Mixed results for show debutantes

It was a case of mixed fortunes for exhibitors displaying fresh models at the recent Bendigo Leisurefest.

While Coromal’s cut-price new Appeal caravan, the British-designed Opus camper trailer, and Complete Campsite’s new baby hardtop Exodus 9 all found buyers at the show, the unconventional fibreglass RAD Camper attracted plenty of tyre kickers but no firm orders.

While scoring slightly fewer sales than previous years, Bendigo Caravan Centre’s Bob Considine said Leisurefest was nonetheless a “good show” for the Victorian Coromal/Windsor dealer, with a few punters unable to resist the ‘used van pricing’ of the new Appeal model.

“Of the 18 Coromal and Windsor caravans we sold I think three or four were Appeals, one in stock and the rest were orders, so it was a good show,” he said.

Complete Campsite sales manager Neil Treseder said the NSW off-road specialist’s new entry-level hardtop model pulled in plenty of punters, some of whom were convinced enough to write a cheque on the spot.

He said one potential buyer travelled all the way from South Australia for the first opportunity to see the cleverly designed, new baby off-road caravan in public.

“We had a lot of interest in it, but where I had it positioned everyone had to walk past it. And it ruffled a few feathers with the competitors, which is always a good thing,” Treseder said.

Twelve months after launching the brightly-coloured, British-designed Opus camper at the Melbourne Leisurefest, Purple Line’s Malcolm Hill said the Bendigo show “was well worth attending… and we’ll certainly be back there next year”.

“We had overwhelming positive feedback, and a couple of negative comments here and there as you’d expect,” he said. “We made two sales, which was great, as we said success for us would be one sale.”

Most of the people Hill spoke to at the show had never laid eyes on the now Melbourne-assembled Opus camper trailer before, and “were really surprised by the shape of it and the spec inside”.

Less fortunate was cabinet-maker turned camper trailer builder Craig Reid, who after two years’ development and considerable financial outlay was displaying his unique RAD Camper for the first time at a caravan show.

“People loved it but I didn’t get any orders,” he said, somewhat despondently after the show. “I don’t know what I’m going to do now because I don’t think my wife is going to let me go to another show and spend that kind of money (in exhibitor costs).

“I’ve got a few leads, but I won’t hold my breath,” he concluded.

Bendigo’s 13th annual Caravan & Camping Leisurefest attracted a total of 14,100 patrons through the gates of Bendigo Racecourse over three days.

Caravan Industry Association of Victoria (CIA Vic) CEO Rob Lucas said the attendance topped last year’s figure and almost matched the all-time record. “This is the fourth time in five years that Leisurefest has topped 14,000,” he said.

The 2015 Bendigo Leisurefest is scheduled for November 20-22.