IO_Summer_21

D ue to conditions out of any- one’s control, but for reasons that make absolute sense, the camping market just ex- perienced what was arguably the largest influx in its history of new and first-time customers. “In a time of uncertainty across countries and industries, more people than ever identify as campers in North Amer- ica,” said Kampgrounds of America (KOA) in the 2021 edition of its annual “North Ameri- can Camping Report.” As part of the explosive growth, 21 per- cent of campers counted by KOA in 2020 were self-described as first timers. That’s five times the percentage of new campers observed in 2019. During the past five years, first-time campers accounted for an average of 5.6 percent of campers. (The big drop in 2020 came in the percentage of campers who participated “on and off throughout the years.”) KOA estimates that more than 10 million households tried camping for the first time in 2020. It’s exciting news for executives charged with customer acquisition. Retention of these new customers, however, might not be as easy. First-time campers in 2020, it turns out, might not fit squarely within the traditional customer profiles of most camping brands and outdoor stores, so traditional methods and messaging may or may not resonate. For starters, outdoor marketers may need to temper their “love for the outdoors” when communicating to new campers. Certainly, Inside Outdoor | SUMMER 2021 24 By Martin Vilaboy Retention of a major influx of first-time campers may require novel tactics Keeping Camping Sticky In-Season