what do people want from a cavavan park ?

As travellers we look for good clean facilities, welcoming inviting hosts. Other things we look for are a good beach to walk along & a shop that serves good hot coffee. Good luck with your venture.

Clean and well service toilets, Hot showers with plenty of change area in same cubicle. Wash/ rinse down facilities for scuba gear.Large enough site for camper trailer and car off the internal roads. so mant times cars have to park on the road as sites are too small. Large camp kitchen. Small convenience store.

Skinny1

above are some really sensible replies. another worth while one is a family friendly park with kids activities within the park itself. too many caravan parks these days cater for the "wealthy" travelers with 5 star cabins and the like. a great park should cater for the mum & dad with kids in mind.

good luck with your venture,cheers.

Hi Skinny and good on you for doing market research with your target market. A bit about what type of park it would be would help you get useful answers to suit your circumstances eg:

A family holiday beach side resort
An eco-bush style camp
Something suited to grey nomads for an overnight stop
Near a location where travellers would stop to see the main attraction and stay for 2-3 nights
Something in between these variations

You may also like to check out the Caravanners Forum as similar questions have been asked before, and you have the opportunity to set up a log in and ask there as well.

Motherhen

The last couple of replies pretty much sum it all up, just make sure where you buy isnt gonna get get eaten up by bull bleep restrictions/regulations, and dont price yourself out as there are various types of campers/travllers, good luck in your decision

A fire pit for people that love using their camp ovens. Recently we stayed at the Discovery park in Longreach. It was cheaper for the five of us to camp with our camper in their en suite sites, that seemed to be designed for camper trailers. It was cheaper than a normal powered site i think due to the kids not running around the amenities blocks. great idea as there are a lot of people that have campers and kids these days. Keep an eye out on the people that camp in tents and use extension cords hooked up to normal power boards. People camped behind us up Yeppoon had a heap of little kids running around cords that had toasters and kettles hooked up. Under the awning no cover from the rain.It was the wet season too.
Good luck

G'day skinny. I'll tell ya what some want, they want 2011 service for a 1943 price.. LOL

Some drive through bays for one nighters so that you dont have to unhitch.

Something I would do with the pricing of site fees is have say a fee for up to 3 days. Many self contained, myself included, go to a caravan park for one day to empty dunny & grey water, do washing and have a good shower. Also pay as you use power would save you on the power wasters.

Neil

I think it depends on where you go, Good shady sites is a must up here in the Top End, plenty of room so when you step out of your van you don't bump into the van alongside, clean amenities, and something to do and or look at at the C/park or nearby town.
The Caravan Pk here at Mt Bundy is also a working Cattle Station, we have people come here (very few though) expecting facilities like you'd find in larger towns and cities such as Cairns or Perth, we had a couple turn up here last year in the Ford F250 with a 5th wheel van , he goes into the office and asked how much for 2 on a powered site, when the owner told him $26 a night he let forth with the 4 letter word saying "you gotta >>>> be joking" saying it's the most expensive C/park he's been too and drove out the gate, he sure hasn't been to Cairns or Alice Springs, ....(good ridance I say) , Another important thing is the owners and their attitude...(I been here 2 years and 10 months).

.

What's important to us is
Value for money- I don't mind paying $50/night for a site- if the facilities are there.
Good kids playground, shaded swimming pool, free bbq's, low proportion of seedy permanent's.
One last thing that rates well is number of hooks on the back of the shower doors.
Good luck

Hi,
Here is a list, we've put together which, highlights the things we looked for while we were on the road for a month.
We tow an older Jayco swan, have three kids under 13 and like to erect the annex roof if staying more than two nights.
Good parking when checking in, ease of entry into the park, which doesn't choke up the entry.
Happy and cheerful reception staff that offer suggestions, have local knowledge and want your return business, I don't expect it to be a tourist information center, but it is great when the staff have a perception of what your needs might be while your staying, whether that be overnight or for a few days.
Sites, a vary of sites that cater for all setups, Drivetho's, with either a patch of grass on the annex side, or concrete slab, with shade.
Power, water and somewhere to empty you washing up water, whether a bucket was used or a suliage hose. If you are to cater for a dump point, have it in a position that it is not an eyesore and it is well signposted
Clean amenities. Big shower area, I'm 6'3" and some cubical areas are just ridicules how small they are, parents with small children find it hard to dress their little ones at times, Plenty of Hooks so you clothes don't get wet. A well draining floor so that any sand or dirt that the previous user has not washed off themselves before using the shower doesn't lay where you stand to get dressed. Floor mats. If paper towel is used for drying hands, a waste bin big enough so that paper doesn't flow over it on to the floor. Air driers are a good idea.
Good water pressure with plenty of hot water with a descent shower head, no matter how many people there are using the amenities at once.
Well ventilated with good natural light and with good lighting of a night, but not so it disturbs nearby campers or fellow travelers.
Clean laundry with maintained machines, it's a PITA having to clean powder/liquid dispensers or lint filters and well priced,
Camp Kitchen, spacious, with shade, ease of use.
A playground of some type for the kids, doesn't have to have all the bells and whistles, just somewhere they can blow off a bit steam and Mum & Dad can have some quiet time.
Maybe a TV room with PayTv for when big games are on :)

Have a web site that is informative, not just glossy pretty pictures. Pricing, Accommodation types, and the ability to book in online. Also offer wireless internet connect.

Here is a review of parks that we stayed in on our recent trip.
Park reviews
Have a look at what these parks had to offer, and their pricing, the varied from basic to having everything and their pricing was just as varied.
We were mostly happy with were we stayed, and we didn't expect every park to be the same.
Oh, And listen to your customers have fun with them, engage with them, word of mouth is a very powerful tool and offer to customers to leave feedback. That way you learning if you are doing a good job

We wish you well in your endeavor with great success.

Cheers.

We are 'Grey Nomads' and usually avoid the coastal areas because they are generally overpriced for us. We don't want or need (or want to pay for) pools, playgrounds, recreation rooms etc. I think you need to concentrate on the type of traveller you want to attract. Trying to cater for all will 'put off' some travellers. To attract 'grey nomads' the parks need to have the basics and priced accordingly. You will never please everyone.
PS There is a park for sale in Peak Hill, NSW that needs a bit of TLC.

Skinny1,

For me, a reasonable and fair rate for kids would be high on the wish list. It's one thing to pay $28 or so for the site, for 2 adults, but then to be hit with another $15 each for the 3 kids makes for an expensive stop. Particularly when you consider that we are going to use essentially the same amount of power, whether we have kids on board or not (same air con, same number of lights, TV etc). Sure there'd be a modest increase in water use for showers and ablutions, but certainly not to that extent.

I'm not saying that kids should be free - because all those other amenities like playgrounds etc cost money, but it seems that many parks "see you coming" when charging for kids. My opinion is that kids really ought to be charged at around $7.50 extra a night - I think that's fair.
That's my 2c worth.

Good luck with the venture.

Danger Mouse

G/Day skiinny 1

By now you have picked up a few good suggestions from the above replies.

Above all Cleanliness in all your amenities is paramount.

Locations of your sites in the park re: Grey Nomads and Young Families.

Some older people love kids but don't want to have them as neighbours when on holidays.

And again some older people make more noise than kids.

It would be great if there could be a minimum flat rate for families instead of paying extra per child.

Also a Dog Deposit $$ if you allow pets in the park, this would make pet owners keep them on a leash at all times and pick up after they do a crap ect.

And most of all keep a tight reign on Boofheads that spoil your guests stay.

Good Luck with your proposed investment.


Cheers

When I go to a park I look for UNSHADED sites. Trees are a potential hazard in storms, some drop branches at anytime and allow birds to crap over roof and panels. Fruiting or flowering trees just attract birds and make the problem worse.

I love trees and their shade but over the sites.

I tend to use my own facilities in van so only require a water tap, drain for grey waste water and a dump point would be an attraction. I am amazed at how many parks just require waste water to be dumped on the ground. With maximum visitation, this means soggy, wet, muddy and unhealthy sites.

Vans these days are bigger than decades ago. Some parks have sites so small that drawbar has to stick out onto road. don't crowd sites and don't make them too small. Have trees between sites not over them or select the trees well.

Have dreamed about park designs if started a green field site but haven't come up with any startling thoughts. Enjoy the exercise.

Alan

Skinny1,
I think that showers and toilets in separate areas make for a more pleasant amenities visit, or at least keep toilet cubicles well separated from hand basins. Nothing worse that doing you teeth while something smelly is going on behind the near by door.
I have often wondered why park fees bear no relationship to the size of the sight. I guess this is covered to some extent by charges for children but two grey nomads in a large van or fifth wheeler will use much more power than a smaller van. These days vans with showers use electricity for hot water. Thanks to Bob and Julia, rising power costs will be one of the main drivers of increases in caravan park fees.
And if you are a pet friendly park try to keep pet owners and others separated. Some of us travel without dogs because we don't like them.
Kevin

No kids, no dogs, no smokers and no mobile homes with sliding doors going crash bang in the mid night!
Heaven on Earth.
AlanTH.

Hi "Skinny" .... have you really done all the sums yet, i know you say you have done the legalities so i will assume you have, it is an expensive game now and a lot of restrictions on how you operate, for instance you will read how some want "fire-pits" ..... this seemingally small addition could cost you a fortune in laibility insurance, if you are even allowed to do it at all ...... a lot want serviced sites with a shower/toilet ect at each pad, the plumbing requirements alone for this in this day and age will cost the earth and the regulations alone for what is required will cripple you, water supplys to a site ..... you will need ring mains, fire hydrants, tested flow rates and probally a back up storage for fire control alone, thats without the gear needed for the actual tourist....
I had dreams about opening a caravan park years ago, mainly because they always seemed to be full, seemed to be over priced and not what i wanted ..... well i have gone into it in extream detail now and man it is an expensive game to get into...
All i can say is good luck, find out exactly who it is that spends the MOST money at caravan parks and focus on them, ignore the complainers as you will find they own a very expensive van/car, are very well off and can afford any rates but as they have the money they will complain cause they can afford to hahaha.. probally best to discourage them as they will send you broke, the "paying" ones at the moment and into the future seem to be the middle adged familys, 2+ kids and either tents or a camper, they are working still and they want to enjoy it, even if it costs more they dont care as time is the "poor" part of there lives...... they will be the ones that will fill you park and pockets...
Cheers n good luck
Joe

G'day skinny1.

As stated previously, plenty of good suggestions to take on board.

Something I'd like to see more of, is C/P's that offer a "Single" rate. I'm talking caravan parks, not holiday parks.

I can understand why motels offer double rates only, seeing as most of their rooms cater for 2 or more persons, but when you rock up with your own caravan, and there is only one of you, why should you pay for 2 ? I realise we could be taking up a site where a family of 7 would be much more lucrative, but if the site remains empty, no $$$ at all for that night for that site. I rec kon there ought to be a way single campers can be factored in. It wouldn't necessarily have to be half the fee, but certainly a reduced one.

Anyway mate, good luck and let us all know where you decide to start up.

Fred.

Good luck Skinny!
As you can already see, the requirements of different markets will complicate your decisions. Close to the coast families may well be looking for a holiday park for school holidays while the older travellers or nomads tend to avoid the coast because holiday parks have too many facilities they don't want to pay for! You may do better to look a bit inland in pleasant towns convenient to major routes. Along the coast council regs and insurance may well cripple you and rates can be astronomical if your land gets classed as a development site so check very carefully how all these costs will impact on your ideas.
As others have said cleanliness, especially of amenities is paramont with everyone!
Also many cheaper or older parks have tried to make ends meet by allowing numerous permanents in rigs that, for all sorts of reasons, become sadder and sadder as time goes by and then only attract people likely to discourage tourists, especially those with children. So permanents begin as an income source but often end up as a liability in many ways!
Pay as you use power is a good idea so you can offer reasonable rates to those who do not use power extravagantly - we are tired of subsidising those who run aircons all day and night even when they are out.
Along the coast there are few pet friendly parks so this would be an attraction but you do need to actually check what type of dog is being brought in. Lynne

Shower roses at a decent height. I get really p...d off when I go into the shower to find it is at chest height and the cubicle is so small I cant bend over enough to get my hair wet. I dream of designing a caravan shower block where the shower roses at one end are 2M high and graduate down to 1.5M at the other end, The outer part of the shower cubicle has a seat you can actually sit on and is protected from the shower blast, and more hooks than there is wall space.

One city caravan park I saw had the urinals in the open right next to the hand basins, hated cleaning my teeth there.

Would have to agree that spotless amenities (showers, toilets) that actually work and aren't always wet would be number one on the list. Also a laundry with well maintained washing machines and plenty of clothes lines.

Recently we camped at a roadhouse and the showers actually had foot towels/mats provided - had not seen that before but it left a very favourable impression.

If you target the grey nomad/long term traveller market (as opposed to the holiday park market) then somewhere to do vehicle maintenance, oil change, vehicle wash down would be good too.

Agree with others that there are distinct market segments, but you would need to do the sums to see whether its viable to target just one or two segments rather than try to cater for all comers.

Cheers,

Val.

some good suggestions here and aside from the obvious location issue, cleanliness, good facilities, shop for basics.. bit of room so not packed in 2 metres from your neighbour and most of all be friendly...ive been to some great places and its always started with a good friendly, welcoming welcome.....ive been to some where i just felt like i was a pain for using their park and sure enough.. there facilities were neglected as well.

most private owners would also be happy to chat to you as long as your not going to be a competitor to them so ask owners as well.

wilpena park at flinders ranges is a good example.. catered to different segments in the same park... one area for vans, one areas for campers with camp fires trees and a bit of space, good clean facilities, numerous cooking areas and a good shop/cafe.
then they also cater for the tourist info and motel segment...

some friends of mine are accountants (Melb metro) who specialise in caravan parks.. if you want some good advice message me and I'd be happy to provide an intro.

In my opinion, the dunkeld park is a classic case of something that could be good with the right owners...

Skinny!. Do you have a caravan? A good way to find out what people would like is to go on a trip to different parks and as well as finding your own likes/dislikes talk to fellow travellers.

hey skinny, we only ask three things, clean toilets and showers, a large site, and a fire pit, price doesn t matter

We have 3 young Kids and on a recent trip would have loved a site with a fence around it, so we could relax and the 14mth old girl could not do a runner on us.
Few fence panels and a double gate at the front.

I think it is good that you have asked the questions about what people want, but as you can see the requests are long, the expenses high, and the income you need probably won't match what people are willing to pay. That is why parks are closing

If you get a chance have a read of this report, great insight to Park ownership.

Caravan Park Review

The saying, if you want to make a small fortune out of owning a caravan park, start with a large one. The costs to develop one caravan site within a park is estimated at around $35,000 and is one of the reasons many parks have cabins, they guarantee a much better return.

The costs are significant and the gap between what you will need to charge versus what people are willing to pay is widening. Much has been written in this forum in recent times.

And I hear where you are coming from, and I admire your desire to provide soemthing people want...but you'll need deep pockets if you are going to keep the Caravan and Motor Home Association people happy.

Hi Skinny

I think its great that you are taking the time to find out what people who use caravan parks want. One of the unique parks that we have used was at Middle Lagoon half way between Broome and Cape Leveque in WA.

This site was quite informal with a toilet, shower and washing machine in the centre and the campsites are scattered under trees that provide much needed shade during the day time. One of this park's attractions is that each camp is allowed a camp fire.

We would want to have adequate space for vehicles and camper trailers, clean toilets, shower, laundry facilities and drinking water. Most of the time we don't want or use much else.











L