Half-price rates key to thriving camp

The Moeraki Boulders Holiday Park, which was recently purchased by the New Zealand Motor Caravan...
The Moeraki Boulders Holiday Park, which was recently purchased by the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association. PHOTO: NZMCA
A special business model has helped the Moeraki Boulders Holiday Park thrive since it was taken over by a nationwide association.

In August the park was bought by the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association (NZMCA).

The association owns parks all across the country, but the Moeraki park is the only one open to the public.

Chris Botha. PHOTO: WYATT RYDER
Chris Botha. PHOTO: WYATT RYDER
Manager Chris Botha said there had not been a single day without a guest since it opened.

"It has been extremely successful."

Benefits offered to NZMCA members had drawn in a lot of guests, he said.

There were many public parks that offered discounted rates to members, but only outside of peak times.

As it was owned by the association, the park could offer members half-price accommodation year-round.

It had helped book out the park for most of the holiday season.

An annual membership was only $90, so after a few nights people could already have saved that much, he said.

The park is split into two sections, with a designated NZMCA area on the south side.

However those who wanted to upgrade to use the better facilities on the north side, such as power or toilets, could easily do so, Mr Botha said.

He found that many of the NZMCA members happily spent more on those luxuries.

It had also been a big success for the town, as the park brought in shoppers and helped contribute to community projects, such as native tree planting.

It would soon be providing free accommodation to contractors so they could renovate the local skatepark, he said.

"We’re pumping a whole lot of money back into the community."

Mr Botha manages the park with his partner, Wendy Cain.

They previously managed a holiday park on the West Coast.