There has been a 16 per cent increase in the number of Irish people going camping so far this year, according to the Irish Caravan and Camping Council (ICC).

Fifty five per cent (55%) of ICC members have also reported an increase in business compared to 27 per cent in 2010.

Niamh D’Arcy, chairperson of the ICC said, “Camping is cool again with Irish people. We’ve had a great start to our summer and bookings are looking very healthy for the remainder of the season.

“The trend over the past couple years has been more and more Irish people opting to stay at home to holiday. Caravanning and camping, which offer great value, have benefitted greatly from this trend. We knew there would be increased numbers of Irish visitors but we didn’t expect as big a jump,” said D’Arcy.

She added: “We’ve also noticed a change in the demographic of those choosing to go camping. More young couples with kids are visiting our parks. Many would have gone camping with their own parents when they were young and now want to share that experience with their own children.”

While the numbers of Irish are on the up, there has been a one per cent decrease in the numbers of visitors from the UK. D’Arcy believes that "the English are a bit like the Irish over the last couple of years and holidaying at home". However, German and Dutch visitor numbers are both up by four per cent.

There are approximately 100 caravan and camping parks around the country, all of which are Fáilte Ireland approved. It is estimated that caravan and camping generates in excess of €100 million for the local economy.

ENDS.

Issued on behalf of the Irish Caravan and Camping Council by Walsh Public Relations.