| The traditional English summer sight of | | | | series of wet British summers and increasing |
| fields full of tents and happy campers | | | | affluence allowing holidaymakers better |
| enjoying their holidays is under threat, | | | | choice. However, one of the most interesting, |
| according to Mintel. The leading UK research | | | | they say, is the camping industry's inability |
| company has recently conducted extensive | | | | to harness modern technology to market their |
| research highlighting that sleeping under | | | | product. Richard Cope, senior travel analyst |
| canvass is in terminal decline, however | | | | for the research company suggests that |
| industry insiders disagree. | | | | travellers these days are more likely to book |
| | | | on impulse and hints that if the camping |
| The results show that one in five people have | | | | industry could offer last-minute vacancy |
| turned their back on camping over the last | | | | alerts coupled with favourable weather |
| five years, and they predict that trend will | | | | forecasts they would tempt more people into |
| accelerate over the next five years with | | | | booking. As Cope points out: "Gone are the |
| almost one in four deciding to ditch tents in | | | | days when people return year after year to |
| favour of other holiday options; in absolute | | | | the same holiday destination and that |
| terms that means a total of 14 million UK | | | | includes camping sites. Britons are |
| campers who pitched up in 2002 will reduce to | | | | increasingly looking elsewhere for their |
| just 9.5 million per year by the end of | | | | holidays and last minute on-line deals mean |
| summer 2012. | | | | that they can choose self-catering static |
| | | | home holidays or holiday cottages rather than |
| Mintel highlight a variety of factors for the | | | | opt for staying in a field. |
| decline in popularity of camping, such as a | | | | |