The 2026 Florida & Alabama Outdoor Hospitality Convention & Expo continued to focus on outdoor hospitality industry data and trends during the second day of its conference on Thursday (April 30). The annual event has attracted hundreds of park owners to Orlando and it wraps up today with several more breakout sessions and an expo.
The convention opened on Thursday with updates from VISIT Florida and the Florida RV Trade Association (FRVTA). VISIT Florida data shows that there were over 143.2 million visitors to Florida in 2025, an increase of .2% from 2024, making 2025 another record-breaking year.
Domestic visitors accounted for 91.5% of total overnight visitation.
Overseas visitation rose by 4% from 2024, and is getting closer to full recovery to 2019 levels. Canadian visitation fell 14.7% in 2025 when compared to 2024.
New York State has the highest number of travelers who make the trip to Florida.
Ken Lloyd, the new executive director of FRVTA, highlighted recent shows the association hosted and noted that some attendance struggles were due to poor weather and the Iran War. He told attendees that he expects those shows to recover on the attendance front rather quickly because the consumer demand remains high.
He also pointed out recent RV shipment data and how dealers are managing their inventories.
FLORIDA CAMPGROUND TRENDS
Casey Cochran, vice president of development at Campspot, said Florida RV park occupancy this summer is pacing ahead of last year’s figures.
“We’re actually seeing a promising increase in occupancy for the summer, compared to the same time last year,” he said, though he also noted that average daily rates are lower than last year.
Alabama parks are also seeing stronger demand this summer, but their average daily rates are also lower, Cochran noted.
One disturbing trend that Cochran highlighted is a higher rate of cancellations in Florida than the national average. He said this is something park operators should continue to watch.
While many are concerned with the economy and rising fuel costs, Scott Bahr, founder of Cairns Consulting Group, assured park operators that rising fuel prices alone should not affect consumer interest in camping this year.
“Gas prices as a standalone issue do not suppress camping. The participation rates are still generally high,” he said.
He added that as fuel prices increase, people simply make adjustments.
“They book trips closer to the date of the trip. Sometimes they stay closer to home. Or book a less expensive site,” Bahr said.
Bahr also noted that camping remains the most affordable way to travel, with tent camping being the cheapest form of travel, particularly when campers cook their own food.
Bahr said consumer participation in glamping has increased 125% since 2019 and that the people whose first experience camping was glamping have higher expectations than those who started by simply tent camping.
“There are more people whose first experience camping is glamping. It’s a big part of what’s happening overall to the guest profile, to guest expectations. … You have guests starting in the higher end, and their mindset now looking forward is different. That increases their expectations,” he explained.
Richard O’Brien, CEO and founder of Athena Real Estate, said the glamping sector is growing at a faster rate than the rest of the industry.
“If you have a property that can support rental accommodations, that’s a good place to put capital,” he said, adding, “You should be able to recoup your investment in three to five years.”
But while demand for glamping accommodations remains strong, O’Brien, who owns 14 parks through Applebrook RV Resorts, said he is also noticing increasing price sensitivity among RVers, which is one reason he doesn’t charge site lock fees.
When people call, he said, they often ask, “What’s your cheapest site?”
AWARDS
During a special lunch on Thursday, the association handed out its annual Member Parks of the Year Awards.
Recipients demonstrate excellence across their business, staff, and guest interactions, as reflected in reviews and ratings. Winning parks are well-maintained and provide quality facilities, amenities and guest services with a consistent record of guest satisfaction. In addition to operational excellence, honorees show ongoing efforts to improve and enhance the guest experience. Equally important, the recipients are active, engaged members of the FRVCA — demonstrating loyalty, leadership, and commitment to the Association’s mission of advancing the Outdoor Hospitality Industry in Florida or Alabama.
Winners were:
- Sugarloaf Key RV Resort and Cottages
- Southern Aire RV Resort – Wilder RV Parks
- The Waves Signature RV Resort
- Keystone Heights RV Resort
- Nature’s Resort RV Park
This year’s Supplier of the Year was App My Community.
CONFERENCE APP
There is always a lot to keep track of, and App My Community has built a conference app that helps attendees navigate all the events and activities planned for the conference.
With the conference app, attendees can:
- View the full schedule of sessions and events
- Favorite sessions and receive reminders before they start
- Access the tradeshow floor map
- Browse the list of exhibitors and speakers
- Receive important conference updates through push notifications
To download the app, click here.
Jeff Crider contributed to this story.
