Caravan and camping nights reach record numbers

Caravan and camping trips are a favourite holiday option among many Australians, and this popularity is continuing to grow more than ever.

New data from Tourism Research Australia has revealed Australia’s caravan and camping visitor economy is going from strength to strength, reaching record numbers for year ending March.

The latest figures have revealed national overnight domestic caravan and camping trips have reached 11.84 million (rolling annual) and a 3.5% increase from March 2017.

Total nights spent caravan and camping increased by 3.5% to reach a record 51.3 million for the year ending March 2018.

Caravan and camping trips also proved popular with a wide age demographic, with the most prominent age groups being the 30 to 54-year market (5.5m) and the 55+ market (3.4m).

The 20-29 age group saw significant growth, increasing by 11% from the previous year to 2.1 million trips for the year ending March 2018.

Caravan and camping trips are all about the great outdoors and making the most of Australia’s unique natural landscapes. Many caravan and camping visitors connected with the great outdoors through social and nature-based experiences including going to the beach (4.1 million) and bushwalking (4 million).

The most popular activity amongst caravan and camping visitors was eating out at a restaurant or café, which was enjoyed by more than 6 million travellers. Additionally, this provided economic value to many regional areas that are home to caravan parks and shows the wide-ranging economic benefits of caravan and camping to all sectors of the visitor economy.

The majority of visitors (78%) took caravan and camping trips as a form of holiday, ahead of business and visiting family and friends which also motivated people to take caravan and camping trips.

In the June quarter, it is expected that the domestic caravan and camping market will continue to grow due to the low value of the dollar making international travel less appealing and increasing demand from travellers wanting to reconnect with themselves, their loved ones and nature.

Caravan and camping is quintessentially Australian; whether it is a family on holidays, grey nomads exploring the country or young groups venturing into the increasingly popular field of ‘glamping’, there truly is something for everybody.