Women are playing a significant part in the re-emergence of Australia’s recreational vehicle (RV) industry as a major tourism sector, influencing product design and playing the No. 1 role within families in choosing holiday destinations.

According to industry research women seek “livability” and practical use in the internal layouts and designs of motor homes, campervans, caravans, pop-tops and camper trailers.  Men’s thoughts still turn to the motoring and towing aspects of RV travel.

Women also play a key role in choosing where families take their RV holidays says the research from Caravan Industry Australia (CIA), the industry’s peak national organisation, representing manufacturers, retailers, suppliers of RVs and also the operators of holiday tourist parks.

There are 350,000 RVs of all shapes and sizes in Australia and close to 3,000 holiday tourist parks that include resort-styled parks, caravan parks in country towns and campgrounds in National Parks.

“Women with children like parks that have lots of attractions that will bring other families with children of a similar age to their own and which will keep them entertained from dawn to dusk,” said CCIASA President, David Benson.  “Women want free time to enjoy their holidays.”

Mr Benson said the research also showed that retired couples have different needs, but woman carry the most influence on selecting a park.  He said retired couples often seek out parks that are quieter and more relaxed.

“The park selected will often be located in a region where a couple can make day-trips to local attractions,” said Mr Benson.

Mr Benson said that virtually all of Australia’s major RV manufacturers rely on feed back from the retail outlets who are the frontline in dealing with people who want to buy a motor home or any one of the many towable models.

“Anecdotal evidence from dealers reinforce that women influence how kitchen, living areas and sleeping berths.  They want the RV to be extremely user friendly so they can maximise their leisure time while on holiday.  They don’t want to be doing housework.  Decor, colors and “wearability” of fabrics are other design issues that have designers thinking, and most were initially raised by women,” said Mr Benson.

Mr Benson believes women also influence the design and layout of park cabins, which were also attracting people to park holidays, who were not traditionally caravanners or campers.

“Cabins have open-plan lounge-kitchen areas, with the kitchens extremely functional.  There is usually a TV and many have a VCR.  Two bedrooms are for the most part standard.  And most have their own bathrooms and toilets.  Some have spas.  The look of each cabin aims to appeal to women,” he said.

Mr Benson said cabins give people a wonderful quality introduction to the lifestyle available in a park, and they get to meet some of the many hundreds of thousands of caravanners who have been enjoying this great holiday way-of-life for years.

This article has been provided for publication by the Caravan and Camping Industries Association of South Australia. Unauthorised use or reproduction is strictly prohibited. Article & photography is © Caravan and Camping Industries Association of South Australia and may not be used without their express permission.

The Caravan & Camping Industries Association of South Australia Inc., (CCIA. of SA) is a broad based Trade organisation which was incorporated in 1976. Its membership is made up of retailers, manufacturers, hirers, service providers, repairers and suppliers and as such is predominately aligned with businesses in or closely related to the outdoor leisure Industry.