A RISE in international visitors is helping to boost Australia's
caravanning and camping industry, it has been revealed.
Caravan Industry Association of Australia said targeted campaigns in key
Asian markets were paying dividends, with more adventurers from China and
Singapore electing to camp their way around Oz.
New figures released by the association showed that visitors from America
accounted for the largest growth on the previous year (49 percent),
followed by Britain (13 percent) and Germany (10 percent).
Meanwhile, caravan and camping visitors from China ‒ although off a small
base rate ‒ rose by 54 percent on the previous year, and Singapore showed
substantial growth of 78 percent.
International visitors aged 20 to 29 years continued to represent the
largest segment for the caravan and camping industry.
'Important market for tourism
generally'
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They accounted for 42 percent of visitors and 53 percent of all nights
created in Australia for year ending last September.
The association said the demographic represented "an important market for
tourism generally" because the travellers tended to stay for longer, spend
more and venture wider into regional areas.
And when they liked what they experienced, they became "excellent
ambassadors" for Australian tourism with social sharing and peer-to-peer
influence.
Association chief executive Stuart Lamont said the targeted campaigns were
showing positive signs for the industry.
"They continue seeking out ways to connect with these new consumers from
markets that haven't traditionally engaged with independent self-drive
travel," he added.
In total, Australia welcomed 346,861 caravan and camping overnight
visitors from 23 international markets for year ending in September.
This was a 14 percent rise from the previous year and a return to growth
for the period.
Interestingly, this increase was three percent higher than the broader
national tourism trend for international visitors.
The changing dynamics in aviation, with new business models and routes
opening, are helping to provide opportunities for Australia's caravan and
camping industry in terms of international visitors.
New aviation routes and partnerships continue to reduce the cost barrier
for our core markets to travel to Australia and are encouraging emerging
markets to explore Australia's diverse destinations.
For example, 53 percent of all caravan and camping visitors were first
time arrivals to Australia.
