The biggest caravan show in the North West returns to Manchester Central - The Caravan & Motorhome Show 2008

17-20 January 2008, Manchester Central

Ticket Hotline number: 0871 230 1090

www.caravanshows.com

The biggest event of its kind in the North West, The Caravan and Motorhome 2008 (17-20 January, Manchester Central) returns for the twelfth year. After the huge success of last year's show, the 2008 event will focus on delivering great value for money to visitors.

Enthusiasts and novices alike will find over 70 exhibitors offering the region's best choice of touring caravans, motorhomes and awnings. Appealing to all tastes and budgets, together with a huge selection of accessories, it really is the place to satisfy all visitors' caravanning needs.

The popular accessory megastore has doubled in size from last year, with more than 40 companies ensuring 'cara-fans' can purchase everything they need for a great holiday on the road. Visitors will be able to browse essential cooking equipment to sat navs, all weather clothing to maps and compasses - making sure every part of the holiday is covered.
The Caravan and Motorhome 2008 is a must-attend event for local people to pick up a fantastic bargain. Whether ordering a caravan or motorhome for the new season, or hunting for the vital accessories - it's all available under one roof.

What's more, there will be exciting show features including:

• The Cookery Area offering fabulous ideas for creating mouth-watering meals at home on the road
• A free crèche throughout the show*
• The Classic FM Take a Break Café.

Sam North, show manager, comments: "The 2008 show at Manchester Central will, as always, offer visitors value for money and provide a greater choice of accessories than ever before. The event this year focuses on meeting the needs of the North East's caravan and motorhome enthusiasts."

Grab yourself a free sticker and tell the world - I'm a "Cara-Fan"!

Click on the logo to get yourself one of these trendy stickers - they're all the rage you know!

The Swift Group has announced it will be offering the new AL-KO Automatic Trailer Control System (ATC) as either a manufacturer fitted or dealer fitted option on all of the company’s 2008 models in the Abbey, Ace, Sterling, Swift and Sprite ranges.

International Caravan & Motorhome 2007 promises to satisfy all cara-fans with an award-winning, fun-packed event and campsite

16-21 October 2007, NEC Birmingham

Campsite Hotline number: 01342 336 781
www.caravanshows.com

The traditional English holiday continues to increase in popularity and was given the thumbs up when Big Brother presented housemates with a 70s style two-berth caravan recently.

Installed in the garden of the house, the caravan’s arrival left most housemates flummoxed, but is now something they wouldn’t be without - a space that has become the perfect retreat from everyday madness.

The caravan, which features authentic 70s fixtures and fittings, is proving to be the perfect confessional, gossip den and chill-out area. However, for some it is bringing back fond memories of traditional caravanning holidays and the carefree times associated with them. Housemate Carole said: “It’s great, I used to have holidays in caravans.”

With caravans and motorhomes more popular than ever, many celebrities are choosing to try out this holiday home option as opposed to run of the mill hotels. As well as the wannabe celebs in the Big Brother house, famous celebrity ‘cara-fans’ include Robbie Williams, Jay Kay, Lorraine Kelly, Nell McAndrew and Kate Moss.

Lovers of this gentle holiday pursuit everywhere will be excited to know that International Caravan and Motorhome 2007 is returning to the NEC this year. The must-attend event for avid caravan and motorhome enthusiasts, offers an exceptional choice of models that can’t be found anywhere else and the possibility to pick up a bargain in time for the new season.

What’s more, The Caravan Club, celebrating its centenary this year, will be running the onsite campsite, where over 500 pitches will be available to book. The campsite has doubled in size, following last year’s success.

This year’s International Caravan and Motorhome 2007 will play host to over 300 exhibitors, spanning the breadth of the industry. All the major International and UK manufacturers and brands will be there offering the biggest choice ever and launching their new 2008 models in time for the new season.

There will also be four accessory megastores to browse, special show discounts available on a vast array of products and the Leukaemia Research Accessory Drop-off Point is on hand to keep items safe for a small donation.

A great family day out for all cara-fans and with free onsite parking, free entrance for kids under the age of 16 and the official show guide included in the price of a ticket, International Caravan & Motorhome 2007 is real value for money.

We have launched a forum to complement this site and Busy Outdoors.Com

There are lots of different areas and quite a few covering the intelligent holiday makers in their caravans.  We need some people to post to get the ball rolling and hopefully make this a great resource and a bit of fun.  To help the budding writers out there to get posting, we are going to award a prize from the shop for the best entries over the next couple of months.  The winners will be announced on the forum and on the sites.

Here's the link again - what do you have to lose!

Busy Outdoors.Com Forum

Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes to appear at International Caravan & Motorhome 2007

Britain's double Olympic gold medallist and Caravan Club member Dame Kelly Holmes, will be appearing at this year's International Caravan & Motorhome 2007 (16-21 October, NEC Birmingham). As a recent member of The Caravan Club, Dame Kelly is sure to enjoy this award-winning event for all caravan and motorhome enthusiasts and novices alike.

Dame Kelly is now one of many celebrities choosing caravanning as a way of unwinding from everyday pressures. As someone who makes a living from being active, this increasingly popular form of holidaying provides her with the opportunity to combine relaxation with outdoor activity.

Dame Kelly comments:  " I' ve recently joined The Caravan Club and I can' t wait to hitch up and head off for a break. For me caravanning is the ideal holiday as I can come and go at a moment's notice and don> '> t have to worry about making bookings months in advance. I'm really looking forward to being at the International Caravan & Motorhome 2007 show. "

More

****LATEST - SHOW CANCELLED****

New this year, the Earls Court Caravan & Motorhome Show 2007 is a must-attend event for all caravanning enthusiasts. The only event of its kind in London, it will offer visitors the widest choice of touring caravans and motorhomes in the South East, as well as an opportunity to pick up a great deal before the new season starts.

Over 150 top brands and manufacturers spanning the breadth of the caravan and motorhome industry will converge under one roof. The show will provide everything needed for novices and experts alike to enjoy caravanning.

More

Win tickets to the International Caravan and Motorhome Show at the NEC in October.  Busy Caravanning.Com has ten pairs of tickets to give away just by answering a simple question.

To take part click the link below to go to Busy outdoors.Com

International Caravan & Motorhome Show Competition

The Swift Group has announced that the prices of all the companies touring caravans will increase with effect from 11 June, 2007.

Inflationary pressure on many key components, especially those involving timber, oil and steel, has been growing for several months and has now reached a level where we can no longer hold prices down.

However, we have managed to keep these increases to a modest level, and our products still offer the most competitive combination of style value and specification on the market," Richard White Group Marketing Director commented.

The new twin-axle Sprite Quattro has come top in a three van test carried out by Which Caravan, which called it “the best family layout ever”.

Scoring 85 out of 100 compared to the Adria’s 81 and the Elddis’ 76 points, the Quattro, which has an end washroom and front parallel seating, was praised for its price, weight and all-round ability.

“Asking £11,995 for the new 2007 Sprite twin-axle with this fabulous layout (whatever the kit level) is an absolute steal,” said the report.

“Praised before as ‘possessing massive open interior space’, Swift has improved the Sprite further still. The interior is now even more open….,” it continues.

The Quattro also scored highly for its spacious eye-level lockers and its washroom. which is described as “a brilliant full-on washroom for six”.

“We’ve always been impressed that the Quattro sleeps six comfortable and still has a generous washroom,” the report said. “Front settees morph into the double while the central dinette builds into the first of two bunks.

“Opposite is the second set of bunks, with the top fixed and the bottom, unless carrying bikes, also fixed. All are best for kids, except the lower two which, without the sideboards, allow for larger teenager or small adults to make use of them.”

It concludes: “….the twin-axle Sprite is only a fiver more than the single-axle Elddis, and as good as the Elddis is, it can’t compete with the Sprite as a six-berth.”

Read our Sprite Quattro review here