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ews from the world
Australia
Luxury caravanning at Mitchelton Airstream Hotel Jayco Australia owner Gerry Ryan and his team at Mitchelton Wines recently opened the doors to a brand-new Caravanning experience: Mitchelton Airstream Hotel. Nagambie’s Mitchelton Wines is now home to five luxury Airstreams, which combines Caravanning with high class wining and dining Words Irene Viergever
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et on the picturesque Mitchelton Estate with stunning bush and vineyard views, the five full-sized Airstream RVs offer a gorgeous and comfortable stay for guests all year-round. The Mitchelton Airstream Hotel takes guests into the heart of nature, while providing all the creature comforts of a luxurious hotel, including an ensuite, cleaning service, luxe linen, and a private deck to soak up the stars at night. Australian AboutcampBtoB correspondent
Irene Viergever was one of the lucky ones to try the Airstream Hotel when it just opened its doors in January. The stunning views over the vineyards and mobs of kangaroos hopping in front of the Airstream, combined with award-winning wine and food that Mitchelton Wines has to offer made it an unforgettable experience. Nagambie is located within two hours from Melbourne, which makes it a popular destination for weekend getaways. With in-
ternational travelling off the books for unforeseen times, initiatives like Mitchelton Airstream Hotel promote the Caravanning lifestyle to an audience that would be more likely to travel overseas. The RV demand in Australia has seen an enormous raise since Australians are unable to travel internationally. These conditions, along with a desire for Australians to reconnect with family and support local businesses, provide an immense opportunity for the Caravan & Camping industry Down Under. We hope to welcome more innovative initiatives like Gerry Ryan’s Airstream Hotel in Australia, to promote the RV Industry to a broader audience.
Victoria’s regional travel voucher scheme
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ith regional Victorian tourism operators and caravan parks still recovering from the devastating impacts of the 20192020 summer bushfires and the coronavirus (COVID-19) travel restrictions, Victorian Premier Dan Andrews announced the large Travel Voucher Scheme late 2020. The Regional Travel Voucher Scheme is designed to help drive visitation to regional Victoria and support businesses and communities to recover, including the Caravan & Camping industry. Victorians are encouraged to explore their
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state with thanks to the Scheme providing eligible Victorians with $200 to help cover costs of accommodation, attractions, or tours in regional Victoria. A total of 120,000 travel vouchers will be made available, which will be released over three rounds (Dec 2020, Jan 2021 and March 2021). The $28-million Regional Travel Voucher Scheme is the largest travel voucher scheme in Australia. Similar but smaller programs have been running in South Australia ($5 mil-
lion), Tasmania ($12.5 million) and Northern Territory ($16.2 million).