Dog-happy caravan holidays on the rise

It appears that many Aussies find it ‘ruff’ if they can’t take their 'pawfect' travellers on holidays, based on latest research findings compiled by Caravanning Queensland.

New data gathered from various sources, including the Caravan Industry Association of Australia (CIAA), RSPCA, Petraveller and TrustedHousesitters, reveals that half (50%) of Aussie travellers feel guilty when they leave their pets behind to go on holiday, while another 50 per cent said they worry their pet will miss them.

Additionally, over two thirds of pet owners will consider cancelling travel plans because they don’t want to leave their fur baby behind, and 50 per cent of Aussie pet owners admit to planning their holiday entirely around their pet’s needs.

In line with this trend, many caravan parks like the BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park in Queensland, now cater specifically to the needs of travelling dogs, offering a variety of services from fenced dog areas to doggy spas.

“Onsite we have two dog parks one for the large and one for the smaller breeds," explained BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park Sales and Business Development Manager, Candy Workman. "We also have a dog wash onsite we call the Puppy Pamper Palace and a section in our café where our pet visitors can dine with their family members.

“We currently have 20 pet friendly cabins, and all of our campsites can accommodate two fur members; we also have dog kennels for visitors who are heading to the Gold Coast theme parks...”

Cara-fan enthusiasts Jesse, Lilly and four-legged Otis, have been caravanning together since May 2024, with Otis clocking up an estimated 20,000kms so far on the leash.

“We set off on our trip and three weeks in we began to feel lost and missing family due to this new lifestyle. We had always spoken about if we were to get a dog it would be a border collie, so when we saw Otis at the rescue shelter, we knew we had to have him,” Jesse said.

“We have met a lot of other people with their dogs through Otis, he is a great conversation starter and ice breaker. We’ve made new friends and so has Otis, running around and playing with the other dogs. It’s no hassle at all bringing Otis along, we have found 98 per cent of places on our travels have been dog friendly and we haven’t had to forgo any activity or destination."

Caravanning Queensland CEO, Jason Plant said there are hundreds of caravan parks in Queensland alone that allow you to check in with your pet.

“What parks offer in this area can vary from being fully pet friendly, to cabin availability (for pets) to dog washes and dog agility parks. The offers may vary in peak and off-peak season but there is a wealth of information available for families who want to caravan with their family pooch," he said.

Dogs are also welcome at many caravan shows these days, including the Caravanning Queensland-run 2024 Let’s Go Brisbane Caravan and Outdoor Sale that will run from October 31 to November 3 at the Brisbane RNA Showgrounds.