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May 2019
 

 


RV strategy

'Great opportunity' to capture increasing market share'

Councillors endorse RV strategy for Fraser Coast

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COUNCILLORS have given the green light to Fraser Coast Regional Council's new strategy to position the Queensland region as a premier RV, caravan and camping destination.

Plans include establishing Maryborough as an RV education and maintenance hub, investigating options to offer low-cost camping options, reviewing signage and looking at designated long-vehicle parking spaces.

Councillor Paul Truscott said it would guide the monitoring and management of RV sites and provide a roadmap to grow the sector over the long term.

"A camping holiday or RV trip is an integral part of the Fraser Coast tourism experience, with Tourism Research Australia noting the region attracted more than 200,000 caravan and camping visitors who injected almost $70 million into our local economy in 2017," he said.

"The Fraser Coast region has a great opportunity to capture an increasing market share of Queensland's caravan, camping and RV markets, and this strategy outlines directions and actions to ensure the sector reaches its full potential."

Councillor Anne Maddern said the new strategy was more "focussed” than the council's previously endorsed strategy in 2017.

"RVs, to date, have been hugely beneficial in growing our economy and tourism and this is the next step in that process to further develop that tourism sector," she said.

"One of the areas in the report I found of great interest is we need to let people know where our caravan parks, free camping areas and low-cost camping areas are."

Key strategic directions and priority actions in the strategy will be implemented in a staged approach over a number of years.

They include:

■  Positioning and marketing the region as a premier RV, caravan and camping destination including revamped marketing platforms, industry engagement and a review of signage.

■  Business development which grows overall destination competitiveness including customer evaluations and investigating opportunities to host sector conferences and events.

■  Infrastructure investment which creates an RV, caravan and camping-friendly environment including establishing Maryborough as an RV education and maintenance hub, and investigating options for designated long vehicle parking spaces.

■  Establishing a transparent policy framework (including potential incentives for commercial operators to offer low cost camping options.

■  Effective site management and development including the development of site plans and annual reviews of site operating hours and fees for council-managed sites.

■  Building awareness of the benefits of the RV and caravan and camping sectors.

The council also resolved to begin investigations to identify a suitable Hervey Bay RV site to replace the current facility outside the Hervey Bay Visitor Information centre.

In addition, it will review the success of changes made at the Alan and June Brown Car Park in 2016 and the leasing of the Doon Villa site in 2017.

The review will help investigations into a potential additional RV site within Prickett Park and RV parking within HJ Davies and McDowell car parks.

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