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MOTORHOMENEWS

~ A personal take by Christopher Macgowan on tourism, travel and motorhomes.

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Tag Archives: Tony Hall

The Caravan Club: new app to help surfers surf happy

08 Saturday Nov 2014

Posted by chrismacgowan in Marketing, Technical

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campervan, Christopher Macgowan, Fistral, motorhome, motorhomenews, POSCA, TCCsitesurf, The Caravan Club, Tony Hall

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TCCsitesurf will be an essential tool for surfers who are looking to make the most of the waves!

With UK weather being as changeable as it is, when conditions are right for surfing, staying close-by with great facilities enables pros, hobbyists and families, to make the most of the conditions while they can. To assist with this The Caravan Club has developed the TCCsitesurf app.

Last week The Caravan Club announced it is to support one of the UK’s highest profile national surfing events during the weekend 8 and 9 November at Fistral Beach, Cornwall and they have followed up this announcement with the launch of an app.

The Club is well-placed to offer the UKs estimated 500,000 surfers access to its UK sites network of around 3000 locations, many within striking distance of some of the UKs most popular surfing beaches. Upon launch, to coincide with the 2014 POSCA British National Surf Championships, the TCCsitesurf app will enable surfers to quickly and easily locate Club sites near to their desired surfing location.

Caravans, motorhomes and trailer-tents are becoming increasingly popular and provide flexible and affordable home-away-from-homes, holidays and breaks for those who like to get out into the countryside, whether it’s cycling, trekking surfing or simply relaxing – The Club shares your passion for the great outdoors.

The Club’s main site network, many of which include dedicated camping areas and nearly all with electric hook-up and shower facilities are the perfect place to stay to make sure surfers are warm, fresh and ready for the next day’s action. They also offer a place for drying laundry, which means no more damp wet suits the day after!

Tony Hall, Marketing Director for The Caravan Club, says, “Whether you are a caravanner, VW campervanner or tent camper our sites provide safe, flexible and affordable accommodation so that you can stay up close to the action and surf happy. Many of our fantastic coastal sites are located near to some of the UK’s most popular surfing beaches. So, if you enjoy the outdoors or enjoy an outdoors interest then caravanning or camping makes sense.”

Hall continues, “This app is the perfect tool for surfers, allowing them to match up their favourite beaches to great Caravan Club sites that can offer them a wonderful place to stay.”

NOTE FROM CM: I popped into the Google Play Store and found TCCsitesurf immediately, downloaded it and it works fine. Whilst its fundamental role is to link surfing locations to Caravan Club sites – which it does very well – it does much more than that and as it gets populated over time with even more information I can see it being essential visiting by the surfing community. (Google equals Android but in due course it will be available in the Apple App store for IOS devices such as iPads and iPhones.)

Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews

Staycations are proving popular again

21 Thursday Aug 2014

Posted by chrismacgowan in General, Travel

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caravans, Christopher Macgowan, motorhomenews, motorhomes, staycations, The Caravan Club, Tony Hall, trailer tents

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Staycations are proving popular again this year with 55,000 more caravan, motorhome and trailer-tent holiday bookings made with The Caravan Club, than in 2013!

It seems that the wonderful weather this summer has persuaded more of us than ever before to holiday at home, rather than run the gauntlet of the airport and head overseas.

Even with the school summer holidays reaching their penultimate week, there is still time for a last-minute staycation. The Caravan Club recommends that people don’t just enjoy one summer break, but spread out the fun, making the most of their time while the children are off school, by taking several mini breaks. The Club also encourages people to value their leisure time – whether spending it with friends or family or taking a well earned retirement, it is precious!

By taking a caravan or motorhome holiday, you can pop away for just one or two nights locally or embark on an epic tour of your homeland – the choice is yours. Either option allows you to spend quality time in the outdoors with loved ones, while discovering what the UK has to offer.

Director of Marketing for The Caravan Club, Tony Hall, says, “This year it seems that many more people have discovered the great outdoors and the benefits of a caravanning or motorhoming holiday and taken the opportunity to enjoy a break in the UK.

“So many people spend the first half of the year looking forward to their one-and-only annual overseas summer holiday, and then the second half of the year feeling blue because it is over.”

Hall added, “The Club isn’t suggesting that a touring holiday must replace your main overseas summer trip, rather supplement it, helping you to make the most of your precious annual leave.”

With a caravan or a motorhome, every weekend can be a last-minute holiday. Research shows that taking many shorter breaks away can be better for recharging your batteries than you than taking fewer longer ones, resulting in a more rejuvenated self when you return to work.

The Caravan Club represents over one million caravan, motorhome and trailer-tent owners and gives them access to around 2700 campsites in the UK – this means that there is one Caravan Club badges site for every 30 square miles of the country! Whether you are looking for a rock pooling beach holiday, a quiet countryside retreat, a cultural city break or an activity based family adventure, there is a Caravan Club site to suit everyone.

Visit http://www.caravanclub.co.uk to find out how you can get started.

Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews

The Caravan Club introduces the Hi5 Wave and a safety video featuring youngsters

12 Tuesday Aug 2014

Posted by chrismacgowan in Road Safety, Sites

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Christopher Macgowan, Hi5, motorhomenews, Natasha MacDonald, site safety, The Caravan Club, Tony Hall

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A caravan or motorhome holiday is perfect for families, giving children a sense of freedom and the chance to play, explore and meet new friends in the great outdoors. Of course, it’s important that parents feel confident their children are safe, and while The Club already provides a secure environment on site, it has introduced some new initiatives to make youngsters and older members aware of potential dangers.

This Spring, The Club ran a competition for members’ children, asking them to design a poster that would reinforce the importance of the on-site 5mph car speed limit and promote the ‘Hi5’ wave. Hundreds of entries were received and winners announced in three age categories – under 7 years, 8-10 years and 11-13 years. The overall winning entry belonged to eight-year-old Dani May, and her design now features on signage across The Club’s UK network of over 200 sites!

Meanwhile a children’s Hi5 safety video was filmed at Hillhead Caravan Club Site in Devon during Whitsun week. Starring members’ children, the film focuses on five key safety areas such as the 5mph speed limit and playing safely in the correct areas on site. The video can be viewed by all members on The Club’s website and it is hoped that its lighthearted presentation of important safety messages will appeal to both parents and youngsters.

Natasha MacDonald, Head of Product Development for The Caravan Club, says, “We have been working on a new family initiative to help parent and grandparent members with entertaining their children and grandchildren while away in their vans. However, the theme of safety is an important aspect which underpins the project. The Club is keen to do whatever it can to ensure that adults and children alike are safe while they enjoy their holidays.”

Tony Hall, Director of Marketing for The Caravan Club, adds, “Touring is all about the freedom to explore and it is important to The Club that it does everything it can to enable children to have fun holidays in a safe enjoyable environment.”

MacDonald continues, “The video covers many areas of safety that are relevant to areas of everyday life; The Club believes it will be an extremely useful resource for adults and children.”

Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews

The Caravan Club – new director of marketing.

16 Saturday Mar 2013

Posted by chrismacgowan in Marketing, Uncategorized

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Christopher Macgowan, marketing, motorhomenews, Nick Lomas, The Caravan Club, Tony Hall

Tony Hall has been appointed Director of Marketing at The Caravan Club, Tony walked through the doors to take up the reins on Monday 25th February.

Tony has a wide range of tourism and marketing experience having previously worked for a number of technology and communications companies including Philips and Vodafone. Prior to joining The Club, Tony was Director of Marketing and Communications at The Ramblers and he has also worked as Head of Visit Cornwall and Head of Marketing for Cornwall Enterprise.

Nick Lomas, The Club’s Director General, says, “With his blend of knowledge of commercial marketing, tourism and membership organisations, Tony will help The Club further develop its marketing capabilities for helping members make the most of The Club.”

Tony Hall, Director of Marketing at The Club, says, “I am thoroughly looking forward to being at The Club. The Caravan Club is such a long established part of Britain’s heritage, and I see my role as helping drive The Club forward to further embed caravanning as a great holiday pastime. I want to highlight to members, and the public at large, the ever-increasing range of services and products on offer for them to enable them to make the most of their leisure time and enjoy the great outdoors.”

Christopher Macgowan
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