b'Reservations, Occupancy Numbers Off-The-Chartsas Activity Reaches Levels Owners Have Never Seenn BY BEN QUIGGLEThe outdoor hospitality industry has beenrunning at full speed this summerwhich isreally a surprise to no one as all indications thispast winter pointed to an RVing/camping sea-son that would be like no other.Its growing and overflowing in most cases,especially on weekends, noted Paul Bambei,the CEO and president ofthe National Association ofRVParksandCamp-grounds (ARVC).Kampgrounds of Amer-ica Inc.(KOA) moved up itsannualprojectionofthenumber of households thatwill camp in 2021. In June,Paul Bambei they moved it up to 53 mil-lion households, a nearly 500,000 increasefrom its spring projections. That is a five millionincrease over 2020 numbers.KOA numbers also pointed to more than 24million campers taking a camping trip at somepointinJulyandnotesimpressivegrowth Campgrounds around North America, including the Yogi Bear Jellystone Park Camp-Resortamong new campers with the new camper seg- at Barton Lake, are staying busy this summer. Credit: ARVC/Katie Maynard Photographyment estimated to reflect 4.9 million by the endof the year. This is up from estimates of 4.3 mil- ahead of 2019 which was a record year for KOA where they were at this time last year. We did reports coming in from its parks are showinglion in May and 4.8 million in June. and we see no signs thus have setbacks in Canada this spring as there the outstanding year that Jellystone Park ownersLooking to summer as a whole, KOA re- farofitslowing,noted were stay-at-home orders and business restric- are having.search shows that 52% of all North American Toby ORourke, KOAs CEO tions in place. However, now that all of our parks Basedonoursameparkcomparisonscampers plan to camp even as monthly re- and president to Woodalls are fully open, it is full steam ahead. The surge through June, total revenues are up 58% com-search shows campers across the U.S. and Campground Management of interest in the outdoors and camping is fuel- pared to 2020 and 2020 was the highest rev-Canada are dealing with outsides forces that (WCM).Advancedde- ing what will undoubtedly be our best year in enue year in the companys history, notedmay affect camping behavior. positsonfuturereserva- history. Trent Hershenson, vice president of marketingThe strong momentum in our business we tions, the majority of which At Leisure Systems Inc.(LSI), the franchisor at LSI. Were definitely continuing to see an in-experienced late summer and fall has acceler- are for the next few months, of more than 75 Yogi Bears Jellystone Park flux of new campers this summer. Based on ourated this year. Our business is tracking 30% areover60%aheadof Toby ORourke Camp-Resortsacross North America, revenue Industry Updatecontinued on page 1614 September 2021 Woodalls Campground Magazine'