Mystery Creek in Hamilton was the place to be for RV lovers as the 2022 NZMCA Caravan Motorhome & Leisure Show broke all the records.
The sight of hundreds of RVs converging for the NZMCA Caravan Motorhome & Leisure Show at the Mystery Creek Events Centre is always spectacular. However, this year, the 114-hectare venue was bursting at the seams. Over the three-day event from Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th September, the event surpassed even the highest expectations with visitors, their RVs and their purchases exceeding anything the organisers had ever seen before.
Day one saw 10,000 visitors of all ages walk through the doors; the largest number of visitors in the show’s history. Another 9,500 came on the Saturday, with an estimated 5,000 more on Sunday. While rain had initially threatened set up on the Thursday, the sun came out for the weekend allowing visitors to happily amble through the multiple sections and buy everything they needed to hit the road. While many new caravan and motorhome owners will have to wait a little while for their beloved new vehicles to arrive, there were smiles all round. “I may have to wait a few months to get my motorhome, but it’s something to really look forward to, it gives me time to plan and learn more about what I need to know –and it’s only going to increase in value in the meantime, so I’m happy!” one new happy motorhome owner told me.
“The first day, Friday, was the most successful we’ve ever seen at the show, both for exhibitors and visitors,,” says event manager Michele Connell. “The show was also our biggest in terms of size; we fully sold out of exhibitor space, and as a result we’re looking to increase our capacity, so no exhibitors are disappointed next year.”
The NZMCA Park & Stay was also a huge hit, with 1,900 caravans and motorhomes parked up, making it New Zealand’s biggest campground for the show’s duration. This was such an increase on previous years, overflow parks had to be opened up to accommodate everyone. After the disappointment when last year’s show had to be cancelled, there was no doubt that visitors and exhibitors were extremely happy to be back, with every stand seeing a steady stream of visitors keen to purchase new vehicles and RV-related equipment. The Motorhomes, Caravans & Destinations team had a blast meeting both new and existing readers; one reader said that her husband looked forward to the magazine arriving so much, she wouldn’t see him – or the magazine – again for the best part of two days, while he read it cover to cover! The main pavilion and outdoor sites featured a huge range of motorhomes, caravans, slide-ons, tents, bikes, and more; while the Off the Beaten Track Travel Marquee was bursting at the seams with tour organisations and operators. The popular Retro Lane was shiny and bright with vintage cars, trucks and caravans, and the Accessories Marquee was bigger than ever, featuring a remarkable range of gadgets and toys to suit every kind of traveller. Right by the show entrance, the new Traillite Pavilion proved popular, as did the seminars at the Traillite Theatre. Overall, the show was a massive success.
