Holidays involving caravans and camping are often seen as the cheaper option, a way for families to enjoy the countryside without shelling out each night for hotel or motel accommodation.
So how much is the industry worth? According to the new Economic Value of the Australian Caravan and Camping Industry report released by Caravan Industry Association of Australia (CIAA), the revenue generated by the caravan and camping industry is staggering: about AUD 20.4 billion a year.
That’s the sort of sum generally associated with Silicon Valley takeovers.
The caravan and camping industry, which includes caravan parks, manufacturers, dealerships, parts and accessories retailers, repair businesses, marketing groups, camping equipment retailers and more, employs more than 53,000 direct employees, the reports says.
As of January 2017, Australians had registered 647,319 recreational vehicles – the highest number since records began.
The CIAA report says the caravan and camping sector is also pivotal to Australian tourism as it facilitates the dispersal of visitors and employment throughout Australia.
Caravan park
“A staggering 90% of visitor expenditure takes place in regional Australia, with the majority of industry businesses located outside of urban centres. This also provides jobs and allows the visitor economy to flourish in all corners of the country.”
In 2017, caravan and camping travel generated more than 11.9 million domestic trips, creating a combined total of 57 million nights caravan and camping in Australia.
Edited by Peter Needham
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