THE SHOW DID GO ON!

If you’re looking for evidence that New Zealand’s RV industry is booming, the NZMCA Motorhome, Caravan & Leisure Show in October was it, writes Claire Smith

Highlights from the NZMCA show

On 9-11 October, the NZMCA Motorhome, Caravan & Leisure Show went ahead in full swing at the Mystery Creek Events Centre in Hamilton. After one postponement and much speculation over whether the show would go ahead, the event was a huge success, with more than 20,000 visitors through the gates over the three-day period.

Queues of RV enthusiasts waited patiently for the gates to open at 9am on Friday, and they certainly made the most of the weekend, keeping exhibitors well and truly busy right up until closing on Sunday. In the Event Park & Stay, 1400 motorhomers stayed over, no doubt providing the perfect opportunity to catch up with friends and share stories about their most recent travels.

From the latest motorhomes and caravans to those must-have accessories and gadgets, there was something for everyone on display. The Traillite Theatre was popular with visitors who went along to hear seminars about all things motorhoming – from how to get internet on the road, to what you need to know before you buy your first RV.

In the Off the Beaten Track Travel NZ Marquee, there were some great ideas on new and exciting places to visit in New Zealand. We will be featuring many of them in our upcoming issues, so watch this space!

At the Motorhomes, Caravans & Destinations (MCD) stand, we were kept on our toes with hundreds of new and renewed subscriptions, and valuable chats with our readers. We had some terrific feedback on what you love about the magazine, and what you’d like to see more of. Thanks to everyone who stopped by – we always enjoy catching up with our readers at shows. Congratulations to the two winners of our amazing Tūtira Experience prizes. Louise Treweek, and Bruce Stallworthy will each be enjoying an all-inclusive getaway for two at Hāwea Station or Middlehurst Station, valued at $4800 each.

The next motorhoming show is planned for 28-29 November at Tahuna Beach Motor Camp in Nelson (find out more on page 61). We look forward to seeing you there! 

One of the gorgeous retro caravans on display

This ‘60s Kombi at the VW exhibit had lots of admirers

A clever option for hunting and fishing trips

The Traillite Theatre held seminars each day

A very cool caravan indeed!

Visitors stocking up for the warmer weather ahead

The Rockwood caravans were popular

The perfect accessory for summer

The MCD jute bags were in hot demand all weekend

Game of Cornhole anyone?

Staff at the Cherry Tree Cafe were kept on their toes serving cake and coffee

This camper takes just minutes to set up

The MCD show team (L-R): Pip Elliott, Carly Hitchcock, Danny Mckendry, Claire Smith, Sarah Mee