Grey nomads band together to dispel common caravanning myth: 'Naive'
Across the country, people from far and wide are ditching the comfort of their own homes and hitting the open road.
Australian caravanners are trying desperately to combat what they say is a major myth about the community — that they're a bunch of penny-pinching travellers.
Across the country, people from far and wide are ditching the comfort of their own homes and hitting the open road — swapping queen-sized mattresses for smaller caravan beds. It's a trend industry experts say is increasing in prevalence, but some say people still hold a misguided belief that to be a caravan enthusiast, you're also probably stingy.
Richard Barwick, CEO of the Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia (CMCA), is on a mission to disprove this perception. He said, based on research from within the CMCA, he found that members spent on average $880 per week, per vehicle, in communities in which they travel through.
CEO's mission to debunk common caravan myth
Ahead of a large 1,200-vehicle-strong gathering in Mount Gambier in South Australia on Friday, Barwick said the belief that caravanners aren't supporting the local economy is simply untrue. Critics say motorhomes might cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy but they're then relatively cheap to run, with occupants able to stay for free or cheaply in many places because of their self-contained nature.
"They're saving in some areas and spending in a lot more," Barwick told the ABC. "Anyone who says they don't spend in a local community really is naive because they do, and they do big time."
According to Tourism Research Australia, caravanners and campers spend about $236 per night on their trips, just $40 less than the $275 that general domestic travellers spend.
Though, the research showed the caravanning community spend weeks and months on the road compared with the national average of two nights per trip. Tourism Research Australia said Australians spent $14.3 billion on caravan and camping trips in 2023, the highest amount on record, appearing to solidify what experts say is a rise in caravans on our roads.
The rally in Mount Gambier could inject up to $3 million for the Limestone Coast's economy. The City of Mount Gambier council estimated $1 million in the city itself. Members had already put $60,000 worth of shopping dockets into a draw designed to encourage them to shop locally.
"I think that the community will get a lot out of this right throughout the whole week," Barwick said.
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