THE CARAVAN industry can drive and lead the road to recovery for domestic tourism, with more than 710,000 recreational vehicles (RVs) set and ready to go.

The recent release of April 2020 Caravan Park Accommodation figures shows a devastating blow to the industry with $208 million in losses for April.  

Across Australia in the past month alone, COVID-19 response measures have cost the industry over $208 million and this figure is further inflated by the loss of expenditure that would have been generated by regional tourism and thousands of small businesses.  

It also proves the important role caravan and camping trips would normally play for Australians over Easter and Anzac Day long weekends.  

Over Easter alone, an estimated 300,000 Australians had their camping trips cancelled, a significant group that deliver direct investment and life into regional Australia.

This revenue has been stripped out of the hands of mum and dad operators throughout the country.  

Accommodation data for April 2020 indicates that the caravan park sector, as expected, has been decimated by the COVID-19 crisis.

Caravan park revenue in April across Australia suffered a 90 percent decline from April 2019, which equates to $208 million in revenue lost for the month.

Occupancies fell by 75 percent in cabins and 82 percent in powered sites, and fell a further 89 percent in unpowered sites.

Daily rates across the states also fell, leading to Revenue per Available Site being $12 for Cabins, $2.70 for Powered Sites and $0.59 for Unpowered Sites.

All States were impacted, however the revenue reductions were worst in NSW, where caravan parks revenues decreased by 95 percent compared with April 2019.

Best placed to drive and lead the road to recovery

There are more than 710,000 registered RVs waiting to holiday and stimulate the market.  With over 18 million Australians indicating they are connected to the caravan and camping lifestyle, this presents an unrivalled opportunity to be active in market quickly as soon as the time is right.  

The potential of the camping sector with its significant interest and audiences puts it uniquely suited to stimulate domestic tourism and provide a lifeline to the thousands of tourism businesses eagerly awaiting a return to business.

The Caravan Industry Association of Australia is calling on all levels of government to consider the caravan and camping industry as part of the solution, to lead the way on the road to recovery of the domestic tourism industry in Australia. 

This includes the consideration of Caravan Parks as facilities which can accommodate independent travel in a manageable way, allowing for travellers to get back on the road and spending again as soon as possible to help rejuvenate regional communities who are seriously hurting.  

Industry product is uniquely suited to independent trips whereby self-reliant facilities are onboard vehicles such as bathrooms, showers and kitchens and cabin style accommodation is self-contained.

The diverse eco-system of the caravan and camping industry means that it will be resilient through this time and be ready to offer Australians the self-reliant, 'back to basics' experience on short notice when the time is right. 

www.caravanindustry.com.au

ends 

MASTER  Builders Victoria and the CFMEU Victoria and Tasmania (Vic/Tas) -- along with employer associations Master Plumbers, Neca, CCF, PPTEU, ETU and the AMWU -- have formally written to Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews calling for a 'trial of easing restrictions in addition to the deliverance of new stimulus' to ensure the protection of the building and construction industry.

The United Group’s proposal comes in light of new modelling conducted by Master Builders Victoria, which prefaces that if current restrictions continue, productivity losses could result in an estimated annual fall of over $6 billion in activity across the building and construction sector, compared with 2018/19, with a further $2 billion reduction in property related Victorian State Government revenue.

As the Victorian Government contemplates easing restrictions, the group has highlighted the successful manner in which the industry has put in place measures to ensure the safety of all construction workers, proving the ability to keep workers safe during this time.

The proposed alleviation of restrictions comes as the group looks to the planning and strategising of returning the industry to increased production as soon as possible whilst not compromising or retreating from the primary responsibility of safety.

Master Builders Victoria CEO, Rebecca Casson said, “The building and construction industry has proven the ability to deliver its essential work while following strict physical distancing and hygiene routines. We have demonstrated our sector’s capacity to help lead Victoria’s economy out of this crisis.”

Procedures that have been successfully put in place to ensure workers health and safety have included:

• Specifically developed industry guidelines for COVID-19;
• A dedicated Industry Liaison Officer and COVID-19 1800 number for the industry;
• The establishment of a high-level taskforce to oversee all direction;
• The conversion of the Incolink bus into a mobile health screening service to test for COVID-19 at building and construction sites across the state.

CFMEU Vic/Tas secretary, John Setka said, "We are committed to working with our united group of employer associations and unions to ensure our industry continues to operate, with the safety of workers being the upmost priority for all.”

 The alleviations to certain restrictions are suggested in the following areas of the industry:

1. Within commercial construction to address productivity; and

2. Within residential construction – such as through display homes and land-sales offices returning to normal trading hours

"The group stands united and committed to evidence-based decisions and advice from the health experts in order to maintain the utmost safety, whilst continuing to rebuild our states’ economy. We believe we can achieve both in a successful manner," a spokesperson said.

Click to read the Letter to Daniel Andrews, Premier of Victoria

ends

QUEENALAND Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, will be the headline speaker at Australia’s biggest online renewable energy event on May 6, 2020.

The Stimulus Summit: A Renewables-Led Economic Recovery will bring together state and territory energy ministers, industry and community leaders, and prominent academics to outline a roadmap for simultaneously revitalising and decarbonising Australia’s economy.

“We have to tackle the COVID-19 economic crisis and the climate crisis at the same time or we will lurch from one major problem to another,” said John Grimes, CEO of the Smart Energy Council, a peak national body for the solar, energy storage and renewable hydrogen industry.

“This is Australia’s moment to modernise and grow the economy, create hundreds of thousands of new, future-proof jobs and position Australia as a global renewable energy superpower,” Mr Grimes said.

Keynote speakers at the free online Stimulus Summit (11am-4pm on 6 May) include: 

• Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk;
• State and Territory Energy Ministers
  • Bill Johnston, WA Minister for Energy 
  • Dan van Holst Pellekaan, SA Minister for Energy
  • Shane Rattenbury, ACT Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability;
  • Lily D’Ambrosio, VIC Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change
• Professor Ross Garnaut, Australia’s pre-eminent economist;
• Innes Willox, CEO of the Australian Industry Group;
• The CEOs of the Australian Conservation Foundation, Climate Council, Climate Works, Carbon Market Institute, Farmers for Climate Action and Beyond Zero Emissions; and
• The CEOs of Hydro Tasmania and JET Charge and other renewables industry leaders.

More than 3,000 people have already registered for the Stimulus Summit, which the Smart Energy Council is delivering in partnership with www.reneweconomy.com.au  

ends

AUSTRALIA'S peak body for research, insights and analytics has unveiled its new name: The Research Society.

The organisation formerly known as the Australian Market and Social Research Society (AMSRS), has more than 2000 members and 80 company and client partners, and has been regarded as Australia’s leading research and insights community for 65 years.

Every decision across government, business and not for profit sectors affecting Australians in every aspect of their lives is informed by high quality research conducted by the society's members.  And never more so than right now when high quality up to the minute information is critical to the community.

The Research Society ensures the industry works to the highest standards and protects the interests of Australians who participate, as well as those who design and conduct research, by setting and enforcing a stringent Code of Professional Behaviour, as well as providing ongoing training to the research sector.

The Research Society’s chief executive, Elissa Molloy said the rebrand provided a fresh contemporary look and feel to complement the suite of new ways in which the organisation supports research professionals and partner organisations.

“As the leading Australian research and insights community for over 65 years, we know this is the best time to refresh our look and bring on new services to reflect a changing world and to support our members in their careers,” Ms Molloy said.

“We have some 2000 individual research professional members and over 80 partner organisations that include research agencies and end-client organisations that commission research in commercial and government sectors.

“We provide discounts and benefits to them and include individual membership for their employees. Everything we do at The Research Society is designed to promote, protect, connect and develop members and partner organisations.

“Our rebrand and the raft of new opportunities and services we are introducing reinforces our confidence in the smart creative research industry we support.  New services we are launching over the coming months include:  mentoring, live and on-demand online training, networking and conferences (including digital conferences), accreditation and a new suite of research awards all designed to reflect the dynamism of our industry,” Ms Molloy said. 

About The Research Society

• The Research Society is the leading research association in Australia.
• It supports the careers of research professionals with specialist training and professional qualification (QPR), professional membership, mentoring, networking opportunities and research awards.
• The Research Society partners with research agencies and end-client organisations that commission research, in commercial and government sectors, and provides additional organisational discounts and benefits to them as well as included individual membership for their employees.
• The Research Society is underpinned by a strong ethical Code of Professional Behaviour for its individual members and company and client partners that aligns with the Australian Privacy Principles.
• It supports company partners to certify to globally recognised ISO standards and it has exclusive rights in Australia to the Fair Data program that ensures companies collect, store and use the general public’s personal data and information in line with Australian Privacy and EU GDPR requirements.
• The Research Society is a founding member of the Global Research Business Network (GRBN) that links 45 research associations globally.

ends