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OCTOBER 2022
     

Work and play is the new life of some caravanners

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IT is no secret that Covid has changed the way Queenslanders live and work, but an emerging caravanning trend has shown that it has also altered the way they holiday.

The caravanning scene has given rise to the concept of B-Leisure (mixing business and leisure) for the new or experienced caravanning fraternity.

Caravanning and camping continues to be the preferred holiday option across Australia, but this new hybrid holiday trend is seeing many 'cara-fans' exploring creative caravan customisations to enable them to make a living while on the road.

Caravanning Queensland Trade chief executive Jason Plan said there had been a rise in the number of Aussies taking the leap to hit the road and explore everything Australia has to offer in recent years.

And, he added, this phenomenon had since led to a spike in requests for specially modified caravans which allowed travellers to generate an income no matter where they were.

Thiis, enabled them to make their nomadic adventure a more permanent lifestyle.

"The previous trend was renovating old 'vans into food trucks," Mr Plant said.

"But what we're now seeing is an emergence of manufacturers working with speciality businesses to create bespoke caravans, specifically modified for Aussies to run face-to-face businesses from the road.

"These include portable coffee shops, on-the-go hairdressers, travelling massage stations and soon-to-be cocktail bars."

Caravan sales have continued to soar over the last couple of years, with Queensland leading the charge nationally for the highest number of RVs (caravans, campervans, camper trailers and motorhomes) registered in Queensland, accounting for 26 percent of the nation’s registrations.

While Queenslanders wanted to explore off the beaten track, an increase in requests for interior caravan customisations was further evidence they wanted to do this while still making a living.

According to Brisbane Camperland managing director Josh Carnavas, the trend of being off-grid and fully self-sustainable - both physically and financially - was continuing to rise and a key reason to why travellers were looking to modify their caravans.

"We've certainly seen an increase in customers looking to mix business and leisure, whether it's working remotely from a laptop or creating a (portable) face-to-face business model," he said.

"One indicator of this is the significant increase in customers opting for lithium power and moving away from gas or electricity requirements which support them in running their business from literally anywhere, but without losing any of the creature comforts."
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The growing trend of B-leisure and caravan customisation is positive news for the upcoming Let's Go Brisbane Caravan and Outdoor Expo, which is set to roll into Brisbane Showgrounds from October 27 to 30, offering something for all levels of explorers, from road trip novices to experienced nomads.

With skyrocketing growth in the caravan and camping lifestyle, more than 100 exhibitors will showcase the latest and greatest recreational vehicles and accessories on offer.

It will give Aussie adventurers the opportunity to explore, plan and kit themselves out for their next big Aussie road trip, or possible new business venture.

For anyone itching to hit the road for a weekend or an extended stay, the show provides opportunities to chat with industry experts and meet well known caravan and camping influencers.

They will also be presenting a range of seminars including mastering the caravan-life ... while making money on the road!

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