Here are some comments that have been made after I posted the report of our meeting on some road traveler groups. As caravan park managers, we also know what it is like to struggle in this business. We are also caravaners & enjoy free camping. Free camping still brings $ into the community, but not to the caravan parks. That said, in our park ,Wellington Valley Caravan Park, we have on offer a user pays option $10.00 for a site for the night, no power or water or access to amenities, like free camping but more secure. Caravan Parks need to try to be a little innovative to try to help themselves. Council should not offer free camping at show grounds ect if decent caravan parks have vacancy they should work together also I think parks should offer cheap down the back sites toilets need keys laundry ect in saying there should not be any free camping within 50 klms of town Van park owners must realise that travellers also have rates and power bills to pay at home and are spending on top of everyday bills to travel,get too greedy and no one travels and everyone misses out we should remove all the picnic tables and free Barbies so resturants and cafes can make a profit I have in 50 years of dealing with bushiness that they at no point will be in a good position. I realise that they are hampered by regulations. But, there is always a but, a lot of them seem to think that they are the only ones that are trying to make a living. How about the motels having caravan parks putting in cabins in direct competition. In my travels I have a limited number of dollars to spend. I free/low cost camp as much as possible. If I am forced to go to caravan parks full time the other businesss in the area miss out. I use parks to a small degree. they are unfortunately there own wort enemy, especially the one belonging to chains. The marketing people come up with ideas that are aimed at families. Where the more constant flow is not this demographic. If I use a park all I want is access to water no electric. Being self contained I may need a dump point. But with care and attention public toilets suffice. $25 to $35 a night for a site with minimal facilities is reasonable but when you look at base underpowered sites at $45 to $60 a night forget it. There are many parks that think you are doing them a favour by staying and let you know it. On our last trip we stayed 11 nights in parks. Out of 35 days All $35 or under all with old but good facilities. It is about time parks had a good look at themselves and got real PR people in to find out what the public want. Not what some marketing wanker thinks they want. One park I stayed in when I asked if they had a dump point, straight off the top of her head the lady told us the mens toilet was the place. Simple no cost to the park directly and easy to do. My rant over Just wondering, with the high costs of owning / managing a CP and with the high rates and expensive ongoing costs, how many parks have their own kiosks or shops in the reception / office area? That being said, I also wonder how many managers / owners think about the local corner store that also try to make a living by selling bread, milk, ice creams etc??? Not to mention the publican who is trying to let rooms at his hotel???? Caravan Parks need to decide what there market is. Cabins, families that want jumping castles or travellers who need basic facilities at a fair price. Perhaps let the Market decide and if it means the 3 parks in your town become 2 and they can then make a reasonable living so be it. The most obvious point is if the park owners are seeing people drive past their parks it is up to them to attract them back, not the governments or local councils. The analogy with a restaurant is a good one if people dont like the food or prices are we still to be forced to go there to eat!!!!!!! I think not. I cant comment on your town, but I have pulled into cparks that were expensive, dirty and bad amenities, because they cater to mainly permanents. Also see caravan park on the map and plan to stay and when we got there they only had 3 or 4 itinerant sites and they were full as the rest were permanent. We now dont rely on them and seek free camp sites. I feel for the genuine ones though as they often struggle I do not like caravan parks . If I wanted to stay in a place crammed together . I wouldnt have a van . It should be free choice . Caravan parks stop grumbling . Its called competition . My son is a plumber . What is he going to stop other plumbers working . As in any business thats risks you take . So does the town support parks . And the town loses out because families have not got the money to spend in town . After the cost of the caravan parks . And this one which I think says a lot, There are some travellers who will only use van parks, some who only freedom camp and others that do both. Why are park owners such a protected species? What about motel owners when they installed cabins? Other businesses do not attempt to force us all in their doors! Will you take away all picnic tables & BBQ areas so we use cafés & restaurants too? We will continue to bypass your towns. This is just a tiny sample of the responses I have had since I posted the report at 11pm last night. What do you think? Some very reasonable arguments here I think, especially the cabins in caravan parks taking business from motels.
Posted on: Thu, 14 Aug 2014 09:14:22 +0000
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