Kiwi Baby Boomers Ditch Family Bach for Luxury Motorhomes
Tuesday 14 April 2015, 11:08AM
By Impact PR
177 views
Kiwi retirees are opting out of high priced coastal properties and turning to luxury RVs as a holiday option, according to a new local motorhome company.
Open Road, a division of JUCY, has seen significant sales of its luxury second-hand motorhomes to Kiwi customers aged 50 years and over.
Dan Alpe, the COO of JUCY, says at a recent expo this age group purchased more than $500,000 worth of RVs in one weekend.
“These buyers have disposable income due to downsizing from a family home, or those who are about to retire,” he says.
“Traditionally they would have been the people buying a bach at the beach, but that isn’t an option for a lot of people now due to property prices, while others don’t want to be tied to the same location all the time.”
Alpe says the luxury motorhomes offer a fully self-contained holiday home, and those buying them opt for every bell and whistle on offer. “People want everything now - satellite TV, an awning that comes out from the side to sit under when stopped, and solar panels,” he explains.
The motorhomes, which have been rented out for one season with JUCY before sale, provide travellers with the ability to stay overnight at remote locations around New Zealand that don’t offer accommodation, and allow them to take their time seeing the country.
“The largest Kiwi organisation that represents motorhome owners has been growing by around 10% every year for the past three years, which goes to show Kiwis are definitely embracing this way of holidaying more and more,” says Alpe.
The increasing popularity of the large luxury RVs has also been noted by camping grounds around New Zealand which traditionally offer powered sites for campervans alongside tent sites and cabins.
“Many parks are increasing site sizes to accommodate ever growing vehicles such as these luxury motorhomes,” says Top 10 Holiday Parks Group CEO, David Ovendale.
Alpe says customers buying the luxury RVs were largely from Auckland, although there were also some from further afield locations such as Taupo and Hawke’s Bay.