New pension rules will prompt pensioners to 'pitch up' says outdoor accommodation specialist

Predicts increase in long stay motorhome holidays, booked on the move

Driven by 31% projected rise in pensionable-age population*,
easier access to pension pots and technology adoption

Following changes giving pensioners tax-free access to lump sums from their pension pots, outdoor accommodation specialist Pitchup.com is predicting the ‘grey market’ will be their fastest-growing audience, with motorhome holidays their vacation of choice.

Founder Dan Yates said: “We believe that the mature market will be our fastest-growing sector in the future, mainly due to the 31% growth expected in the pensionable age bracket. Sales of new motorhomes are looking very healthy already, rising 18% in 2014.**”

“We envisage that like Australia, the UK could become a haven for older travellers to take to the road in motorhomes for weeks or even months at a time with no particular itinerary, other than to explore the UK.  With no borders to cross or currency to exchange it’s also a hassle-free choice for the over 60s.”

With the rise of ‘silver surfers’ - tablet use by older people trebled and smartphone use nearly doubled in 2013*** - Pitchup.com’s mobile platform lets users not only book as they go but also plan their route with a simple tap. Once drivers have picked a site, with one click users can activate their device’s inbuilt satnav guiding them on to their preferred site.

Other features include details of the three nearest Good Pub Guide pubs to each site listed, sites close to National Trust properties, Sustrans cycle routes, and even beaches with the best water quality ratings.

For more information on motorhome holidays visit www.pitchup.com.

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*The number of people above pensionable age is forecast to grow by 31% between 2012 and 2037, from 12.3m (19% of population) to 16.1m (22% of population) (http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_334975.pdf)

**8,733 new motorhomes were sold in the UK during 2014, which was an increase of 17.6% year on the previous year, with more units being sold in every month (source: NCC)

***Between 2012 and 2013, tablet use by 65-74 year olds trebled from 5% to 17% and smartphone use increased from 12% to 20% (http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-data-research/other/research-publications/adults/adults-media-lit-14/)

For media information:

Contact Samantha Marsh at White Tiger PR

samantha.marsh@whitetigerpr.com 07711 265666

About Pitchup.com

Founded in 2009 by former lastminute.com man, Dan Yates, multi-award winning Pitchup.com is a free guide to all types of outdoor accommodation in the UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Croatia, Luxembourg, Austria, Poland and Switzerland.  Pitchup.com, which currently lists over 5,800 sites, provides users with a simple platform in which they can search and book an outdoor holiday with total ease: the customer journey from landing on the homepage through to booking a holiday can be completed in as little as four pages.  The site also goes beyond traditional searches by allowing users to search for accommodation based on more than 80 criteria, such as adults only and campfires allowed, and view nearby events, Good Pub Guide pubs and VisitBritain attractions.  It’s also possible to check out water bathing water quality in the surrounding area with data provided by the European Environment Agency.  Users can also search on the offers page to find the best deals available.

In 2013 Pitchup.com became the first business of its type to launch a bookable mobile app and site, making the site easily accessible to users of mobile and tablet devices.  The mobile site now accounts for 21% of bookings.

Pitchup.com enables users to search for all types of parks and sites from the major brands right through to one-off campsites and unique outdoor accommodation options, which may not have previously had a web presence.

Awards include Best UK Travel Website of the Year at the British Travel Press Awards 2011, and most recently Best Travel / Leisure / Sports / Mobile Strategy / Campaign at the Marketing on Mobile Awards 2014.