Old style Camping Grounds vs Holiday Parks

  • kids play area hanmer top 10 holiday park

Some of our readers and guests have noticed over the years the change from motor camps and camping grounds around New Zealand to the new name of "holiday parks".

If your idea of a camping holiday brings back childhood memories of tents in a row by the beach or a river somewhere, lots of grass, long drop toilets and cold showers … you need to take a look at what is now on offer at holiday parks around New Zealand.

For us, the transition happened around the time we joined the TOP 10 Holiday Park group, and it is a far better representation of what we offer our guests these days.

Growth in numbers staying in New Zealand holiday parks has continued, with the most recent visitor numbers survey showing an increase of 1 percent for holiday parks over the winter season (not peak season). 

In 2018, New Zealand had 3.82 million visitors and 20% of all guest nights were spent in holiday park accommodation - in campervans, motel units, tents or caravan sites. 

As a holiday park we offer a higher standard of facilities, activities and accommodation than any traditional kiwi camping ground might have offered in the past. many of our guests are now in motorhomes or campervans, as well as the more traditional tents, and of course they make the most also of our motel units, apartments and cabins, especially in the cooler months.

Our guests enjoy heated floors in the shower block, which are all modern, clean and well maintained - no more cold showers in concrete floored cubicles. Internet access is pretty standard now, and we offer email access for our guests and wifi so you can keep in touch with friends and family back home.

We also have lots of activities on site, from BBQ areas, wood fired hot tubs, barista coffee, pizza oven, trampoline and adventure playgrounds, to giant jumping pillows, go karts, games rooms and free movies- which means you can keep your whole family entertained without even leaving the park if you want to!