As the world adjusts to the return of normality and people are planning more holidays, leading caravan, campervan and motorhome rental platform, Camplify, has conducted a national research study, which found that 85% of Australians expect to stay within the country for their next holiday.
Despite the reopening of international borders, only 7% of Australians who took a holiday in the last 6 months have ventured overseas, with the remaining 93% choosing to still travel domestically.
Of those Australians who have had a holiday in the last six months (66%), over three-quarters of these people have travelled to their destination by road.
This renewed passion for road trips has been boosted in the last couple of years due to Australians looking to enjoy the flexibility of travelling at their own leisure and providing an option for self-contained travel free from the continued covid related travel requirements.
It’s a trend that doesn’t look to be slowing down, with 61% of those who plan to have their next holiday in Australia opting for a road trip to their destination. These travellers see the benefits of a road trip being; the value for money (28%), the ability to explore destinations close to home (23%) and general ease of travel (14%).
As both domestic and international air travel struggles to deliver a reliable service, the Camplify study found that Aussies are choosing to travel closer to home to save money, with 38% finding local travel cheaper as well as COVID still being a barrier to travelling overseas for many, with only 42% feeling more confident about international travel compared to six months ago.
In addition to the concerns that have been present for a while, inflation and rising costs are also playing a part in how people travel, with 69% of Australians saying that inflation is impacting how they will holiday this year. Despite rising fuel prices, a road trip is still being seen as good value for money, with 28% of Australians saying it’s a cheaper option than other travel means.
Alastair McCausland, Chief Marketing Officer of Camplify, says: “During the last two years, we have welcomed many first-time road trippers. Encouragingly, even as restrictions have eased, we are continuing to see many of these travellers enjoying subsequent Camplify trips, with over 25% of our bookings now coming from repeat hirers. We know our hirers love having the freedom of a hotel on wheels to travel where and when they want to”.
“A road trip is also a more cost-effective and reliable option for Aussies to go on holiday. With the chaos at most airports and increased costs for accommodation, hire cars and meals, a Camplify holiday is still one of the most reliable and cost-effective holiday options out there”, he added.
With vans available from $65 a day, a Camplify trip is an incredibly affordable way of holidaying. For example, families of four can hire a luxury motorhome for $200 a day, equating to $50 per person or alternatively can opt for something more premium or an option that fits into a tighter budget, there is something for everyone.
With continued long wait times for new RVs, Camplify is also helping prospective van buyers’ try before they buy’, through exploring the large range of RV types on the Camplify platform.
The Caravan and RV industry within Australia also shows the continued love affair with van life shows no signs of slowing. Last year saw 50.6 million nights spent in RVs, a 23% increase from the previous year, and 12.6 million RV trips taken, a 19% increase from last year.
With this incredible rise of interest in RV holidays, the camping and caravanning sector has become one of the largest providers of holiday accommodation in Australia. The industry’s impact on the Australian economy is also exponentially growing, with the industry contributing $23.8 billion in economic impact to the Australian economy annually.
With so many new vans in Aussie driveways, Camplify is continuing to help van owners offset the increasing cost of living pressure by safely renting out their van when they aren’t using it themselves.
For more information or to book your next adventure, head to camplify.com.au
* All statistics are from Camplify Insights Report 2022 unless otherwise specified.
