Parks Profile: Echo Holiday Parks

Stephen Edwards leads the Edwards Group, the family-owned business behind Echo Holiday Parks, one of South Australia’s fastest-growing caravan holiday park networks.

With a deep commitment to regional communities, innovation and sustainability, Edwards shares insights into what drives the business, how it’s adapting to industry challenges and what makes Echo Holiday Parks a popular year-round choice for travellers.

Can you start by telling us a little bit about your caravan holiday parks?

Stephen Edwards (SE): Echo Holiday Parks is the newest holiday park group in South Australia. With parks across the state, we cater to a broad demographic, as each park offers a unique sense of place. Some parks appeal to families with fun facilities like mini-golf, waterparks, pools and playgrounds. Others cater more to couples, offering a quieter, more traditional experience.

We offer a wide range of cabins and sites, meeting the diverse needs of our guests, from budget-friendly ensuites and standard two-bedroom cabins to luxury three-bedroom, two-bathroom accommodation. We’ll soon be launching studios designed specifically for the worker market, as demand is growing across regional South Australia.

How long have you been involved with Echo Holiday Parks, and what’s the most rewarding part of your job?

SE: Echo Holiday Parks is part of the Edwards Group, a family business I’m proud to have grown up in. I’ve served as CEO of Edwards Group for the past 11 years.

Along the way, I’ve enjoyed watching the difference we’ve been able to make. It’s rewarding to see our people grow as the business grows and to see the positive impact our parks have on regional communities. When our parks are busy, the local cafes, wineries and shops are busy too. Knowing our success directly contributes to thriving regional towns is something I take great pride in.

What are the biggest challenges facing caravan holiday park operators today and how are you tackling them?

SE: Like many in the industry, we’ve faced challenges in several areas, but we’re starting to see positive results from the actions we’ve taken.

Attracting and retaining skilled staff in regional South Australia remains a focus. We’re creating career pathways within Echo Holiday Parks to help our team build long-term careers, while also supporting industry initiatives like the TICSA Careers in Tourism Guide to widen the talent pool.

With cost-of-living pressures shortening guest stays and operating costs rising, we’ve introduced dynamic pricing to maximise yield in peak periods and boost occupancy during quieter times. We’ve also tightened cost control and renegotiated with suppliers to maintain healthy margins.

As international travel becomes more affordable, we’re showcasing the unique blend of nature, community and regional experiences our parks offer, reminding travellers of everything that’s great about South Australia.

Building on that, can you tell us about any innovative services or experiences you offer to enhance the guest experience?

SE: In-park events have been a great way to innovate our offering and enhance the guest experience, while also boosting occupancy during quieter periods.

One standout is the Riverland Camp Oven Festival at Echo Holiday Parks – Renmark. This two-night event brings guests together around the campfire for an evening of socialising before competing for the best camp oven dishes the next day. With prizes, entertainment and a festival atmosphere, it’s an annual sell-out. It fills our cabins and sites in the middle of winter—a usually quiet period—and drives repeat stays.

How is technology changing the way you manage your parks?

SE: Technology is helping our parks operate more efficiently. As guests increasingly prefer digital engagement, marketing technologies are a key focus.

We’re building a strong digital presence to drive brand awareness, bookings and a better guest experience.

AI and automation are helping us meet expectations around availability and response times.

CRM integration with our property management system allows us to better understand our guests and create campaigns tailored to their interests.

SEO and AEO help ensure we’re represented across search engines and AI-powered platforms, making it easier for guests to find and choose Echo Holiday Parks.

How do you manage seasonal fluctuations in bookings?

SE: Seasonality has always been a challenge in our industry, but it really shouldn’t be. Every season offers its own unique experience and travellers should be inspired to explore during all of them. The challenge is changing longstanding behaviours.

By showcasing seasonal experiences, hosting in-park events and collaborating with local communities to leverage regional festivals and attractions, we’re creating more reasons to travel year-round.

The key is creating experiences that genuinely inspire travel, while balancing the costs with the returns needed to keep our parks thriving year-round.

What steps are you taking to make your parks more sustainable?

SE: Sustainability sits at the heart of our long-term vision for Echo Holiday Parks. We’re committed to reducing our environmental footprint and delivering stays our guests can feel good about.

One of our goals is to have all our parks powered by 100 per cent renewable energy by 2033, generated entirely in-house. To achieve this, we’re working with Powertech Energy, investing in solar infrastructure, battery storage and energy-efficient technologies to reduce consumption and waste. It’s a substantial commitment, but one we believe is essential for the environment, our guests and the long-term resilience of our business.

Your parks are accredited through the Caravan Holiday Parks Accreditation Program. What value does this bring to your business and your guests?

SE: Accreditation offers value for both our guests and our business. It is a mark of quality and consistency, instilling confidence with guests that they’re booking a park that meets industry standards and delivers a reliable, enjoyable experience every time.

For us, it provides an opportunity to review operations against a benchmark outside of our own standards and identify areas in which we could implement a different approach.