The organization formerly known as National Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds (ARVC), now “rebranded” as OHI (Outdoor Hospitality Industry), is in the news. It says it’s up on the latest camping trends. Since RVers are still considered by OHI to be campers, you might find it interesting to compare your own “camping trends” with their findings. Here’s the information from OHI’s Generational Campground Report.
Camping trend? “Skewing younger every year”
The report highlights that “The modern camper demographic is changing—skewing younger every year—so it is of vital importance to understand these generational differences when making business decisions.” Are you feeling younger already? Here are what camping trends have popped up.
- 94% plan to camp the same or more in the next 12 months
- 49% prefer to make their reservations completely online, with 26% stating no preference
- 82% selected using online search platforms (Yahoo, Google, Bing, etc.) as their preferred method to find the right campground
- Price is still a driving factor in campground destination decisions. 33% are selecting the cost of reservation as their top concern
- Campers will travel 179 miles from home to get to a campsite
- Campers spend on average $50 per person/per day, or $200 per day/per site for a family of four
And how do they use this information?
You might wonder just what OHI does with such information. Since OHI is an industry group that supports RV parks—oops—make that outdoor hospitality providers, the report (which includes a lot more information) is intended to help them make better business decisions. Here’s how the report’s preface puts it.
Reviewing this data each year is an important planning step for campground owners and operators. This from Jon Gray, CEO of RVshare. “Adapting to the changing demographic and preferences is crucial industry-wide. We are coming off the biggest tailwind this industry has ever seen, and to maintain category interest, we need to meet the customers where they are. From RV rentals to campground operators, it’s vital to understand our challenges and opportunities as we plan for 2024 and beyond.”
Again, “The modern camper demographic is changing—skewing younger every year.” That being the case, don’t be surprised if you may begin to feel left out. Industry will no doubt follow the maxim, “Follow the money.” If the money is with the younger demographic, some of us older ones may not see “outdoor hospitality” attractions as attractive as they might be. Camping trends, like the weather though, are variable.
##RVT1133b
Yeah, but us old farts still have the money and the will to consistently keep on “RVing”.
Agreed !!
If they are truly following the money, then they’re not following the young tent or pop-up campers that they say are driving campground owner decisions, they are following the previous generation… or 2 with much more liquidity and a nest egg.
Hate the thought that we are being followed around and reported on…😲 🙂
Bill: You are on the internet right now. So you are being “followed around” and reported on! 😉
That’s a scary thought! 😨
Hahahaha! And, I agree.
That’s right, Jesse.
Thank you, Russ and Tina! $50/day/person of spending!?! I read that as beyond the cost of the campsite, and after re-reading the bullet-point, that seems their conclusion/calculation. DW and I rarely spend $100/day unless the campsite rental is included. We did travel with a cousin and her DH once and they seem much closer to $100/day plus site rental. They eat out and we don’t when traveling.
Maybe we just don’t remember our past. I read many stories that talk about how they got started in RVing by camping with their families. Maybe we are just going back to what camping is all about.
Interesting stats! Paying for the cost of gas to drive an RV for 179 miles, purchasing food and drinks, and a campground fees all for $200/day for four people. Not sure.
I don’t think the $200/day is accurate. At least not for four people and the price of a site.
My wife and I have been camping on our own since our early 20s. So haven’t there always been younger campers? I wonder what the percentage of people that camped expected to camp ‘how often’ back “in the day”? Cost of a place to camp was part of our budget “back in the day”.. I just wonder how much things have really changed? Except that there are more people on this earth than “back in the day”. I guess people get paid to survey and come up with numbers.