The Camping and Caravanning Club: It's official camping makes you happy! New study shows camping and outdoor enjoyment is good for your mental health and well-being

The report has been published 11 years after the ground-breaking Real Richness Report, also commissioned by the Club and researched by LJMU, which provides a comparison to findings from more than a decade ago.

Key findings from The Outjoyment Report discovered campers are:

Sabina Voysey, The Camping and Caravanning Club's Director General, said: "The findings of The Outjoyment Report have never been so relevant as they are today. Camping in all its different forms puts us on the doorstep of the great outdoors and provides a clear pathway to a healthier and happier lifestyle – one in which people appreciate nature more and are active outdoors. Given the many negative events that have been happening in recent times at home and abroad, anything that helps people to feel better about themselves and each other is vitally important."

Dr Kaye Richards, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Liverpool John Moores University, said: "Camping connects people – to the outdoors, to nature, to each other, and most importantly to themselves. Positive emotions generated from outdoor enjoyment help to alleviate everyday stressors and promote feelings of life satisfaction. It is no surprise then, that the more people camp the more this can improve happiness and well-being."

Dr Adele Doran, Principal Lecturer in Tourism Management at Sheffield Hallam University, added: "Campers really enjoy an outdoor lifestyle. They pursue a range of outdoor activities while camping, which fuels their sense of adventure, keeps them physically active and connects them to nature. In fact, campers are more connected to nature than non campers."

The Outjoyment Report also examined subjects such as the importance of children going camping as part of their formal education, and how survey respondents felt about healthcare professionals prescribing spending time in natural settings as a remedy for poor mental health.

83% of respondents felt positive about health professionals prescribing spending time in nature as an effective remedy for poor mental health, a significant rise from 58% in our previous study. And 94% believe children should learn outdoors while 93% think pupils should camp as part of their formal education – a big rise from the 59% of the 2011 report.

Sabina added: "Our vision is for a society in which camping and memorable outdoor experiences can play a full part in building a happier, healthier nation. Our goal is to raise the profile of camping and the countryside, and to urge policy-makers in government to harness the findings of our report to shape people's outdoor enjoyment – especially through camping – as it will ultimately help to make them healthier and happier people."

About The Outjoyment Report
The report was generated through two primary channels. Our experts carried out a literature review of existing academic research relating to camping or caravanning that has been published since 2010 in English, reviewing 1,166 articles and chapters from books. This was accompanied by an in-depth survey of the views and attitudes of 10,992 campers and non campers, that included using a set of internationally-recognised measures of well-being. The data was then statistically analysed to identify where campers and non campers might differ.

Further information
For a copy of The Outjoyment Impact Report, the full report or photography, please visit www.theoutjoymentreport.co.uk.

For media enquiries please contact Simon McGrath (07764 352038, [email protected]) or Andy Robson (07796 314356, [email protected]).

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