Why one Aussie holiday is going nuts during the cost of living crisis
Australia’s most beloved holiday has a fresh face, as new data reveals a dramatic shift in who's embracing the caravanning lifestyle.
Caravan holidays are no longer just for ‘grey nomads’, with more young Aussies and families hitching up and setting off into the sunset.
A new survey of 2,000 Aussies by the NRMA on their caravanning and camping habits has revealed families with children under 18 were the most likely to go caravanning.
The demographic, which made up 35 per cent of respondents, were found to holiday in a caravan at least once a year or more.
And Caravan Industry Association of Australia Policy General Manager Luke Chippindale said Aussies aged 35-50 were now the largest demographic of van travellers.
“That 35 to 50 year-old age bracket has really grown, it’s now representing 46 per cent of the market, they’re just outstripping the grey nomads, who are around 44 per cent of the market,” Mr Chippindale said.
“The even younger market has also really grown, and we’re expecting that to continue.”
Mr Chippendale said both the cost of living crunch and improvements to caravans and caravan parks in recent years had led younger Aussies to the past-time.
“During the pandemic, domestic tourism was all we had, so we went through a big reconnection phase with our country and each other,” he said.
“Both towed products and caravan parks have changed to meet customers’ expectations … the infrastructure has really built up in holiday parks for children, from jumping castles to water parks.
“Aussies are departing from expenditure for travel and looking at what provides them the greatest benefit …. you can be hopping on a plane to see something amazing every few years, or you can do something meaningful on a more regular basis, like a caravan weekend away with your children and parents.”
The NRMA survey also found 50 per cent of respondents used caravanning as a way to disconnect from everyday life, prompting the NRMA’s Camp for Connection campaign, which calls for Aussies to ditch their phones to spend time with loved ones in nature on October 25.
The desire for disconnection is what’s driving Gen Z to try caravanning alongside millennials, according to Big4 Holiday Parks CEO Sean Jenner.
“We’re certainly seeing 20 to 29-year-olds as an emerging group … they might have stayed at our caravan parks as a kid, and they’re now dipping their toe in the water,” Mr Jenner said.
“There’s this real movement for that current generation that’s grown up around technology, they are actually craving that kind of disconnection and the authenticity of what caravanning and holidaying in caravan parks can provide.”
Data from Tourism Research Australia reveals more than 900,000 caravans were registered to hit the road last year, a new record and a 27 per cent spike since 2019.
The TRA’s annual survey of 60,000 Australians 15 and over revealed that by year’s end, travellers went on 15.2 million caravan and camping trips in 2024.
Tourism and Transport Forum CEO Margy Osmond said caravanning’s popularity across all age groups was fuelling a boom in bookings for the festive season and beyond.
“In terms of popularity growth and Australians’ capacity to get off the beaten track, you only need to look at the data from NRMA and other surveyors for some of our best-loved caravan park destinations,” Ms Osmond said.
“Get in as soon as possible to book your spot as places tend to fill quickly.”
But wherever caravanners end up, their presence was a lifeline to local communities and small businesses, Ms Osmond said.
“In the year ending December 2024, Aussies spent $14 billion caravan trips, a bit over 9 billion of that is happening in regional Australia … you can see how important it is for regional destinations.”
Originally published as Why one Aussie holiday is going nuts during the cost of living crisis
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