21 June 2012

British weather scares tourists away

British holiday parks have accused weather forecasters of frightening away tourists by being 'deliberately pessimistic'.

British seaside resort owners have condemned BBC weather forecasters for issuing ‘deliberately pessimistic' warnings, which could scare off tourists from holidaying in the UK.

One holiday park director claimed that weather forecasts are ‘increasingly alarmist'. While another claims that meteorologists are attempting to ‘cover all eventualities' in case they get it wrong.

Holiday parks and seaside resort owners believe that the UK weather forecast is having a dramatic effect on the tourism trade as holidaymakers are opting to go abroad in search of sunshine.

They are now appealing for meteorologists to consider the impact of weather predictions.

"We're not asking them to bend the truth, but just to be more careful with phrasing,” Tony Clish, Director of Park Holidays UK, which owns 700 caravans in Suffolk.

"For example, they could say that while inland areas may have showers, coastal areas are expected to be dry,” he added.

Claire Jeavons who runs a holiday caravan park site in Devon believes that ‘alarmist' forecasters are driving tourists away.

"Just a few days ago we were hearing that all caravan parks in the West Country were on flood alert, and this simply wasn't the case,” she claimed.

Tomasz Schafernaker, a BBC weather presenter, responded by claiming that forecasters have no reason to "dampen the spirits” of those in tourist trade.

The BBC South East Presenter said: "I understand the frustration and there is a tendency for weather forecasters to emphasise on the negative aspects of the weather.

"Fundamentally that's what weather forecasters are for – they are there to highlight the dangers.

"But there is certainly no reason why we would want to dampen the sprits or be deliberately pessimistic. It's just that our job is to pick out the most important parts of the weather which can affect people's lives.”

Those looking to enjoy a caravan park holiday in the UK might want to consider holiday car rental.