Highland 'staycation' boom brings boost for North 500 Motorhomes and Torvean Caravan Park
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A £1 million investment has paid off for a pair of twinned Inverness tourism businesses, which have seen their busiest ever summer.
North 500 Motorhomes and sister company Torvean Caravan Park between them invested around £1 million on new facilities and upgrades this year – and reaped the benefits as the Highlands enjoyed a UK domestic tourism boom.
Ahead of this season, North 500 Motorhomes acquired 14 new vehicles at a cost of £600,000, expanding its fleet to 32, making it one of the largest in Scotland.
From next year, the fleet will almost double as a further 30 new motorhomes are acquired by the fast growing firm, which launched four years ago with just four vehicles.
Meanwhile, Torvean Caravan Park underwent a £400,000 upgrade, including 11 new luxury holiday lodges. The lodges feature a spacious kitchen and shower room and can comfortably accommodate four adults, with an upstairs mezzanine double bed area and convertible dining area double. There is also an option to convert the lounge area to sleep two children.
The two companies now employ a total of 14 staff.
Manager Katie Simpson said: “Inverness and the Highlands have always been popular tourist destinations but the demand for summer 2021 has been extraordinary. Restrictions on international travel have seen large numbers of tourists flock to the north.
“After a difficult year for the tourism industry, this summer has allowed tourism and hospitality providers in the north to showcase what the region has to offer. The challenge will be to ensure they come back again and again once the travel market returns to some semblance of normality.
“Our £1 million investment this year in North 500 Motorhomes and Torvean Caravan Park is really key to this. In a fast moving market, we need to continue to innovate and we’re delighted with the response we have had from customers."
2022 could be even more successful, she revealed.
"Bookings for 2022 are far ahead of our expectations and it looks like next year will be even busier, with our fleet of motorhomes set to almost double in size to meet demand,” she said.
