Campsite Gift Vouchers: How to Sell Them

Every campsite owner gets the message eventually. "Do you do gift vouchers?" A well run campsite gift voucher scheme brings in cash before the season starts, introduces new guests to your site and fills quiet weeks, all with very little effort once it is set up.

Done badly, vouchers become a pile of loose promises on the back of an envelope. This guide covers how to set vouchers up, what to put in the terms, how to deal with VAT and expiry, and how to keep track of every one you sell.

Why gift vouchers suit campsites

Camping is an easy gift to give. People love the idea of a weekend away, but many do not know where to book. A voucher solves that and points them straight at you.

• Cash up front. You are paid months before the stay, which helps in spring when the bills for repairs and supplies arrive.
• New guests. The person who receives the voucher is often someone who has never heard of your site.
• Quiet periods get busier. Vouchers can be pointed at midweek or shoulder season dates, which suits your diary.
• Spend above the voucher. Guests often add extras such as firewood, a longer stay or an upgraded pitch on top of the voucher value.

Peak selling times are Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day and the run up to Easter. Have everything ready by early November and you will catch the Christmas rush.

Decide what the voucher is for

The first choice is whether to sell vouchers for a set value or for a set stay. Both work. Pick one to start with and keep it simple.

Value vouchers

A voucher for £50, £100 or £150 that can go towards any booking. This is the easiest to explain and gives the buyer a choice of amount. It also means a price rise does not leave you honouring a stay at last year's rate.

Stay vouchers

A voucher for "two nights midweek" or "a weekend on a serviced pitch". These feel more like a present and let you steer people to the dates you want to fill. The catch is that you need to review the wording each time your pitch pricing changes.

Many sites offer a few round value amounts plus one or two themed stays. That is plenty.

Write clear terms and conditions

Most voucher problems come from vague terms. A short, plain set of rules on the voucher itself and on your website saves awkward conversations later. Cover these points:

• Value or stay. Exactly what the voucher covers.
• Expiry date. Twelve months is common. Some sites allow longer. There is no single rule that applies to every UK business, so choose a period and state it clearly.
• Blackout dates. Say if bank holidays, school holidays or event weekends are excluded.
• Booking process. Vouchers should be redeemed in advance, subject to availability.
• Change and cash rules. No cash value, no change given, and whether a part used voucher can be used again.
• Lost vouchers. Whether you will replace one, and what proof you need.
• Transfers. Whether the voucher can be passed to someone else.

If you already have a terms and conditions page, link to it from the voucher so there is only one set of rules to maintain. It also helps to line up your voucher rules with your cancellation policy, so the voucher holder is treated the same as any other guest.

Think about VAT, expiry and the money you hold

Money received for a voucher is not the same as a booking. You owe a stay, so treat it as money you are holding until the guest turns up.

• Keep voucher money in your records. Note each sale and each redemption so your accounts show what you still owe in future stays.
• VAT depends on the voucher type. If you are VAT registered, the rules differ depending on whether the voucher can be used for one specific thing or many different things. Check with your accountant before you launch. Our VAT guide for campsites covers the basics.
• Be fair on expiry. If a voucher runs out and the guest could not use it because you were fully booked, a short extension is good business and good reviews.
• Keep your promises if you change hands. If you sell the site, vouchers are a liability to pass on. Mention them in the sale.

This is general information, not financial advice. Your accountant will tell you how it works for your exact situation.

How to sell and deliver vouchers

The easiest vouchers to sell are the ones people can buy at 10pm on a Sunday night in their pyjamas. Make it as simple as possible.

Online sales

Add a "Gift vouchers" page to your website with the amounts, the terms, a photo of the site and a button to buy. Take payment by card so the money is secure, and send a PDF voucher straight away by email. If you are not sure how to add card payments, read about taking payments through CampSuite and our guide to payment methods for UK campsites.

Printed vouchers

Some buyers still want something to put in a card. A simple printed card or A5 sheet with a number, the value, the expiry date and your logo is enough. Keep a numbered stub or a copy so you can check it when it comes back.

In person and by phone

If someone calls to buy one, take the card details securely, then send the voucher by post or email the same day. Do not accept payment details by text message or write them down on paper.

Keep a voucher register

This is the part most people skip, and the part that matters most. A voucher register can be a simple spreadsheet with these columns:

• Voucher number
• Date sold and amount paid
• Buyer name and email
• Recipient name, if given
• Expiry date
• Amount redeemed and date
• Balance remaining

When a voucher holder books, note the voucher number against the booking so you do not accept the same voucher twice. A booking system where you can add a note or take a deposit against each reservation makes this easier, because the voucher detail sits next to the guest and the dates rather than in a separate file.

It is also worth setting a reminder a month before the expiry date to email anyone who has not yet used theirs. Gentle nudges turn forgotten vouchers into bookings.

Promote your vouchers without being pushy

Most guests will not look for a voucher page unless you tell them it exists. A few cheap ways to get the word out:

• Email your past guests in early November with a short note and a link. Our guide to building a campsite email list explains how to collect addresses.
• Post on social media in the weeks before Christmas, Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.
• Add a line to your booking confirmation and your thank you email after the stay.
• Update your Google Business Profile with an offer or a post about gift vouchers.
• Tell local businesses. Pubs, farm shops and tourist information points sometimes display a card or a leaflet.

Common mistakes to avoid

• No expiry date. It leaves you with an open ended promise that never goes away.
• No record. If you cannot show which vouchers are outstanding, you cannot plan or account for them properly.
• Selling a stay voucher at an old price. Value vouchers avoid this problem.
• Making the buying process hard. If it takes more than two minutes, people give up.
• Treating voucher holders as second class. They are your best chance of winning a brand new regular guest.

The key takeaway

Campsite gift vouchers are a simple way to bring in money early and win new guests. Offer a few clear options, write plain terms, keep a proper register and check the VAT position with your accountant. Then tell people they exist before Christmas and again in the spring.

If you want bookings, payments and guest messages in one place, so a voucher holder is as easy to look after as any other guest, try CampSuite free. It is free for CL sites and CS sites, and there is more on the plans if you run a bigger park.