Big weekend for caravan and camping in the media

It’s been a big news week for the caravanning and camping industry, which has increasingly been attracting media attention as travel restriction ease in Victoria and state borders conversations continue.

With interest in the sector continuing to grow, the past week alone has seen some incredible exposure for our industry across radio, television, print and digital platforms where we continue to work with industry and the media to provide relevant and relatable stories to connect with both existing and new happy campers.

Live from Mooloolaba Beach Holiday Park last Friday, popular morning breakfast show Sunrise was live across the nation with host Paul Burt. The popular caravan park was the perfect setting to showcase the family fun on offer and the benefits of getting back to basics to enjoy the wonderful locations and outdoor experiences on offer for Aussies.  

In this weekend’s issue of the QWeekend you may have also seen the spread by well-known lifestyle editor Frances Whiting about a “motorhome holiday with the family offering the fun of camping amid the glory of the great outdoors but removes the hassles of setting up.”  Travelling in an Apollo Motorhome, Frances visited Ingenia Holidays Riverside and Cotton Tree Holiday Park and wrote a glowing review of her time on the road.

ABC Radio segment The Conversation Hour featured an in-depth piece around the deep roots of caravanning culture, interviewing a wide range perspectives – from reminiscent families who have travel together for generations, to born and bred caravan park owners as well as our very own Keelan Howard who explained how well our industry caters to all price points and welcomes those giving it a go for the first time.  They also discussed the trends around annuals and what travel may look like this summer.  This was especially relevant to Victorians as they were once again able to get back on the road and reunite with family and friends this weekend after months in harsh lockdowns.

This piece in particular was an emotive story which conjured up great memories for the listeners, the host Richelle Hunt describing caravanning holidays as a time where “you are hit with the warmth and that familiar smell that can only be described caravan holiday.  It’s like a hug, that distinct smell of sea air and hot canvas, and it’s the first sign that you have weeks ahead of you, nothing but fun…”

With cruse and international travel off the cards for some time yet, Aussies are looking for local road trips to feed their sense of adventure. As such, it is a very important time for us as an industry to connect with those who are keen to explore their own backyard while also giving back to communities and local business doing it tough and try camping for the first time.

As new markets hit the road for the first time, it can be both exciting and nerve wracking trying something different. ABC life published this article introducing some tips for heading on a camping road trip this summer – from planning and research to the benefits of slowing down and enjoying the moments together and having a chat with other travellers, showing that there is plenty to be excited about and to appeal to those trying a road tip for the first time.

Lifestyle editor Konrad Marshall from the Good Weekend, which features in the Age, Sunday Morning Herald and Brisbane Times, also touched on the increasing interest from new markets, in particular from younger people and the changing face of caravan travel.  Our spokesperson Hugh Fitzpatrick explained to him that that more and more younger people are wanting to get out and experience Australia, with the average age of the Australian caravan owner being 33.

The way that Aussies work and learn has also changed dramatically this year, and these long-term changes in behaviour are likely also have a positive impact for the caravanning and camping community.  This year has proved to workplaces and parents that education and work are possible remotely, and in fact there are many benefits to this change.  The Age lifestyle editor Sophie Aubrey published a story on “Road schooling”, sharing the recent increase in interest from families across Australia as well as the benefits for children long term.

With all of the harsh and hard stories about the pandemic or global politics in the media, caravan and camping is continues to provide good news stories that counteract the negativity and give hope to adventure hungry Aussies after such a tough year.  As an industry, we have powerful stories to tell and experiences to offer, and now is the perfect time to do so while to spotlight is on local outdoor holidays. 

Caravan Industry Association of Australia continues to work hard to keep the caravan and camping holiday front of mind as restriction start to ease and these stories are just a sample from big name media over the past week, which just goes to show how hot the industry is right now.

If you have a story to share or are interested in being profiled please feel free to contact media@caravanindustry.com.au.

Please note that some stories featured in this article are published on media platforms that have pay walls and as such you may require subscriptions to those respective media services to view the story.