Tasmanians punch above their weight when it comes to caravan and camper trailer ownership, with more registered vehicles in the state per person than anywhere else in Australia.
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According to data from the Caravan Industry of Australia, in 2020 there were over 23,000 caravans or camper trailers registered in Tasmania, or one for every 24 residents.
Western Australia - where a caravan or camper is registered for one in every 25 people - comes in a close second, but there is daylight to everywhere else.
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Caravanning around Tasmania has long been a popular option for travel enthusiasts, but after it was recently announced cars could cross on the Spirit of Tasmania for free the opportunities got even greater.
On average around Tasmania, from Bicheno to Bridport or Port Arthur to Penguin, Tasmania offers some of the most affordable caravan parks in Australia.
A powered site in peak season will typically cost about $40 while in the off season it drops to around $30.
Some of the cheapest sites are up for grabs check in at $30, and on average a powered site does not cost more than $50 in the state.
The Port Sorell Lions Caravan Park is one of the most popular sites in the state due to its proximity to the Spirit of Tasmania port.
It stood to reason that the venue would take a hit from COVID-19 restrictions but park caretaker Trevor Eaves said that was not the case.
"We've been flat out ... the busiest we've ever been," he said.
"We had the two months off due to coronavirus in April and May yet our figures are up a lot on what they have been."
The caravan park typically gets a high volume of caravaners coming off the Spirit of Tasmania for their first nights in the state, but Mr Eaves said he had noticed more Tasmanians enjoying the park through 2020 and into this year.
He said the park was booked out up until around January 26 and again at Easter and that they had a waiting list of people wanting to get in if mainland bookings fell through due to COVID-19 restriction announcements.
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Mr Eaves believed the Port Sorell Caravan Park was emblematic of a majority of coastal caravanning options around the state and that across the board most sites offered a relaxed vibe that all visitors seemed to lap up.
He said he also had a suspicion caravanning would go through a further boom in the coming months and years.
"I've heard on the grapevine that a lot of people are buying caravans because they can't do international travel," he said.
The West Coast offers some of the most unique caravanning opportunities in Tasmania. It is remote and offers breathtaking experiences at renowned national parks and is just two hours from Cradle Mountain.
Despite everything the region has to offer the Strahan Beach Tourist Park has been one of the hardest caravan parks hit in Tasmania by the pandemic.
Manager Lynda Brown said the park did not see as many Tasmanians visit due to the remoteness of Strahan.
"We're down about 30 per cent revenue on last year," she said. "Last year from Boxing Day through to the 16-17th of January we were full but this year we haven't been full once."
Ms Brown said she was not complaining, but was hoping the announcement about the incentive for cars to come free on the Spirit of Tasmania would result in a spike in mainlanders visiting Strahan with their caravans.
Judging by reactions from her many mainland clients, Ms Brown said what was on offer when it comes to camping in Tasmania was as good as anywhere.
"From what I've heard it rates very, very well," she said.
"Across the board the quality is good and we have really strong reputation."
Caravanning Tasmania President Bronwyn Wild, who also owns a caravan park in Launceston, said while it was a positive sign that Tasmanians were making use of what the state had to offer caravaners, 75 per cent of her business came from the main land.
She said the Spirit of Tasmania announcement was a huge bonus for tourism across the state, but particularly for road based travel.
Tasmanian is known for offering unparalleled experiences with wilderness, and Ms Wild said this was the major drawcard for potential mainland road travellers.
"You could be here on a beach in Tassie and be the only person there," she said.
"In a short drive you can be in one National Park and within an hour you could be in a completely different one. There are these incredible raw experiences close to bigger towns.
"[We have the] appeal of the wilderness scene as well as lower population densities so you're not swamped with people when you go somewhere."
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