Could you target overseas investors?

Scottish park reveals it is attracting foreign owners

Apark on the eastern coast of Scotland has been boosted by purchases from overseas owners.

Sauchope Links holiday park near Crail has recently had clients from Canada and Bermuda fly in to buy properties.

For holiday parks who wish to look into attracting more international business there are resources available via government backed tourism boards.

VisitBritain has resources in digital marketing and attracting international tourists.

The tourism organisation has downloadable toolkits on topics including; ‘Inbound Toursim’, ‘Understand How International Visitors Think’ and how to market your company on their business-to-business trade platform.

VisitBritain’s latest inbound tourism forecast shows continued strong recovery in overseas visitor spending this year.

Its latest forecast for 2023 is for overseas visitor spending in the UK of £29.5 billion, up 4% on the all-time spending high of £28.4 billion in 2019. It estimates 35.1 million inbound visits to the UK, 86% of 2019 levels.

VisitBritain CEO Patricia Yates said: “We know there is pent-up demand for travel and that tourism is also a fiercely competitive global industry. Our priority is to build on the recovery we have seen, competing hard in markets where we are seeing strong growth, tapping into motivations for travel now to drive bookings.

“All eyes are on Britain this year and by telling the story of our dynamic destinations and diverse culture, along with a warm British welcome, we’re inspiring visitors to discover more, stay longer and explore year-round, supporting local businesses and economies.”

Case studies

Robert Valis recently purchased a holiday home with his wife at Sauchope Links on the new development. Both have retired from work but they actually live in Bermuda.

So what made them decide to choose Sauchope Links and Crail as their second home?

Robert explains: “We have always had a desire for a sea view. We had looked at a lodge at Sauchope several years ago but it was not a good time to sell the house which we had owned in Crail for 15 years. We have been walking the coastal path regularly over the years and often thought that we had missed the opportunity of a lodge at Sauchope. However, while out walking the coastal path and seeing the new development at Sauchope in the summer of 2021 we decided to investigate and returned immediately to the park office. After our discussion with Caroline we felt that a lodge on the new site would be ideal for us. The rest, as they say, is history.

“From our experience with buying a holiday lodge we would say that one of the most important factors is making the right choice of park. Having had a home in Crail for many years we were keen to stay in the area. Apart from that, the park at Sauchope Links offers a clean, well maintained and orderly site. From our perspective, living as far away as we do, another important factor is knowing the park staff. From our first meetings with Caroline and the many subsequent email enquiries we are very happy that our lodge is in good hands.”

Katherine Marlow and Andrew MacKay, also purchased a holiday home at Sauchope

Links last year. Both are retired and live in Vancouver, Canada. When asked why they decided to buy in Crail they said: “We wanted a location that we could escape to for rest and relaxation. A holiday home offered us an excellent quality product for a good price. Buying a holiday home that was already furnished and ready to go, made our purchase simple and easy from afar.

“Our cousin had a caravan in the park and we fell in love with the location the first time we visited from Canada. The view of the water is fantastic, and we love the East Neuk, in particular, Crail. The grounds are well kept and the staff is always helpful and cheerful.

But it’s not just about choosing the right park when buying a holiday home. You also have to consider what model of lodge or caravan you want to invest in.

Robert explains: “When deciding which lodge to choose we spoke with Caroline on the park and decided to investigate the Prestige lodges. So after an initial online look we decided to visit the Prestige Showground in March of this year. We were very impressed with what we saw. We looked at several of the lodges but settled on the Forresters model. The features we are most pleased with include the feeling of roominess in the open plan living/dining/ kitchen area with its vaulted wood panelled ceiling and sky lights. The colour scheme was also appealing although we have modified the window dressings.

“The other feature that we really like is the entrance/boot room which also houses the boiler and washing machine, rather than them being in the kitchen area. The bedrooms are more than adequate size and the bathrooms are really nice. The views from the large windows are simply unmatched.”

When Katherine and Andrew looked at their options they decided on a Willerby Acorn. They said: “We love all the windows, open plan, two bathrooms and well laid out space. It is also very well insulated and feels solid. Our lodge feels like a small home rather than a caravan. It feels classy and the beachy décor fits the location perfectly.”

However Robert states there’s one overriding reason for buying your own holiday home: “Above all, the biggest selling point is that we now have a holiday lodge which is for our exclusive use”

Whatever the reason for buying a holiday home, it’s important to do plenty of research and get to know the park and the local area.

Largo Leisure Holidays, who have four premium holiday parks in Scotland, have invested in eight bases for holiday home sales at Sauchope Links all with unrivalled views over the Firth of Forth. Holiday homes, both pre owned and new are also available Lethum Feus, Loch Tay and Briadhaugh. For a limited time, holiday homes at Letham Feus are being offered with free desking and no site fees for 2023. For more information visit: Holiday Homes In Scotland | Lodges & Caravans For Sale | Largo Leisure