Future Leaders: Amanda Dempster on modernising caravan holiday parks

Amanda Dempster is leading the charge to modernise Australia’s caravan holiday parks – while preserving their unique charm.

Drawing on her own lived experience as a park owner, Amanda and her team at Holiday Brands are harnessing cutting-edge marketing tools to help parks across Australia boost direct bookings and maximise profitability.

This blend of innovation, dedication, and passion earned her the thl – Future Leaders Award and the Gerry Ryan OAM Award for Innovation at the 2025 Caravan Industry Awards.

As part of our Future Leaders series, Amanda shares her vision for a modern, resilient industry — one where parks of all sizes can innovate with confidence.

Congratulations on winning the thl – Future Leaders Award and the Gerry Ryan OAM Award for Innovation. What does winning these awards mean to you? 

Amanda Dempster (AD): Winning these awards is incredibly meaningful, not just personally, but for what they represent. It’s validation that thinking differently and backing bold ideas, even in the face of resistance, can genuinely make a difference.  

I’ve spent the past year deep in the trenches – testing new technology and finding smarter ways to help caravan holiday park operators thrive. To have that recognised by industry leaders is truly humbling.  

I hope it inspires more people to try new things, ask daring questions, and challenge the status quo.  

Tell us about your current role and your professional background.

AD: I’m the founder of Holiday Brands, a marketing agency that works primarily with caravan industry operators to help them modernise, grow their direct bookings, and deliver better guest & customer experiences. I also now own and run Stanthorpe Holiday Park.

I’ve been immersed in the caravan park industry for over 14 years, helping operators improve profits & their own brand recognition with smart affordable marketing. A little over a year ago, I wanted to do something bold to prove what was possible. I purchased a very neglected park with not a single forward booking to bring my craziest marketing ideas to life and prove anyone can do it. The park’s been completely transformed, and I’m proud to say it’s now the first in Australia with a full-time AI receptionist, and we’re committed to pushing the boundaries iof what a holiday park can offer.

I now live and breathe park life from all angles— from blocked toilets to growth planning. But at the heart of it, I’m still doing what I’ve always loved: helping parks grow in a fast-changing world.

What do you consider the biggest challenges facing the caravan and camping industry, and what solutions do you propose?

AD: One of the biggest challenges is rising operational costs and limited resources. Small parks and even dealerships can’t afford big teams, yet customers still expect 24/7 service.
We’ve tackled this through tools like our AI receptionist and our marketing platform, MarketingPA — which now handles 95% of our park’s enquiries and marketing tasks. I’m now focused on broader solutions to help automate operations and marketing without increasing overheads.

Another key challenge is rising guest expectations and the widening gap between independent and corporate parks. Larger, well-funded groups are lifting the benchmark. Smaller parks often can’t keep up — and that’s a fair reality. I believe independents need better tools & more opportunities with scalable marketing and operational support — and we have some exciting projects in the works to help with that.

There’s also a real gap in guest education around park etiquette, site setups, and expectations. The consequences are serious — from damaged infrastructure and poor reviews to both guests and operators leaving the industry. I’ve been working on How to Van, an online platform featuring quick, engaging clips to help travellers learn how to caravan and behave on the road. It’s practical and fills a gap the industry has needed to address for a long time.

In line with this response, what role do you hope to play in shaping the future success of the industry?

AD: I’d love to be a voice for innovation, sustainability, and support for independent operators — especially those starting out or trying to modernise without losing the heart and identity of their park.

My focus is on bridging the gap between traditional park operations and the expectations of today’s travellers. That means helping and empowering operators to get comfortable with digital marketing, automation tools, and systems that ease pressure without compromising guest experience.

I also want to champion better traveller education — so that park and dealership staff enjoy more respectful, informed interactions with guests.

Most of all, I want to bring real-world operator experience into industry discussions. I want to ensure small & regional parks aren’t left behind to face growing costs, fierce competition & corporatisation, and rising guest expectations.

I truly believe the future of this industry is exciting if we’re bold enough to try new things and challenge old habits.  We need to be honest and humble about our challenges, and support each other through the change.

This is the first installment of our Future Leaders series — where we shine a spotlight on the rising professionals whose passion, innovation, and dedication are shaping the future of our industry. Keep an eye out — more inspiring conversations with future leaders are on the way.