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The Caravan Industry Association of Australia (CIAA) has urged the country’s federal government to do more to help regional tourism operators outside of major urban centres to connect with electric vehicle (EV) users.

The association is calling for a matched grants scheme for caravan parks and other regional accommodation providers to invest in charging stations that are suitable to charge all types of electric vehicles. The federal government has recently rolled out its Future Fuels Fund to help improve EV infrastructure in the country, but it is largely centred around the cities and urban areas of Australia. It is estimated that a AUS $3 million co-investment from the federal government would provide an additional 2,000 chargers across 1,000 caravan parks in regional Australia.

Stuart Lamont, CEO of the CIAA, said: “Drive tourism accounts for 75% of all tourism in regional areas, charging infrastructure and activating the accommodation sector to install charging points will be crucial to help a long-term regional tourism recovery, and prepare industry for the future.

“Caravan parks around Australia are ideally placed, and sometimes the only accommodations in region, to provide EV charging points to travellers. We know that EV owners base their road trip holidays on where they can charge their vehicle.”

The lack of travel allowed in Australia in the last two years has reduced caravan park revenue by an estimated AUS $200 million, despite an upturn in interest in camping and caravanning in general. This lack of funding has left many companies without the capital to invest in EV infrastructure.

Stuart added: “Regional tourism’s biggest barrier is access, and with 2,000 caravan parks around Australia, all with the space to add EV chargers, the government should utilise this.”