More people are hitting the road in their caravan and campervans than ever before, but will the traditional caravan park survive?

 Secondary

 

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Numeracy

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Literacy

Cooperative Learning Activity

 

 

 

1. In groups of 4 - 5 students, share your experiences of having a holiday in a caravan park and camping ground. What did your family expect on their caravan or camping holiday?

• What is a traditional caravan park?

• Is it different to a Tourist Park? or

• a Holiday Resort?

 List down the different descriptions and discuss.

What were the facilities like?

Have the caravan and camping grounds changed since you first started going on holidays? How? Have your family's expectations changed over time? In what way?

2. Read the following article

ABC News Report 6 June 2017

"More people are hitting the road in their caravan and campervans than ever before, but will the traditional caravan park survive?

The caravan industry contributes $18 billion to the national economy, but caravan parks are beginning to feel the crunch as they invest more in their parks to meet the increasing demands of users, while competing with free facilities being provided by local governments.

Ron Saulsman has been operating his park at Dongara on WA's west coast for 13 years, and said some parks were struggling to survive.

He said the growth in baby boomer numbers was leading to a growth in people hitting the road.

"They are retiring quite well, they are buying fifth wheelers that have everything that opens and shuts," he said.

"Caravans have become more sophisticated and the expectations have too. These increased demands mean increased investment."

Free parking hurts parks' bottom line

Mr Saulsman said a move by local governments to provide free parking and facilities for caravaners was causing problems for park owners.


"Many caravan park operators have grave concerns about viability now that their own local governments have been increasingly developing short-term, free-stay facilities," he said."

3. Analyse the article. What is the main challenge presented?

4. "Grey nomads" or people who have retired, are buying caravans or more likely RVs and travelling around Australia.

Ask your grandparents if they would consider buying a caravan or RV and travelling around Australia. Pool your groups' answers. What are the expectations of your grandparents in travelling? What are the results? Graph them.

5. Analyse the following article from The Conversation 26 August 2013

6.

Discuss as a group.

 

"If you were a Caravan Park and Camping Ground Manager, what would you do to attract more visitors, tourists, families and grey nomads to your park?"