Tag Archives: NCC

Motorhome sales are booming.

27 Thursday Apr 2017

Posted by in Marketing

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


The UK motorhome market continues to boom. The total number of new registrations in March 2017 was up by nearly a quarter on 2016, according to figures just released by the NCC.

The statistics show that registrations of new motorhomes in March 2017 reached 2,877, a 22.3% increase over last year, taking them to their highest ever level for the first quarter at 3,670. March, with its number plate change, is a popular month for consumers to buy, ahead of the spring and summer season.  

Source: National Caravan Council NCC

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

Visitors to CCM Show soar in 2017.

28 Tuesday Feb 2017

Posted by in Exhibitions and Shows

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,


SOURCE: CARAVAN TIMES

Written by Tom Leaning.

Consistent national media coverage reflected the interest caravans, camping and motorhomes have around the country.

 

The Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show 2017 finished on 26 February with over 94,000 visitors through its doors: 7,023 more than 2016. The weekend peaked with 25,349 visiting the show on Saturday and over 45,000 visitors attending across the two days of the weekend.

The show’s media coverage reflected the nation’s interest in caravans, camping and motorhomes, with Radio 2’s Chris Evans championing the event during last week’s breakfast show, and ITV’s This Morning presenting a range of products on London’s South Bank during its live broadcast.

Despite midweek gales disrupting roads and public transport in the Midlands, exhibitors still reported strong sales figures from the event. Director of Sales and Marketing for Auto-Trail, Scott Stephens reported that “show sales have highlighted how many customers are entering into motorhoming which is a great sign for the industry on the whole.” The announcement of a re-brand by The Caravan Club to The Caravan and Motorhome Club – which was broadcast through a Facebook Live RSS Stream by CaravanTimes – also reflected the growth in motorhome ownership.

The caravan industry also confirmed a positive result. Unveiling a one-off Joules-designed touring caravan, Lunar’s UK Sales Director, Lee Roberts said that he saw “good footfall throughout the show, complemented by a great buying audience, making this February’s show the best yet.” The Coachman Caravan company reported an increase of 22 per cent in retail sales compared to the previous year. Elliot Hibbs, Managing Director said “2017 has been positive for the industry as a whole and we have enjoyed an increase in demand for our product range.”

Swift showed its S-Pod 4 holiday lodge for the first time and reported strong interest. Nick Page, Group Commercial Director commented that “this has been our most successful February show for years with retail sales increasing by 26 per cent on touring caravans and 34 per cent on motorhomes.”

Launches included the Sonic Supreme 810SC by Adria. Managing Director, Slavica Sterk said: “The show has strengthened Adria’s position in the market,” suggesting that while products are not traditionally launched at the February show, overall public response surpassed expectations.

Omar Park and Leisure Homes unveiled the Wessex Hideaway lodge and were very pleased at the general interest across its lodges. Peter Berwick, the Group Sales and Design Director said that the show is “an opportunity to showcase top end models across the Wessex and Omar brands and gives us the chance to get valuable feedback from customers.”

Camping equipment brand Vango created a great buzz in Hall 5 thanks to the AirBeam Challenge, letting members of the public race against the clock to inflate a full sized tent. Vango saw record sales again at the show, with the Kela II DriveAway Awning and Inspire 800XXL eight-berth tent leading the way. Ivan Davies, Account Manager said that “the show really launches our year.”

“The February show’s attendance endorses the optimistic outlook for our industry, which continues to grow,” said John Lally, CEO – NCC Events Ltd. “We are also pleased to see that the demographic of those attending the show continues to diversify, with engagement from those new to the industry.”

A whole host of celebrities took to the Discovery Theatre stage throughout the show. Appearances included Ben Fogle, Barney Harwood, Kate Humble, Julia Bradbury and Sam Quek. Live cookery demonstrations from Monica Rivron, Selasi Gbormittah, Welsh chefs Mike Bates and Colin Gray also graced the stage.

Displays included the Lego® caravan, which featured in a Facebook Live RSS stream organised by Guinness World Records, and the highly popular Dog Agility arena. Additional attractions for visiting families included trampolines in the Bounce Zone, bushcraft workshops, climbing wall, artificial caving and a virtual reality of Europe’s longest zip wire in the North Wales LIVE area, and a Woodland Assault Course in partnership with The Woodland Trust.

The Motorhome and Caravan Show is at the NEC from 17 to 22 October 2017 and The Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show returns 20 to 25 February 2018.

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

Motorhome sales top 12000 in 2016.

03 Friday Feb 2017

Posted by in Marketing

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,


The UK motorhome market is thriving, resulting in an exceptionally high level of registrations in 2016, according to figures released by the NCC (National Caravan Council).

 

The latest figures¹ show that 12,332 motorhomes were registered last year, compared to 10,572 in 2015. This represents a 16.6% year on year increase.

 

The NCC attributes this upward trend to the extensive choice and variety of motorhome and campervan models now available. The versatility of the products and the lifestyle they offer appeals to a widening range of customers.

 

Commenting on the figures, John Lally, the NCC’s Director General, said: “This high number of registrations clearly demonstrates the continuing strong demand for motorhome products.

 

“Short breaks and holidays at short notice are growing in popularity with UK holiday-makers. Motorhomes are ideal for this kind of break, as they give consumers the freedom to decide where and when they want to travel. The wide range of motorhomes now available makes them an increasingly attractive proposition for consumers of all ages.”

 

Frank Finch, the NCC’s Membership Services Director, said: “NCC Approved dealer members are reporting that an increasing number of customers are buying motorhomes for year-round travel, both in the UK and Europe. Recent improvements in thermal insulation and better, more flexible heating facilities in motorhomes, coupled with longer park opening periods, make this possible.

 

“As well as having access to some of the highest quality products on the market, consumers also have peace of mind that when they go to one of our NCC Approved Dealership members, they will be dealing with a business that has committed to treating them fairly – whether they are buying a motorhome, touring caravan or caravan holiday home.”

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

Motorhome sales continue to grow.

11 Saturday Jun 2016

Posted by in Marketing, Motorhomes

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,


New figures from the NCC show that the UK motorhome market continues to go from strength-to-strength. Interestingly, according to NCC members, increasing numbers of buyers are new to the sector.

 

Registrations of new motorhomes increased by 20.4% in the month of March 2016 compared with March 2015. A total of 2,352 units were sold in what is a peak month for the sector. New motorhome registrations for Q1 2016 as a whole, compared with Q1 2015, are also up nearly 20%1, to a total of 3,042 units with an estimated retail value of more than £150 million2.

 

All this is on top of a 21% increase in new motorhome registrations during 2015, making the UK one of the fastest growing markets in Europe3. Membership of the NCC’s dealer section is increasing too, rising nearly 25% in the last 12 months alone. Many of these companies are reporting near record new motorhome sales levels in 2016, including Newark based Brownhills, which enjoyed a 26% increase in Q1 this year.

 

NCC director general John Lally said: “We believe that strong demand for motorhomes will continue for the foreseeable future and we could see record levels of new motorhomes registered in the UK soon. As manufacturers increase production capacity and build even more attractive and innovative products that can be used year round, consumers, from young families to retired couples, will keep being drawn to the motorhome proposition. The Freedom to Go campaign is also working to draw more entrants to the market.

 

“Staycations are due to have another good year too boosted by the preference to take shorter breaks. In fact short holiday trips of 1-3 nights account for two-thirds of English holidays, are on the rise4 and are exactly the type of break a motorhome really enables. Whether it’s a last minute weekend away, supporting an outdoor activity like mountain biking, or indeed the longer annual summer holiday, motorhomes make it all possible.”

 

Frank Finch, NCC membership services director said: “It’s encouraging that dealerships are our fastest growing membership section, as this is where many consumers first interact with the industry. It’s our advice that for peace of mind, consumers should always seek out one of our members when looking to buy a motorhome, or indeed any other leisure vehicle.”

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

NCC conference highlights market opportunities.

29 Friday Apr 2016

Posted by in General, Motorhomes

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


More than 200 delegates attended the NCC (National Caravan Council) Conference 2016 last week to hear a stellar line-up of expert speakers including: Nick King – Insight Director, Autotrader; Carl Castledine – CEO, Away Resorts; Harvey Alexander – Director of Marketing, The Caravan Club; and Alex Marshall of Management Consultants CIL. Kevin Keegan OBE was an extremely popular after dinner speaker, helping to raise £2,440 for the NCC Benevolent Fund charity.

John Lally, NCC Director General, said: “From start to finish our speaker line-up was excellent this year, delivering fresh insights and new perspectives while stimulating plenty of debate in the process. Topics included adjusting caravan products for Millennials and developing new ways of promotion (mobile-friendly, via specially designed apps, using social media etc). Speakers looking at the bigger picture examined how technology is changing the world, the state of the UK and worldwide economy and how positive thinking can influence your business in a positive manner.  

 “Getting together as an industry is really important. Following a successful 12 months for many, it remains vital our industry continues to innovate and attract new entrants to the market, to improve its customer service and product quality and embrace self-regulation. If we do that, our speakers were agreed that success will continue in 2016 and beyond.”

 

A selection of quotes from the event are shown below:

Carl Castledine – on innovation

‘As baby boomer spend slows, our industry must be ready for Millennials … who will become the primary engine of the UK consumer economy.’

Harvey Alexander – on new entrants to the world of leisure vehicles

‘A recent study showed 11 million UK adults are our potential audience – those who love outdoors but don’t own a leisure vehicle, and can potentially share our passion …’

 Alex Marshall – on the mergers and acquisitions outlook (holiday parks)

‘We will see strong valuations, further consolidation and further investment in the product …’

Nick King – on successfully selling vehicles

‘Forecourt visits are down 41pc in the automotive industry in three years. But we are still selling successfully. A buyer will now visit more websites than forecourts.’

Psychologist Dr Maureen Gaffney – on positive thinking

‘In this world the optimists have it not because they are always right but because they are always positive.’

Market commentator, Justin Urquhart Stewart – on the UK economy:

‘The UK is the world’s fifth largest economy. It’s got pulling power – the Number 1 in Europe for inward investment, with 85k new jobs created …’

 

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

The National Caravan Council (NCC) 2016 conference.

23 Saturday Apr 2016

Posted by in General

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,

I attended the NCC 2016 conference in Liverpool this week. 

It was an excellent event, very well run with excellent speakers and good to see a very positive atmosphere on display. Also, in my purely personal opinion, really good to see that one of the primary themes was how we can do better, and what we need to do to be better – so no complacency but rightly looking at other industries to see what if anything we can learn from them.

Congratulations to the organisers!

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

The Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show: an important appointment for the leisure and tourism industries.

16 Saturday Jan 2016

Posted by in Exhibitions and Shows, Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,

  

The Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show heralds the new year in the leisure vehicle and travel industry taking place from 23-28 February 2016 at the Birmingham NEC. The show displays the latest products and launches from leading brands such as Swift, Lunar, Bailey, Vango, Elddis, Trigano and Coachman, to name but a few.

The Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show is organised by NCC Events (a wholly-owned subsidiary of the industry trade body NCC) and supported by The Caravan Club and The Camping and Caravanning Club, making it the ideal platform for expert advice and industry presence.

More than 350 exhibitors are participating in the celebrity-studded event, with Hyundai as the show’s official tow-car partner. The public will be treated to exclusive deals, complimentary caravan-towing and motorhome-manoeuvring lessons as well as attractions such as a themed activity area inspired by the Woodland Trust, and sessions with industry experts at the Discovery Theatre.

The leisure vehicle industry continues to play an important role in the UK, with England as the largest tourer-manufacturing base in Europe (98% of all new tourers sold in the UK are manufactured by NCC Members). The UK reported the highest growth in European motorhome registrations in 2014 (+17.6%) and the UK caravan industry is worth more than £6bn a year.

To find out more come to the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show from the 23 until the 28 of February 2016 at the Birmingham NEC with caravan and motorhome models from leading UK and European manufacturers displayed under one roof. The show is supported by The Caravan Club and The Camping and Caravanning Club.

Visit: http://www.caravancampingmotorhomeshow.co.uk

Call: 0844 873 7333

Follow the show on Twitter

Like us on Facebook

Buy tickets here: http://caravancampingshow.seetickets.com/tour/the-caravan-camping-motorhome-show
Other useful links:

http://www.thencc.org.uk 

http://www.thecaravanclub.co.uk 

http://www.thecampingandcaravanningclub.co.uk

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

Tickets on sale now for February show.

30 Friday Oct 2015

Posted by in Exhibitions and Shows

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

  

   

 

NEC Birmingham – 23 – 28 February 2016

 

• Holiday, short break and outdoor pursuit inspiration

• Exciting new glamping holiday village to launch

• Expert advice for anyone new to leisure vehicles

Tickets are on sale now for the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show, taking place from 23rd – 28th February 2016 at the NEC in Birmingham. The event is the UK’s largest start of holiday season showcase and every February welcomes visitors that love nothing more than spending their leisure time in the great outdoors. It’s the place to visit for families, pet owners and anyone else looking to go on holiday in a leisure vehicle and there’s plenty of free advice for those new to the lifestyle. Advanced tickets start at just £7* for seniors (60+ years), £8* for adults, kids go free, and free parking and a Show Guide are included too.

In 2016 a brand new glamping holiday village will debut at the Show featuring bell tents, yurts, tipis and other trendy accommodation options. There’s more than 350 exhibitors, plenty of outdoor accessories to browse and buy and exciting feature areas that add up to make a fantastic value day out.

The popular dog agility area returns as well as a packed programme of sessions in the revamped Experts’ Theatre, including slots on what to look for when buying a first leisure vehicle. For people new to towing, or those looking to freshen up their skills, the free towing experience is back to help visitors try driving with a caravan in a safe and controlled environment. And, free motorhome manoeuvring sessions can be booked with expert tuition from qualified instructors.

James Bissett, marketing campaign director for NCC Events, organiser of the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show, said: “Following on from our successful Motorhome & Caravan Show in October 2015 I can’t wait to throw open the doors to our February start-of-season showcase, especially with our new glamping holiday village in mind. For anyone who loves spending time in the great outdoors and wants to find out more about the leisure vehicle lifestyle there is no better place to start than our show. We’ll have plenty more thrilling news to come in the weeks ahead so stay tuned to our website and social media channels.”

Organised by NCC Events, a wholly owned subsidiary of industry trade body the National Caravan Council, and supported by The Caravan Club and The Camping and Caravanning Club the Show features many leading leisure vehicle manufacturers, including Adria, Bailey, Coachman, Elddis, Lunar, Swift, Trigano and more. This means visitors will be able to compare all the latest motorhome and caravan layouts, interiors and benefit from exclusive show offers on thousands of products ahead of the 2016 season.

 

Tickets can be booked by going to: 

http://www.caravancampingmotorhomeshow.co.uk 

or calling 0844 873 7333

 
Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

* When booking before 23.59 on 22/2/16. On-the-door prices: £10.00 Adult, £9 Senior (60yrs+). Children 15 years and under go free when accompanied by a paying adult/senior. Car parking is included in the ticket price and the free show guide is subject to availability. No dogs (except assistance dogs). Calls to cost 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge. £1.25 transaction charge applies unless otherwise stated. 

 

NCC Events is the exhibitions arm ­ and a wholly owned subsidiary – of the NCC. The NCC is the trade body for the UK caravan industry, encompassing touring caravans, motorhomes, caravan holiday homes and park homes. The NCC represents some 800 member outlets in manufacturing, park operations, distribution, retailing, and in the provisions of specialist suppliers and services within the UK caravan industry, which is worth in excess of £6 billion per annum (sale of products, services and holiday spend).

 

NEC show hailed a great success by dealers and manufacturers alike.

25 Sunday Oct 2015

Posted by in Exhibitions and Shows

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

  
Photo: Lots of discussion, negotiations and firm orders being placed were a major feature of the show.

The Motorhome & Caravan Show 2015 opened with a bang and the setting of a new Guinness World Record for the largest ever caravan made from interlocking plastic LEGO® bricks. Ex-World Superbike Champion Carl ‘Foggy’ Fogarty and TV presenter Matt Baker, a guest of The Caravan Club, laid the final bricks and declared the event open in front of a packed crowd eager to see all the new for 2016 leisure vehicle products. Subsequently, many of the 400 exhibitors have reported record sales at what is the UK’s biggest leisure vehicle launch show.

 

Yet again a huge buying audience was delivered to the NEC, for example the UK’s largest dealer network Marquis enjoyed its most successful indoor exhibition on record with orders in excess of £10m being taken at the Show. Lowdhams exceeded its expectations with a 50% growth in sales and Swift Group reports sales from the show being so good its order book is almost full for the year, with its Sprite range 10% up on the incredible performance of 2014.

 

Once the event closed its doors earlier this week (Sunday 18th) 94,514 (96,237 in 2014) people had visited. It drew its biggest crowd on Saturday 17th, with 25,308 (26474 in 2014) people through the doors and interestingly 48% of all advanced tickets booked to the Show were by people new to the event.

 

This success is indicative of a leisure vehicle market that is on the up, with new registrations for motorhomes up 25% to 10,461 and new caravans despatched to dealers up 5% compared with this time last year.

At the Show live product showcases took place each day in the revamped Experts’ Theatre from leading UK and European leisure vehicle manufacturers including Adria, Auto-Trail, Hillside Leisure, Hymer, Knaus, Lunar, Roller Team and Swift Group.

 

Footage of the LEGO brick caravan has already clocked up more than 325,000 views on YouTube with it featuring, to name but a few, on the BBC, MailOnline, The Sun, Evening Standard, Mirror.co.uk, Metro, Yahoo!, mashable.com in The Sunday Times, regional media and generating a massive social media and online impact with millions of Twitter accounts reached and thousands of article shares on Facebook. It also featured around the world on Discovery Channel Canada, Foxsports in America, German national newspaper Bilde.De and as far away as Australia.

 

Other famous faces to star during the event included Rowland and Monica Rivron, Julia Bradbury, Chris Goffey, chefs Sean Wilson and Dean Edwards as well as ‘Gadget Girl’ Ella Williamson.

 

The event is organised by NCC Events and supported by The Caravan Club and The Camping and Caravanning Club. Anthony Trevelyan, Chairman NCC Events, said: “The outstanding number of caravans and motorhomes sold at the show and the high visitor attendance underline the success of the industry and the benefit of providing people with an enjoyable, low cost day out. The key is in delivering a top quality show at a super-competitive price, which we will continue to do at the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show in February 2016.”

 

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

NCC Verified Leisure Battery Scheme to launch at the Motorhome & Caravan Show 2015.

26 Wednesday Aug 2015

Posted by in Technical

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

  
 
The NCC (National Caravan Council) will officially launch its Verified Leisure Battery Scheme this autumn at the UK’s national leisure vehicle launch show, the Motorhome & Caravan Show 2015. The scheme provides product verification for batteries used in leisure vehicles.

 

With modern leisure vehicles featuring more technology and electrical appliances than ever before, buying an NCC verified leisure battery gives consumers confidence that the battery they purchase for use is fit for purpose and will perform as advertised. Also, the NCC will encourage its leisure vehicle member manufacturers to fit NCC verified leisure batteries.

 

Battery verification comes via a comprehensive, industry leading, testing process conducted by suitably certified and audited test houses. Batteries will be verified, and labelled accordingly, into three categories, A,B,C, depending on their capacity and intended purpose.

 

• Category A is for batteries with a higher storage capacity for people who frequently use their caravans or motorhomes away from electrical hook-ups

• Category B batteries are aimed at those who frequently use sites with hook-up facilities, but require a greater battery capacity to operate devices such as motor movers

• Category C is for users that require a lower capacity battery to cover basic operation of their habitation equipment for short periods away from a hook-up

 

David Reid, NCC Standards and Regulations Adviser, said: “The NCC has been aware that consumers could be getting short changed when purchasing a leisure battery because there has been very little guidance on how to match their requirements to the technical specification of the battery. Leisure batteries can cost as much as £200 each so we want to make sure that when people buy a new battery they get a product that is suitable for their caravan or motorhome and suits their lifestyle.  

 

“The scheme is designed to bring transparency to the leisure battery marketplace and help consumers select a product that’s right for them. We already have some of the leading leisure battery brands signed up to the scheme, including Banner, Platinum and Yuasa and will continue to bring more on board in the future.”

 

John Richards, Platinum OE-OES & Specialist Channel Director, said: “We are excited to start working with the NCC moving forward as we believe the NCC Verified Leisure Battery Scheme is right for the industry and our business”.

 

Consumers can find out more about the scheme on the NCC stand (7.12) at the Motorhome & Caravan Show 2015, and following its launch from leisure vehicle dealers, leisure vehicle and battery manufacturers and via the NCC website at http://www.thencc.org.uk.  

 

Visitors to the show can also enjoy seeing all the new 2016 leisure vehicle models, exclusive show only deals, new product demonstrations, the Experts’ Theatre, FREE caravan towing and motorhome manoeuvring lessons, browsing hundreds of accessories, free parking and a free show guide – plus kids go free too! To buy tickets (in advance from as little as £7.50 senior/8.50 adult*) and for more information:

 

Visit: http://www.motorhomeandcaravanshow.co.uk

Call: 0844 338 7799

Follow the show on Twitter: twitter.com/NECCaravanShow

Like it on Facebook: facebook.com/neccaravanshow

Download the official show app: itunes.apple.com

Dates: 13 – 18 October 2015 at Birmingham NEC

Christopher Macgowan