The Holiday Park Community Report: What Owning a Holiday Home Really Means

At the start of the year, we asked 3,000 Brits about their dream holiday as part of our Holiday Desires Report, and nearly a third said they’d consider buying a holiday home. So this time, we surveyed Away Resorts owners from across the UK about what changes when the holiday stops being something you book and stress over and starts being something you can simply enjoy.

So what does a holiday home really mean to our owners?
Why do people buy a holiday home?
What do people value the most about owning a holiday home?
Rest and relaxation: how holiday home ownership helps people truly unwind
Digital detox: the time when grandchildren put the screens down

So what does a holiday home mean to our owners?

Convenience is king: nearly two-thirds of our owners really value the ability to have a guaranteed getaway and a home away from home
Spontaneity removes the stressful planning: 69% of owners rate being able to visit their holiday home at short notice among the biggest perks
Switching off happens fast: owners find themselves unwinding quickly, with over half relaxing immediately upon arrival
The benefits go beyond relaxation: over 60% of holiday home owners report better physical and mental health, not just a temporary mood boost when they visit
Ownership is a multi-generational opportunity: holiday homes have been bought with children and grandchildren in mind, and it’s family memories that make them such a special investment.

Why do people buy a holiday home?

Most of us plan our holidays months out, wait eagerly for the day to arrive, then spend the first chunk of the trip learning how to disconnect and relax. When it comes to holiday home ownership, many don’t have that same concern.

60% of the owners we spoke to bought their holiday home for a guaranteed holiday whenever they want one, with 57% also looking for a home away from home. Two-fifths of owners also bought their static caravan to escape the stress of everyday life.

With holidays often being far more stressful than we’d like, especially when travelling with children, it comes as no surprise that convenience, comfort and quality time are the biggest drivers of people purchasing a holiday home in the UK.

The survey findings also reveal that priorities change depending on what stage of life owners are at. 68% of 45- 54-year-olds bought their holiday home to escape the stress of everyday life, with 59% of them looking to spend more quality time with family.

Those later in life prioritised having a place to build memories with their younger relatives. Nearly half (44%) of respondents over 65 saw their holiday homes as something for their children or grandchildren to enjoy.

What do Away Resorts holiday home owners say about their experience? One owner on Mersea Island said:

“My grandchildren often say how lucky they are to have a nanny and grandad who own a caravan. We are building so many special memories on an Island that we love!”

What are the benefits of owning a holiday home?

We already know some of you love planning ahead - a quarter of Brits book 7-12 months out, and another third leave it a solid four months minimum. Holiday home owners? Not so much.

That said, nearly seven in ten Away Resorts holiday home owners (69%) told us being able to get away at short notice is one of the main things they value the most about owning a static caravan, with 57% of respondents deciding to go within a week of travelling – spontaneous holidays on tap!

When it comes to our four-legged visitors, holiday home ownership has allowed so many families to bring their dogs on every trip. 76% of dog owners (or 44% of total owners) find a huge amount of value in being able to easily bring their pets on holiday.

Kate Watts, Senior Marketing Manager at Away Resorts says:

“With static caravans for sale across the UK, owners can find themselves a home away from home all year round without the hassle of research and booking. Having a place that you can call yours, no surprises and surrounded by loved ones is the recipe for a perfect holiday.”

Rest and relaxation: how owning a static holiday home helps people truly unwind

With so much to plan, UK travellers often find themselves trapped in a bit of an ‘always on’ mindset, struggling to truly detach from the stresses of everyday life.

However, over half of owners (53%) say they are able to unwind the moment they arrive, with a further 27% fully at ease within a couple of hours.

Our respondents reveal that the reality of owning a holiday home goes far beyond simply disconnecting, with many reporting significant improvements to their wider life.

Over three in five respondents (63%) have said that owning a UK holiday home has helped them improve their physical health, with 62% stating the same for their mental health and wellbeing. Compared to booking a traditional holiday, half of our respondents said it makes them feel more relaxed.

Is buying a static caravan with Away Resorts worth it? Another owner on Mersea Island said:

“Because of health issues, we haven’t been able to go abroad or anywhere in this country further than a few hours’ drive or been able to stay more than a couple of nights! Being only 50 minutes drive away means we can be away “holidaying “ every weekend we can! It’s our beautiful home-from-home sanctuary that has really helped us through the last couple of years when health issues have taken their toll! We call it “our home on the Island of dreams!”

A huge part of this is the feeling of community that owners are able to build on-park and the friends they make along the way. Two-fifths of our owners say they have met people they socialise with when staying at their holiday homes, with an additional 18% having met people whom they now consider close friends.

Nearly three quarters of owners (69%) say it’s important for them to see familiar faces each time they visit, with consistency playing a huge role in making their static caravan feel like a home away from home. A fifth of our owners (19%) even go as far as saying that they feel a stronger sense of community at their holiday park than they do in the place they primarily live.

Almost a third of owners (31%) invested in a holiday home with retirement in mind, and those who did seem to be reaping the benefits. Eight in ten (80%) of those who bought for retirement revealed that holiday home ownership has had a positive impact on their physical health.

Looking further into these benefits, the survey spotlights how holiday home ownership has helped owners across all age ranges improve their relationships with their families (56% to 63% of respondents), improve their social life (42%-48%) and achieve a better work-life balance, reaching up to 58% for 55-64 year olds.

One of our owners in Bude, Cornwall said:

"Our health has greatly improved, and we enjoy walking and the outdoor life from our resort. My best memory is having all my family here for my 80th birthday."

The more you visit, the more you relax

Although many of these impacts can also be felt on a traditional holiday, our survey revealed that the ability to visit a holiday home whenever an owner wants to plays a key role in helping them sustain these positive feelings.

75% of owners who visit their holiday home every week reported a positive effect on their stress, compared to half of those who take a trip every 2 to 3 months.

Digital detox: the time when the kids put the screens down

Beyond the positive impact static caravan ownership has had on our owners’ stress levels, one benefit holds strong and reflects the value that ownership can have in strengthening family relationships.

Among owners with children or grandchildren, 72% say their screen time goes down when on park, compared to when at home, with 41% of them saying they use screens a lot less.

The benefits are felt most by grandparents. 45% of owners over 65 say their children and grandchildren are off screens much more (and as a likely result, more present) when visiting their holiday homes.

Another Cornwall owner shared his story:

“During our fostering years, the children visited our holiday home firstly because whilst they were here they could relax. They loved making memories that our older children remember now, and we reminisce about them. The children learnt to make friends, forget about their worries and have fun. We all looked forward to and planned our exciting times in our holiday home.”

Kate Watts at Away Resorts says:

“There’s no doubt that reducing the amount our young visitors spend on their screens plays a huge role in building the lasting multi-generational memories that we, at Away Resorts, pride ourselves on creating.

Static caravans for sale on the Isle of Wight, Hampshire, Cornwall and a number of other locations, our parks offer owners a regular opportunity to explore and enjoy some of the UK’s most beautiful and exciting landscapes, with opportunities for all ages. Our seaside and woodland parks are the perfect place to put away the screens and enjoy memorable moments with family and friends.”

Fancy finding out what all the fuss is about? Book a visit to one of our parks, have a nosy around, and let our team talk you through ownership, site fees, and what life on-park is really like. No pressure, just a cuppa and a chat. You can fill out our questionnaire to get started, or have a read all about our steps to ownership first.

FAQs

Which holiday park operators are best for static caravan ownership in the UK?

Away Resorts owners rate convenience, spontaneity and community as the biggest wins of ownership. See what our nearly 400 respondents said to us in our survey.

What do Away Resorts holiday home owners say about their experience?

They report faster relaxation, better physical and mental health, stronger family relationships, and a real sense of on-park community.

Is buying a static caravan with Away Resorts worth it?

63% of Away Resorts caravan owners say ownership has improved their physical health, 62% their mental health, and 69% say short-notice getaways are one of the biggest perks.

What are the benefits of owning a holiday home?

Guaranteed getaways, no booking stress, more time with family (including the four-legged ones), and a noticeable drop in screen time for kids and grandkids.

Methodology

Away Resorts surveyed 373 existing holiday home owners across their parks to find out what holiday home ownership means to them and how they have benefitted from investing in a static caravan.

Survey ran from 20/08/26 - 02/09-26