Small investment, big returns: Upgrading cabins for high-needs guests

If your caravan holiday park already offers accessible cabins, you are part of a growing movement catering to travellers with disabilities. But there is a larger, under-served opportunity – guests with high-needs accessibility requirements.

Accessible Accommodation’s four-tier accreditation system includes a ‘high needs’ category for assisted wheelchair users. The imbalance is striking, about 40 per cent of booking enquiries come from this group, yet only 9 per cent of properties can accommodate them. Bottom line: supply is thin, demand is strong – and rising.

How to become “high-needs ready”

If your existing accessible cabin has at least 1.5 metres of clearance between the bed and the wall, you may be closer than you think. To qualify, each cabin must also include three pieces of specialised equipment:
• A commode (a shower chair on wheels)
• A mobile or ceiling hoist for safe transfers
• An electric hi-lo bed

The upfront investment – typically A$8,000–A$10,000 – tends to pay for itself quickly. High-needs travellers often book longer stays, making these cabins a reliable revenue stream.

Becoming high-needs ready is about more than equipment. It means opening your doors to travellers who have long struggled to find suitable accommodation. The results? A fuller booking calendar, happier guests and the knowledge your park is truly inclusive.

To explore whether your cabins could qualify, contact Kerry Williams at Accessible Accommodation: [email protected].

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This content was provided by Accessible Accommodation as part of its partnership with Caravan Industry Association of Australia. It does not reflect the views or opinions of Caravan Industry Association of Australia. References to products, services and claims made in this article should not be viewed as endorsements from Caravan Industry Association of Australia.