The benefits of owning a holiday home have been revealed in a report by one of the country’s leading holiday park operators.
Park Leisure, which has 3,000 holiday homes across its 11 parks, said it had seen a 56% increase in caravan and lodge purchases in the six months leading up to June 2015, meaning more people are choosing to holiday in the UK.
And the company conducted a survey of holiday home owners which showed that the benefits of ownership were more far reaching than simply having a staycation bolthole to escape to.
Nearly three quarters of those surveyed confirmed they have spent more quality time with their families since buying a holiday home (72%), 46% said their relationships had improved and that they felt less stressed while 47% said revealed that it had even improved their sex life.
The survey also showed that a desire to own a holiday property close to home was also a motivating factor for many (on average, holiday home owners live no further than three hours away from their home), other drives include familiarity, nostalgia and an opportunity to enjoy quality time with family.
Corinne Sweet, psychologist, psychotherapist and author, says: “Buying a little bit of heaven on Earth is how many discerning home owners view their precious holiday home purchases, as they can provide an essential and welcome break from the pressures of the daily grind.
“What’s more, being able to get away relatively easy and quickly to a familiar, and safe, place can bring a very deep and basic human benefit.
“Regular de-stressing breaks mean increased productivity through better relationships and health, more fun, and even a more fulfilling sex life.”
Jon Boston, a spokesman for the British Holiday and Home Parks Association (BH & HPA), said there was a growing interest in park-based holidays, and cites the main motivators as “the social advantages of friendships made with other holiday home owners” and “the ability to enjoy frequent breaks in high-quality surroundings”.
In fact, when it comes to choosing the location for a holiday home, beautiful scenery is the key concern with most holiday homes purchased in picturesque areas; Cornwall, South Hams, Norfolk, the Lake District and Pembrokeshire are the most popular spots.
“Using money wisely to increase your emotional and physical health has to make sense in our frantic 24/7 hyper-connected world, so it’s not surprising people are using their hard-earned funds to buy a bit of tranquillity and regrouping time away from home,” said Corinne Sweet.
“As we live longer, and are more active and healthy into our 80s and 90s, wanting to enjoy regular and accessible breaks in nature and stay connected with ourselves and others will become increasingly important, necessary and popular.”
