WHETHER you’ve swapped nights out for family games nights, or pricey restaurants for your mum’s warming home-cooked meals, the pandemic has helped us look much closer to home and realise just how lucky we are.

The same can also be said for holidaymakers and sunseekers who, in any other year, would have leapt at the chance to escape the cold UK climate for the blistering heat of Spain or Greece.

But when the Covid-19 ban on travelling abroad came into action, jet-setters had no choice than to holiday on their doorsteps instead.

Embarking on a staycation, many flocked to seaside towns such as Clacton and Walton to soak up record-breaking temperatures, while others headed to the naturally beautiful Peak District.

For a few months, tourism in Essex and Tendring was given a much-needed boost, even if it did arguably undo most of our previous efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Although it may have been premature in hindsight to open the country back up so soon, the perks of taking trips within the UK - more through a need to do anything but be stuck in doors than choice - has clearly left a lasting impression.

Chelmsford Weekly News:

And the decision to take a trip closer to home appears to have had a lasting impression as more and more people are opting to holiday at home.

Bosses at Park Holidays UK, which was founded in 1984 and employs up to 1,600 people, have revealed they are having to put in waiting lists for caravans.

Despite the financial impacts the pandemic has had on so many, the demand for holiday homes across Essex and beyond is positively soaring.

The company, which has five caravan sites in the county, including in Clacton, Harwich and St Osyth, is even having to order more caravans and create more pitches to cope.

Director Tony Clish believes the company has never seen such demand, but has reassured customers they will deliver the goods.

“This is unprecedented in our 25-year history, so we are asking customers to bear with us if their ideal holiday home can’t be provided immediately,” he said.

“We fully realise that all new buyers will be keen to start enjoying their holiday homes as soon as possible and we’re working hard to make this a reality.

“Customers have the assurance that names are being entered on our waiting lists in strictly the order in which they are received, and that there will be no queue jumping.”

Park Holidays UK, which has more than 30 sites across the country, has already placed hundreds of orders for new holiday homes and deliveries are expected soon.

Chelmsford Weekly News:

Alex Porter, Tendring councillor responsible for leisure and tourism, believes it can only be positive that more people are looking to head for Tendring and Essex for their holidays.

He said: “Caravans, whether mobile or static, are an important part of the holiday accommodation mix in our district and contribute strongly to our local economy.

“This can be in terms of spending in our shops, pubs, restaurants and attractions, and also underpins a large number of jobs both in these venues and at caravan parks too.

“There are exciting opportunities for Tendring around tourism and staycations – which seem to be growing as visitors explore areas of the UK new to them due to the current restrictions on international breaks.

“Our collective challenge is to show them how great Tendring is so we can entice them to come back year after year.

“That is why tourism, and our programme of Celebrate Tendring events for 2021, is such an important part of our Back to Business programme.”