You’ve got a stunning holiday park, filled with amenities that would make any holidaymaker’s heart sing. There’s just one problem: the WiFi. You’ve tried mesh networks, repeaters, and probably lost sleep over signal strength and coverage area. Here’s a radical idea—don’t rely solely on a traditional WiFi network.
Poor WiFi loses Bookings
On face value, it’s obvious – guests are asking for WiFi – so give them WiFi. Be it canvas or caravans, lodges or villas, these days most Holiday Park accommodation comes with WiFi.
But is it any good?
It’s easy to find out – guests are quick to post on social media and review sites when things like the WiFi are not up to scratch. In fact, websites such as Booking.com even have separate scores for WiFi as part of customer reviews. And this really matters. A recent survey found that 45% of people won’t choose to book a resort that has poor WiFi.
So, it isn’t just WiFi that needs to be provided, it needs to be great WiFi.
54% of guests say they will downgrade their reviews due to WiFi woes
Common WiFi Challenges
Holiday parks can be tricky places to set up a WiFi network that performs well. Large spaces, undulating land, trees, lots of buildings and limited ability to lay power or fibre-optic cables. It’s hard to distribute a strong WiFi signal for everyone. It can be daunting.
There are two common mistakes we see when we upgrade parks with existing WiFi infrastructure: using mesh distribution, and “Out-to-In” endpoints.
Mesh distribution is where the park’s main broadband connection is sent around the site by a series of WiFi Access Points (APs). These outdoor APs re-broadcast the WiFi signal from one to the next in a series of hops, to eventually cover the whole site. This technically works, but what most people don’t know is that every time the signal is passed from AP to AP, the WiFi speed halves. So, very quickly the speed of the service drops. Using 5 APs in a chain to reach the cabin at the back? Halving every time, the user will only get a maximum of 1/32nd of the speed by the time it gets to them…no wonder they were complaining about poor service.
“Out-to-In” is the nail in the coffin for holiday park WiFi. This is where the outdoor WiFi APs also try to serve nearby guests by sending the WiFi signal through the external walls of their accommodation. Thick walls are not the friend of WiFi. And metal-skinned caravans are almost perfectly designed to block the connection from reaching anything inside them. The result is WiFi that crawls at a snail’s pace, and certainly not the home-from-home broadband your guests have to come to expect.
Better WiFi Service is Possible with Wifinity
Both the mesh and “Out-to-In” problems are solved by Wifinity. We use Cambium’s 60 GHz wireless technology to distribute backhaul connectivity around a site, so guests are connected, wherever they are in the park. The only time WiFi is used, is to communicate to user devices. Powerful 60GHz wireless transmitters beam the site’s broadband connection directly to discrete receivers installed on the outside of every caravan or lodge. Without the need for many hops along the way, there is no loss of speed.
We call it Direct To Van (DTV).
The external receivers are hard-wired through to conventional WiFi routers on the inside of property.
The result? Nothing gets between your guests and brilliantly fast broadband, that works just like at home.
Wifinity & Cambium: A Game Changer for Park Connectivity
So, how do you deliver a great WiFi service in a Holiday Park? Don’t use WiFi! Instead use Cambium’s latest technology designed, installed and managed by Wifinity to create a modern, fast and reliable on-site network, that gives your guests the quality WiFi they demand.
Take the Next Step with Wifinity
Ready to explore your options? We provide managed networks for leading UK resorts including Parkdean, Haven & Butlins. Our customised networks are designed to fit your park’s unique layout and needs, with 24/7 UK-based customer support. We can schedule installation in the off season to minimise guest disruption. For a deeper dive into how Wifinity can supercharge your parks WiFi, contact us for a complimentary consultation.
Find out more by downloading our Holiday Park Brochure, visiting our Holiday Parks & Resorts service page or get in touch with us today.