Record 1,100 at CIAA National Conference signals trade confidence despite retail slowdown

The Caravan Industry Association of Australia (CIAA) drew a record 1,100 industry professionals to the RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast for its 2026 National Conference (13–15 May). 140 exhibitors filled the Royal Benowa Ballroom for the trade exhibition, including component suppliers, dealers, holiday park operators, glamping specialists and the early wave of tiny-house manufacturers entering the caravanning adjacent space.

What the trade is signalling

Two messages dominated the conference: structural confidence in the Australian RV market’s long-term trajectory, and acknowledgment that the post-pandemic retail peak has passed.

The structural confidence is grounded in third-party numbers. The Australian RV market is projected to grow from US$2.94 billion in 2025 to US$4.64 billion by 2031 — a compound annual growth rate of approximately 7.9% per Mordor Intelligence’s mid-2026 outlook. Rising domestic road-trip tourism, retiree spending power, and hybrid-work flexibility are all lifting registrations.

The retail acknowledgment is also real. Caravan Industry Victoria has reported new-van sales down 30–40% from 2021–2023 peaks across parts of the sector. Manufacturers, dealers and finance providers at the conference openly discussed what a sustained softer market looks like operationally — particularly around build-slot management and inventory financing.

CIAA’s response: a national campaign

The Association used the conference to reveal it will run a national paid digital marketing campaign reinforcing caravanning as an affordable and flexible holiday option, positioning it against the rising cost of international travel and pressure on household discretionary spending.

The pitch lands differently in 2026 than it would have in 2019. With international airfares having absorbed multiple rounds of fuel-cost inflation and weak AUD/USD exchange rates, the domestic-caravan-trip economics genuinely improve relative to a comparable overseas family holiday — particularly for the 4–6 week trips that dominate AU caravan use.

What’s also visible

Three other threads worth noting from the conference floor:

• Tiny-house manufacturers are starting to exhibit at caravan trade shows, recognising the audience overlap (retirees seeking transitional housing, free-camp enthusiasts, off-grid lifestyle buyers). Expect more cross-pollination of construction techniques and component sourcing between the two segments through the back half of 2026.
• Glamping operators continue to grow as a stakeholder group within CIAA. Major holiday-park groups are investing in glamping infrastructure as a higher-margin add-on to traditional sites.
• Imports — Chinese-built vans had a notably larger trade-exhibition presence than at the 2025 conference. Local manufacturers are watching how the import channel develops; some are responding with composite construction upgrades (New Age, Jayco) to defend on quality grounds.

What it means for you

For buyers, the conference confirms the broad market is in a healthier place than the soft retail headlines suggest. For owners considering a sale or upgrade, the 30–40% retail decline matters more — new-van sticker prices haven’t fallen proportionately but dealer-floor stock is genuinely available now, with discounting more common than at any point in the last four years. For first-time buyers shopping over the next 6–12 months, the conditions favour you.