'No, Grandma ... we DON'T want to play on the computer!'
It has been well documented that the pandemic has put an end to overseas holidays for Australians … and has led to an increasing number of them turn to caravanning and camping as a way to explore their own backyard.
Tourism experts say it has also triggered the rise off the ‘nostalgia nomad’, that is people who are seeking to re-create the magic of the holidays of their youth … and they are increasingly taking the younger generations along for the ride.
Social researcher Mark McCrindle says surveys of Australian families during Covid reveals nostalgia is driving new travel trends. He notes parents of every generation tend to believe their own childhood was the ideal one, that they were shaped in simpler, healthier, less dangerous times.
However, he told the Queensland Times that those currently raising children have extra reason for this conviction, thanks to the dreaded screens.
“They do see the mental health challenges, the anxiety, the business, the comparison culture, the ‘always on’ social media challenge and they do worry,” Mr McCrindle said. “Their upbringing was not these overseas trips or these resort holidays, but staying at the caravan park, doing a bit of camping and the road trip … from the small little cinema in the local town, to roller skating, visiting the Big Things and a simple hike.”
NRMA Parks and Resorts CEO Paul Davies told the Queensland Times that part of this movement has more parents, kids and grandparents travelling together.
“There’s a real trend towards the simpler, happy holidays reminiscent of our childhoods, where families can relax in a safe, open air environment and the kids can ride bikes, go skateboarding or surfing, and the whole family can get together at a local restaurant or around the barbecue in the evenings,” he said.
Marieke Lee is one of those who has taken the opportunity to go camping with the younger generation of her family.
“I just love watching them love it, without the TVs and screens,” she said. “We’ve just started really enjoying cards together, which is so fun … proper card games, which make me definitely reminisce about my childhood, playing cards with the family around the campsite.”
And Travel Associates’ Ann-Catherine Jones believes the rush on nostalgia travel reaches beyond childhood memories by allowing older Australians to experience any unfulfilled travel dreams of youth, such as a working farm stay.
“The real station experience is booming at the moment,” she told the Queensland Times. “We’ve got people who are wanting to take their kids out of the city and doing the rural experience. Corynnia Station (in the Riverina region of NSW), Goonoo Goonoo Station (near Tamworth) … this is the sort of thing that people are doing.”
Having watched all the families fresh out of lockdown take over the Warburton Holiday Park that I’d had pretty much to myself during the long 5 month “greater Melbourne” lockdown, I found it did make me feel nostagic! It was so great to see kids riding around on their bikes, floating down the river on innertubes, gathering around the fire at night and making new friends and not a screen in sight! Kudos to those parents for taking their kids camping, I’m sure they appreciated some time out too and it was really heart warming to see all those kids so happy doing what kids should be doing: outside having fun! It totally reminded me of the “good old days” of camping.