KOA sees the light at the bottom of the tunnel: for campsites the recovery is around the corner

Kampgrounds of America (KOA) is an American system of campsites that today groups together over 520 structures in almost all states on the North American continent. Founded in Montana in 1962, KOA is an important thermometer capable of measuring the trend of outdoor tourism in this pandemic period, so much so that the group has created a Special Report published in recent days that paints the picture, moreover in evolution, of this sector.

Also in the US, in March many orders were issued to impose the lockdown and, as noted by Toby O’Rourke, CEO of Kampgrounds of America, in an interview with Forbes, on March 8^th the first cancellations of the reservations were received. Between March and April, the share of KOA customers who gave up their pitch for the months ahead rose 185 percent over the same period last year, leading the industry to expect difficult times.

On the other hand, it didn’t take long to see a turnaround: from April 15th, reservations have started to flourish again, far exceeding cancellations. In May, the use of campsites saw a 30% drop, which is not bad if you compare it to the “collapse” of 58% recorded by the hotel industry. Bookings for July and August, according to O’Rourke, are only 15 percent lower than last year, while for the autumn period they are higher, with a plus 50% for September. In short, the impact of Coronavirus has felt, but the sector seems to be holding up.

The survey that KOA had carried out with the Cairn Consulting Group between April 27 and 30 interviewing about 4,500 people (4,000 in the United States and 500 in Canada) confirms what has already emerged also in Europe, namely that campsites are places where the social distancing is guaranteed by the very nature of the structures.

From the report it is interesting to note that a third of the tourists surveyed who have never been campers now declare themselves interested in this kind of holiday. 46% of them do it in order to be able to stay away from home after being blocked for too long, 41% because they consider it a cheaper way to go on vacation, 37% because they think it is easier to respect social distancing. Generation Z (44%) and Millennials (45%) are the most interested.

Another interesting fact is that those who intend to go camping are thinking of doing it closer to home than in the past: 70 percent of respondents said so. With regard to the type of experience desired, among those who are already campers, the idea of ​​joining the “van life” and living in a motorhome prevails (39%), while non-campers welcome the possibility of “glamping” (28% ), an activity that is highly appreciated even by those who already go camping (38%).

Particularly important is the possibility of having a private bathroom, appreciated by 63% of the people interviewed, an element that will influence the choice of the place to go for about half of the sample.

Summing up, whether you are in Europe (of which we spoke yesterday with the ACSI survey) or in the United States, the indicators for the coming months seem positive. The hope is to leave the worst period behind us as soon as possible.