Julie Brown was introduced to campervans and touring vans when she was aged five.
Now, a lifetime of adventures in Scotland’s beauty spots has become a successful business and new career.
Julie was a social media manager when the first pandemic lockdown hit and suddenly her clients all shut down. Looking for a new direction, she turned to helping others holiday as she always has.
“It was amazing,” she told the Post about growing up going on adventures with parents Pat and Garry and brother Steven, usually at the bottom of Ben Nevis or heading to the isles of Skye, Harris or Lewis. “We met so many different friends. It always felt like such a safe holiday.
“People think it’s roughing it. We like to call ourselves a hotel on wheels.”
Julie started Staycation Scotland Campers in May 2020 – and sold out three months of hires in just their first two weeks. Since then, they saw a 100 per cent jump in sales into 2022.
But as pandemic restrictions have eased, it hasn’t dampened enthusiasm for people choosing to leave their vehicles in Clydebank and head out in a camper for a Scottish adventure. Former Clydebank High pupil Julie, husband Simon and sons Finlay, 13, and Jude, 11, recently went to Dubai for a family trip. But their children said they preferred Fort William.
That’s the lifestyle Julie – using Instagram to promote and sell her luxury campervan hires – wants to pitch to others.
And she said Clydebank is in the perfect place for it. With its location for links west and into the Highlands and Islands, as well as Glasgow Airport and the rail network, Julie said they help promote Scotland.
“Although people can travel abroad again, we are still seeing customers coming back to us now, young couples aged 25-40 especially. That’s 75 per cent of our demographics. They are still coming back to us, three or four times in two years.” She added: “Lockdown taught me that Scotland is so beautiful, and it taught others too.”
Weekend hires are for a minimum of three nights, except in July and August when it’s seven nights. The firm, with two staff as well as Julie, has nine vans to hire.
Visit staycationscotlandcampers.com or follow them on Instagram @staycationscotland.
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