Driving against the odds; new camper van hire company goes from strength to strength during the pandemic

Two friends have joined forces and beaten the odds by successfully launching their new tourism business during a global pandemic.

CamperHoliday is the brainchild of Jo Summers and Ian Lightfoot, both from Cheshire, who share interests in camping, road trips and the outdoors. Both had experienced campervan hire which left much to be desired and decided that not only could they do better themselves, they could build a camper hire company where customer expectations are exceeded and fun tours guaranteed.

In May 2020, as the world was being turned upside down and the tourism industry brutally battered by COVID-19, Jo and Ian launched their new joint business venture. 

With two VW Campervans, delightfully named Fred and Wilma, CamperHoliday began hiring out its campers to those who wanted a care-free escape from daily life and an adventurous holiday with a difference. 

Always in-keeping with Government guidelines, and with each van having a full deep clean between hires, CamperHoliday has been able to offer customers Covid-secure, self-contained accommodation, now complete with portaloo, popup shower tent and shower, for full self sufficiency. Customers are able to enjoy a socially distanced holiday in the great outdoors while following restrictions, all in a home away from home. 

Jo says, “Starting a new business at any time would be challenging and has its risks, little did we know when we bought the vans and began building our business, that we would be launching in a global pandemic! Despite this, we’ve stayed true to our vision to provide stress-free, reliable, and honest campervan hire, ensuring the customer feels confident and has an enjoyable experience from start to finish.

We have procedures in place to ensure the safety of our customers and have secured the Visit England Good to Go mark. We have followed Government guidelines and have booking procedures in place that offer risk-free booking to our customers, if lockdowns happen we work with them to move or refund their booking so they never lose out.”

As business continues to grow, so does their fleet. Jo and Ian have recently bought their newest VW Campervan addition, Pebbles, and are currently busy getting her ready for hire from May. 

It’s been a rollercoaster ride for the pair, but as they approach their first year in business and finally have a new Government date for their self-contained holidays to resume (12 April), they’ve got plenty to celebrate! Find out more at camperholiday.co.uk.