Launch a Kayak Australia franchise
It’s time to add a new leisure offering to your waterfront accommodation.
With accommodation providers seeking new ways to attract visitors and increase customer engagement, a Kayak Australia franchise is the perfect addition to your waterfront business. Spearhead a new visitation campaign with a Kayak Australia site launch. Welcome new visitors as they chase adventures on Australia’s natural waterways. And grow as a part of the Kayak Australia brand and network.
Welcome to Kayak Australia.
We are looking for Franchisees to help build the Kayak Australia network around the country. Leveraging existing business locations and staff bases. Driving visitation, customer spend, and importantly, getting Australians out paddling!
Kayaking is seeing continued uptake and growth. With Olympic success in Paris bolstering growth in the sector, and making heroes of our champions for a new generation of paddles. Caravan parks and camping grounds generated an estimated $9.8 billion in 2024, With 1,156,867 caravan and campers taking part in watersports as part of their trip.
If you are enjoying a piece of Australian waterfront property, a Kayak Australia Franchise is an ideal opportunity to engage visitors with a booming leisure offering.
Made for business owners
- We have designed a rental model that is easy for business owners, and streamlined for customers.
- With custom, branded kayaks and equipment, and a modern online booking platform.
- A Kayak Australia franchise is designed from the ground up as a low touch addition to existing business operations.
Add family fun to accommodation for a complete holiday experience.
Made for customers
We removed the main barriers to recreational paddling;
- kayak ownership,
- storage,
- and transport.
With easy, self guided adventures, we’re taking guests from online to on-water in a few clicks.
Where we came from
In 2018 Tom Bennett, the new owner of the Jamieson Caravan Park, started kayaking with his family to explore the local rivers. These idyllic outings were launched right from the park’s lawn, and quickly caught the eye of locals and visitors.
Tom quickly launched Jamieson Kayak Rental, which swiftly boomed. It seemed there was a market for accessible, affordable, and unforgettable kayaking experiences. After seven years of refinement, the vision for something larger emerged. After partnering with good mate and outdoor enthusiast Allan Mahoney, we founded KayakOz PTY LTD in mid 2023. Our shared enthusiasm for kayaking solidified the vision for Kayak Australia, and we went to work.
Our collaboration wasn’t just about renting more kayaks in Jamieson, it was about crafting a model and customer experience that could be replicated around the country. We put our heads down for 2 years. Streamlining processes, maximising customer experience, and building a brand for future franchisees.
We integrated a leading booking platform in Checkfront, architecting a scalable website, and custom-designing kayak trailers. We then collaborated with international designer Evan Solida from 6Design, to create custom kayaks tailored carefully for life in a Kayak Australia rental fleet.
Today, Kayak Australia is the culmination of this vision and relentless innovation, aiming to build a national network of partners who share our passion for bringing the joy of exploring Australia’s waterways to a wider audience, all with a proven model for success.
Our core company values are:
- Adventure: enabling paddling adventures nationwide.
- Environment: advocating for the sustainable use of Australia’s natural waterways.
- Responsibility: encouraging individual capacity and responsibility in the outdoors.
- Longevity: creating memories, products, and relationships that last.
Why was franchising the best route for us?
Scaling a national network of kayaking destinations is a huge undertaking. We knew we need dedicated, savvy, and established operators to partner with. Franchising enables Kayak Australia to maintain and grow a centralised brand presence, consistent messaging and experience delivery, and for franchisees to leverage the experience and support from us as franchisors.
Australia ranks second in per capita franchise density globally. With an incredible 90% of Australian franchises being locally developed. It is a proven business model with excellent governance, protection, and support.
Building a brand hand in hand with franchisees is about building relationships. Shared success, shared vision, and a national presence grown from personal passion.
5 great reasons to start a Kayak Australia franchise.
1. We have fast tracked your success by;
- establishing a proven business model with high customer satisfaction,
- testing and integrating advanced booking software with a centralised brand website,
- establishing operational and procedural frameworks in a deliverable training schedule,
- strategised legal and insurance requirements advantageously for a franchise network, and;
- continuing to build brand presence and recognition.
In essence, we’ve done the legwork. Our franchisees can step into a proven model, with everything they need to begin trading immediately.
2. Strong ROI
Many franchises require enormous upfront investment. Conversely, by leveraging existing business property and infrastructure, and careful supply chain management, we have kept the initial investment for a Kayak Australia franchise to an absolute minimum possible.
With approachable investment, and minimal ongoing costs, we believe a Kayak Australia Franchise far outstrips traditional accommodation capital works investments.
3. It’s easy to operate!
No really. It’s easy to operate. That’s the whole point. Our model leverages a streamlined digital booking process. Taking bookings, waivers, and safety inductions online and off your hands. We make the most of your existing staff base, business infrastructure, and location.
Full in-person, and digitised training is delivered for each new franchise. With ongoing support for bookings, adventure development, digital presence, and digital marketing.
A Kayak Australia Franchise is an addition. Which rises in tune with your existing busy trade period, then settles in low staffing periods.
No two franchises will be the same. We’ll work to tailor your franchise to your capacity, location, staffing, and ambitions!
4. Equipment designed from the ground up for a Kayak Australia Franchise.
Two years of design, prototyping, and testing means we are bringing the best of the best to your franchise. Kayaks co-designed by Evan Solida of 6Design, manufactured and produced right here in Australia. We designed kayaks specifically for the rigours of life in a rental fleet. Weight, manoeuvrability, deck, seats, durability, and stability were key design focus points. And we have been rewarded with a kayak at home in rivers, lakes, and in our trailers designed around this very craft.
Designing a custom trailer was another monumental task. Storage, usability, and quality were ever present pillars in the design phase. The result is a secure, sturdy, functional, and accessible Kayak Australia branded trailer. Delivered with every piece of equipment to begin trade immediately. Kayaks, life jackets, paddles, and dry bags. Our trailers are one of a kind, and double as advertising space for your location’s franchise.
5. Make the most of a new attraction
Caravan parks nationwide are investing in capital works attractions to drive new accommodation visitation. New cabins, water parks, bounce playgrounds, pump tracks, pools, and adventure playgrounds. A new attraction remains an effective platform for marketing efforts. But the reality is that it’s hard to definitively measure the return on investment of many capital works endeavours. Often, these attractions are offered free to guests.
Enter a Kayak Australia franchise. Same new attraction draw. But an all new adventure! Launch a marketing campaign for your site launch. Increase customer spend per head through your Kayak Australia Franchise. Track ROI with advanced financial and participation reporting. And be part of a new wave, getting Australians out paddling.
What’s new when becoming a franchisee?
What the addition of a Kayak Australia Franchise means for your day to day.
- Customers book their adventures through the Kayak Australia website.
- Customers receive an automated confirmation email with their digital waiver and safety video for their attention.
- Franchisees check their daily bookings in the booking software. (Nightly and daily).
- Customers arrive for their adventure and staff distribute kayaks and gear to customers.
- Kayaks and gear are collected by franchise staff at the conclusion of the adventure. (For lake adventures, customers return kayaks to their launch site. For river adventures, the trailer is towed to the collection point after receiving a pickup call from the customer).
We will assist each new franchise location with developing a suitable launch site and pickup. And with crafting arrival instructions for customers.
Our easy to use booking software features an integrated booking calendar. Helping franchisees to staff accordingly for upcoming bookings. As well as track their site performance with advanced analytics.
Keen to find out more?
The next steps
Step 1. Send us an inquiry via [email protected]
Step 2. – If we have already met in person, proceed to Step 3.
– If we are yet to meet in person, we’ll reach out to set up a time to meet. We’ll attend onsite with a Franchise Trailer Pack. Get to know each other. And assess your site’s suitability for a franchise.
Step 3. We’ll send through a Confidentiality Agreement and Franchise Information Statement.
Step 4. Once we receive a signed Confidentiality Agreement, we can forward our Franchise information pack.
Step 5. We send you our Franchise Agreement, Operations Manual, Disclosure Document, and a copy of the Franchising Code of Conduct.
Step 6. After 14 days from receiving the final franchise documents, the Franchise Agreement is signed, and 50% of the fees are paid.
Step . While your Franchise Trailer Pack is prepared, we work with you to finalise adventure offerings. We also build your franchise’s digital presence on our website, and in the booking software.
Step . The balance of fees are paid at delivery of the Franchise Trailer Pack. Where onsite training is conducted for you and your staff.
Step . We have a franchise site launch.