- 68m* bed nights at camping or caravan sites versus 47m at hotels but significantly less internet access
- Internet is ubiquitous and expected by UK customers yet UK connection speeds are slower than 11 other European countries including Czech Republic and Romania**
- Hotels.com report says wifi number one reason to book
Leading outdoor accommodation provider, Pitchup.com, reports a 91% increase in complaints about sites with limited internet access.
Of the 5,000 listings on Pitchup.com, only 17% offer wifi and only 8% of all sites offer free internet access. This compares to 84% of hotels in Turkey, 56% in Spain and 55% in Greece that offer Wifi to their guests at no cost.
Managing Director of the outdoor accommodation site, Dan Yates, has long championed effective broadband provision at camping sites and holiday parks believing its absence is damaging for more remote businesses trying to entice customers.
Yates said: “Getting away from it all no longer means being totally cut off as many of our customers still expect to be able to surf the net while camping, and not only to update their social networks. Wifi allows outdoor holidaymakers to keep a close eye on weather forecasts, check online map services and even plan their next pitch while on the road. Remote areas can suffer a lack of Wifi availability and this can deter holidaymakers.”
Given Brits spend significantly more holiday bed nights at camping or caravan parks versus hotels annually Yates finds it surprising that rural sites still remain so under serviced.
What is the solution?
Yates believes the solution is for government and technology providers to work with communities, allocating a larger share of its National Infrastructure Plan to broadband commensurate with the internet’s importance to the British economy. More funding is needed to avoid an opportunity to enhance internet in rural regions being missed, and to put in place access speeds that suit the modern internet.
Glenn Peacey of Hampshire County Council said: “Rural broadband is a key part of ensuring the long term economic and social viability of rural communities. Access to the internet enables rural communities to compete on an equal footing with urban centres, enabling smarter/flexible working from home which reduces the tendency towards dormitory villages, increases spending in local shops and pubs and reduces CO2 emissions and road congestion.
“High speed broadband also has a significant impact on social sustainability, not only does it enable residents to access leisure and media services which they would otherwise be excluded from or have to travel to consume, broadband also facilitates access to online education and learning resources which are so vital to today’s school and university students.”
*GB domestic holiday bed nights, source: 2011 GBTS, VisitEngland
** Average measured connection speed from Akamai “State of the Internet” report
Read more about consumer demand for Wifi here
