The latest Tourism Australia Research forecast has noted the positive influence that the low dollar is having on increasing domestic tourism as well as inbound travel, particularly from markets in Asia. China is predicted to overtake New Zealand as our largest inbound source market by 2017.
This is great news for the caravanning industry, with many Chinese tourists embracing the “grand old Australian pasttime”, as TTF CEO Margy Osmond noted (travelBulletin Sep 2014).
Caravanning and camping is the fastest growing commercial accommodation type apart from private rental accommodation, and is expected to grow at a greater rate than other accommodation types for domestic travel.
Low fuel prices and low interest rates, coupled with the declining value of our dollar, means more and more Australians are also looking at taking domestic holidays, another boon for the caravanning industry.
All in all, road tripping around Australia is seeing a strong increase in uptake.
“We are witnessing a new and robust era in domestic tourism that has the potential to introduce new consumers to the caravan and camping experience. There is also a reconnect with existing markets who in the past, may have holidayed internationally,” says Stuart Lamont, CEO of Caravan Industry association of Australia.
