Owner Awards 2025

Meet New Zealand's 2025 Owner of the Year Runners-Up: Jono and Maree from Hamilton

The 2025 Camplify Owner Awards celebrate the people who make our community brilliant – and this year's Owner of the Year Runners-Up for New Zealand are a Hamilton couple who turned a promise to visit a friend into a whole new way of life.

Jono and Maree have been with us since 2022, but their campervan journey started years earlier with a simple question: what if we could own the adventure AND share it? Now they're paying down their van with rental income, their kids have explored more of New Zealand than ever before, and Jono's building a course to help others do the same.

A promise that changed everything

It started with a visit to a friend – and ended with a business model that's transformed how Jono and Maree holiday.

On how it all started...

"I promised my best friend we would visit her in Wanaka," Maree explains. "This all started this whole new journey of having a motorhome."

They headed to the Mystery Creek motorhome show to familiarise themselves with campervans before hiring one for a South Island trip. That's where Maree had her lightbulb moment.

"We ended up looking at a one-year-old ex-rental from the UK. And I thought – we could actually look at buying a campervan and then renting it out as well as using it ourselves."

They crunched the numbers, bought the van, and signed up with Mighway. When Camplify acquired the platform in 2022, they came across – and haven't looked back.

The van that works for everyone

After a few years with their first 5-berth, Jono and Maree knew exactly what they wanted. They upgraded to a 2022 Roller Team Zefiro – a 6-berth that suits their family AND their typical hirers.

"The insides are higher so taller people can be in there," Maree says. "Bigger beds because we had teenagers. A queen at the back, king single, and king at the front. It gave us all more space."

Their target market? Young families or fit older couples – people who'll appreciate the same things they do.

"The beds stay made up the whole time, so you don't need to muck around," Jono adds. The key word there being "you" – Maree does the bed-making.

Ready to explore in comfort? Check out Jono and Maree's Roller Team – whether you pick up from Hamilton or arrive by bus from Auckland, they'll collect you and take care of everything.

Two months with a German family

With years of hires under their belt, one booking stands out: a German family with children aged one and three who took the van for a two-month tour of New Zealand.

On their highest-earning hire...

"That was our highest revenue rental," Jono says. "And we only had to do one handover in a long period of time. We started to realise that picking up those peak summer rentals was really a good idea."

But it wasn't just about the money. Jono and Maree went above and beyond – researching car seats for the little ones, storing the family's hard-case suitcases so they didn't have to travel with them.

"They went through the van like a fine-tooth comb at handover," Maree recalls. "They threw half the kitchen stuff out – 'We won't use this, we won't use that.' And we made it work for them."

The result? Van returned in immaculate condition, photos sent throughout the journey, and a glowing five-star review.

"That's what makes our day," Jono says. "That's the Camplify experience."

The systems that make it work

Jono and Maree have refined their process over years of hosting. Their tips are gold for anyone starting out.

Maree's top tips:

"Don't necessarily put all your berths up when you first list. Even if you're a six berth like us, list as a two or four. See how you handle the handover and the cleaning first."

Her game-changer? The laundromat.

"I found a clean, good one. I throw the whites in one machine, the heavier stuff in another, put them both on at the same time, dry them – and within less than two hours, the entire laundry's done. That sped up my turnaround massively."

And always have a double set of linen ready to go.

Jono's prep philosophy:

"We treat each hire like we're preparing it for a good friend. Thorough clean, well stocked, ready to go."

He takes the van to a local truck wash for exterior cleaning – including the roof. "Rather than me spending a few hours doing it, they do it quickly for a reasonable price."

They also send a pre-recorded video to hirers a week before pickup.

"They get really excited. They'll say, 'That was great – we were excited before, but now we're really excited.' And it means handover is quicker because they've already seen everything."

For owners building their own systems, our guide on maximising earnings with a quality listing covers similar ground.

Why home handovers matter

One insight Jono and Maree swear by: do handovers at your home, not the airport.

"We found that clients who picked up from the airport weren't as respectful of the van," Maree explains. "They assumed it was a massive company – like Hertz or Avis."

"When they come to our home, there's face-to-face value. They see it's just a mum and dad trying to make some money, trying to look after their family. They have a more personal touch in how they look after it for us."

Where they'd send you first

Based in Hamilton, Jono and Maree are perfectly positioned for North Island adventures. Their recommendations?

"Waitomo Caves is a big one," Maree says. "The hot pools in Rotorua. Hobbiton for Lord of the Rings fans."

"Onetangi Beach was amazing. Right on a little yacht club, showers and washing machines inside for $2, and 180 degrees of water views."

And then there's the Picton pub hack: "Park in the car park for free if you eat there. They'll get the locals to move their cars to make room. You partake in some karaoke and pool, and they're happy for you to camp overnight in the car park for free."

Planning your own North Island loop? Our guide to road tripping through the Taupo and Rotorua regions covers nearby highlights.

The freedom of options

For Jono and Maree, the real win isn't just income – it's flexibility.

"We've got a couple of years left of payments and then it's done," Jono says. "Then we get to choose whether we want to use it or rent it."

This summer, they're renting the van out and using a portion of that income to pay for a beach rental property instead.

"Our kids have seen a lot more of the country than if we'd just bought a single beach property," Maree adds. "We're not stuck in one region anymore."

Jono's now taking everything they've learned and building a course to help others do the same. "All the ins and outs of building a rental motorhome business. I'm really looking forward to it."

Ready to hit the road? Whether you pick up from Hamilton or arrive by bus from Auckland, Jono and Maree will collect you and make sure you're sorted with a pre-trip video, instruction booklet, 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 sitting in the driveway? See how Jono and Maree are paying down their van with rental income while still enjoying family adventures. Discover what your vehicle could earn.