Camper van company defies economic gloom

A specialist camper van rental company is enjoying a boost in bookings as the weak pound increases the popularity of holidaying in the UK. Southampton-based Kamper Hire has already seen a 20 per cent increase on 2009 bookings for their Volkswagen ‘California’ camper vans compared to the same time last year.

And the weak pound is having a dual benefit for the company: more Britons are choosing to take their holidays at home; while travellers from Eurozone countries and the USA are attracted by their increased purchasing power.

“Renting a camper van is a really popular way to take a fun, affordable holiday, and at Kamper Hire we’ve experienced a surge in bookings, particularly from overseas visitors,” said Kamper Hire founder Mark Daysh.

“With the US dollar stronger than it has been for several years, we’re taking a lot of bookings from Americans. Many of them take big road trips all over the UK, often checking out family history and connections and meeting relatives. The US visitors tend to hire for longer periods - between two and four weeks - so the current exchange rates are great news for us. We even had one American who hired a ‘California’ for 84 days.”

With bookings strong, Kamper Hire have added five new Volkswagen ‘California’ camper vans to their fleet for 2009, making a total of 12 vans.

The campers have always been popular with UK renters, particularly with surfers keen to explore the beaches of the South West, and festival-goers looking to make their camping experience more comfortable.

The vans can sleep up to four people, and are equipped to the highest level of specification with all the equipment necessary for life on the open road. Smaller than a conventional motor home, the VW California’s efficient 2.5 litre turbo-diesel engine means the vehicle drives more like a large car.

And to play their part in tackling climate change, Kamper Hire have teamed up with ClimateCare to offset the greenhouse gas emissions from their rentals.

ClimateCare fund projects in energy efficiency and sustainable energy around the world to reduce global carbon emissions on behalf of Kamper Hire. For more information visit Jpmorganclimatecare.com.

Kamper Hire’s Mark Daysh adds: “We’re keen to do our bit to minimise the impact of our business on the environment, and with this new initiative we can make our holidays a pleasurable - and guilt-free - experience for our customers.”

Rental prices start at £60 per day, inclusive of VAT, unlimited mileage (UK mainland), insurance for one named driver and roadside recovery. For more information visit Kamper Hire’s website at Kamperhire.co.uk.