FED:Ugly duckling to become the darling of the tourism industry

AAP General News (Australia)
04-04-2000
FED:Ugly duckling to become the darling of the tourism industry

By Chris Herde

BRISBANE, April 4 AAP - Once the ugly duckling of Australian tourism, caravan parks
are set to become one of the darlings of the industry.

According to Caravan Industry Australia (CIA), the sector was worth $1.5 billion annually
to the economy and currently directly employed more than 15,000 people.

Registrations of caravans and campervans have risen by 92 per cent since 1991, with
figures for January 2000 showing a 61 per cent rise on the previous 12 months.

CIA chief executive Maggie Nettleship said with the increasing trend towards resort-like
facilities for tourists, the sector was light years away from its cheap budget reputation.

"I think caravan parks have so much more to offer to the caravanner and camper than
in the past," Ms Nettleship said.

"Our research has also found that the added benefit for holidaymakers on going to caravan
parks was the social interaction."

Almost nine million Australians caravanned or camped in the year ending March 31, 1999
and 31.3 per cent of all holiday nights in regional Australia in 1998 were spent in caravan
parks.

There were about 3,000 caravan parks, most now featuring cabins, pools, restaurants
and childrens areas, in Australia catering to 320,000 caravans, campervans, campertrailers
and motorhomes in the country.

A recent survey conducted by Tourism Training Australia (TTA) found that the the caravan
park sector will play a strong part in 300,000 new tourism and hospitality jobs expected
to be created by 2005.

TTA chief executive Bill Galvin said while job growth was expected in all areas - especially
in restaurants, hotels and motels, the traditional powerhouses of the industry - the rise
in caravan park popularity was "startling".

"The interesting story which has emerged out of this is that new sectors like caravan
parks," Mr Galvin said.

"It's pretty exciting times."

Tourism Council Australia Managing Director Phil Young said the caravan park sector
has shown an annual 20 per cent increase in the past few years.

"I suppose what it comes down to is what we call the grey nomads and the families discovering
caravan parks," Mr Young said.

"The retirees want to see more of Australia and stay in caravan parks while with the
facilities in the parks nowadays, families have found an affordable and interesting option."

AAP ch/sc/bdm/BR

KEYWORD: CARAVANS

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