Caravan & Camping Industry Association NSW
Caravan & Camping Industry Association NSW (CCIA)

Home / News & Events /

News

There are more caravan’s on Australia’s roads than ever, according to new statistics

There are more caravan’s on Australia’s roads than ever, according to new statistics


More Australian’s are holidaying on the road than ever before according to new figures from the Recreational Vehicle Manufacturers Association of Australia (RVMAA) showing significant growth in the recreational vehicle (RV) manufacturing sector over the 2009/10 financial year.
The RVMAA figures show that total numbers of recreational vehicles manufactured in the last financial year grew 18.4% over 2008/09 to meet a substantial increase in consumer demand.
According to RVMAA President Richard Raven, the strong growth is due to Australian’s increasingly seeing more value in holidaying at home than travelling abroad.
“Travelling Australia is a safe and affordable adventure holiday that suits everyone from busy executives to large families,” he said. “Fluctuating currencies and expensive airfares are making Australia a much more attractive travel destination than ever before.”
Camper trailer and caravan manufacturing figures increased by 28.4% and 20.9% respectively, showing some of the strongest growth in the entire Australian manufacturing sector in the wake of the global financial crisis.
The increase in consumer demand for the caravanning lifestyle contributed to the caravan and holiday park industry exceeding $250 million in revenue for the quarter ending March 31, 2010, the first time in history. In fact the entire industry grew by 8.7% in revenue for the year ending March 2010 and with strong figures expected for the April to June quarter on the back of a strong Easter period, the 2010/11 financial year is expected to be even bigger.
According to Caravan, RV & Accommodation Industry of Australia (CRVA) Chief Executive Officer, Ben Yates, the strong growth is a result of Australian’s looking to get better value out of their holidays.
“The caravan and holiday park industry provides some of the most affordable holiday options in Australia,” said Mr Yates. “Our research also shows that people really value and enjoy the sense of friendship and family that is unique to our industry.
“Those who decide to purchase their own recreational vehicles can be confident that modern RVs have some of the best resale value ratings in the tourism sector. Australians are investing longer term in their holiday plans and hitting the road more readily,” he said.
The 2009/10 financial year saw 19,460 RVs manufactured compared to 16,439 the year before, while caravans, pop tops and camper trailers were the most popular with 7,839, 4,796 and 5,233 being manufactured respectively.
Mr Yates says the strong financial and manufacturing figures demonstrate just how resilient the caravan and holiday park industry is, in the wake of the global financial crisis.
“Our industry has proven that it is practically recession proof. In the midst of shrinking revenue levels across the board in almost all of our competitor markets, the caravanning and holiday park industry continues to boom.
“With RVs to suit all tastes, requirements and budgets, Australians are in a great position to invest in a vehicle that will continue to provide for the family without really depreciating. This is what makes our industry so strong.”
A new caravan is built every nine minutes in Australia and currently, over 6.5 million Aussies enjoy the caravanning lifestyle with 86% of the population having visited a holiday park at least once in their lives.
For more information about caravanning, travel tips and more, visit the CRVA website at www.welovethiscountry.com.au.