KOA Summer Camping Season Off to a Fast Start

BILLINGS, MT (May 23, 2013) – Summer camping at the 485 Kampgrounds of America locations around North America is off to a fast start, according to numbers released this week by KOA, the world’s largest system of open-to-the-public campgrounds.

KOA’s advanced registrations for the Memorial Day Weekend are up more than 4 percent over the same period in 2012. Advanced reservations for the entire summer peak season (Memorial Day to Labor Day) are even stronger, showing an increase of 8 percent for that period compared to 2012.

“The 12-day period surrounding the Fourth of July holiday is actually up more than 14 percent over that same period in 2012,” said KOA President Pat Hittmeier. “All indicators show a strong summer camping season on the way.”

According to a recent survey by the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA), an estimated 14 million Americans will enjoy the Memorial Day Holiday Weekend in an RV. The survey also said 71 percent of RV owners intend to use their recreational vehicles more this summer than they did last year, and an additional 21 percent intend to use their RVs at least as much as they did in 2012. Only 5 percent reported that they intend to decrease their camping.

Kampgrounds of America officially launched its summer camping season with its 10^th Annual KOA Care Camps Big Weekend May 10-11. More than 12,000 KOA camping families stayed more than 25,000 camping nights during the event. Campers who stayed as paying guests on Friday, May 10 received a free night of camping on Saturday, May 11. The event also serves as a major fundraiser for KOA Care Camps for children with cancer, a network of 55 specialized summer camps for children with cancer located throughout North America.

Kampgrounds of America is celebrating its 51st Anniversary in 2013. KOA, the world’s largest network of family-friendly campgrounds, was born on the banks of the Yellowstone River in Billings, Montana in 1962.