Outdoor accommodation specialist Pitchup.com has reported the strongest year to date for farm bookings on its website.  The business, which represents more than 300 farms across the UK, has reported that 53,000 bookings on farm sites were taken in the last year, a whopping 32% annual increase*.

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Commenting on the growth, Dan Yates, founder of Pitchup.com said: “Farmers can expect to see their incomes flourish when diversifying into the accommodation sector.  One site on our books took £90,000 in accommodation bookings in the last 12 months*. Given that average Farm Business Income (FBI) is just £33,000, this is a real opportunity for farmers to invigorate their business and reap the rewards diversification brings.

“Parts of the farming industry have struggled in recent years and large numbers have now embraced diversification to sustain their agricultural businesses.  Many farmers’ main asset is their vast swathes of land, much of which can lie unused. We want to encourage farmers to use the space for creating camp and glamping sites.  It’s relatively inexpensive to set up a basic site - planning permission and licences are not always required - and the returns are immediate.

Running of a farm-based campsite is relatively straightforward and by working with us many farms could see their income rise dramatically, as the follow figures show:

- The average farm campsite earnt £11,000 in bookings on Pitchup.com over the last year

- Average Farm Business Income (FBI) was £33,000 in 2016/2017**

- Just over half of farms in the UK earnt less than £20,000 in FBI and 20% of UK farms failed to make a positive FBI in 2016/17**

- Just under a quarter of UK farms had a FBI of over £50,000 in 2016/17**

“With our help these last few statistics can change.  Farming is vital to the economy of Britain and to supplement core income from agriculture, we are actively encouraging more farmers to consider diversification.

“The British domestic camping and caravan market is worth £2.2bn*** per annum and we’re encouraging farms to get on board and enjoy a slice of this income. Farmers already own the land in most cases – why not put unfarmed parts of it to use?”

In 2019, Pitchup.com will mark a decade of assisting British farms in reaching their potential as a multifunctional business. During this time participating farmers have enjoyed a healthy income with some earning as much as £90,000 per year in campsite bookings alone.

The facts for farmers

- 15.2m domestic trips were made to campsites and caravan parks in England, Scotland and Wales in 2017**

- Camping and caravanning is most popular in Wales, accounting for 25% of trips by GB residents by accommodation type in 2017.  In England it accounted for 11.7% of trips and in Scotland 12.2%**

- In Wales, camping and caravanning (28% of trips) was more popular than staying with friends and relatives (25%)

- Pitchup.com receives up to 155,000 visits per day

- Campsites listed on Pitchup have received up to £500,000 in bookings over the last year, with the average farm campsite receiving £11,000 and the most successful £90,000

- There’s no cost involved in listing a business on Pitchup.com – farms simply pay a commission on bookings received

- Information on planning and licensing is available at www.pitchup.com/start/ or by call the local council. Consent is not always required and many applications no longer need to be considered by a council committee

- Many companies now build and deliver glamping options such as camping pods, meaning that farmers can set up with little effort

To find out more about running a campsite or caravan park visit https://www.pitchup.com/how-start-campsite-caravan-park/ or, to get started, call 0208 434 7444 or visit https://www.pitchup.com/.

Pitchup.com is exhibiting at Farm Business Innovation 2018, taking place at the NEC from 7 - 8 November 2018.  To meet the team and find out more, visit stand 164 (Holiday Park & Resort Innovation hall).