Owner Awards 2025

Meet New Zealand's 2025 Owner of the Year Runner-Up: Paul from Happy Holidays

The 2025 Camplify Owner Awards celebrate the people who make our community brilliant – and this year's Owner of the Year Runner-Up for New Zealand is a Tauranga legend who's scaled from two test caravans to 23 vehicles in just three years.

Paul runs Happy Holidays – a name that perfectly captures what he's built. With over 350 hires under his belt and a philosophy that puts people first, he's proving that treating every hirer like a guest (not a transaction) is the recipe for serious growth.

From selling to sharing

Paul's been in the caravan and motorhome world for years – buying, selling, running shops. When sales slowed down, he asked himself a simple question.

On how it all started...

"I thought, why not just give them a go?" Paul recalls. "I googled to see what was out there and the great thing about Camplify is it always comes up damn near at the top."

He spotted other business-minded people on the platform and did the maths. "Why would I set up my own website and try to go up against the organic search stuff? Might as well just join in. The cost of being involved is not that much more than trying to do it yourself, but you get access to the customers."

Paul already had stock – he was importing caravans himself. So he pulled an Orion 4-berth and a 2-berth out of inventory to test the waters.

"I was nervous at the start. They're not built like those Aussie caravans you guys have got – bulletproof. These things are a bit vulnerable. But it turned out people were really good with them."

The Happy Holidays fleet

Three years later, Paul's grown from those two test caravans to 23 vehicles – all managed largely as a one-man operation with a part-time cleaner and a few drivers on call for deliveries.

"Sometimes you've got eight caravans going out on the same day and three of them need to be delivered," he says. "You can't do it all yourself. It's a management thing – sometimes you ask if you can drop it off the day before and make sure it all clicks into place."

The business name? That came from observation.

"I've been calling my business Happy Holidays because they're all happy. They turn up happy, they head off happy, and they come back happy. When you're selling a caravan, they're a different type of customer. But these people – it's just such a joy."

Seven weeks with a German family

Over 350 hires and counting, Paul's had his share of memorable guests. One stands out.

On the people who make it worthwhile...

"A German family made contact almost a year ago and ended up booking a caravan. They've been here for seven weeks touring the North Island – just great people, awesome people."

"That's what I love about it. It makes it all worthwhile. You make some money out of it, but it's the people that's the main thing."

Many of Paul's hirers are testing the waters before buying their own caravan. "They're always asking questions. Often they'll mention, 'How does this Camplify work? How do you find it?' Because maybe they're thinking of doing the same thing when they own one."

The "No DNA" philosophy

Paul's earned his reviews through meticulous preparation. His system? Test everything days before handover.

His top tips for owners:

"Three or four days out from before it heads off, I'll go through my inventory checklist. Everything gets turned on and operated – the water heated up, fridge running on gas, fridge running on electricity. Tick all the boxes."

The payoff is confidence during handover. "You know exactly what's working. Nothing's worse than trying to do a handover and fudging around trying to fix something you didn't know about."

Then there's the cleaning standard Paul calls "No DNA."

"They don't want to get in there and see someone else's DNA. Got to be spotless – no hair, no fingerprints, all that stuff. You've got to look through and check."

And here's a tip that shows Paul's people-first approach: when hirers return and ask "Did you want to check the cleaning?" – always say yes.

"What they really want is you to get in and go, 'Oh my God, this is amazing' – because it always is. It's almost an insult if you go, 'I'm sure it's fine.'"

Customer first, always

When asked for his top tip for new owners, Paul doesn't hesitate.

"Treat people as people. They're not a number, they're not there to provide you with income. You're there to serve them and give them the best experience you possibly can. Customer first. That's all it's about."

For owners building their own systems, our guide on tips for first-time campervanners offers insights into what hirers are looking for.

Where he'd send you first

Based in Tauranga, Paul finds most hirers arrive well-prepared with their own research. But he's always happy to share local knowledge.

"The vast majority have pretty much got it sussed – they know the area or they've done their research. But occasionally I'm able to give them tips on things to go and do around the area."

Planning your own North Island adventure? Our guide to road tripping through the Bay of Plenty and Coromandel regions covers the best spots near Paul's base.

What's next?

Paul's not slowing down. "We're just getting started too," he says. "I'll probably add a couple of motorhomes at some stage, dip my toes into that. I've got a few ideas running around in my head."

Watch this space.

Ready to hit the road? Whether you pick up from Tauranga or arrange delivery, Paul will have you sorted with a spotless caravan and genuine Kiwi hospitality.

Meet all our 2025 Owner Award winners here.

Interested in meeting the Owner who took the title of Owner of the Year? Meet Tamie and Matt here.

Got an RV gathering dust? See how Paul turned imported caravans into a thriving 23-vehicle operation in just three years. Discover what your vehicle could earn.