If you're touring New Zealand by campervan or motorhome, you'll hear about two memberships more than any others: the TOP 10 Holiday Parks club card and the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association (NZMCA). They're often mentioned together, but they work very differently. One is a discount on holiday parks. The other is a way of travelling.
Here's how each one works, and the maths on whether it's worth it for you.
TOP 10 Holiday Parks membership
TOP 10 is a network of holiday parks across both islands. At the time of writing, membership costs $55 for two years, according to TOP 10, with tiered discounts:
| Tier | How you reach it | Discount |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze | On joining | 10% off, capped at $40 per stay |
| Silver | $2,000 spent with TOP 10 over two years | 12% off, capped at $60 per stay |
| Gold | $4,000 spent over two years | 15% off, capped at $80 per stay |
The break-even maths
At 10% off, you need to spend $550 at TOP 10 parks over the two years to earn back the $55 fee. At around $60 a night for a powered site, that's roughly nine or ten nights. Over a two-year membership, that's around five nights a year.
- A couple of summer holidays at TOP 10 parks? You'll likely break even.
- A long tour staying mostly in holiday parks? It pays for itself quickly, and you may reach Silver.
- Mostly freedom camping or DOC campsites? It may not be worth it.
NZMCA membership
NZMCA is a members' association for people who travel in motorhomes and caravans. At the time of writing, joining costs $252: a $150 one-off joining fee plus a $102 annual subscription, according to the NZMCA. In return, members get:
- NZMCA Parks for $5 per adult per night.
- A members' directory of more than 2,200 places to stay, including DOC campsites and Parks Over Property.
- Discounted stays at participating campgrounds (outside peak dates) and partner deals, including ferry fares.
One important condition: to use NZMCA Parks, your vehicle must be Certified Self-Contained.
The break-even maths
NZMCA is a bigger first-year cost, but the savings come from staying at low-cost member parks instead of paid campgrounds. If an NZMCA Park at $10 a night for two adults replaces a $60 powered site, you're saving about $50 a night. At that rate, the first year's $252 pays for itself in about five nights.
NZMCA suits self-contained travellers who don't need power and facilities every night. If you need a powered site and a shower block most nights, a holiday park membership will probably serve you better.
Which should you choose?
- Look at how you actually travel. Self-contained and comfortable without power? NZMCA. Prefer holiday parks with facilities? TOP 10 or another chain's card.
- Count your nights. Add up the nights you expect to spend with each network. The break-even numbers above make the decision quickly.
- Consider both. Plenty of travellers have both and mix freedom camping, NZMCA Parks and holiday parks across a trip.
- Check the details. Prices, caps and conditions change, so check with each provider before you join.
The habit that saves money: remembering
A membership only saves money if you use it. The most common reason people miss out is forgetting they're a member when they book.
This is why we built the membership wallet into Ready2Roam.
- Keep every membership in one place. Add your park and club memberships in the app. It's free.
- See when you're at a member park. When you look at a park in one of your networks, Ready2Roam tells you, so you remember to ask about member rates.
- Prefer member sites when planning. Turn on "Prefer sites where I'm a member" in your Travel Profile, and member parks come first. Other sites are never hidden.
Ready2Roam only favours a site because you told us you're a member, never because someone paid us.
The bottom line
A TOP 10 card pays for itself after about ten nights in its parks. NZMCA pays for itself after about five nights in its parks if you'd otherwise be paying for a powered site, as long as your vehicle is Certified Self-Contained. Pick the one that matches how you travel, or have both, and keep them somewhere you'll remember to use them.
Budgeting for a trip? See what a South Island campervan trip really costs and the trip budgeting mistakes we see most.
Download Ready2Roam and add your memberships to the wallet. It's free.
