Caravanning News is registered with the National Library of Australia's PANDORA archive

JULY 2022
     

A year of record highs

Caravan and camping industry still exceeding expectations

By Dennis Amor

AUSTRALIA'S caravan and camping industry continues to be a major driver of the nation's visitor economy and manufacturing sectors.

In its latest State of Industry 2022 Report, the Caravan Industry Association of Australia said the industry had again exceeded expectations.

2021 had been a year of record highs throughout various sectors of the industry, with an astonishing $23.8 billion impact on the Australian economy annually, it said.

While the broader tourism industry remained constrained, the caravan and camping visitor economy had strongly rebounded from 2020, generating 12.6 million trips and $7.4 billion in visitor expenditure.

''This propelled the caravan and camping sector to become the largest provider of accommodation for the purposes of a holiday in Australia," the report said.

"Australians' strong desire for recreational vehicles broke four-decade long manufacturing records with over 23,931 units produced."

Caravan Industry Association of Australia chief executive Stuart Lamont, pictured, said figures highlighted the resilience of the industry in times of crisis and the importance the sector had in helping to support Australia's economy when other sectors faltered.

"The dream remains very much alive for Australians looking for a safe and affordable holiday experience," he said.

"Despite headwinds in market, we continue to remain very optimistic about the future of the industry, and the contribution that it makes to the health and wellbeing of Australians, and the economies of many regional and rural communities around the country"

The report said demand was further complemented by a record supply of imported caravans, with 18,917 units brought into the country in 2021 ... a 79 percent increase over the previous year.

This resulted in over 42,000 recreational vehicles entering the market for the year.

"What is most notable, was that the industry achieved record heights under a backdrop of COVID-19 travel restrictions, state border closures, business lockdowns, international supply chain disruptions and a reduced labour force," the report said.

The past two years had also demonstrated the "vital importance" that caravan parks, manufacturers and rental companies had in supporting communities and society.

"Whether it be caravans provided to farmers to protect their workers from COVID, providing motorhomes to remote communities as medical support units, or caravan parks providing temporary housing solutions during natural disasters," the report said.

Demand for caravan and campervans in Australia continued to be strong, with Queensland still number one in terms of registered RVs.

It was ahead of Victoria with 185,507 registrations and New South Wales with 182,764 registrations.

The 30-45 year market accounted for the most caravan and camping trips, growing 19 percent compared to 2020 and totalling 5.9 million trips.

In terms of visitor nights spent, the 55-plus year market generated 21.5 million caravan and camping nights, an increase of 23 percent compared to 2020.   Have your say

BACK TO CARAVANNING NEWS MAIN PAGE