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Caravan Industry Association of Australia, the nation’s peak body for caravanning, has welcomed Federal Labor’s $10 million commitment towards targeted infrastructure investment for the nation’s caravan parks, if elected on 21 May.

CIAA Chief Executive, Stuart Lamont, said “caravanning has long been Australian domestic tourism’s largest visitor and economic cohort, an overall $23 billion economic driver in tourism and local manufacturing activity.”

Mr Lamont said “in the industry’s desire to supercharge post pandemic recovery for Australian tourism, this well-targeted government infrastructure support package recognised the true and growing value of caravanning, in particular through regional and rural economies.”

“We anticipated that a $15m of federal infrastructure funding injection into our world leading caravan park product will ultimately extract matched private capital expenditure support up to 3 times over. That will deliver $45m in renewed and compelling new caravan product and accommodation.”

“Federal Labor commitment can be a catalyst to bring more industry investment to be table, and to drive further growth, tourism jobs and re-ignite again our dynamic visitor economy.”

“To be incentivised to deliver even more attractive caravan park amenity and product is just the ticket to sustainable recovery of Australian tourism and its compelling proposition for road travel, caravanning and camping, to Australians from all walks of life.”

“We look forward to further detail and discussion around the $10m commitment.”

Mr Lamont welcomed all major parties supporting a renewal of international marketing commitments, including for Tourism Australia, as it remained critical to build Australian tourism back better after the ravages of COVID-19 more than halved Australian tourism’s value.

He said “this should include a role for caravanning, including its 2000 parks across the country, which had, pre-COVID, already carved out an exciting and growing niche for international visitor dispersal, attracting travellers from South East Asia, Europe and the US and previously China.”