A Strategic Approach to the Caravan and Camping Industry 2012

RECOMMENDATIONS
The concepts presented in this caravan and camping strategic report are aimed at
positioning Western Australia at the forefront of self-drive tourism.
Of all the States of Australia competing for the growth caravan and camping based
tourism market, Western Australia best presents the attributes that make tourists
want to leave the cities and explore the widespread regional attractions. Yet, for all its
geographic and cultural attractions, it does not deliver in line with expectations. The
barriers to visitor satisfaction are defined throughout this document.
The solutions to the issues appear relatively simple - improve supply to introduce
more competition and reduce cost, raise service levels through accreditation and
training, and grow the market to increase revenue and occupancy through sound
marketing strategies. However, there are a number of conditions that conspire to
hold back the development of caravan and camping tourism in Western Australia,
these include:
Seasonality and extreme climatic conditions (particularly in the North)
Land supply, land cost and pressure from higher order uses
Development cost - especially in remote and regional Western Australia
The tyranny of distance and geographic dispersal of attractions
Staff and skills shortages and the resulting wage pressures due to the
resources boom
Quality of service provision and market expectations
The recommendations and strategies presented herein are the result of detailed
consideration of each of the issues. They are crafted to mitigate the obstacles and
risks. Many of the strategies are intertwined, which makes a staged approach less
effective.
The recommendations proposed have sought balance between the often contrasting
views and priorities of the caravan and camping stakeholders. Due consideration has
been given to the often complex and competing range of needs including:
User expectations and priorities
Access and equity to affordable holidays for all sectors of the community
The economic benefit of caravan and camping tourism and the propensity of
drive tourists to visit regional Western Australia
Environmental management and sensitivities
Safety and security
Accessibility to key natural assets such as beaches and inland waterways
Impact of growth of visitation on the infrastructure and community amenities
of small regional towns
The effect on surrounding land users
Sustainable supply and the need to encourage the retention of, and
investment into, new and existing caravan parks
The successful implementation of most strategic decisions relies heavily on leadership.
Because caravan and camping based tourism has such a diversity of stakeholders, the
implementation of the proposed strategies will require the buy-in of the political
leadership, their agencies, industry and the community.
A Strategic Approach to Caravan and Camping Tourism in Western Australia Page 84