Tent Camping – Is it worth the stress, clean up and work?
With the rise in popularity of camping in 2020, parks are reporting an increase in tent camping demand and problems. Tent camping is the first camping experience for many. The low cost of entry has long been considered something to be wary of by campground owners, especially compared to RV owners who have invested tens of thousands of dollars in their camping experience. Lately we have seen a surge of client complaints and posts on damage and discord by tent campers. When you consider the risks and opportunities of tent campers, here are 3 key questions to ask:
- What problems are you seeing connected to tent campers? With many parks keeping bathrooms closed to self-contained units we are seeing an increased report of unsanitary messes that can be traced to tent campers. We often hear that the tent campers have a higher rate of incidents in general. Review your incident reports for problems and then consider the income you derive from tent campers. Is it worth it? Are you charging enough? Are tent sites contributing to you campground brand and helping you attract a camper that is ideally suited to what your park has to offer? One park I talked to told me that with COVID-19 bathroom restrictions they reduced tent campers and eliminated 75% of campground complaints and incidents. For other parks tenters are their bread and butter.
- What does the tent camper want? Avid outdoors men and women who backpack and canoe may be interested in tent camping as part of a rustic back to nature experience. Newbie campers may try tent camping as a way to explore a new way to get away. Consider offering services like paid tent set up. Orient the new campers to their environment. Talk to the campers about new sounds and sights they will experience camping, explain rules in detail, and direct newbies to activities that will keep them busy. This pro-active approach will help the tenters enjoy their experience and learn how to be a good campground neighbor. Party groups of young people in multiple tent groupings may not be what you want to attract to your family friendly park. Setting rental age limits, having special sections of the parks for camping groups and reiterating and enforcing campground rules can help you manage this sector of tenters.
- How can your fees, rules and activities attract the tent campers you want? There are a lot of parks that derive a decent portion of their gross receipts from tenters. Take a hard look at how profitable this is for you and consider if you want to increase your fees. Factor in the costs of cleaning the bathhouses, staffing and problem solving. Also consider if tent campers are good source of revenue from your camp store, restaurant or paid activities such as river tubing. Are their ways you can increase sales to the tenters? Review your incidents and identify common problems with tenters. Update rules as needed and enforce violations swiftly. Finally, identify tenters who are a good match to your unique park and ask them what they liked about the camping experience with you. Use this feedback to market to your ideal tent camper, for example promoting the experience of large sites in natural setting with nearby mountain bike trails
Managing expectations with tent campers will contribute to harmony at the park but keep in mind that increased activity does not always equal increased profits. If you don’t like what you are seeing take some time to make some positive changes with the benefit of your experiences as a park owner or manager.
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