Although it is undeniable that campgrounds remain popular among older white retirees, a growing number of diverse millennials are venturing outside to sleep under the stars.
Since 2014, Kampground of America (KOA) has measured an increase of six million new camper households in America, and in 2018, 45% of all camper households plan to increase their camping trips.
Millennial families — defined as couples with children — form the most avid group of millennial campers with families planning on increasing their trips at a higher rate than single millennials, says the KOA report. And these millennials are redefining camping in their own unique way.
Six in 10 millennial households tried a new camping destination in 2017, with Hispanic (71%) and Black (78%) millennial campers most likely to experiment with different types of camping. Overall, millennials are more likely to express interest in exploring the backcountry as well as higher-end amenities and services. Interestingly, KOA research suggests that single millennials could be “tagging along” with their parents on camping trips, while millennial couples — and especially those with children — are more likely to “bring their parents along” with them on camping trips.
This means most of these experiences are cross-generational, helping to bolster KOA revenues, on a same campground basis, more than 71% since 2011, with occupancy and registration revenues trending upward across the board for the seventh year in a row.
RVs remain a popular camping option for all campers, driven by African-America campers. Overall, about one in four of all campers use an RV as their primary way of camping, says the KOA, and among this subset of campers, 44% do not own the RV they use most.
Instead of owning one, one in four borrow the RV, and one in five say they rent from a company or peer-to-peer rental service, like Outdoorsy.
Gen Xers are most likely to borrow, whereas Millennials prefer peer-to-peer rentals. Older generations, by comparison, purchase or lease their own vehicles.
Tent usage remains consistent with 61% of all campers identifying tents as their primary way of camping. Although Gen Xers are more likely to camp with children and are also more likely to stress the importance of a kid-friendly campground, millennials are beginning to catch up as they begin to grow their own families, reports the KOA. Both groups are equally likely to stress the importance of the benefits of camping on not only themselves, but on kids. One generational shift in camper behavior is, unsurprisingly, digitally.
While campers in general are highly likely to share their camping experiences on social media — it is possible to hike a hill without taking a selfie? — millennial families are more likely than other millennials to post a status update via social media (40%), check-in (40%) and share photos or videos (68%) while camping, reports the KOA.
Among campers who state Wi-Fi is important, close to half say technology enhances the camping experience by providing them with a sense of safety, the ability to access information while traveling, keeps them in touch with friends, and allows them to share their experiences on social media, reports the KOA.
Campers also say the availability of Wi-Fi allows them to extend their camping trips. Technology, however, does serve a divisive issue. While 11% of single millennials and couples with children and 12% of millennial couples without children say availability of free wi-fi has "a great deal of influence," on the flipside, 36% of millennial families said free wi-fi has no influence (26% for single millennials, 29% for millennial couples without kids), reports KOA.
Many campers, in fact, prefer to disconnect or simply expect it as a requirement, not realizing that it isn't a universal amenity among some campsites. But, comparative to other generations, this element is more important to Millennials than it is to other generations.
It is also important to note that while millennials are currently revolutionizing the camping world, as they age, their habits begin to transform into preferences held by older campers. Perhaps this is why the KOA says its traditional print booklet and maps remain popular and in circulation.
There are also a growing number of options designed to help the tech-savvy connect with outdoor opportunities. Public campsites are often booked six months in advance, so the startup Hipcamp seeks to become as the AirBnb for nature.
With more than 3.5 million users, the platform provides detailed information for more than 10,000 private campsites nationwide that are able to be booked immediately. The site — a la AirBnb — mixes the high with the low so campers can explore their own private waterfall or stay in a yurt. Both millennials (29%) and Gen Xers (32%) say they would like to experience more unique lodging experiences like treehouses, safari tents and those aforementioned yurts, reports the KOA.
Indeed, 11 years on from the start of the glamping phenomenon, defined as a fusion of glamour and camping when it was added to the dictionary in 2006, campsite online booking platform Campsy's research reveals that the pricey yet rustic trend is still in vogue.
The platform's internal results show that a visitor could spend almost a year in a basic campsite for the price of one night luxury camping. The price for one night in a tent at the Gawler Ranges Wilderness Safaris in Australia tops off at $1,871.80 while staying at Canada's Clayoquot Wilderness Resort is priced at $1,623.59.
Meanwhile, the U.S.'s most expensive campground is Dunton River Camp which will set one back $1,538.47. Bargain seekers should take note of the least expensive options according to Campsy which include South Africa's Shik Shack Backpackers at $5.83 for one night and Thailand's Rabiang Doi priced at $3.50.
The least expensive American option costs a mere $5.13 for one night at Congaree Camping, South Carolina.
