When it opened for business eight years ago, North500 Motorhomes had just three vehicles for hire to road trip fans.
Today, the Inverness-based company has a fleet of more than 50 to meet the growing demands from visitors.
The surge in numbers has been fuelled by the increasing popularity of tourist routes like the North Coast 500, labelled ‘Scotland’s ultimate road trip’.
Huge rise in tourism
In 2015, the same year the NC500 began, a new firm acquired the Torvean Caravan Park on the outskirts of the city.
Two years later, North500 Motorhomes started up to help meet the rush to explore the Highlands by road.
“Inverness and the Highlands has seen a huge rise in tourism year on year”, says Callum Munro, general manager of North500 Motorhomes and Torvean Caravan and Lodge Park.
“The business has also grown year on year with a huge demand for exploring the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, as well as the world-renowned NC500 route.
“The NC500 has certainly put the Highlands and the North of Scotland on the map as one of the most beautiful routes in the world to explore.
“Many of our customers have hired from us to discover the route, but have also returned to explore different areas as they enjoyed our service and the quality of our vehicles.”
All ages and nationalities use motorhomes
Shortly after becoming established, the pandemic hit the business, forcing people to cancel at short notice or change their plans.
However, action was taken to allow customers to move their booking to new dates and numbers on the NC500 have since returned to pre-Covid levels.
Motorhome users come from all age groups and nationalities, keen to seek out the area’s attractions including the beaches, golf courses and surf spots.
Such is the demand, the company now sell off motorhomes, costing from around £40,000, when vehicles are replaced.
“Over the last few years, we have seen an increase in bookings from millennials who want to see where the road takes them, enjoy hidden beaches, visit local food gems and switch off from the outside world”, says Callum.
“Taking a trip in a motorhome is a great way to properly switch off and enjoy some headspace from busy lives, no matter what age they are.”
The entire fleet is usually fully booked during the summer, with early spring and autumn also increasingly busy times for hires.
Concerns at behaviour of some motorhome users
But growing numbers of motorhomes on the roads is not always popular with other road users.
Nor is the behaviour of a minority of visitors who have been blamed for irresponsible parking and dumping waste, while not helping businesses in areas they visit.
Callum says to help ease congestion, as well as recommending the more popular routes, he encourages visitors to travel to lesser-known areas including the Aberdeenshire Coast and the North East 250 route.
He also addresses the concerns of local people about motorhome users.
“Unfortunately, there are a minority number of motorhome users who do not treat the roads and locations with respect.
“We always ensure that our customers are aware of where and when to dispose of waste and encourage all customers to be respectful of their surroundings and the areas they visit including supporting local businesses.”
Visitor levy ‘one of the main challenges’
Last year, Highland Council introduced a £40 seven-day pass which allowed motorhome users access to its car parks and other facilities.
It has been criticised by some campsite owners who also face a proposed 5% tourism levy.
Callum says the tourism tax is one of the main challenges facing the business at the moment.
“However, this should be a positive step to ensure the necessary upgrades to our roads and infrastructure are maintained, creating a better experience for both visitors and locals alike.”
A recent highlight for the business was providing support vehicles for a team led by ex-Scotland and Lions rugby legend Rob Wainwright in the 2024 All Roads Lead to Rome cycle challenge in aid of My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.
The business then supported the team again in February for the ‘Doddie’s Grand Tour’ of Scotland from Dublin to Edinburgh.
For the future, Callum and his team want to encourage more people to use their vehicles to take staycations.
‘Explore what’s on your doorstep’
He said: “As a local business, we would certainly like to see more local people exploring what’s on their doorstep, as well as Scotland and the UK as a whole.
“By hiring direct from Inverness, we are giving local residents the opportunity to start their motorhome holiday straight away without having to travel for hours before they do.
“A staycation can be the most wonderful experience.”
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