More Australians choosing domestic holidays

Australians are reconnecting with ‘holidays at home’ with tourism forecasts showing the domestic holiday segment is growing fast and domestic visitor nights are set to grow solidly over the coming 10 years.

Newly released figures Tourism Research Australia (TRA) reflect strong growth in the caravan and camping sector - which in NSW has seen 16% growth in visitor nights in the past 12 months.

Commenting on the findings, Caravan & Camping Industry Association (CCIA) NSW Chief Executive Lyndel Gray stated “with the lower Australian dollar, and what we know is a growing nostalgia for the traditional caravan and camping holiday, it’s no surprise these figures are reflecting what our members have seen in their businesses for the past year.

“Australians spent a massive 15.7 million visitor nights caravan and camping in NSW last year and this data suggests the demand will continue to grow.

“It also reveals that the holiday travel segment is growing at a much faster rate than Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) as Australians recognise the value of domestic holiday options.”

Backing the NSW Government’s recent announcement that it will invest $43 million over four years in a major overhaul of the way regional and rural areas attract visitors, Gray emphasised that domestic tourism remains the largest component of Australia’s tourism industry and visitor nights are expected to grow 3% on average over the coming decade.

Grey concluded “NSW has just recorded one of the strongest quarters of growth in the country for the caravan and camping sector, and we are confident this growth will continue as our industry has worked hard to provide products that meet the needs of today’s visitor.

“On a national level, caravan and camping is the fastest growing commercial accommodation type outside of private rental accommodation being offered for holiday use – we are truly seeing a return to the great ‘Aussie’ holiday.” 

Image: Horseshoe Bay Holiday Park. Courtesy of Macleay Valley Coastal Holiday Parks.

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