UK Campsite Statistics: How Many Campsites and Holiday Parks Are There?

A total of 6,169 campsites and caravan holiday parks operated across the UK as of 2023¹. This is the latest count available: the UKCCA's next study is collecting data until the end of October 2026².

• These sites provide a total of 439,828 pitches for tents, caravans, and glamping units.¹

The number of sites has been broadly stable. The UKCCA's first report counted 6,243 holiday parks and campsites with 438,076 pitches in 2019⁴, against 6,169 sites and 439,828 pitches in 2023¹.

• The two counts are not on exactly the same basis: the 2019 figure covers sites owned by or affiliated to the UKCCA's member organisations⁴, while the 2023 count also includes non-member parks¹.
• Visitor spending at holiday parks and campsites rose from £9.3 billion in the 2019 report⁴ to £12.2 billion in the 2024 report¹.
• A new count is due from the UKCCA's 2026 study, which is collecting data until the end of October 2026².

What do the newest figures show?

The most recent official count points to a small rise. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) recorded 3,515 campsite and caravan park sites run by VAT- or PAYE-registered businesses in the UK in March 2026³, up from 3,470 in 2025⁵ and 3,400 in 2023⁶, about 3% more since 2023.

• Most of the growth was in England (2,445 sites in 2026³, up from 2,390 in 2023) and Wales (620, up from 570)⁶. Scotland had 380 and Northern Ireland 70³.
• This is a narrower count than the UKCCA's 6,169: it only covers sites run by VAT- or PAYE-registered businesses, so it leaves out many small sites the UKCCA includes, such as certificated sites¹.

Official figures count camping trips rather than campers. British residents took 10.4 million overnight trips that included a stay in a caravan, campervan, tent or glamping unit in 2024⁷, according to VisitBritain's Great Britain Tourism Survey. That is about one in ten (9.9%) of all domestic overnight trips.

• Those trips added up to 39.4 million nights (12.8% of all nights) and £2.55 billion in trip spending (7.7%)⁷.
• The survey covers England, Scotland and Wales, not Northern Ireland⁷.
• For how camping numbers have changed over the years, see our UK camping statistics.

Visitors who rent a caravan, lodge or glamping unit spend about £106 a day on accommodation¹, while touring visitors (tents, touring caravans and motorhomes) spend about £36 a day on pitch fees, according to the UKCCA's 2023 visitor survey.

• Holiday caravan owners pay the equivalent of about £30 a day in site fees¹, not counting the cost of the caravan itself.
• Rental prices varied widely, from £3 to £428 a night¹.
• Including food, travel and days out, renters spend £217 a day in total, touring visitors £101 and owners £102¹.
• The average stay is 5.1 nights, much longer than the 2.86-night average for UK trips overall¹.

Dog walking is permitted at 77% of campsites.¹

• Fishing, swimming, cycling and horse riding are also popular.¹
• Pitch and putt is offered at 20% of surveyed sites, while golf is available at only 1%.¹
• Almost a third of visitor groups (32%) bring a pet¹.

How big is the UK camping and caravanning market?

• Overall Sector Growth: Market-research firm Grand View Research projects the UK camping and caravanning market to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 8.5% between 2026 and 2033, with its estimates suggesting total market revenue could reach US$11.65 billion by 2033.⁸

Glamping Sector Expansion: Glamping has become a fast-growing part of the UK market, and 18–32-year-olds accounted for the largest share of UK glamping revenue (47.8%) in 2024⁹.

• Grand View Research estimates the UK glamping market generated about US$359 million in 2024 and is forecast to reach US$600.2 million by 2030, growing by around 9% a year from 2025 to 2030⁹.

Are new campsites opening in the UK?

• Constrained New Supply: The supply of entirely new parks coming to market is currently constrained. New campsites in the UK are constrained primarily by strict planning permissions¹, land use regulations, and environmental protections designed to prevent overdevelopment and pollution.
• Pitch Conversion Trend: A major structural trend expected to continue in the coming years is the conversion of traditional touring caravan pitches into higher-yielding static holiday caravan pitches¹⁰.
• Despite the reduction in the absolute number of touring pitches, seasonal pitch fees for touring caravans have risen, likely to balance supply and demand, and nightly touring pitches remain in high demand¹⁰.

What trends are shaping UK campsites?

• Sustainability: More sites are adding solar panels and EV charging¹.
• Diversification: Growth in glamping, camping pods and year-round accommodation¹.
• Technology: More sites have adopted online booking, virtual tours and digital check-in¹.
• Challenges: Operators name rising operating costs, the cost of living, planning constraints and climate change (flooding, wind and heatwaves) among the biggest threats¹.
• Overseas visitors: VisitBritain's revised forecast (August 2026) is 44.2 million inbound visits to the UK in 2026, which would generate £33.9 billion in spending.¹¹