The 2022 Industry Trends and Insights Report, released Tuesday by the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC), includes data that shows the outdoor hospitality industry is continuing to grow.
In addition to growth, the report also provides industry-first data on how outdoor hospitality businesses are preparing for the introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) and electric RVs to the market.
ARVC’s survey sampled outdoor hospitality owners and operators from across the country on expansion trends and plans, along with campground profiles, guest demographics, amenities, sites and accommodations and rates. The findings of the survey, which are broken down by region, which is a resource for campground owners and operators making business decisions.
ARVC President and CEO Paul Bambei said the shift toward outdoor recreation by the American public has been impactful for the outdoor hospitality industry. He said 90% of the ARVC survey respondents found 2021 to be profitable, and 44% reported it was one of the best years ever. Almost half of respondents indicate the park’s owner plans to expand or open a new park in the coming year.
From this information, ARVC estimates more than 81,000 new outdoor recreation sites will be constructed in the next 12 months. These numbers continue to contradict anecdotal comments made previously in the industry suggesting private campgrounds were running out of room to grow.
Bambei forecasted growth in 2022 for the outdoor hospitality industry.
“Campground owners need to be prepared to expand and improve their parks to keep up with this increased demand and changing technologies,” Bambei said, “and they need to know the data so that their parks are prepared to accommodate a new brand of camper.”
In this year’s study ARVC added some questions surrounding the industry’s preparations for electric vehicles.
Bambei said park owners reported already seeing an increase of EVs plugging into pedestals.
“We have to be ready for what is coming,” Bambei said. “ARVC is providing that spark.”
In addition to this expansion and new EV data, the study also drills down into more details about rates, infrastructure and amenity improvements, popular amenities and site types, reporting results by park size and region, ownership statistics and more.
ARVC publishes its Industry Trends and Insights Report and Generational Camping Report on an annual basis so its members, and members of the industry, can use it as the go-to report for year-over-year trends.
A deep-dive webinar focused on this new data is scheduled for noon ET on Feb. 24, with registration available here.
The report is available at no cost to ARVC members in their member portal, and non-members can download the report for $299 via the ARVC Store.
