A Strategic Approach to the Caravan and Camping Industry 2012

Marketing Groups
Of all Western Australia’s caravan parks listed on ATDW, 48 of participate in a group
marketing arrangement. The most common is Top Tourist Parks, closely followed by
Big 4.
Marketing Groups 45 Big 4 Family Parks Oz Parks
Top Tourist
Parks
ACC 4 1 6 11
AGO 5 2 7
ANW 3 1 4
ASW 7 2 2 7 18
EP 3 2 3 8
Total 17 11 2 18 48
Ownership Groups
Of Western Australia’s caravan parks listed on ATDW, 19 caravan parks were
identified as being part of one of the major ownership groups, half of these were
owned by Aspen Parks.
Ownership Group 46 Acclaim Parks Aspen Parks
Discovery
Holiday Parks
ACC 2 2
AGO 4 1 5
ANW 3 1 4
ASW 2 2
EP 2 3 1 6
Total 6 8 5 19
Total
Total
Consolidation and Ownership Groups
According to the report Understanding the Caravan Park Industry in Western
Australia, membership of a caravan park group such as Big 4, Top Tourist or Family
Parks is a factor in the consumer’s selection of caravan parks. This finding is supported
by the Benchmarking Caravan and Tourist Park Operations Report, Sustainable
Tourism CRC 2007, which found location and membership of a major park group was
an important factor in caravan park choice.
Western Australia is well served by the three main park marketing groups mentioned
earlier. However, minimum size and quality of caravan parks are determining factors
which work against acceptance of many Western Australian parks, to these groups.
Aspen Parks is a fund managed by the Aspen Group, a publicly-listed operator of
caravan parks throughout Australia. It is represented in Western Australia by several
industry benchmark parks, including Monkey Mia Resort, Woodman Point and
Exmouth Cape Holiday Park. Discovery Parks and Acclaim Parks also operate in
Western Australia.
The NRMA does not own caravan parks in Western Australia, though has five caravan
parks in Queensland and New South Wales. Mirvac Group is another caravan park
owner that is not in Western Australia.
Western Australia has failed to attract the management groups, including ATPM and
Free Spirit Management due to the low occupancy and yield of most of its caravan
parks. These management organisations bring best practice operating procedures and
marketing to the caravan park industry and compete with the park membership
groups.
The recommendation that the State facilitates the development of caravan parks at
strategic locations will present opportunities for the best practice management
groups to spread their operations to Western Australia. Parks operating under a
management group have all the benefits associated with economies of scale, as well
as the increased reach of their marketing programs.
45 Collated results from information on ATDW and online sources
46 Collated results from information on ATDW and online sources
A Strategic Approach to Caravan and Camping Tourism in Western Australia Page 34