Government’s £2.5bn auto scheme will include caravan makers

The ten-year plan, announced earlier this month, is a part of the UK’s plan to boost investment in zero-emission manufacturing.

Business and Trade Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, said,

Economic growth is our number one priority, and by funding our world-leading auto sector we are creating the right conditions for increased investment, bringing growth, jobs, and opportunities to every part of the UK.

While initially framed around the car sector, a spokesperson from the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) confirmed to Caravan magazine that leisure vehicle makers will also be considered under the scheme.

The inclusion of caravan manufacturers comes at a crucial time. 

Just a few months ago, spokesperson for Back British Holidays, Daniel Attwood, highlighted concerning new figures, which showed that the UK domestic holiday was expected to fall by 32% in overall trips, from 42.3 million in 2022 to just 28.8 million by 2025. This fall would result in a cumulative loss of £23.2 billion, harming businesses, jobs and potentially causing UK holidays to fall into a spiral of irreparable decline. 

Our recommendations are that the Government put some support into the sector. 

Not only financial support, but also infrastructure support, as if these businesses can keep their costs lower, then the charge to guests also becomes lower.

What we're talking about here is the chance to make lifelong memories, and it is just simple things like sharing where you've been on social media and that message getting across. 

That's what we want. We want to get that effect growing and people saying, yeah, I'm going to go away for a weekend.

Sharing the message and promoting domestic holidays is the primary aim of this campaign.

Launched by Out & About Live, the Back British Holidays campaign calls for greater support and promotion of UK tourism, alongside practical steps to help the holiday industry weather current challenges.

Daniel called on policymakers and the public to recognise the urgent need to encourage more people to take holidays within the UK.

This isn’t just about numbers, it’s about protecting rural businesses, supporting jobs and preserving the cherished traditions of British holidays.

 This campaign is a call to action for everyone to recognise the value of holidaying within the UK and work together to secure the future of our domestic tourism sector.