News ·
Chinese-built caravans surge as Australian sales drop 30–40%
Caravan Industry Victoria reports new-van sales down 30–40% from post-pandemic peaks as Chinese-built imports fill 2026 show floors. More choice and sharper pricing — but real questions about warranty, parts and resale.
By Caravanist
Chinese-built caravans are appearing in materially larger numbers at Australia’s 2026 caravan shows, while Caravan Industry Victoria reports new-caravan sales have fallen 30–40% from post-pandemic peaks across parts of the sector. The two trends are linked — and they’re reshaping what’s on dealer floors and at what price.
What changed
Through 2021–2023, Australian manufacturers couldn’t build vans fast enough. Twelve-month build queues were standard at Jayco, Avida, New Age and the off-road specialists. Demand outran supply, prices rose, and imports were a minor footnote.
By mid-2026 the picture has inverted. Local manufacturers — already squeezed by the late-2025 closures of Tourism Holdings’ Brisbane factory and Zone RV — face a softer market plus more visible competition from Chinese imports at every price tier from entry pop-tops through to premium full-composite tourers.
Why imports are filling the gap
Several structural factors converged:
- Chinese RV manufacturing has matured. A decade ago, Chinese-built vans in Australia were limited-run novelties with thin parts networks. The 2026 imports are mostly built to ADR specs at scale, with full Australian-sourced componentry (Cruisemaster suspension, AL-KO chassis, Dometic fridges, Houghton air conditioners), warranty arrangements through local importers, and pricing 15–25% below comparably-specified Australian-built rivals.
- Local build cost has risen faster than retail. Wage growth, chassis steel inflation and component shortages have all eaten into Australian manufacturers’ margins. Importers face the same component costs but lower labour overheads.
- Buyer caution after Zone RV. With the recent collapse of a marquee Australian brand, some buyers are now factoring “what happens to my deposit if the manufacturer fails” into the decision — a question that the import model (which typically takes a 10% deposit and full payment on collection, not progress payments through a long build queue) frames more favourably.
What it means for buyers
Three practical implications:
- More choice at every price point. A buyer with $70k can now seriously compare a Jayco Discovery, a New Age Manta Ray Escape, and one or two Chinese-built composite tourers — where 18 months ago the choice was effectively domestic-only.
- Warranty + parts homework matters more. For domestic brands the questions are about manufacturer solvency. For imports the questions are about the local importer — how long they’ve been operating, parts inventory in Australia, dealer-network depth, and what happens if the import company stops bringing the brand in. Both require due diligence; neither is automatically riskier than the other.
- Resale values are uncertain. Chinese-built vans don’t yet have a long enough secondary-market history in Australia to know how they’ll hold value at 5 and 10 years. Conservative buyers should assume a 10–15% steeper depreciation curve than equivalent domestic brands until that data exists.
What it means for the industry
The Caravan Industry Association of Australia hosted its largest-ever National Conference in May 2026 — 1,100 attendees, 140 exhibitors at the Gold Coast — which suggests confidence at the trade level despite the retail softness. The CIAA has also flagged a national digital marketing campaign reinforcing caravanning’s value proposition as fuel costs rise globally.
But the structural reshape is real. The Australian RV market is projected to grow from US$3.17 billion in 2026 to US$4.64 billion by 2031 (CAGR ~7.9%, per Mordor Intelligence). The growth is real; who captures it is now an open question.