8634.0 - Tourism Indicators, Australia, Dec 2001  
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This article was published in Tourism Indicators, Australia, December 2001 (ABS Cat. No. 8634.0).

INTRODUCTION

There are several key indicators on caravans and caravan parks available to people interested in the caravan industry. This article aims to provide insight into this industry and increase awareness of the availability of caravan park statistics. The statistics in this article are sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the Bureau of Tourism Research (BTR), and the Australian Automobile Association (AAA). As well as highlighting different data sources, this article provides data on the different components of the caravan industry.


ANNUAL CARAVAN PARK ESTABLISHMENT AND CAPACITY COUNTS

Caravan park establishment and capacity counts are important as they can be used to determine which geographic areas are experiencing growth in caravan parks and to assist in estimating the share of caravan parks in accommodation activity in specific areas.

September quarter 2001 is the latest available data (published in the September quarter 2001 issue of Tourism Indicators, Australia (Cat. no. 8634.0), providing counts for capital cities and States/Territories. These data are primarily produced from a file supplied by the AAA. Data are presented for caravan parks with less than 40, and with 40 or more, powered sites.

Almost one tenth of caravan parks in Australia are located in capital cities. Graph F2.1 shows that of the capital cities, Brisbane has the most caravan parks, almost twice as many as Sydney. Brisbane also has the most powered sites and cabins.

F2.1 PROPORTION OF TOTAL CARAVAN PARKS ESTABLISHMENTS AND CAPACITY


Outside the capital cities, New South Wales has the largest proportion of caravan parks (graph F2.2).

F2.2 PROPORTION OF TOTAL CARAVAN PARK ESTABLISHMENTS AND CAPACITY


CARAVAN PARKS WITH 40 OR MORE POWERED SITES

Regular readers of Tourist Accommodation, Australia (Cat. no. 8635.0) will recall that from 1997 onwards, for one year in every three, the Survey of Tourist Accommodation (STA) expands to include caravan parks with 40 or more powered sites. A wide range of data are collected and published, including establishment and capacity counts, occupancy rates, employment, takings from accommodation (including the Goods and Services Tax from 1 July 2000), number of sites occupied by long term guests and number of sites permanently reserved. Data are available by each State and Territory and Australia and for both short term caravan parks (where the majority of paying guests occupy sites for periods of less than two months) and long term caravan parks.

The latest available statistics relate to the December quarter 2000. STA data can be compared with data previously collected for the December quarter 1997.

Graph F2.3 shows the huge relative growth in cabins and flats between the December quarter 1997 and the December quarter 2000. The number of cabins and flats increased in every State and Territory. In most States, this was the only site type to increase its aggregate capacity. Tasmania was the only State to record increases in all site types. Total capacity increased in the Northern Territory (up 5%) and Tasmania (2%) but fell in all other States and the Australian Capital Territory.

F2.3 GROWTH IN CARAVAN SITE CAPACITY by type of site and state/territory


Small area data

Tourism is an essential part of the local economy for many regions. Caravan park data, including occupancy rates and takings from accommodation, are available for selected Statistical Local Areas and Tourism Regions (defined by relevant State and Territory Tourist Commissions or equivalent organisations). These statistics are published in Tourist Accommodation, Small Area Data Standard Data Service products for each State and the Northern Territory (Cat. no. 8635.n.40.001). Due to user funding, data for the Northern Territory are available each quarter on this expanded basis.

Graph F2.4 shows that there was growth in employment in caravan parks for all of the published Tourism Regions in the Northern Territory in the December quarter 2001 compared to the December quarter 2000, except for the Tablelands. Total employment in the Northern Territory rose 15%, from 329 in the December quarter 2000 to 377 in the December quarter 2001. The number of people employed in caravan parks in the Darwin Tourism Region increased 31%, to 76. Employment in caravan parks in the Katherine Tourism Region rose 20%, to 97.

F2.4 GROWTH IN NUMBER OF PERSONS EMPLOYED IN CARAVAN PARKS


VISITOR NIGHTS

One of the most valuable sources of statistics relating to caravan parks is the BTR, which publishes quarterly and annual results on domestic and international visitation at caravan parks, collected in the National Visitor Survey (NVS) and International Visitor Survey (IVS).

Domestic visitors

The BTR publication Travel By Australians: Quarterly Results of the National Visitor Survey, presents data on overnight visitors and visitor nights by State and Territory and Australia for the type of accommodation used, including Caravan park or commercial camping ground, and Caravan or camping on private property. These data relate to Australian residents aged 15 years and over.

Graph F2.5 shows the proportion of visitor nights by accommodation type used. The graph shows that caravan parks or commercial camping grounds are used for 10% of visitor nights. The Northern Territory had the largest proportion of use of this type of accommodation (14%). The proportion of visitor nights spent in caravans or camping on private property was lower (4%) with the Northern Territory showing the largest proportion of use of this type of accommodation (9%).

F2,5 PROPORTION OF TOTAL VISITOR NIGHTS


International visitors

Data are also available on international visitors staying at caravan parks. The BTR publication International Visitors in Australia: Quarterly Results of the International Visitor Survey presents data on the number of visitor nights by country of residence and main purpose of journey. These statistics include type of accommodation used, such as Campervan (self-propelled motor vehicles that contain an area primarily used for accommodation), or Caravan (non-powered vehicles that are towed behind another vehicle and primarily used for accommodation), cabin or tent, and relate to all visitors aged 15 years and over.

The latest available data relate to the year ended 30 June 2000. More recent data are not yet available because of delays in receiving overseas arrival and departure statistics from the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA).

Graph F2.6 shows the nights spent by international visitors in a caravan, cabin or tent in June 2000. Visitors from the United Kingdom, Germany and the United States of America were the main users of this type of accommodation, accounting for 29%, 10% and 9% of international visitor nights spent in this accommodation, respectively. Campervans were also a popular choice of accommodation for visitors from these countries, with Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States of America accounting for 31%, 16% and 5% of international visitor nights spent in campervans, respectively.

F2.6 INTERNATIONAL VISITOR NIGHTS IN CARAVAN, CABIN OR TENT


CARAVAN REGISTRATIONS

A good source of annual data on caravan and campervan registrations by State and Territory and Australia is the publication Motor Vehicle Census, Australia (Cat. no. 9309.0).

Data available include the number of caravans on register by census years and year of manufacture along with the number of campervans on register by census years, per 1,000 resident population, by estimated average age, fuel type, make of vehicle and year of manufacture. Similar statistics have been published periodically since the first Motor Vehicle Census (MVC) in 1971. The most recent MVC was conducted on 31 March 2001.

Table F2.7 shows registered caravans, by year of manufacture. Victorian registrations accounted for just over one-third of all caravans on register on 31 March 2001.

F2.7 CARAVANS ON REGISTER, BY YEAR OF MANUFACTURE

NSW
Vic.
Qld
SA
WA
Tas
NT
ACT
Aust

To 1970
1,156
676
1,840
1,382
2,690
191
21
31
7,987
1971-75
4,788
1,399
4,611
3,929
4,934
619
60
87
20,427
1976-80
12,870
3,721
9,473
7,959
9,322
1,571
142
299
45,357
1981-85
12,093
2,833
7,243
4,831
5,947
886
120
302
34,255
1986-90
8,262
4,479
5,972
3,906
5,849
456
98
251
29,273
1991-95
6,753
7,022
5,018
3,080
4,299
331
67
192
26,762
1996
1,509
1,713
1,085
701
900
94
20
52
6,074
1997
1,737
1,958
1,296
708
997
82
22
61
6,861
1998
2,140
2,586
1,630
1,046
1,120
114
21
68
8,725
1999
2,559
2,780
1,930
1,106
1,313
147
28
76
9,939
2000
2,653
3,209
2,527
1,203
1,286
118
26
88
11,110
2001
253
594
302
181
205
19
-
13
1,567
Not stated
2,898
59,128
1,062
877
-
798
5
1
64,769
Total
59,671
92,098
43,989
30,909
38,862
5,426
630
1,521
273,106

Source: Motor Vehicle Census, Australia, 31 March 2001 (Cat. no. 9309.0).


CONCLUSION

There are a number of official sources providing information on the caravan industry that can be used for information and planning. In short, detailed quarterly statistics on caravan parks with 40 or more powered sites are available for 1997 and 2000. These statistics can be supplemented by Small Area Data products for selected Statistical Local Areas and Tourism Regions. Detailed data for the Northern Territory are available each quarter. In addition, annual caravan park and establishment counts are available, along with quarterly and annual data on visitor nights from the BTR, and the annual Motor Vehicle Census provides information on the number of caravan registrations.