More RVers work at the campsite, says survey

For some of us, this could be “old news.” As a working RV-writing couple, we’ve been tapping the keyboard “on the road” since the 1980s. Well, everything old is new again. A survey shows more campers are working at the campsite.

The Dyrt survey uncovers more campers are working in the campsite

The stats come from a survey published by The Dyrt, which promotes itself as “the No. 1 app for camping availability, photos and reviews.” The Dyrt’s survey uncovered campers worked from the campsite more than ever in 2023. Drilling down to the very specific number, The Dyrt says 28.9% of campers worked while camping last year.

If you recall, during the COVID pandemic office buildings turned the lights out as “work from home” became mandatory for many. Post-pandemic, the rage among corporates has been getting workers back to their desks—in the office, thank you.

It seems to run counter to how work-from-the-roaders are showing up in the numbers. That number is up from 23.8% in 2022 and 2021. The Dyrt suggests technology has advanced with both devices and internet connectivity to a point where one can work from a campsite. On the road, these workers can have the same capabilities they would have at the office. And once people got a taste of that, they wanted more.

“It’s here to stay”

“Work-from-campsite is here to stay,” says The Dyrt founder Sarah Smith. “I wasn’t surprised to see the portion of campers getting in some work stay level from 2021 to 2022, but to see that the number increased last year is incredible. There are a lot of people out there who aren’t too keen on going back to the office but are also tired of working from home. Where better than a campsite?”

The most important necessity for people who want to work from the campsite is solid Wi-Fi. Private campgrounds are plenty aware of this, as 76.6% of them offer Wi-Fi. It’s the No. 1 most commonly offered amenity at campgrounds across the country.

Why work from the campsite?

“I work while I’m camping because it’s the easiest way to make sure that I’m outside camping!” says The Dyrt camper Kevin O. of Oregon. “Typically, there are fewer campers during the workweek, and my career only stipulates the requirement of a decent-enough internet connection. I’ve worked while camping in winter and summer, and my ideal workday usually involves being able to watch my family have fun while I’m still paying the bills.”

Says The Dyrt camper P.J. of Missouri: “I think working bothers me less when camping because I dictate the terms. There’s something quite liberating about setting your laptop up on a picnic table and working outside.” If the trend continues, you’ll see more and more workers working in the campsite.

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