Holiday Park Manager Kaiwhakahaere Papa Rēhia

Holiday park managers run holiday parks, camping grounds, motor camps, caravan parks or seaside resorts as owners or on behalf of owners.

Holiday park managers may do some or all of the following:

  • greet guests and check them into cabins, caravans or campsites
  • maintain the buildings and grounds
  • hire, train and organise staff
  • handle guest requests and complaints
  • plan budgets, keep accounts, carry out administrative tasks, and organise marketing activities
  • take accommodation bookings and manage online reservation systems
  • take bookings for local tourist attractions
  • clean and prepare public places for use
  • run a restaurant and/or camp shop
  • run activities such as tramping, horse-trekking or fishing trips.

Physical Requirements

Holiday park managers need to be reasonably fit, healthy and strong as they may need to move caravans around the park, and do gardening and cleaning.

Useful Experience

Useful experience for holiday park managers includes:

  • running a business
  • experience in the hospitality industry, preferably at management level
  • practical work such as building, farming, carpentry, engineering or plumbing
  • customer service work.

Personal Qualities

Holiday park managers need to be:

  • well organised and efficient
  • adaptable and practical
  • good at communicating
  • friendly, polite and helpful
  • able to relate to people from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures
  • good at solving problems.

Skills

Holiday park managers need to have:

  • customer service skills
  • knowledge of health and safety, including food safety
  • knowledge of the local area and tourist attractions
  • business administration, management and marketing skills.

Practical maintenance and repair skills, such as plumbing, and skill in operating machinery are helpful. It is also useful if holiday park managers know first aid.

Conditions

Holiday park managers:

  • usually work regular business hours, but will work extra hours to meet seasonal demand
  • work in camping grounds, caravan and holiday parks, or seaside resorts
  • often work outdoors in all weather conditions in a rural environment
  • may travel locally to get supplies and transport guests to tourist sights and activities.

Holiday Park Managers can earn around $47K-$60K per year.

Pay for holiday park managers varies depending on experience, and the location and size of the holiday park they manage.

  • Holiday park managers can earn between $47,000 and $60,000.
  • Relief holiday park managers can earn between $150 and $200 a day.

Source: Holiday Parks Association, 2018.

Holiday park managers may progress to:

  • manage larger holiday parks
  • own and operate their own holiday parks or camping grounds
  • work in a different part of the hospitality or tourism industry.

Years Of Training

There are no specific requirements to become a holiday park manager.

Holiday park managers may attend courses and seminars run by hospitality and tourism organisations.

Holiday Park Manager