Record caravan sales in 2022

Australia’s love affair with caravanning grew even stronger last year, with more recreational vehicles hitting the road in a 12-month period than ever before and Aussies spending as much as $2 billion-plus in total on a new holiday-ready camper trailer, caravan or motorhome.

According to Caravan Industry Association of Australia figures, 28,301 units were produced locally during 2022, up 17.1 per cent on the previous year and the highest figure recorded since the 1970s.

The amount of imported RVs entering the country also rose by more than eight per cent year-on-year, to 20,498. The combined total of almost 50,000 RVs entering the market last year is claimed to be the highest on record.

The figures are a stark turnaround from pre-pandemic numbers, when a slowing market caused a drop-off in local RV production to just over 21,000 locally built units in 2019.

While dealers are now starting to see demand drop off from last year’s peak as more people return to travelling overseas, and the rising costs of buying an RV as well as staying in a caravan park deter some buyers, Caravan Industry Association of Australia CEO Stuart Lamont said: “There is no surprise that Australians continue to invest in industry products, since caravanning and camping remains one of the best value and accessible holiday options, especially for families.

“Our industry through COVID was able to pivot and mobilise during challenging times, and now that labour and supply chain interruptions have minimised we continue to see strong output particularly from local manufacturers,” he said.

The Association said RV exports also surged in 2022 to 9568 units, although it’s believed these figures may include RV accessories and other camping products like power management units.

“These most recent figures only further fortify the recreational vehicle manufacturing sector’s position and importance as one of Australia’s largest remaining bastions of automotive manufacturing, a position by which we need to see continued support and partnership in order to maintain,” continued Lamont.

The upsurge in caravan, camper trailer and motorhome deliveries in 2022 has also seen the total number of RV registrations across the country continue to rise, with reports of close to 900,000 RV registrations across Australia – up from around 700,000 three years ago.