Kampgrounds of America (KOA) reached a “major milestone” March 28, when three final campgrounds were added to the network’s K2 reservation system.
KOA VP of Information Services Andy Metroka said the move marks the first time in several years that all 520 KOA locations are on a single operating system.
“I want to congratulate our KOA technology team on this monumental achievement,” KOA President and CEO Toby O’Rourke said. “The development and launch of K2 have been several years in the making, and now all KOA campgrounds have been transitioned to the new K2 system. I appreciate our team’s diligence, focus, long hours and grit in not only building a formidable software, but in bringing our entire organization on board.”
KOA stated it was the first outdoor company to offer campers a real-time reservation system prior to 2010, with its original KampSight software. The network’s new cloud-based K2 system adds several new features.
“It is a huge benefit that we no longer have to support two systems,” Metroka said. “Now everyone is on the same modern system and we can all move forward together.
“If you look across the camping industry, there are a couple dozen reservation management systems targeting campgrounds,” he said. “K2 and the KOA technology suite offers robust functionality for owners and operators that holds a leading position in the marketplace.”
Metroka said the K2 software was developed with constant input from KOA campground owners and operators to ensure it was meeting their needs and did not forgo core functionality at the expense of “bells and whistles.”
“KOA is unique in that it has decades of rich, on-the-ground experience regarding what campgrounds really need and use to manage and operate their campgrounds,” Metroka said. “We make sure that what we provide meets these needs. This experience has given us the ability to focus on the features and functionalities that really make a difference.”
KOA began transitioning parks to the K2 software in 2017, when the first eight campgrounds were added. By 2018, the number of K2 parks grew to 90 “early adopters,” and by the end of 2019, that number jumped to 275. The development of additional K2 features continued at a rapid pace even as more campgrounds continued to adopt the system.
Curt Moldenhauer, who owns KOA campgrounds in three states, said the K2 system gives him a “huge leg up” on his competition.
“We have just loved being on K2,” Moldenhauer said. “It has a wonderful booking chart that we use all day, every day. There are just so many K2 reports that are key to us running our campgrounds successfully. I like that I can use the reports to get right down to the individual site level, because we are always striving to make our worst site our best site. And the fact that I can manage all four of my campgrounds’ data from one place is fantastic.”
Metroka said the technology team is working continuously on new K2 system features. KOA owners and operators can expect an even more robust system in coming months, he said.
“The development of the K2 reservation system is far from a one-and-done project,” he said. “Our team is working right now on features that will further optimize campground occupancy and add more functions that will increase the efficiency of our owner’s daily operations.”
