Camping is experiencing a renaissance. Nearly 7 in 10 U.S. households now identify as campers — up from 58% in 2014 — per a 2023 report from Kampgrounds of America, the longtime U.S. franchise affectionately known to campers as KOA. And according to a report from the campsite review platform the Dyrt, 50% of camping properties across the country have added new sites to keep up with the demand.
“About 90% of our audience is women, and 90% of that audience is women from diverse backgrounds. As a result, they don’t look at camping the same way as someone who was raised with it — they see it as a scary and potentially dangerous thing,” says Al Berrios, founder of the outdoor discovery platform Outerthere. “So when they find a community they vibe with, they’re very keen to make that reservation. They recognize that the value is in the safety of the community and the professionalism of the host.”