1. Vice President/Communications
THE NEW TRAVELER
Mike Gast
Vice President/Communications
KOA, Inc.

2. There were 1.2 million households new to camping last year.
Specific insights around the NEW CAMPER GROUP: 1.2 million new households last year
Real picture taken by campers in Ventura Ranch

3. NEW (TRAVELERS) ARE: YOUNGER MORE DIVERSE CABIN-INCLINED
PREFERS THE PARKS
Snapshot of the new camper
TRAVEL IN GROUPS
ARE ALWAYS CONNECTED

4. NEW TRAVELERS ARE YOUNGER
44% Of New Travelers were Millennials (ages 18-35).
Millennials were the most optimistic about traveling more in 2016 (58%).

5. ALL CAMPER/TRAVELERS BY AGE

6. MILLENNIAL FAMILIES vs OTHER FAMILIES
Millennial Families go to several destinations (28% vs 16%).
Millennial Families travel farther from home (80% vs 70%).
Millennial Families use social media to post about their trip while on the trip (58% vs 39%).
Millennial Families take more trips (46% vs 26%).
Millennial Families are more likely to seek out “kid friendly” locations than other families (41% vs. 25%).

7. WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO MILLENNIALS
29% say Quality of Experience has an impact on their destination decision (more so than location which drives 38% of Baby Boomers’ decisions).
26% say Destination Atmosphere has an impact on campground decision.
42% say On-Site Recreation is Very or Somewhat Important.

8. NEW CAMPER/TRAVELERS ARE DIVERSE
40% of New Camper/Travelers were from African American, Hispanic or Asian households.
Increased nights at National Parks.
“Flattening” effect within Millennial segment.

9. CAUCASIAN vs MINORITY FAMILIES
Camping is new to Minority Families = (27% vs 11%)
Minority Families camp more nights (46% vs 36%)
Minority Families (50%) tie trips to activities (shopping, casinos, sporting events, child-related events) more so than Caucasian Families (37%).
Minority Families less likely to be influenced by external factors (fuel costs 25% vs 34%) or economy (27% vs 44%).
Minority Families rely on past experience when choosing vacation locations (29% vs 42%).

10. CAMPER/TRAVELERS BY ETHNICITY
2010 Census
All Campers
Overall only 23% of campers are multi-cultural so the fact that nearly double that were in the new camper base last year shows us that more and more non white groups have come into camping just recently.     There are a few things I believe driving this:
1) It links back to the millennials we just discussed.   What we are seeing in the millennial is what we are calling a "flattening" effect.    Regardless of ethnicity, the attitudes around why millennials camp are the same.   There is less differentiation between groups at the younger ages.   So naturally as more millennials camp, more are going to be diverse.   
2) The national park service has made a concerted effort to appeal to more multi-cultural households and they seem to be responding.    A study done in 2011 by the University of Wyoming showed that non-white households did not know about the national parks and/or did not feel welcome.     In recent years this has started to change.    Through focused marketing efforts, outreach to influencer groups, inclusion of more diverse park rangers, we see the parks rising as vacation destination for multi-cultural groups.    There's still work to be done - Secretary Sally Jewell commented just a couple weeks ago that the park service needs to step up its efforts to appeal to miniorities, millennials, and women.   That's a charge that all of us in the industry can take to heart.
New Campers

11. NEW TRAVELERS PREFER THE PARKS
Nights spent in state and national parks have increased +7% since last year.
Overall, 41% say they prefer public campgrounds to private (vs. 21%). That changes as campers age:
45% of Millennials prefer public to private, but only 36% of Boomers do. The majority of Boomers say campground type does not matter.

12. NEW TRAVELERS LOVE TRAVELING IN GROUPS
49% of camping households always camp with others.
Overall increase in family camping (+5%) to 46%.
51% of Millennials and 67% of Gen X are camping with children.
Multi-generational camping popular among Hispanics (22%)
Millennials are most likely to say they are camping as part of a group

13. NEW TRAVELERS ARE ALWAYS CONNECTED
Millennials most likely to use social media while camping.
Spikes in technology usage among multi- cultural households, particularly African Americans.
Campers who check while camping camp three more days on average.
Of those who expect free Wi-Fi, 43% say it has an influence on campground selection.

14. OUTLOOK

15. Only 14% of campers did not.
CAMPERS CAMP
Studies indicate that as many as 41% of Americans did not take any vacation time in
Only 14% of campers did not.

16. A LOOK AT 2016: 31% plan to camp more in 2016/2017
58% of millennials planned to camp more this year
52% planned to visit National Parks
40% say gas prices will allow more camping/travel

17. Report is available in digital format at:
north-american- camper-report
OR,
2nd year in a row: KOA has commissioned the NACR
Comprehensive look at camping behaviors: who is camping, why, and where in the US and Canada