Commitment
No other Association in New South Wales represents the caravan, camping and manufactured housing industry. While the Association's primary role is to encourage and promote the use of touring product, caravan parks, manufactured homes and manufactured home communities, the Association is above all committed to serving its members. We are also the voice of the industry to government and the community generally.
Strength
The Association's strength lies in its size and in the commitment of its members. This membership is drawn from every sector of the industry. Full membership is open to caravan park proprietors, manufactured home estate proprietors, manufactured home, cabin, caravan, motorhome and tent manufacturers, and product retailers and dealers. Associate membership is open to related services and supply industries, including bankers, insurers, financiers and the 4WD sector.
Service Offering & Member Benefits
We offer to our members a range of benefits and we are committed to promoting and protecting businesses within the industry. Member benefits include the following:
Services Specific to Trade Members
Services Specific to Park Members
Government Advocacy
The Association acts on behalf of the NSW caravan & camping industry, advocating for policies and legislation that will positively support our park and trade members businesses. Ministers and agencies we deal with are in the areas of:
- Planning
- Fair Trading
- Tourism
- Crown Lands
- Roads & Traffic Authority
- Local Government
- Housing
Legal Advice and Information
The Association's Legal Counsel provides telephone and written advice services for members. The Legal Counsel will get directly involved, providing assistance to members in issues that affect the whole industry. Several cases have been funded by the Association in test cases in the Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal and the Supreme and District Courts.
Areas of the law include:
- Tenancy issues for permanent residents under the Residential Parks Act 1998 and the Residential Tenancies Act 2010
- Weekender annuals and similar holiday accommodation under the Holiday Parks (Long-term Casual Occupation) Act 2002
- Local government and planning laws related to the development, approval and operation of caravan parks and manufactured home estates
- Occupational Health and Safety laws
- Implementation of risk management processes
- The Australian Consumer Laws in relation to the manufacture and sale of goods and services
- The registration of motor vehicles, including caravans, campervans and recreational vehicles and their use
Significantly, the extent of the legal services includes the development of industry based agreements and associated forms and notices for use by members to ensure that their operations can comply with up-to-date business practices and the law.
The Association's Legal Counsel also provides access to a Tribunal Advocate to appear for members in the Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal.
The Association also participates on many government and related policy review committees. This participation includes developing responses to new proposals, monitoring the effect of existing laws on the industry including consumers and identifying new challenges and opportunities for the industry.
Industrial Relations
The Association is an Industrial organisation of Employers registered under the NSW Industrial Relations Act 1991. It is also affiliated with the NSW Business Chamber and the Accommodation Association of Australia (AAA, previously HMAA). This allows members access to industrial awards information from both organisations upon payment of a small additional annual fee
Industry Promotion
The Association is actively involved in promoting the industry in 6 publications, shows and expos (including the annual NSW Caravan, Camping, RV and Holiday Supershow at Rosehill and the Penrith, South Coast and Newcastle Caravan, Camping and Holiday Expos) and targeted marketing campaigns that incorporate radio, television, online, and print advertising. The most recent being a $200,000 partnership marketing campaign with Tourism NSW.
The Association spends over $1.6M per annum promoting our Industry through popular television programs on the Seven Network including What's Up Downunder (500 000 viewers) and Sydney Weekender. These shows successfully highlight the industry by featuring caravan parks and products and services of members.
Social Media
The Association has developed a social media platform including a Facebook page 'We Love Caravan & Camping' and a twitter account '@caravancampnsw.' These mediums are used to promote the caravan and camping industry as a whole, and act as catalysts to pass messages directly onto consumers. The Association also is in the process of developing an iphone application featuring Holiday Parks.
The Caravan, Camping, RV & Holiday SUPERSHOW
The Caravan, Camping, RV & Holiday Supershow is recognised as one of Australia's premier leisure shows. This nine day event is held at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse, Sydney and attracts around 80,000 visitors annually. It is the perfect showcase for caravans, motorhomes, camper trailers and holiday parks, the latest in touring and camping products, and manufactured homes. Association members receive a discount on the cost of their Supershow stand. Should you wish to promote interstate, a similar discount arrangement exists with other caravan and camping industry association shows.
Each year $700 000 is spent marketing this event. Members have the opportunity to partake in these promotions and are often seen and heard in television and radio commercials and interviews. Members are also offered the opportunity to advertise alongside promotions in some of Sydney's highest circulating newspapers and a 44 page Supershow specific Showguide. The Supershow is promoted in 8 national industry related magazines, Sydney metropolitan billboards, and a variety of additional mediums that further support the industry and our members.
Regional Expo's
As well as the Supershow, the Association also conducts three annual regional Caravan, Camping and Holiday Expos: Newcastle in February, Penrith in September and Batemans Bay in November. As with the Supershow, Association members receive a discounted rate for their site at regional Expos.
Newcastle Expo is the first of the year, held in February at the Newcastle Jockey Club and is an extremely successful show, attracting over 24,000 visitors in its first year of operation in 2011.
Penrith Expo boasts free entry to the public and is held at Penrith Panthers in September every year. The free show provides a fantastic opportunity for Association members to break into new markets and attract new clientele who are drawn to the show for a 'free day out for the family'.
The third regional event is the South Coast Expo in November, held at MacKay Park in Batemans Bay.
This show is extremely popular amongst retirees, attracting visitors from distances stretching up and down the South Coast, and also from as far as Canberra and beyond.
Up to $80,000 is spent on marketing each expo annually and similarly to the Supershow, members can partake in a number of promotional opportunities including television, radio, print and online mediums.
Interstate and Retirement Expo's
The Association exhibits at four interstate shows promoting our publications and providing information to consumers about the benefits or touring holidays within NSW and the range of parks, products and services offered by our members. Manufactured Housing is promoted at two retirement Expos throughout the year.
E-Newsletter
TourNSW is an electronic newsletter sent to over 45,000 consumers every two months. Specific Supershow and Expo releases are also distributed to promote upcoming events.
Websites
The Association's websites are designed for ease of use by members and consumers. They each contain an array of information on holiday and touring, products and services, show information for the general public and industry information for members.
The consumer website represents a wonderful marketing opportunity for members. With an average of 14,000 visits per month, this popular site includes a wealth of information for holiday makers. As a member, you will receive a free standard listing on the website, and will be offered the opportunity of a premium listing upgrade, which includes images and text, with a weblink directly to your own website.
You will also have access to our special members' section. This provides you with industry information, news updates, legal forms and documents and much more.
The Association also manages websites for The Manufactured Housing Industry, the Supershow, each Regional Expo, the Gumnut Awards Program and the National Recreational Vehicle Towing Guide. You'll find all of these websites at the following addresses:
www.caravan-camping.com.au - industry information for consumers and members
www.villagesnsw.com.au - information on members offering permanent living
www.supershow.com.au - information on the Supershow
www.newcastle.supershow.com.au - information on the Newcastle Show
www.penrith.supershow.com.au - information on the Penrith Show
www.southcoast.supershow.com.au - information on the South Coast Show
www.gumnutawards.com.au - information on the Association's environmental program
www.towingguide.com.au - useful information on towing
Newsletters
The Review
The Review is the Association's official newsletter and is distributed on a bi-monthly basis. Its key goals are to keep members updated with the Association's progress including changes to government legislation and policies, membership updates, industry promotions, progress of Supershow and regional expos, awards and conferences, Association publications, environmental programs and strategies, meetings and training opportunities and an array of issues pertinent to our industry.
Publications
The NSW Caravan & Camping, Holiday & Touring Guide
In 2005, The NSW Caravan & Camping, Holiday & Touring Guide celebrated its twentieth birthday by winning the Media Category in the National Tourism Awards, and the Tourism New South Wales Business Excellence Awards for the second time. The guide is now 26 years old and is considered one of the most functional and easy to Holiday & Touring Guides in Australia.
The Guide is free to consumers, boasting 176 full-colour A4 pages. 175,000 copies are distributed nationally throughout member holiday parks, dealerships, interstate Associations and Visitor Information Centres throughout the country.
As an Association member, you are entitled to a free listing for your business in the Guide. You may also purchase display advertising space.
NSW Caravan, Camping & RV Products and Services Buyers Guide
The NSW Caravan, Camping & RV Products and Services Buyer's Guide is produced each year to promote our Trade members' products and services to the general public. The guide offers free listings to all Trade and Associate member businesses and provides an opportunity for members to purchase advertising space. The guide is free to the public.
Manufactured Home Villages NSW
This guide provides information for people seeking lifestyle accommodation. It promotes members who manufacture or market homes, who operate manufactured home communities, or who provide the services associated with those communities. It is the only publication that specifically promotes this exciting way of living.
The Towing Guide
The National Caravan & Recreational Vehicle Towing Guide has been produced in response to overwhelming public demand. The guide contains a wealth of technical information, advice and handy hints when towing an RV, and is updated as regulations require it.
Advertising opportunities are available within the guide for member businesses with over 110, 000 copies printed and is distributed nationally.
The Towing Guide is available to consumers free of charge from the Association, at industry Expo's and shows, at member caravan and motorhome dealerships and caravan and holiday parks.
The Towing Guide has its own website and can also be ordered online.
The Fuel Guide
The Association produces a 'Fuel Guide', which highlights to consumers the small portion of their total holiday cost fuel actually makes up. The guide was produced after the Association commissioned KPMG to analyse the impact of fuel prices on the cost of a caravan or RV holiday. Consumers can download their copy from our website and use a calculator to plan for fuel costs on their next holiday.
Training & Education
Workshops and Seminars
The Association runs a variety of workshops and training courses throughout the State.
Study Tours
The Association conducts periodic overseas study tours to give members the opportunity to learn from their compatriots in other countries and see the methods employed in the very competitive overseas tourist and manufactured homes markets.
Commercial Deals
The Association is continually exploring new commercial deals on behalf of its members.
Current deals include:
Westpac Merchant Banking Fees
Westpac Merchant Banking Fees
The CCIA is pleased to offer members a very low merchant service fee of just 0.818% through Westpac. This deal has the potential to save members thousands of dollars a year.
Kleenheat LP Gas Deal
Through an extensive negotiation process the Association and Kleenheat have agreed on a deal for members that has a clear advantage in terms of not only the gas price and the provision of waived facility fees on gas cylinders, as well as other benefits.
Through an extensive negotiation process the Association and Kleenheat have agreed on a deal for members that has a clear advantage in terms of not only the gas price and the provision of waived facility fees on gas cylinders, as well as other benefits.
Meetings
Meetings
The Association holds State Meetings twice per year to which all members are invited. The meetings are essentially an update of all the significant issues that have been dealt with and face by industry members and the Association throughout the year, as well as progress on any lobbying activity with government, marketing campaigns, and changes to legislation, as well as issues raised by members.
Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association is held in October each year. The main purpose of the AGM is to provide an overview to members of the financial performance of the Association over the preceding 12 months and also to approve any special resolutions of the Association Board such as increases to membership fees, changes to the Articles of Association etc.
Regional Meetings
The Association is organised into 15 geographic regions. Each region elects a President and Secretary, and conducts its own local affairs. Regional meetings are held on average twice per year for each region and provide a forum for members of a particular region to address specific local issues. Regional Meetings are usually attended by Legal Counsel of the Association so members are kept abreast of current legal issues. (Regional contacts on page 27)
Trade Meetings
The Association holds a trade meeting on a bi-monthly basis. The meetings are held at 7:30am, to allow members the ability to attend the meetings without taking time away from their business, at various locations around Sydney and regional NSW, giving members across the State the opportunity to attend.
The meetings provide trade members with the latest information, discussing issues relevant to the industry. Members also benefit from networking opportunities and from regular feedback on the outcomes of meetings with the CCIA & RTA Liaison committee.
Annual Conference
The Conference provides a fun and interactive environment where a range of industry specific issues are discussed in an informative and relaxed manner. This is the only conference that addresses issues pertinent to the Association's Park and Trade members, where you can:
- Hear from high quality speakers about the latest trends and key issues faced by members, along with future directions of the industry
- Meet and talk direct with staff and Board from the Association
- Attend site inspections
- Attend fun and entertaining networking activities with other members and industry professionals
- Establish and maintain relationships with industry suppliers
The Annual Conference is held at a different location every year throughout New South Wales. The Conference finishes off in spectacular style at the Awards of Excellence Gala Dinner.
Awards of Excellence
The Association's Awards of Excellence is a prestigious annual event which has been pivotal in raising standards across the industry.
Only Association members can enter the awards, which encompass a range of categories covering all sectors of the industry. The Awards are presented at a Gala Dinner, held in conjunction with the Annual Conference. Winners of the Awards are promoted strongly to enhance the industry's image to both consumers and government.
Services Specific to Trade Members
Run Out Sale
Each year, the Association allocates funds to part-fund a statewide Run Out Sale for dealers and retailers, providing a mixture of media and advertising exposure via print, television and radio campaigns for businesses and regions taking part.
The 3 day long sale results in increased floor traffic and sales for participating members. Held in late summer, the sale has the potential to benefit all sectors of the industry, but is particularly attractive to caravan, motorhome and camper trailer dealers, and retailers of tents, camping products, accessories and towing equipment.
Hire Agreements & Contracts of Sale
The Association's Hire Agreement is available to members involved in the hiring of touring vehicles. The Agreement covers all aspects of the hire of caravans, camper trailers and motorhomes.
The Contract of Sale is industry specific and covers the sale of new and used caravans, motorhomes, campervans, camper trailers and slide-ons. Both documents have the backing of the Association Legal Counsel are available on the member's website, or by contacting the Industry Development Manager (see page 27 for contact details)
Purchase or Trade-In Vehicle Declaration
The Association has developed a separate record book for any purchases or trade-ins made by members. This book, is backed by Association Legal Counsel and is available on the member's website, or by contacting the Industry Development Manager.
Golf Day
Every August the Association runs a golf day at Riverside Oaks Golf Course with around over 144 players taking part. A great day is always had by all.
Services Specific to Park Members
Residential Tenancy Agreements
The Association publishes a special Residential Tenancy Agreement for members. The Agreement is supplemented by a brochure that explains and simplifies procedures.
Long Term Casual Occupation Agreements
The Association publishes a special Long Term Casual Occupation Agreement in accordance with the Holiday Parks (Long Term Casual Occupation) Act 2002. This agreement is available only to members and comes complete with Schedules One and Two, the Disclosure Document, and the Park Rules.
Roadshow Blanket Licence agreement for Public performance of Movies in Caravan Parks
The Association has negotiated an arrangement with Roadshow Non-Theatrical Film & Video to
provide a blanket licence agreement for our park members to screen movies in their caravan parks.
The implementation of a licence scheme was pursued in order to provide clarity to members of our industry about their legal obligations under the Copyright Act 1968 when screening videos and DVD's publicly (to residents and guests) in their park. Members are legally obliged to have a licence from a commercial distributor of motion films in order to screen movies publicly in their park.
Roadshow have agreed to provide an annual licence to each of our park members at a cost of $242.00 (inclusive of GST) commencing from 1 January 2011. Members will have the option to renew their licence agreement for successive 12 month periods.
Further information about obtaining a copy of the Roadshow licence can be directed to our Executive Officer.
Risk Warning Signs
Because of NSW laws that affect the liability of park owners who provide recreational activities, the Association has developed Risk Warning signs for use by members. The signs should be displayed at the entrance to the park as well as in the office or reception area. They can also be displayed where particular recreational activities take place. These can be ordered directly from the Association. Please contact reception (see contact details on page 27)
Environmental Program
The Gumnut Awards, the Caravan and Camping Industry's eco certification program, was developed in 2002 to ensure the Caravan and Camping Industry played an active role in being part of the environmental solution rather than the problem. Initially focusing on holiday and tourist parks, the awards recognise environmental and socially responsible management by having members work through ten categories of sustainability while progressing through the three levels of the program; bronze silver and gold.
The Association recognised that the different industry groups faced different issues, barriers and challenges, and so in 2007, a separate Gumnut Award strain was developed specifically for Trade members. Providing different focus areas and criteria ensures that the trade members are implementing environmental practices that are specifically related to their business.
CCIA & MHIA Code of Ethics
It is a condition of membership of the Association that members comply with the Association Code of Ethics.
Copyright © The Caravan Camping & Touring Industry & Manufactured Housing Industry Association of NSW Ltd (CCIA NSW) 2013
ABN: 63 002 223 449 All rights reserved.
