Rising fuel prices are severely impacting Australian tourism, particularly caravan parks and campgrounds. In the Rural City of Wangaratta (Victoria), managers of Painter’s Island Holiday Park reported a 10% drop in revenue compared to last year, mainly due to cancellations by travellers from other states. On the Eyre Peninsula (South Australia), the Easter school holidays were described as 'slow': bookings in Wallaroo fell by 25–30%, although Mount Gambier and Renmark remained stable thanks to local visitors.
In Queensland, the situation is more dramatic. Longreach Caravan Park saw at least 30 cancellations after the Big Red Bash festival was called off, and occupancy hit record lows. Park owners link this to the Australian Prime Minister's call to save fuel. A park operator in Tamworth reported a 50% drop in Easter bookings, while demand for long-term cabin rentals stayed steady.
A Reflections Holidays survey found that 47.1% of travellers are significantly adjusting their plans due to fuel costs, and 23.3% are choosing destinations closer to home. One family travelling across the country spent about 500 dollars on diesel in Tasmania alone. The industry warns of possible closures and economic losses exceeding 943 million dollars. The Australian government has convened an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss the crisis.
