Devon Cliffs Holiday Park in Exmouth has applied to East Devon District Council for permission to extend its annual operating season, allowing the park to open from February 1 through January 14.
The proposal would bring forward the park’s annual opening date by nearly four weeks, allowing it to accommodate visitors during the February half-term school holiday. Devon Cliffs currently opens on February 28 and generally closes in November, although Haven Leisure, which operates the park, offers selected festive breaks in December.
No new development or physical changes to the holiday park are proposed as part of the application. Instead, the request is focused solely on extending the period during which the existing site can operate.
The park, located at Sandy Bay in Exmouth and established in the 1970s, said the longer operating season could help support existing employment and contribute to the local economy. The application comes as tourism businesses across Devon and other coastal destinations increasingly look to extend their operating periods beyond the traditional summer season.
Haven Leisure described itself as a “highly significant contributor” to Britain’s tourism sector. The company operates 39 holiday parks across England, Scotland and Wales and said its parks employ around 14,000 people.
According to the East Devon News, approximately 3.9 million holidaymakers visited Haven parks in 2025, with the company predicting that figure will exceed four million in 2026.
“These visitors bring direct investment to the parks and their staff but also create further investment to local economies and communities, generated by Haven’s visitors,” the firm’s application to East Devon District Council stated.
“On this basis, the parks, many of which are located near the seaside, play a critical role in tourist focused, seasonal economies.
“Expanding the occupancy period would further support these economies and reduce seasonal inequality in investment and employment opportunities.”
For outdoor hospitality operators, the application highlights the potential commercial role of shoulder-season demand. Opening earlier in the year can provide opportunities to generate accommodation, food and beverage, entertainment and other ancillary revenues during periods that traditionally see lower visitor numbers.
However, extending the season also requires operators to consider staffing, maintenance, utilities, supply chains and the availability of supporting local services during quieter months.
Devon has seen broader efforts to encourage tourism outside the peak summer period, with businesses seeking to attract visitors during spring and autumn as well as additional school-holiday periods.
Haven said the proposed extension would provide more opportunities for guests to visit Devon outside the main summer season.
“These visitors bring direct investment to the parks and their staff but also create further investment to local economies and communities, generated by Haven’s visitors,” the firm’s application to East Devon District Council stated.
“On this basis, the parks, many of which are located near the seaside, play a critical role in tourist focused, seasonal economies.
“Expanding the occupancy period would further support these economies and reduce seasonal inequality in investment and employment opportunities.”
Responding specifically to the proposal, a Haven spokesperson said it would “give our guests more opportunities to enjoy everything the park and the beautiful Devon coast have to offer”.
“Extending our season will not only allow more people to experience a Haven break outside the summer months, but also help bring more visitors to the area during the quieter seasons, supporting local businesses and the wider Devon tourism economy,” the spokesperson added.
The application will be considered by East Devon District Council. If approved, Devon Cliffs would be able to begin welcoming guests from February 1 each year and operate through January 14, creating a longer annual trading window without proposing additional accommodation or other physical development at the site.
