Bumper year for RVs

Australians are flocking to caravan and motorhome dealers in increasing numbers, with 2010 on track to record the highest number of RVs produced in a calendar year in more than 20 years, according to the Recreational Vehicle Manufacturers Association of Australia (RVMAA).

“It’s currently 20 to 30 per cent higher than last year, I think both for motorised and towables,” RVMAA Executive Officer, Colin Young, confirmed today, with 12,469 units produced up until July this year.

Of last year’s total RV production of 17,658, “about 1600 were motorised motorhomes or campervans,” he said.

The RVMAA, which has approximately 110 members and represents about 90 per cent of the RV manufacturing industry in Australia, has been compiling statistics since 2004, when RV production totalled 16,900.

The figures are based on data sourced from RVMAA members and include an estimation of units manufactured by non-RVMAA members, which mainly comprise “little mum and dad camper tent people”, Young said..

“Of course, we don’t have anything to do with imports, apart from doing our best to stop the rubbish and non-compliant stuff that gets in and gets registered regardless,” he said.

Young suggested a variety of factors contributed to the jump in RV production this year.

“(Buyers) have more confidence I guess than they had two years ago (during the Global Financial Crisis),” he explained. “There have also been a lot of promotions, encouraging people to spend the kids’ inheritance... And a lot of people would rather see the country than go overseas; terrorism overseas has really taken its toll on overseas travel...”

“I think there are a lot of people perhaps now in their sixties that remember back in the 1950s going down to Dromana beach at Christmas and now they’re taking their own kids or grand-kids.”

Another advantage of RV ownership today, he said, was that “Mature age people, when they retired, don’t want to rough it too bad. And a lot of the vehicles are custom made for whatever the customers want...”

The growth in size and prominence of caravan and RV shows in major regional centres and capital cities has played an important part, too.

“A lot of the RV shows... have been very well attended and certainly the degree of professionalism with the vehicle and the marketing side has done a lot of good,” he said.

All sectors of the RV industry appear to be faring well, from lower-end camper trailers to slide-ons, fifth-wheelers and big budget luxury motorhomes.

“I’d say (the sales growth) is spread evenly... I think all sectors are doing well at the moment,” he said.

Young did admit however, that budget-priced camper trailers and tent trailers are becoming increasingly attractive particularly to younger people for their versatility and lower entry cost.

“If you’re going on the Canning Stock route you can’t take a $600,000 motorhome!” he said.

“A lot of the marketing people are aiming at the 35 to 49 year-olds, whereas perhaps in previous years it’s the retired people they’ve been aiming at.”

GIC Camper Trailers is one manufacturer that has been directly targetting the lower-priced end of the camper trailer market with much success.

“We sell camper trailers at the budget end of the scale, our camper trailer packages start from $3800 and they go all the way to the $14,000 mark,” said GIC Camper Trailers’ Costa Valmas. “We even offer a camper trailer, the Ranger, which has independent suspension, for under $11,000, so that’s why we sell around 60 (in total) a month.”

Valmas said “the number one reason is price” why sales of GIC Camper Trailers were up this year compared to last.

“Number one our pricepoint hasn’t changed much, and number two I think people are a bit tight with their money,” he said.

“Obviously marketing plays a big part: people are aware you can get a campertrailer which is Australian-made and manufactured here to that pricepoint whereas before they came across us they thought a campertrailer cost between $15,000 and $30,000.”


• Got some RV news or released a new product? Email chris.fincham@carsales.com.au