I may be completely wrong but I imagine that managers and owners of caravan parks and sites would read our forum from time to time. I wonder how they interpret it when forum members are banging on about how inexpensive a certain place is. Do you think they take it as a compliment and leave it at that, or do you think it encourages them to hike the price knowing that we expected to be paying at lot more? Would it not be more prudent just to post that a certain place was so much a night and allow others to determine whether it was a great deal or otherwise? Anyway, just my humble opinion.
deverall11 said
04:19 PM May 22, 2015
I think you will find that they feel the greynomads forum does not have much credibility. Just a bunch of whinging old farts. It's people willing to pay the higher prices that drive prices up. IMHO.
Larry
The Phantom said
06:23 PM May 22, 2015
Just a bunch of whinging old farts.
Watch it. You'll get censured for this when they wake up what you have said.
Might take a couple days
The Phantom
hako said
09:41 PM May 22, 2015
I know that if the owners of the Gulargambone caravan park read what was said about their accomodation prices in the post http://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t60239129/gulargambone/ that they would know for sure that it is both price and quality that has earned them the accolades in this post. If they raised their prices they would lose custom whereas with the low prices they attract more customers, so it's good for business.
Most if not all van parks have competition - even if they are the only park in town they know there is another park in the next town where customers will go if their prices are unreal.
Free camping will keep prices low as well.
Good Luck
brickies said
08:01 AM May 23, 2015
Is all about something for free or a far go for all
hako said
01:51 PM May 23, 2015
brickies wrote:
Is all about something for free or a far go for all
I reckon both are possible - you can free camp if you wish and the van park owner can charge what he likes. Ain't no free lunches however although some free camps do have toilets and showers.
Regards
Goldfinger said
03:55 PM May 23, 2015
Good thread....Hako, what do you feel provides the impetus for a Council to provide toilet and showers....is it one pro-active individual that manages to influence them all or is there a sudden collective epiphany among Council members/Councilors......and they see the benefits to their Council area/business's by so doing?....if we could just harness or appeal to what does drive it imagine how Australia would change for the positive for Travellers....possibly even force Caravan Parks to become more aware of their clients wants...rather than what they feel they need....which is usually driven by Taxation advantage/Accountants...
A fair tariff for reasonable basic facilities is all I ever hear G/N's ask for....not free...and not over the top.....what in Australia today is not driven by greed/profit/and its all about me thinking.....Hoo Roo
hako said
06:04 PM May 23, 2015
I think in reality the provision of facilities for travellers has to be clearly more positive to the shire/council than were they not provided. I like the approach that Texas near the Qld/NSW border has taken. The town has a caravan park which is usually well attended by travellers and it also has free camping by the Dumaresque river just 1 km from the P.O. with skip bins supplied only. Last time we were there (Easter) there were over 70 vans there. The town then has a spotless shower and toilet facility in the centre of the town provided principally to cater for free campers. The business people of the town freely admit that were it not for the travellers - both van park and free campers that they would be out of business.
Someone has done a very good job in Texas for them to have that attitude.
My own take on what it should cost for a night in a van park where you use power (no A/C), water, a shower and a few toot visits is worth about $20. Charge a few dollars more for an A/C. If the park has 50 vans that gives them $1000 per night income.
Bottom line is that things will not change, just that there will be more free campers on the road with the way things are going.
Regards
Bruce and Bev said
07:29 PM May 23, 2015
the small town (approx. 1000 locals) of Charlton which is about 1 hour north of Bendigo are smart. They have on one area, 3 different areas. One is all the bells and whistles along with a very modern en suite. The 2nd area is your typical CP with water/power/toilets,/showers/kitchen (complete with open fire and wood). The 3rd are is free camping and is maintained by the local Rotary Club with a donation box. Sites are flat and most have town tap water to them.
The local shops rely heavily on us travelers as many of the locals go to Bendigo 1-2 times a week and shop at Coles, Woolies and the like
Dougwe said
07:33 PM May 23, 2015
How,
Me, I don't mind paying but If I am not free camping and need a CVP I find the cheapest one around as I prefer not to go above $25 max. I don't need bells and whistles. A friendly face in the office is good though.
DM, you would be surprised who reads this and other forums.
Oh! I find most people here don't whinge about paying but like me prefer nothing too high. Most of us here don't ask for much at CVP, just a safe place to stay with reasonable amenity block. That's not all that important to me either as I have my own. I understand not everyone has that though.
DMaxer said
09:22 PM May 23, 2015
Yes, I agree Doug. I remember a friend of mine who was in advertising and marketing telling me about all the different sites and forums they kept "under observation" for their particular product. I guess if I had a caravan park I would want to know what the punters thought.
Hendo said
03:35 PM May 24, 2015
I've run van parks in the past and always checked out cv forums and acp reports on a regular basis, just as I trolled Booking.com etc when I ran motels, always good to know what the customer was looking for and expecting . It's not rocket science, clean and tidy, comfortable, all at a fair price and most important, a friendly face.
I may be completely wrong but I imagine that managers and owners of caravan parks and sites would read our forum from time to time. I wonder how they interpret it when forum members are banging on about how inexpensive a certain place is. Do you think they take it as a compliment and leave it at that, or do you think it encourages them to hike the price knowing that we expected to be paying at lot more? Would it not be more prudent just to post that a certain place was so much a night and allow others to determine whether it was a great deal or otherwise? Anyway, just my humble opinion.
Larry
Watch it. You'll get censured for this when they wake up what you have said.
Might take a couple days
The Phantom
I know that if the owners of the Gulargambone caravan park read what was said about their accomodation prices in the post http://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t60239129/gulargambone/ that they would know for sure that it is both price and quality that has earned them the accolades in this post. If they raised their prices they would lose custom whereas with the low prices they attract more customers, so it's good for business.
Most if not all van parks have competition - even if they are the only park in town they know there is another park in the next town where customers will go if their prices are unreal.
Free camping will keep prices low as well.
Good Luck
I reckon both are possible - you can free camp if you wish and the van park owner can charge what he likes. Ain't no free lunches however although some free camps do have toilets and showers.
Regards
A fair tariff for reasonable basic facilities is all I ever hear G/N's ask for....not free...and not over the top.....what in Australia today is not driven by greed/profit/and its all about me thinking.....Hoo Roo
Someone has done a very good job in Texas for them to have that attitude.
My own take on what it should cost for a night in a van park where you use power (no A/C), water, a shower and a few toot visits is worth about $20. Charge a few dollars more for an A/C. If the park has 50 vans that gives them $1000 per night income.
Bottom line is that things will not change, just that there will be more free campers on the road with the way things are going.
Regards
The local shops rely heavily on us travelers as many of the locals go to Bendigo 1-2 times a week and shop at Coles, Woolies and the like
Me, I don't mind paying but If I am not free camping and need a CVP I find the cheapest one around as I prefer not to go above $25 max. I don't need bells and whistles. A friendly face in the office is good though.
DM, you would be surprised who reads this and other forums.
Oh! I find most people here don't whinge about paying but like me prefer nothing too high. Most of us here don't ask for much at CVP, just a safe place to stay with reasonable amenity block. That's not all that important to me either as I have my own. I understand not everyone has that though.
Yes, I agree Doug. I remember a friend of mine who was in advertising and marketing telling me about all the different sites and forums they kept "under observation" for their particular product. I guess if I had a caravan park I would want to know what the punters thought.