Why We Started a Podcast for the Holiday Park Industry

Hey,

When we started The Holiday Park People, one of the things that surprised us most was that the UK holiday park industry didn’t really have a podcast space of its own.

Which felt a bit odd.

Because when you look at the holiday park sector, it’s packed with brilliant people and businesses doing interesting and innovating things every single day. But there wasn’t a proper space where those stories, conversations, and insights were being shared in one place.

And that’s what made us think that needs to change.

The idea was simple: create a space that shines a light on the people and businesses in the industry and hold real conversations that don’t shy away from the highs and the lows of this fantastic sector.

Since then, it’s honestly been one of the best parts of what we do. And we’re so lucky to have had some brilliant guests on the podcast already.

Conversations that go beyond the surface

The podcast has never been about polished scripts or jargon-filled discourse.

It’s always been about real people, real businesses, and real experiences in the holiday park world.

Hosted by co-founders Matt and Stacey, the episodes blend industry insight with honest conversation and tons of laughter along the way.

We’ve spoken about industry challenges, innovation, marketing, funding, technology, insurance, and everything in between.

But more than anything, we’ve learned that this sector is built on people who genuinely care about what they do. And we hope that comes across in every episode.

DF Capital

Most recently, we had the pleasure of catching up with Vanessa Attenborough from DF Capital.

This episode focused on something that comes up time and time again in the sector: funding and cash flow.

We spoke about how DF Capital supports holiday parks, manufacturers and dealers with flexible finance solutions that help businesses grow without unnecessary pressure. That includes stocking units, supporting expansion projects, and helping parks manage day-to-day cash flow more effectively.

We also talked about their consumer offering, DFRNT, which gives buyers more flexibility when purchasing a holiday home - something that can genuinely help convert interest into sales.

What made this conversation stand out for us was how practical it was. No jargon. No nonsense. Just a real, honest discussion about how parks can make growth more achievable.

Watch the full episode here.

ParcVu powered by Booking Experts

One of our recent episodes was with Andy and James from ParcVu powered by Booking Experts.

This was a real eye-opening conversation about technology in the holiday park industry and what it really takes to make systems work in practice, not just in theory.

We spoke about the reality of system change, why implementation matters just as much as the software itself, and how parks can get better outcomes when the right support is in place alongside the technology.

It also gave us a chance to talk more openly about our partnership and why combining sector knowledge with purpose-built systems makes such a difference.

It’s one of those episodes that really sticks with you after listening.

Watch the full episode here.

Leisuredays

Our first guest on the podcast was Gareth Walker from Leisuredays Insurance, and honestly, it set the tone perfectly for the kind of conversations we wanted to have.

This one was exactly what the sector is all about - experienced people who just get it.

Leisuredays have been working in the caravan and holiday home insurance space for over 30 years and support more than 1,000 parks across the UK. What stood out in the conversation wasn’t just the scale of what they do, but how they do it.

Simple, clear communication. A strong partnership approach. And a real understanding of the realities park operators face every day.

The episode was a proper laugh as well, and it was brilliant to celebrate Gareth’s 20 years with the business while hearing some of the stories and experiences he’s picked up along the way.

But underneath all of that, there was a clear message: trust and relationships matter in this sector.

Watch the full episode here.

What we’re learning from these conversations

If there’s one thing we’ve taken away from all of these episodes so far, it’s this:

There is no “one type” of business in this sector.

Every park, supplier, operator and partner has a different story, different pressures, and different ways of working.

But there are common themes that keep coming up:

• People matter more than processes
• Simplicity beats complexity
• Trust is everything
• And the best results come from genuine partnerships, not transactions

We’ve also learned that there’s a real appetite for open, honest conversation in the industry. People want to share ideas, talk about challenges, and hear how others are approaching similar problems.

More conversations to come

With 10 episodes out to date, we’re only just getting started.

There are so many more people in this sector we want to speak to; operators, suppliers, innovators, and the people quietly making things happen behind the scenes.

The goal has always been simple: keep shining a light on the holiday park industry in a way that feels real, positive, and useful.

If you’ve listened already, thank you, genuinely.

And if you haven’t yet, now’s a good time to get involved.

Tune in and join the conversation. You can find all episodes of our podcast here or on YouTube.

Til next time 💙