New research has revealed an unlikely hero may lead the way to recovery for the tourism industry: the humble caravan and camping sector.
Research from Tourism Research Australia shows more than 500,000 travellers have indicated they would take a camping trip within the next two months, contributing an average of $584 per trip to regional tourism.
According to the Caravan Industry Association of Australia (CIAA), this has the potential to kick-start the recovery for tourism and inject over $292 million dollars directly into the hands of regional tourism operators who rely on caravanners and campers.
In fact, the number of those intending to go caravanning or camping is much higher than other types of travel, with only 12 per cent of the country planning to book a holiday in the next three months.
That means caravan and camping travellers are seven times more likely to take a holiday in the next three months than the rest of Australians.
The CIAA said in a release that most caravan and holiday parks have implemented coronavirus-safe guidelines already, catering for permanent residents, essential workers and stranded caravanners.
This includes contact tracing, social distancing and increased hygiene regimes in common areas and amenities. Unlike other accommodation, they also don’t have shared lifts and lobbies or shared air-conditioning facilities.
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