Local laws must be amended according to tourism experts to be able to catch the attention of economical vacationers and to gain profit as well.
Majella Kahler, operator of the Oasis Caravan Park, said that the camping industry consists of fresher ideas and output that are more self-sustaining; there must be an innovation in the local laws to be able to match them.
“Caravans have changed and improved over the years, and so has the consumer,” said Kahler.
“These days most travelers just want… power, water, a safe environment and good lighting. They don’t need much more.”
The Southern Downs Regional Council has now submitted a proposal to the Operation of Caravan Parks to revise the law and reduce the red tape for caravan park operators.
According to Kahler, the amendment would enable caravan park operators like her to welcome and entertain more visitors and to be able to include cheaper lodging and to ultimately revamp their parks to accommodate the emerging crowd.
Councilor Rod Kelly of the Southern Downs pointed out that the drafted amendments had been put in place to enable caravan park operators to charm and encourage more tourists to visit the town.
“The draft policy provides greater flexibility to keep pace with the changing needs of travelers who use caravan parks,” he said.
Kahler associated the “changing needs” to more “luxurious” caravans visiting Warwick.
“That’s the new product,” said the president of the Caravan Park Association of Queensland.
“Eighty per cent of RVs made these days are self-contained, but they still need access to water, power and a dump pool.”
Two of those caravanners, husband and wife John and Susan Athorn, have been travelling on a budget in a self-contained pop top and had been that way since.
“We’ve spent one night in a caravan park since we left in May,” Susan said.
“It’s roughly $29 to stay at a caravan park, and everything they offer we have in the caravan. We’ve got all the luxury we need.”
The couple is categorized as “low cost travelers” who are journeying through Warwick without the need for anything more than a place where they can park their mobile home.
“We’re a generation taught to be resourceful, and we travel just like that,” said John.
The Rose City has 27 caravan parks and camping grounds, all of which falls under the Subordinate Local Law No. 1.8 (Operation of Caravan Parks) 2011.
“If some of us operators wish to go into low-cost camping, the amendments will make that a lot easier,” Kahler said.
Additional amendments to the subordinate law would allow Warwick to accommodate a larger group of travelers according to Councilor Kelly.
“It is a very proactive approach to include bush camping where there is an additional need for overflow of tourists during such major events as the Warwick Rodeo and Jumpers and Jazz,” he said.
The public consultation of the drafted amendments took place on the 12th of October at 8am in the Warwick Council Chambers.
Full article by Molly Glassey courtesy of the Warwick Daily News.
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