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Reflections Holidays: Nick Baker and Pete Chapman on re-imagining camping

Reflections Holidays is the only holiday park group in Australia that’s a certified social enterprise

Reflections Holidays (previously Reflections Holiday Parks) has recently undergone a comprehensive rebrand, embracing a new name, logo, typography, colour palette and loyalty program. 

AccomNews talks with Nick Baker, CEO of Reflections Holidays about Reflections’ vision to re-imagine camping and with CMO Pete Chapman about the new brand identity.

Nick Baker, CEO of Reflections Holidays

At Reflections, we’re all about embracing the beauty of nature in New South Wales. We manage 40 awesome holiday parks, unique properties, and camping spots on Crown land, plus we take care of 45 stunning nature reserves for everyone to enjoy. 

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We reinvest our profits right back into our parks and reserves. We’re not just a holiday park group; we’re a vital part of both coastal and inland communities. Our goal is to get everyone out into the wild, and we encourage our guests to check out local adventure and tourism services. It’s a win-win—our guests have unforgettable experiences, and local businesses thrive. 

We’re always on the lookout for adventure companies that share our love for nature and Indigenous organisations offering cultural tourism programs. Many of our parks already host these activities and are building strong community ties. 

How is Reflections leaning into sustainable tourism, and what are the standout initiatives? 

Reflections is currently taking a multi-tiered approach to sustainability, which includes solar for energy efficiency, smart water meters and shower heads for water savings. 

Nick Baker
Nick Baker. Image: Supplied

Our partnerships with OzFish and Landcare Australia are designed to benefit the environment in the patches of nature where we partner and to also encourage our guests to be participants in “voluntourism”, from leaving their fishing tackle in recycling bins or joining in community workdays to remove weeds from nature reserves.  

Reflections Jimmys Beach was named Holiday Park of the Year in 2023. What makes Jimmys Beach exceptional? 

If you’ve been to Jimmys, as we call it, you’ll know what a spectacular part of the world it is. Our park is nestled in bushland with access to two beaches (one lake-like and family friendly, the other a surf beach) and walking trails around Mount Tomaree and beyond. The accommodation mix at Reflections Jimmys Beach is diverse, from unpowered camp sites for those camping warriors to tiny homes, glamping tents and deluxe villas for those who like a touch of luxury, to budget cabins. The icing on the cake, beyond the extraordinary access to nature and water, is the heated pool. Kids love it!  

You’ve partnered with Worimi artist Tyson Jolly for an art trail at Jimmys Beach. How does this initiative align with your Reconciliation Action Plan and 2030 strategic plan commitments? 

Our Aboriginal Engagement Officer, Cheryl Newtown, built a rapport with Tyson, who developed artworks for the cultural trail. These show native animals and their Wiradjuri names, giving guests an insight into Country. 

Building cultural tourism activities is a core plank of our first “Reflect” Reconciliation Action Plan. About 25 of our parks stage cultural tourism activities with local indigenous organisations, ranging from yarning circles to art workshops and didgeridoo playing.  We are now preparing to commence our journey for our second Innovate RAP. 

Tell us about the new partnership with the GIANTS AFL club? 

Our partnership with the Giants is strategic, allowing us to connect with their heartland membership in Western Sydney, Canberra and to the south, and for their members to tap into our NSW-wide footprint.  

Our organisations share similar attributes: we believe in the benefits of outdoor activity; we are nimble and progressive in how we work; and we want to encourage our members to better know the other organisation for mutual benefit. 

Reflections manages a significant amount of Crown land in NSW. How do you ensure that your operations positively impact the local communities and environments? 

Our team is deeply rooted in every community where we have holiday parks and unique accommodation. Our staff are active members of their communities and dedicated caretakers of local nature reserves, from beachside areas to popular parks. 

Our commitment to community shines through in many ways. For instance, hosting various events, our collective efforts raised nearly $80,000 for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service. We measure our success by more than just financial gains—we focus on social, environmental, cultural, and financial outcomes. 

And here’s something we’re really proud of: we’re the only holiday park group in Australia that’s a certified social enterprise. This means we’re committed to doing business for good. 

What challenges have you faced in steering Reflections through periods of change and growth? 

I think two of the most challenging events so far were the pandemic and the flow-on effects that were still occurring when I joined in July 2021, and the floods that impacted the Northern Rivers in 2022. With the pandemic, it was a team effort operationally to ensure our guests were cared for as best as we could, including freezing some fees when travel was not possible. 

In the tragic case of the floods, we handed our Ballina park over to the NSW Government to assist flood-affected people. I’m really proud of how our team faced each challenge to make a real difference for those who lost their homes and livelihoods. 

Looking ahead, what are your top priorities for Reflections over the next five years? 

Reflections will continue to focus on being a leader in outdoor adventures. We have an ambitious park improvement program which will diverse accommodations continue to be installed across our parks.  We know that guests want more experience offerings, and we will be providing opportunities which build more connection to nature and the amazing landscapes our parks are in.  

Environmental sustainability is also important to us and as we continue to reduce the environmental footprint across our parks and attain Eco Tourism Accreditation. 

Reflections Holidays CMO Pete Chapman 

What were the key considerations and goals behind the new brand identity?  

Our key consideration was to accurately represent who we are and what we are all about.  

With a wide range of offerings from wilderness parks to architecturally designed villas, beach houses, remote campgrounds, tiny homes and even light houses, we are a team that genuinely believes ‘Life’s Better Outside’ – we’re about nature, connection and adventure and our brand identity needed to reflect that.  

As a nature-based holiday company, we wanted to shift perceptions and show our commitment to providing opportunities for people to experience incredible outdoor adventures and nature in all its glory. Our new brand, Reflections Holidays, showcases that we are so much more than just a place to holiday or camp. 

We also needed to show that we are not a closed-gate accommodation provider, keeping guests contained within our parks and amused with jumping pillows and other like entertainment. We are more a base camp to explore the natural world. 

Peter Chapman
Peter Chapman. Image: Supplied

Can you tell us more about the strategy behind this rebrand? 

Reflections is re-imagining what a camping company could be.  We want to do things that make a difference for the 2 million visitors we see each year. In turn, we encourage them to be gentle to their environment and to support local businesses when they are with us.  Our brand focus is on the magic of the outdoors and how powerful and memorable those experiences can be, whether you are holidaying alone or with family and friends. 

Please share some insights on the marketing initiatives you have found most effective in promoting sustainable tourism? 

We are just starting out on our sustainable journey. We are excited to launch our sustainable accommodation like our new Tiny Homes across our coastal parks and our new villas at Hawks Nest, which are prefabricated modular pod accommodation with environmentally conscious design principles. 

Our guests choose to holiday in nature, and we know that sustainability and caring for the environment are things they care about. Future marketing will highlight our use of recycled materials, energy saving initiatives such as smart water metering, energy efficient appliances, solar panels and the use of design principles which create a unique holiday experience and help preserve the environments that we care for.  Our exciting new fully off grid tiny homes coming soon to our park at Lake Keepit reflects our commitment to sustainable accommodation and tourism. 

How do you ensure that your marketing campaigns resonate with both local and international tourists? 

We understand that there is a real thirst to experience rejuvenating escapes with a focus on the healing nature of the outdoors and natural environment. NSW has such a range of incredible landscapes and environments, and with coastal and country properties, we know that we can provide what both local travellers and international travellers are craving. 

Highlighting the potential for adventure and cultural experiences across the regions our parks are in, resonates strongly with both domestic and international markets.  We have seen this from participating in and leading industry forums, industry and guest feedback, interest at trade shows, OTAs and international travel groups.

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