Owner Awards 2025

Meet New Zealand's 2025 Legend Award Winner: John and Nicci from Christchurch

The 2025 Camplify Owner Awards celebrate the people who make our community brilliant – and this year's Legend Award for New Zealand honours a couple who've been sharing adventures since nearly the very beginning.

John and Nicci joined Camplify just three months after we launched in New Zealand back in 2019. Six years, countless international hirers, and one very impressive 20-acre setup later, they're still going strong – proof that treating every guest like family never goes out of style.

From hotel rooms to campervan dreams

John's path to Camplify ownership reads like a Kiwi adventure story. Motorcycle mechanic turned racer turned sales rep turned franchise owner – he'd done the lot before discovering his next chapter.

On how it all started...

"In 2016 I sold my business and didn't know what to do. I was too bored," John admits. After years travelling 18,000 kilometres annually for work, living out of hotels, he was ready for something different.

"I got talked into hiring out a camper by UCC, who imports them. That's how we started, and it just went from strength to strength."

John and Nicci were with other platforms first, but when Camplify launched in New Zealand, they came on board within months. "We said yeah, we'll come on board – and we've never looked back. It's been great. The team here are really great to deal with."

The fleet and the farm

Today, John and Nicci run four Fiat Ducatos from their property – a mix of Swift and Roller Team models, all fully self-contained. But it's their 20-acre block that sets the experience apart.

"We've got sandpits and push bikes for the kids to use, and a games room," John explains. "So you can show people how to do everything properly in the camper without being distracted."

The setup is so popular that families ask to return early. "They say, 'Oh, the kids all wanted to come back a day early so they can come and play in your sandpit.'"

Some hirers have stayed overnight on the property, sharing barbecue dinners with John and Nicci before heading off. "We've had people on their honeymoon. They come back, then their friends want a honeymoon and come back. We've had people come out, then come back and get married."

International guests, personal service

Here's a number that stands out: 95 to 99 percent of John and Nicci's hirers come from overseas. English, German, Asian, South African, American, Canadian – their guest book reads like a United Nations roll call.

On what keeps them coming back...

"We get lots of repeat business from England and Ireland – friends of friends come," John says. "We've got people out now, all from England, for a month."

The secret? Responsiveness that leaves hirers stunned.

"As soon as I get a booking request, I go back within five minutes. They can't believe it. 'Wow, we can't believe you're so efficient!' And they say, 'Yep, can you approve it now? We'll pay the deposit.'"

John shared a telling story: recent hirers approached four other owners on the same day and still hadn't heard back three days later. "You've got to be proactive. You've got to get back to people."

Custom itineraries and weather wisdom

Nicci handles the route planning, and she's built a reputation for it. Based on what hirers want to see and what they're into, she creates full itineraries – with a clever twist.

"We do it two ways," John explains. "If the north-west winds from Australia are coming over, the West Coast gets torrential rain. So we either send them straight out on the road we're on, which takes you to the West Coast, or we send them down through Central the other way. We look at the weather when they get here and direct them."

Their local knowledge runs deep. "We've got neat spots at Lake Pukaki where you can freedom camp – there's toilets, you're looking straight at Mt Cook, and you can literally park on the edge of the lake."

For hirers planning their own South Island loop, our Christchurch to Christchurch road trip guide covers the best routes.

Tips from six years on Camplify

John's advice for new owners comes down to one word: communication.

Their top tips:

"Make sure you have everything and options in your camper too. We've got games for kids, small deck chairs, different options of blankets and sheets. We make all the beds, but we go back to them: 'What would you like? How would you like them set up? Do you want a barbecue?'"

And if you can swing it? Pick people up from the airport.

"If someone's there to pick us up at the airport when we travel overseas, wow – the difference is incredible. Some companies, you see people getting off a bus with suitcases... that's one of the benefits of Camplify. You can give that personalised experience."

For owners looking to level up their hosting, our guide on maximising earnings with a quality listing covers the essentials.

The family business grows

The Camplify spirit is spreading through John's family. His son just joined the platform this season.

"He bought one of our campers off us. I said, 'Well, hire it out.' So he's just put it on the site and got his first booking. He's happy."

Ready to explore the South Island? Whether you pick up from John and Nicci's property or get collected from Christchurch Airport, they'll have you sorted with custom itineraries and local knowledge.

Meet all our 2025 Owner Award winners here.

Got an RV sitting in the driveway? See how John turned retirement boredom into a thriving business that's welcomed guests from around the world. Discover what your vehicle could earn.