A Strategic Approach to the Caravan and Camping Industry 2012

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Accreditation has helped improve facility standards. It has made a difference and both the Caravan Industry Accreditation (CRVA) and the Australian Tourism Accreditation Program (ATAP) have enlisted a number of caravan parks. However, the accreditation process is more targeted towards the facility rather than establishing skills and qualifications for the individuals that make up the business. The ATAP and CRVA programs do however include customer service standards for caravan parks. Documentation for accreditation is often written by consultants external to the business or do not involve all staff at the facility. According to the consultation feedback, park owners, managers and staff often do not meet acceptable customer service delivery standards with reservations processes, front desk attitude and cleanliness at some caravan parks being particularly criticised by consumers. The promotional campaigns by the peak national caravan industry organisation Caravan and Recreational Vehicle Association (CRVA) and the Caravan Industry Association Western Australia (CIAWA) have been effective in stimulating high demand for caravan and camping holidays. Consultation with caravan parks and consumers indicate a perception that the tourism sector is not afforded sufficient priority in state and federal promotional campaigns. There is common agreement between park operators and consumers that creating increased tourism demand for regional destinations generally helps support the caravan park industry. Some operators cited a recent initiative from Tourism Australia (i.e. the launch of the Australia Safari Trails) that promotes travel through regional areas of Australia and stops in overnight in caravan parks. Caravan Park Industry Issues at a State and Regional Level Policy and Regulatory Framework - Issues and Impediments (Tourism Perspective) Caravan park operators bemoan the lack of action by local government to administer the provisions of the Caravan Parks and Camping Grounds Regulations 1997 by preventing unauthorised camping. However, park operators are not meeting the requirements of the growth market segment for larger self-contained units. Many caravan park operators (and some consumer groups) consider that the current legislation is overly prescriptive, preventing caravan park operators from meeting market requirements. They point out that the number of ablution facilities required in a licenced caravan park is much greater than that required for nature-based parks and transit parks, which are allowed to accommodate stays of up to three months. If the provision of ablution facilities is determined on public health criteria, the argument that nature-based parks and transit parks can provide a lesser number of facilities is not consistent with that criteria. Other requirements in the Caravan Parks and Camping Grounds Regulations 1997 are regarded to be inconsistent with providing flexible service delivery to caravan and camping tourists. Caravan park operators refer to local government’s obligations under the competitive neutrality principles that are set out in the Competition Principles Agreement entered into by the governments of the Commonwealth and each state and territory on 11 th April 1995. The objective of the competitive neutrality principle is to ensure that all government bodies involved in significant business activities compete on fair and equal terms with the private sector, where it is in the public benefit to do so. Early in 2011, the Economic Regulator of Tasmania received complaints from caravan parks in regard to the provision of free or subsidised sites by local government and after investigation, the Regulator determined that the subject Councils were in breach of the National Competition Policy. Local government policy concerning the use of public areas as overflow camping facilities is inconsistent and a source of much concern for caravan park operators. There is an opportunity for a consistent state-wide overflow policy to be developed that recognises the needs of all stakeholders. The CIAWA prepared a draft policy for the use of overflow facilities and guidelines, which it distributed to local government for consideration. A similar policy needs to be developed for the use of roadside stops and rest areas for caravan and camping tourists to take into account the needs of tourists, licenced caravan parks and heavy transport operators. There are potential negative issues arising from the acceptance of unauthorised camping by government agencies. The emergence of farm and station stays and the growth of nature-based camping facilities impacts on licenced caravan parks. The addition of such facilities is highly desirable to improve the visitor experience but there is much debate over their placement in relation to licenced caravan parks. The current regulations have a fifty A Strategic Approach to Caravan and Camping Tourism in Western Australia Page 43
kilometre exclusion zone from a licenced caravan park for farm and station stay and nature based camping facilities. “The recommendation of the Economics and Industry Standing Committee Inquiry into the Provision, Use and Regulation of Caravan Parks that the fifty kilometre exclusion zone from licensed caravan parks for the development of nature-based and transit parks be removed will have major impacts. There are also unfair competition implications”. 54 To date the removal of the exclusion zone has not been implemented. Surprisingly, there is support from licensed caravan park operators for the introduction of farm and station camping facilities and nature-based parks. In a recent survey of members of the CIAWA more than 80 percent of members agreed with the concept of developing more farm and station and nature-based Campgrounds, provided that the same facility requirements as for caravan parks (for ablutions etc.) were applied to such developments. Caravan park operators also acknowledged in the survey that the spread of more farm and station and nature-based Campgrounds would provide growth for the industry and add to sustainability of the tourism sector. The chart below indicates responses from the survey. A number of recommendations in the Economics and Industry Standing Committee Second Report - Provision, Use and Regulation of Caravan Parks ( and Campgrounds)in Western Australia relate to the introduction of caravan and camping experiences as part of them of farm stays/station stays. Do you Agree or Disagree with the following statements? 54 Caravan Industry Association Western Australia A Strategic Approach to Caravan and Camping Tourism in Western Australia Page 44
Page 1 and 2: A Strategic Approach to Caravan and
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS DISCLAIMER AND CONFIDENTIA
Page 5 and 6: Recommendation 4: Create Public-Pri
Page 7 and 8: explores the impediments to, and op
Page 9 and 10: CURRENT PROFILE OF THE CARAVAN PARK
Page 11 and 12: Western Australia According to the
Page 13 and 14: Visitor Statistics - Tourism Region
Page 15 and 16: "Hot Spots" - High Demand Areas Pea
Page 17 and 18: International visitor nights 32 Car
Page 19 and 20: Key Statistics for Identified Prior
Page 21 and 22: EXISTING CARAVANNING AND CAMPING IN
Page 23 and 24: Number of Powered Sites in Caravan
Page 25 and 26: Regional Profiles Regional Profile:
Page 27 and 28: Regional Profile: Australia’s Nor
Page 29 and 30: Regional Profile: Experience Perth
Page 31 and 32: Regional Profile: Australia’s Gol
Page 33 and 34: Issues Raised in Consumer Feedback
Page 35 and 36: Marketing Groups Of all Western Aus
Page 37 and 38: Australia’s North West Tourism Re
Page 39 and 40: SWOT ANALYSIS The following strengt
Page 41 and 42: KEY ISSUES, TRENDS AND IMPACTS Cons
Page 43: parks are the preferred permanent p
Page 47 and 48: Impacts on Sustainability The susta
Page 49 and 50: Regulatory and Other Issues A numbe
Page 51 and 52: Pet friendly locations. 56 Many car
Page 53 and 54: RV's with their own power supply (s
Page 55 and 56: Impacts from High Level Influences
Page 57 and 58: NATIONAL CONTEXT - BEST PRACTICE AP
Page 59 and 60: It states that “the best way of d
Page 61 and 62: MARKET SEGMENTATION In their Consum
Page 63 and 64: Combining the research findings of
Page 65 and 66: Caravan and camping Shows as per th
Page 67 and 68: ASW’s consumer website australias
Page 69 and 70: Family Parks They have a well prese
Page 71 and 72: PRIORITY AREAS FOR CARAVANNING AND
Page 73 and 74: Location New facilities proposed, i
Page 79 and 80: High Priorities Location New facili
Page 83 and 84: GAP ANALYSIS The Gap Analysis below
Page 85 and 86: RECOMMENDATIONS The concepts presen
Page 87 and 88: comply with the Caravan Parks and C
Page 89 and 90: Rally the Reserves Recommendation 2
Page 91 and 92: Location LGA Justification Recommen
Page 93 and 94: segments require different levels o
Page 95 and 96:
Sustainable Serviceability Recommen
Page 97 and 98:
Camp with the Custodians Recommenda
Page 99 and 100:
to participate in the broader econo
Page 101 and 102:
An Overflow Policy That Works Recom
Page 103 and 104:
People Are Our Best Asset Recommend
Page 105 and 106:
Stop Flying Blind Recommendation 9:
Page 107 and 108:
Inspire, Inform and Close the Sale
Page 109 and 110:
Providing a search sub category on
Page 111 and 112:
Australia' North West Australia’s
Page 113 and 114:
Australia' North West Australia’s
Page 115 and 116:
CONSULTATION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS T
Page 117 and 118:
REFERENCES ACC Tourism Development
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