The Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia (CMCA) has received a mixed response to the announcement of its new chain of low-cost RV parks.

Though welcomed by members of the organisation, the park has received strong opposition from state industry body Caravanning Queensland.

A statement from the industry body has slammed the CMCA’s low-cost park proposal, suggesting the organisation is simply looking to discriminate against other travellers in order to boost its membership.

“Caravan parks and the drive sector in Queensland offers accommodation options for all types of recreational vehicles and types of travellers, regardless of whether they are club members,” the statement says.

“This project requests Council provide CMCA an opportunity to acquire land, negotiate special conditions outside of local laws and licensing requirements and then to only offer this acquired land to members of the CMCA and further, only to members which meet their own criteria.”

“We struggle to understand why CMCA believe it is the Federal, State and Local Government’s responsibility to increase their membership numbers.”

The new parks are expected to feature basic facilities such as parking, a dump point, potable water and basic shelter, and be for the exclusive use of CMCA members.

Belinda Stanes, owner of the 52-year-old Palm Tree Caravan Park nearby, says despite her park being less than 2km from the new site, she hasn’t received any consultation from council or the CMCA regarding the new low-cost option.

Ms Stanes says council has given her the run-around, making it hard to establish what the new low-cost park will entail and how it will likely affect her business.

CMCA CEO Richard Barwick says despite Ms Stanes concerns, the new low-cost park will have no detrimental impact on her existing caravan park.

“We’re not intending to be in competition with the existing park,” he says. “This will be a basic park which caters to a niche market currently not being catered to.”

“And not all of our members will be using our facility. If they are CMCA members and they’re not self-contained, they would need to go to the local caravan park.”

Mr Barwick says the CMCA have ticked all of the requirements needed to satisfy council.