Kirkcudbrightshire holiday operators are battling to make up ground following months in the financial desert under lockdown.
Local tourism businesses only reopened in July after losing the first half of the season to the Covid emergency.
Since then it appears visitors have been flocking to Galloway in their thousands – many for the first time.
But now the race is on to bank as much cash as possible from what remains of the season to keep solvent over the winter.
Sandgreen Caravan Park owner Elspeth Sutton brought her full staff back to cope with demand.
She said: “We have all been working three times as hard without a break since we returned.
“We have welcomed a lot of visitors to the park who have never stayed in a caravan or Dumfries and Galloway before.
“Staycations have become popular on the back of Covid. People don’t wish to be stranded in a foreign country or have to go into quarantine when they fly back.
“They are delighted they can be here in a couple of hours on a beach when the sun shines.
“That’s a lot better than being on a mobbed Spanish beach jammed together.”
“They loved the place and the scenery and I hope they come back.”
She added: “There’s a boom in accommodation bookings for next year. Sandgreen is booked up for July and August 2021.
“And our smaller Barnsoul site at Shawhead is busier than last year and up 30 per cent. We are just delighted we still have a business.”
However, Mrs Sutton, who chairs the British Holiday and Homes Parks Association Scotland, remains cautious.
“I am concerned if we go into a second lockdown,” she said. “We can’t afford to do that again.
“Also furlough schemes will be drying up soon. Companies will be looking at paying off their employees.
“A majority of our customers are private owners. When that happens the first thing to go might be their caravan.
“It’s a luxury and they may wish to sell it.”
Physical distancing rules mean Loch Ken Galloway Activity Centre has been operating at reduced capacity since reopening.
Manager Ben Sharp said: “It was a rush to get everything back.
“We lost staff and footfall had to be cut back to far below normal levels.
“It’s going to be a difficult winter but it has been amazing to see how many people are still wanting to get out.
“We have been fully booked right from July 15 and our eco bothies are booked up until November.
“It has shored things up for winter and it’s going to be tight.
“But hopefully we can keep going until the spring.”
