26 Sep 2019
Tags: #vanlife, Camping Holidays, Camping & Caravan, Caravan & Camping with Kids, caravanning, Camping, campervan hire
Demand for retro caravanning holidays reaches record numbers as Aussies seek nostalgic festive experiences
With just 13 weeks to go until Christmas, there's a new contender on Aussies' wish lists - a taste of #Vanlife. Camplify, Australia's largest RV sharing community, has seen bookings for its neighbourhood retro kombis, colourful caravans and luxurious motorhomes increase by 50% year-on-year over the festive period.
Harking back to nostalgic family caravanning memories, a new generation of nomads are once again relishing life in the slow lane. The boho #VanLife Instagram movement (over 5.8million photos), an increasing desire for quality family time and pet-friendly holidays are some of the many factors fuelling a new golden era for caravanning.
This sought-after RV holiday experience is seeing many travellers book their Christmas under the stars at least six months in advance. When it comes to organised travellers, Northern Territory residents are the most prepared, booking their trips on average 11 months in advance, followed by Tasmania, making plans 9 months ahead of their trip.
Justin Hales, CEO and Founder of Camplify discusses festive demand across the caravan sharing economy:
“Our mission is to help make the freedom and joy of caravan experiences accessible to all - whether that be couples seeking a new way to celebrate the New Year, families making memories or Aussies looking for a spare room for visiting relatives.”
“We've been blown away by the demand for our summer holiday bookings, with our community of van owners having already received a significant amount of bookings over the festive period. With the average booking length nine nights, we're seeing many parents taking advantage of the summer break to relive cherished childhood holiday experiences with their own kids.”
“For those whose caravans and motorhomes are likely to be parked in their driveways or in storage during the holidays, there's never been a better time to join the sharing economy. During this peak summer holiday period, van owners have the opportunity to earn $3,000 - $9,000 by sharing their vehicles with others.
“With thousands of neighbourhood vans on our platform, there's still time to book a festive adventure with us.”
Lauren and Greg, parents of two from Sippy Downs on the Sunshine Coast, are witnessing the trend of families embracing the caravanning lifestyle. The 'van-treprenuers' started their caravan hire business with Camplify in July 2018. They recognised that they weren't using their family caravan as much as they'd like to, so decided to explore the opportunity of hiring it out. Fast forward just over 12 months, and the couple now have 8 caravans and campers in their fleet. In this time they've received over $85,000 in hire income.
Speaking about the upcoming summer holidays, Lauren said:
“Since setting up our caravan hiring company, Outback 2 Sea we've met many families and have loved being able to help others enjoy the freedom and joys of caravanning for the first time. We received our very first booking within two days of listing our family caravan with Camplify, and since then it's been non-stop.
“Over the summer holidays alone, we've already received $12,000 in bookings. Many of these bookings are from first-time caravanners seeking a new way to spend Christmas with their family, and over 80% of these bookings have been made at least five months in advance. We've even started to receive bookings for Easter 2020! The flexibility of the business is brilliant, and enables me to still be able to stay at home and spend time with our 7 and 9-year-old.”
It's not just the caravans that are in high demand, Reflections Holiday Parks CEO Steve Edmonds said there was a growing trend in guests staying over the Christmas peak holiday period usually booking more than 100 days in advance.
“Cabins and Powered Sites are in high demand over this period with many of our coastal parks performing above 90% occupancy, however there is still plenty of availability across cabins and sites at all of our Reflections Holiday Parks,” Mr Edmonds said. “We have seen an overall growth in the number of nights booked in December and January increase by 13%.”
“If you want to book a Reflections Powered Site in a Camplify van, now is the time to do it.”
To view more caravans to hire or for more information about listing your own RV visit Camplify.com.au or call 1300 416 133.
ENDS
Press contact:
Colette Cordes | colette@camplify.com.au | 0426 580 303
About Camplify
Founded in Newcastle, Australia, Camplify is on a mission to make 'van life' accessible to all. Camplify is now the largest caravan and motorhome sharing community in Australia and the UK, and has recently launched In New Zealand. Since its launch in 2015, Camplify has been connecting holidaymakers with thousands of unique recreational vehicles and endless adventures. To-date, Camplify has helped explorers enjoy over 445,000 nights under the stars, and 4,000 van owners boost their income by $10,000 - $30,000 a year. To find book your next adventure or to find out how you could unlock your van's earning potential, head to camplify.com.au
Some of the unique vans available to hire on Camplify now:
Realise all of you tiny homes dreams in this 1975 vintage gem.
This vintage 1960s gem features all of the comfort of a beautiful resort – only on wheels. With modern appliances, air conditioning, luxury linen and gourmet cheese & wine platters available, Wanderer is the ideal caravan for family and couple retreats.
This cute as a button 1984 VW Kombi with checkerboard flooring will be the talk of the campsite, and everyone you pass on your travels! Willow has been lovingly refurbished and comes fully equipped with everything you need to comfortably experience van life for a weekend away or a longer road trip.
This stunning Airstream is described as an Art Hotel on wheels, with the owners transporting this luxury vehicle to your desired location. The perfect glamping accommodation, with a separate bathroom and hot water shower, premium linen and toiletries. Beach umbrellas, belly boards and vintage bikes are also available within the hire.
This is a fantastic and creative transformation of a van, resulting in six square meters of imaginative space. Complete with a coffee machine, record player, yoga mats and books, this unique motorhome is a great place to relax and reconnect with one another.
Caravans don't come any sweeter than Coco. Fully decorated in pastel pinks from its interior to its exterior, Coco truly is one-of-a-kind.
This delightful vintage caravan invites you to experience the simple pleasures of a quintessential Aussie holiday. Enjoy the comforts of this sweet home on wheels, complete with modern appliances, air conditioning and decorated with beautiful vintage treasures and an abundance of fairy lights.
Get set to be transported right back into the golden 70s, with this retro bus transformed into a unique motorhome. Fitted for a couple with a large queen bed and amazing details, this is the perfect RV to explore the roads less travelled.
We couldn't resist including this show-stopping, beautifully restored 1970s Kombi Van. As well as being super photogenic, this Kombi features all of the creature comforts you need including a full kitchen, TV / DVD player and solar panels.
Handcrafted from reclaimed timber, this luxe campervan will make you the talk of the tents. Living up to its Cosy Camper name, this van includes a Queen-sized bed with boutique bed linen.
Homer is a character filled camper, like its cartoon namesake has oddly shaped proportions but lots of soul. This retro1980s motorhome was recently restored and is equipped with everything you need to enjoy comfortable nights under the stars.
VANDERLUST and HENDRIX
Always wanted to experience an Aussie road trip? Well, what are you waiting for? These beautifully designed campervans have everything you need for a cosy #VanLife experience.
