Wick River Campsite, operated by the Wick Development Trust, is reporting a surge in visitors for the 2025 season, with projections suggesting the site could welcome up to 18,000 guests by the end of the year.
The milestone follows significant investment in infrastructure over the past three years and reflects the site’s growing popularity among tourists and community members alike.
In June 2022, the campsite reopened under the trust’s management with a long-term objective to direct profits toward the revitalization of Wick’s town centre.
Since then, over £885,000 has been invested in upgrades, including a £450,000 facilities block officially opened in 2024 and, most recently, a new reception building unveiled in 2025 as part of a £435,000 improvement project.
A community open day was held on Sunday to showcase the developments. More than 120 people registered to attend, with actual foot traffic exceeding expectations.
The event included guided tours, a barbecue, and visits from local stakeholders, including the Rotary Club of Wick, which funded the installation of a defibrillator at the new reception area. The Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council (RBWCC) also had representation at the event.
Development trust vice-chairman Jonathan Miller said the volume of bookings so far in 2025 is unprecedented.
“We’ve been fully booked on quite a few occasions already, which is not really normal for this time of year,” he stated. “The figures are going to be high all year, by the look of things, so we’re in for a bumper year—there could be up to 18,000 people through the gate this season.”
This growth has positioned the site to begin fulfilling its original goal. “This will be the first year that our profits are going to be reinvested in the town centre. Up until now, they’ve all been reinvested in the developments here,” Miller explained to the John O’Groat Journal and Caithness Courier.
He added that the trust is now considering projects in Bridge Street and High Street for potential support.
During the RBWCC’s June meeting, councillors learned that the campsite hosted more than 5,900 overnight visitors in April and May alone.
The response to the upgrades and visitor experience has been positive, with online reviews commending the site’s cleanliness, facilities, and staff hospitality.
Allan Bruce, chairman of the RBWCC, commented during his visit to the open day, “What a great addition it is to the town. Being a caravanner myself, I am even tempted to take the caravan down and have a weekend here! It’s incredible, the amount of work that has gone into it.”
For outdoor hospitality operators, Wick River Campsite’s growth offers a model for how local ownership, reinvestment strategies, and incremental upgrades can contribute to both business success and community regeneration.
The development trust’s plan to channel profits into town centre improvements highlights a potential approach for linking campground development to broader local economic benefits.