As more people turn to caravan holidays to make sure they get a break throughout the economic downturn, it is important to make sure the right cover is in place.

The Caravan Club's Nikki Nichol revealed that bookings had increased by 40 per cent this year, suggesting caravanning is a firm favourite during the downturn.

This trend is down to a number of reasons, she noted, including the poor exchange rate people have been getting in both North America and Europe.

"If you look at what you would spend abroad on a family of four, you can buy a really nice second-hand caravan and every Friday can be a holiday," she suggested.

Ms Nichol advised that caravan owners are able to take as many holidays as they like, rather than waiting for their one or two-week break each year.

Anyone thinking of taking up caravanning, however, needs to make sure they have caravan insurance in place to cover any unfortunate incidents.

It seems Ms Nichol is not the only one who has seen an increase in the number of caravan sales in recent months, as a Haven Holiday spokesperson also acknowledged a rise.

"We have seen a significant rise in new customers buying caravan holiday homes this season so they can visit their favourite UK holiday destinations as often as they like," he claimed.

The spokesperson believes that the UK offers some fantastic holiday destinations for caravanners due to its variety of attractions and wonderful scenery.

As long as people feel they are getting good value for money, they will continue to visit destinations on home soil, he suggested, which will encourage parks to invest further in the facilities they offer.

Wherever caravanners plan to visit this year - whether at home or abroad - they need to make sure they have caravan insurance in place to cover any loss or damage they may incur.