MCU14/0056 Economic impact report Att B - Information response

    •    an estimated 500,000 RVs are registered in Australia and approximately 120,000
         RVs will be manufactured over the next five years;

    •    there were 9.2 million caravanning, camping and motor home trips in 2012 and, on
         current trends, RV travellers will increase by more than 60% over the next ten
         years 3;

    •    Grey Nomads (born during or before World War II) currently dominate the RV
         traveller market (up to 70% of the tourism market in some Queensland local
         government areas), but will be dominated by Baby Boomers within the next five
         years;

    •    an estimated 70,000 to 80,000 caravanners are travelling on an extended tour
         around Australia at any one time, travelling an average of 156 days;

    •    34% stay only in caravan parks and 16% stay only in non-commercial
         accommodation (50% use a mix), with convenient and desirable accommodation a
         primary motivator for length of stay and level of spend;

    •    RV tourists are the biggest spending travellers in the domestic market, spending
         on average $500 to $900 per week. Their spend patterns are more like residents
         in that they spend directly into the community, mainly on day-to-day needs,
         purchasing tourism services and products as it suits them;

    •    Preferred activities include visiting markets, heritage sites and museums, going
         bushwalking, visiting National Parks and undertaking full or half-day tours;

    •    73% of RV travellers consider it important to actively support RV friendly towns.


As noted by IBISWorld, the loss of caravan parks and campgrounds has constrained
industry growth over the past five years. The caravan park industry is moving to offer
more facilities and better accommodation. Unpowered sites are being upgraded to
powered sites, and parks are offering more cabin accommodation to improve profitability
as well as meet higher market expectations.
Using historic caravan and campground listings for the Sunshine Coast region, Foresight
Partners found that, since 2001, seven caravan parks appear to have closed (but two
have opened).




3
  RV travellers are defined as tourists travelling in their own accommodation, being a motorhome,
campervan or slide-on (2WD or 4WD), or in a vehicle towing their accommodation being a caravan,
 th
5 wheeler or camper trailer.

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Myall Street – Information Request Response
12022-1 Rev 0
22 December 2014