Campsites across parts of the West of England are reporting stronger booking activity for 2026 after an uncertain start to the season, with operators citing fuel prices and broader cost-of-living pressures as factors influencing travel decisions.
Businesses in Gloucestershire and Somerset said travelers appeared more cautious earlier in the year, often delaying reservations until closer to their intended stay dates. However, several operators said booking levels improved during April and May, particularly around the May bank holiday period.
At Greenacres Campsite in Coleford, Gloucestershire, owner Maureen Bessant said the season began slowly before reservations accelerated later in the spring. “April started out looking poor, but lots of people booked stays with us with just a few weeks to go, and by the end of the month we were up on [April] last year,” she said.
Bessant added that summer reservations remain slightly below last year’s levels but said the performance during the first two months of the season had eased earlier concerns. “Our summer bookings are still a bit down, but I’m not worried anymore – after seeing the first two months of the season,” she said.
In Somerset, Petruth Paddocks in Cheddar reported approximately 1,500 bookings during the May bank holiday weekend, which the site said was about double its usual volume for the holiday period. The campsite also reported an overall increase of roughly 20% in bookings this year compared with the previous year.
Site owner Jules Sayer told the BBC that local travel patterns appear to be shifting as households continue to manage higher living costs. “General disposable income is less, diesel and fuel cost is a huge factor for more people,” he said.
“This year 60% of our customers have travelled here from a radius of 40 miles,” Sayer added. “We’ve been consistently well over 20% up on the previously year.”
Visitors staying at the campsites also pointed to transportation costs and financial pressures as factors shaping vacation choices. Camper Vicky Green said consumers were weighing domestic trips against more expensive alternatives.
“You are counting pennies and I definitely had to think about it,” she said.
“We may have another [camping trip] planned in August, but like everybody else, I haven’t booked it yet because I’m waiting a bit longer to see if we can put that money down and maybe go abroad instead.”
“The car is costing £90 a time to fill up, so it is hitting the wallet,” she added.
Industry representatives said the camping and caravanning sector has benefited from warmer weather and continued demand for lower-cost domestic travel options. However, they noted that not all tourism businesses in the region are experiencing the same trend.
Visit Somerset CEO John Turner said some hotels and indoor attractions continue to face pressure from reduced discretionary spending. “The camping and caravanning industry is clearly thriving at the moment and thank goodness it is, because it caters to the family market and it’s less pricey,” he said.
“Tourism in general is driven by disposable income – what people have left after their bills have been paid,” Turner added.
“If their bills start going up, they have less disposable income, so we are seeing a general squeeze in the tourism market, which in Somerset is worth around £1.1 billion annually and supports about 18,000 jobs.”
For outdoor hospitality operators, the booking trends may reflect a broader shift toward shorter-haul and regional travel, particularly among families seeking lower transportation costs.
Businesses may also need to adapt to increasingly late booking behavior, with consumers waiting longer before committing to summer vacations due to economic uncertainty.
Operators that maintain flexible booking policies, target local drive markets, and promote value-focused experiences could be better positioned to capture demand during the 2026 season.