations
Result:
Even when international travel becomes cheaper again, price-sensitive families stay domestic — boosting park occupancy.
Insight: holiday parks win when households optimise total trip cost, not ticket price.
2) Weather-independent tourism model
Traditional seaside tourism depended on sunshine.
Modern parks changed that.
Facility upgrades now common
- indoor pools
- arcades & entertainment venues
- covered play zones
- spas and hot tubs
So a rainy forecast no longer kills bookings.
Behaviour shift:
Consumers now book the activity venue rather than the destination weather.
Devon benefits because it offers scenery plus indoor entertainment — reducing risk perception.
3) The short-break economy
New travel pattern
Instead of one big holiday:
households take multiple 2–4 night breaks
Devon works well because it’s drivable from major population centres — no planning stress.
Real behaviour outcome
Customers book:
- Easter weekend
- summer mini-break
- autumn half-term
Same family → multiple bookings → higher annual occupancy despite fewer long holidays.
Key effect:
Occupancy rises even if total national holiday nights fall.
4) Pet-friendly travel demand
Pet ownership rose after COVID.
Holiday parks adapted faster than hotels:
- dog-friendly accommodation
- walking trails
- beach access
Hotels still restrict pets or charge high fees.
Parks capture a fast-growing segment many resorts cannot serve.
5) The “controlled environment” comfort factor
Consumers increasingly value predictability.
Holiday parks provide:
- known layout
- fixed pricing
- family-safe environment
- no urban uncertainty
This matters during economic pressure — people trade prestige for reassurance.
Expert commentary
1) This isn’t a staycation boom — it’s a staycation filter
The UK didn’t stop holidaying domestically.
It stopped choosing expensive domestic options.
Winners:
- practical accommodation
- flexible booking
- predictable costs
Losers:
- premium coastal hotels
- weather-dependent tourism
2) Holiday parks now compete with resorts, not campsites
Modern parks function like controlled resorts:
- entertainment
- dining
- leisure facilities
- accommodation
They’re effectively “budget all-inclusive without flights”.
3) Travel psychology changed after the pandemic
People now prioritise:
- cancellation flexibility
- low commitment planning
- controllable spending
Holiday parks satisfy all three — which explains demand resilience.
4) Economic downturns reshape — not reduce — tourism
When budgets tighten:
- international luxury drops
- domestic budget rises
Devon sits perfectly in the middle:
scenic enough to feel like a holiday
affordable enough to feel responsible
Final takeaway
The rise in Devon bookings doesn’t contradict the staycation slowdown — it explains it.
Domestic tourism is splitting into two markets:
- experience-luxury (shrinking)
- practical-leisure (growing)
Holiday parks succeed because they deliver certainty, flexibility, and family practicality — the three dominant travel priorities in today’s economy.
experiences are becoming the winners of the post-boom era.