Caravan Industry Victoria (CIV) CEO Rob Lucas is thrilled. Almost all the travel booths at the Victorian Caravan & Camping Virtual Show are filled—and there are some big-name Tourism Partners too.
Murray Regional Tourism and Bendigo Tourism have joined Caravan Industry Victoria as Joint Tourism Partners to help promote what is on offer in our own backyard.
But you’ll find plenty of information on other great destinations Australia-wide.
Including a few destinations and tourism providers who have never booked with a CIV caravan and camping show before.
Guests can visit the BIG4 Travel Destination Hall from 7am, September 30, when the Victorian Caravan & Camping Virtual show goes live.
Mungo National Park is an exciting destination within the Murray Region.
SO WHAT’S IN STORE AT THE BIG4 TRAVEL DESTINATION HALL?
Rob says you’ll find a lot of variety in the BIG4 Travel Destination Hall.
“It’s a moving feast, but I think at the bigger regional booths there will be a focus on the whole travel experience,” says Rob.
“Expect to see all kinds of businesses—dining, experiences, holiday parks and camping sites, and show specials as well—all the things you need to plan a holiday.”
Victorian tourism businesses and destinations are among the first-time exhibitors.
“It’s a really exciting opportunity for locals to explore our own backyards when restrictions ease.”
Guests will find dining and tourism experiences like Bendigo Pottery.
RESEARCH AND SECURELY BOOK DIRECTLY WITH THE SERVICE PROVIDER
Entry into the auditorium at the Victorian Caravan & Camping Virtual Show is free via registration.
Simply navigate to the various halls as you would at a physical caravan show, entering booths that appeal, without busting a sweat.
As with all the other halls, clicking a sign gets you into a travel booth within the BIG4 Travel Destination Hall, where you can watch videos, read travel tips, uncover ‘top’ activities, download brochures and even book your holidays.
“Let’s say you find something you like and you think ‘I wouldn’t mind booking that’. You simply click the ‘Buy Now’ button, which leads you straight to the vendor’s booking site.
“It’s all encrypted and it all gets confirmed. You can do everything all in the one place.”
FIND ‘LOCAL INTEL’ AT THE BIG4 TRAVEL DESTINATION HALL
What really sets the Virtual Show’s platform apart is the capacity to simply ‘drop in’ for a face-to-face video conference or a live chat.
“We’ve trialled the technology many times, and we’ll trial it again. We want to make sure it is as easy to use as possible,” says Rob.
“You can see what times the booths are manned.”
Alerts indicate who’s in discussion and you can choose to wait. Or, you can see who is available and navigate there. This is great news for those of us planning a trip.
“The feedback we’re getting from our guests [at our shows] is that they enjoy talking to local experts who can provide them travel advice that meets their needs.
“Someone who can answer their questions and provide suggestions, ‘why not visit our site’ or ‘go here and look a look at this’.
“And someone who understands caravan and camping.”
INITIATING THE VICTORIAN CARAVAN & CAMPING VIRTUAL SHOW
Rob applauds the CIV board members and the broader caravan and camping industry for embracing the Victorian Caravan & Camping Virtual Show.
“Look, we could have written off 2020 as a year where we don’t host a second show.
“But we know people are still keen. And when the restrictions ease, when it’s safe to do, they want to be ready to travel, know where to go and have the tools they need.”
At first, it was difficult for industry members to get their heads around how it would work, says Rob, but the uptake overall has been great.
“They are excited to support something that is unusual, something a bit out of the box.”
“With the support of partners like Murray Regional Tourism and Bendigo Tourism it helps us deliver an exceptional event.”
Caravan industry members are excited by the inaugural event.
A USER-FRIENDLY EXPERIENCE
The key is to try and make it as user-friendly as possible.
“We asked ourselves, ‘How close can we make it to an on-site caravan show?’ And I think we’ve done really well.
“The Thetford auditorium has travel destinations, caravans and RVs, camping gear, tips and hits—just like any other show.
“And at the booths and each of the halls we’ve tried to make it an interactive experience, so that it’s as close to a physical caravan show as we can possibly make it.
“We even replicated the Passport to Freedom, where you can earn points visiting different booths and halls. And we’ve got some great prizes valued at more than $17,000.
Guests can expect tips to form part of the Virtual Show program, as with any other show
