Trendspotting: America Goes Camping

NewsWire: 7/7/22

• A record number of U.S. households are expected to go camping in 2022. At the same time, fewer people seem to be willing to “rough it” and are opting for more upscale options. (Bloomberg Businessweek)
• NH: During pandemic lockdowns, many Americans took up outdoor sports like fishing and golfing. (See "America Goes Fishing" and "Golf Climbs in Popularity.") Now another outdoor activity is gaining in popularity: camping.
• In 2022, a projected 61.3M households will go camping. That's up from 56.9M in 2021 and a +7.7% rise. This spring, there were over 600,000 camping reservations made on the website Campspot. That's up from 400,000 the year prior.
• Many campers are choosing new high-end offerings. Tentrr Inc. operates over 1,200 campsites across the US equipped with raised beds and composting toilets. Sites go for $135 a night. This summer, its revenue is already up +10% YoY. Getaway House Inc, a company that rents cabins, has had similar success. Last year, its occupancy rate was 92%--a high rate for any player in the accommodation industry. Even KOA, known for its ubiquitous low-end campgrounds, now enjoys high margins on its new line of "deluxe" cabins and campsites with patios. 
• This rise in "glamping" is coupled with a disproportionate increase in the number of high-income campers. According to a KOA survey, 40% of campers have an income above $100K. In 2019, that share was only 19%. 
• The survey also found that 54% of new campers are Millennials. We previously wrote a NewsWire on the decline of rugged wilderness activities among younger generations. (See "The Outdoors Isn't Looking So Great.") Xers and especially Millennials want a cleaner, safer, more upscale environment. Meet that threshold, and apparently a lot of young people are ready to enjoy the great outdoors.