Holiday parks have long been associated with powered caravan sites, family holidays and school break crowds.
Reflections Holidays wants to change that perception.
Speaking at the launch of its Wander Woman report in Sydney, CEO Nick Baker described the organisation as something quite different from a traditional holiday park operator, with an emphasis on conservation, nature and community rather than resort style facilities.
“We operate purely on Crown land, only in New South Wales,” Baker said.
“All the profit that we make from our parks is reinvested back into our parks. It doesn’t go to banks or private equity. It goes into looking after these beautiful places for future generations.”
Reflections operates 40 parks across New South Wales, from the coast to inland lakes and dams. While holiday accommodation forms part of the offering, the organisation also manages almost 11,735 hectares of surrounding Crown land, with only around six to seven per cent developed as holiday parks.
Accommodation has also evolved dramatically.
Guests can still book an unpowered campsite, but today’s portfolio includes cabins, tiny homes, glamping tents and premium accommodation overlooking beaches, rivers and lakes.
“The genesis of this was caravan parks,” Baker said.
“But that’s changed so much now that you can stay for as little as $17 on an unpowered site or up to seven or eight hundred dollars a night in some of the most stunning cabins.”
The evolution extends beyond accommodation. Reflections has also adapted to changing travel habits, with around 90 per cent of its parks now welcoming dogs.
Baker said one of the fastest growing visitor segments is solo women travelling with their dogs.
“The solo women traveller with dog is an amazing growth area,” he said.
“That’s another subgroup. How do we look after that particular group as well?”
Unlike many holiday park brands, Reflections has deliberately avoided developing large water parks and resort style attractions.
Instead, Baker said every park is built around a natural asset, whether that’s the coast, a river, a lake or bushland.
“We’re all about getting people to come and live around nature,” he said.
That philosophy is reflected in the experiences guests increasingly seek.
Seal Rocks Park Manager Katie Toney said visitors are asking less about organised entertainment and more about local walking trails, surfing, snorkelling, yoga, wellness experiences and the best places to watch the sunrise.
“They’re asking where can I go for a hike, where can I book a yoga class, where’s the nearest retreat, where should I watch the sunset?” Tonkin said.
“We’re learning those things too, so next time we can actively suggest them.”
The shift is also changing the role of park staff.
Rather than simply checking guests in, Reflections wants its teams to become local hosts who can tailor recommendations based on individual interests.
The company is also investing in environmental restoration projects, including habitat regeneration and rewilding initiatives on the Crown land it manages.
One upcoming project at Brunswick Heads focuses on protecting rare coastal pines while creating low impact visitor experiences.
Another difference, Baker argues, is the social atmosphere.
Unlike hotels, where guests may never meet each other, holiday parks naturally encourage conversation around camp kitchens, shared amenities and fire pits.
“If you’re staying in a hotel, you’re never going to knock on the next door and say, ‘How’s your room?'” he said.
“In holiday parks, people naturally ask, ‘Where are you from? What are you towing? Where have you been?’ That sense of community creates connection and, with connection, comes safety.”
That sense of community has become particularly important as more solo travellers choose holiday parks over hotels.
For Tonkin, flexibility is equally important.
“This group wants to opt in on their own terms,” she said.
“They know the fire pit gathering is happening at four o’clock. One day they might join in, the next day they might decide they just want to relax on their own. They don’t have to check with anyone else about what they’re doing.”
As holiday parks continue to diversify beyond caravans and camping, Reflections is betting that nature, conservation and authentic local experiences will increasingly become the drawcard for a new generation of Australian travellers.
