So far, 2020 hasn’t gone the way most of us expected that it would.
COVID-19 has put us all in uneasy territory. Small businesses have been decimated, entire industries are scrambling for answers, and people all across the country have been forced to stay indoors for months on end. Times have been hard to say the least.
But even amid the uncertainty, there’s hope on the horizon. With many states slowly beginning to reopen National Parks and campgrounds, the camping industry is in position to come out winning.
After months of quarantine and stay-at-home orders, there is an insatiable appetite across the country to get outdoors again, and campgrounds and RV parks stand to benefit the most. Here’s why:
Safest Type of Travel
Though States are beginning to ease stay-at-home orders and reopen, travelers are still skeptical of sitting in crowded planes and airports, or spending their weekends in populated resorts and lodges. In an effort to avoid crowded travel, people are looking for safer travel and accommodation alternatives, and camping and campgrounds are proving to be it.
According to a recent survey done in the North American Camping Report, camping was voted the safest type of travel once restrictions are lifted. The survey shows that 46% of leisure travelers voted camping as the safest type of travel above any other travel method. This change in opinion from leisure travelers forecasts growth in visitors from this demographic which will provide upward trends in occupancy to the camping industry.
The survey also showed that 37% of prospective campers feel camping is a much safer way to travel than any other alternatives as it’s the most practical way to practice social distancing. With campers and travelers looking for safer travel alternatives the camping industry is in a position to see strong upward trends in growth.
“What we’re seeing is that our industry is rebounding at a remarkable rate,” said RoverPass CEO, Ravi Parikh. “By the end of April, we saw a huge increase in web traffic. These are folks searching for accommodations in our directory of over 16,000 campgrounds. We expected a trend like this as camping in general makes for an easy and safe alternative to other forms of lodging,” said Parikh.
From a recent survey taken here at Roverpass, 55.6% of users said that they feel extremely safe camping again after stay-at-home orders are lifted.
Campers and travelers alike are placing safety above all else before booking travel trips, therefore providing your campground visitors the best options to enhance safety at your park is crucial.
Using an online reservation tool will provide your campers and visitors with social distancing options.The reservation tool will easily allow for check-in, confirmation of guest reservation details, online booking, and secure check-outs to further apply social distancing and alleviate your visitors of social stress amid Covid 19.
More Affordable
With the obvious economic impact that Covid-19 has had on the country, many travelers are looking for more affordable ways to travel.
The ease of financial stress that camping and RVing provide in comparison with resorts and air travel, make campgrounds a much more appealing option for travelers at this time.
Increased Interest in RV Travel
Post Covid-19 is seeing an interest in different forms of travel, particularly RV and camper van life. With many campers and travelers still unsure about overnight stays at hotels and resorts, they are considering different types of travel experiences and accommodation. RVing offers the freedom to travel and the comfort of accomodation along with the safety of avoiding crowded hotels.
According to our survey, 76.2% of participants plan on getting to their destinations by RV or motorhome and another 87.3% plan on participating in RV and motorhome camping.
That survey conducted by the North American Camping Report states that 39% of campers are interested in becoming full-time RVers. With a growing interest in RV travel clubs, campgrounds and parks are in a position to see an increase in visitors.
Urge To Spend Time Outdoors
We’ve all strongly felt the impact of the stay-at-home orders. After spending so much time indoors over the last few months, people are craving outdoor experiences and spending more time in nature. 43% of leisure travelers feel that being outdoors is now more important than ever post COVID-19.
From the survey done here at RoverPass, 75% of participants claimed that they are extremely motivated to go camping after quarantining!
Travelers also now strongly feel that spending time outdoors with their children is more important than ever. Two-thirds of travelers who plan to take their children camping once restrictions are lifted say they feel increased importance to spend time outdoors with their children.
Another 37% of campers and 29% of leisure travelers say that spending time outdoors with family is what they look forward to most once restrictions are lifted.
With so much increased demand for outdoor experiences, particularly among families, the camping industry is expected to see an upward growth trend in family groups in the coming months post-Covid-19.
Conclusion
Travelers no longer feel safe traveling in packed airplanes, bustling airports, and overcrowded resorts and are looking for viable options that will provide the feeling of adventure while prioritizing safety and social distancing.
The demand for camping and RVing is showing extreme potential for further growth post-COVID-19 as it provides these freedoms. With priorities shifting from leisure resort travel to memorable outdoor experiences with family and friends, camping and RVing is in position for exponential growth amidst States reopening national parks and campgrounds.
RVing and camping provides the affordability, safety, and the overall outdoor and family-oriented experience that people are looking for after this crisis. With this increase in demand, campgrounds and parks are in the position to make a strong comeback post-pandemic.
Interested in how RoverPass can help your campground boost profits, save time, and increase occupancy all at no cost to you? Shoot us an email at sales@roverpass.com or schedule a demo here.
