Thor Forums

[The Gritz Carlton]

There was a recent post here "KOA's campground of the future". Not sure how to post the link but this was my comments regarding over-reserving and scarcity of sites.


"An evolving problem for sure. Next change coming is price increases. As more and more campers hit the roads and less sites become available, supply and demand will jack prices up. Same principal as hotel rooms in seasonal destinations. The $30 perfect spot will go away. The same thing that happened to golf courses will happen to campgrounds. The land will become more valuable for something else than a campground. The income potential per square foot of land will be the division bell, especially in the high volume areas like Central Florida and areas around National Parks."

Change is coming but good change this time. Just this weekend in my local Walmart there was an idiot in a huge 5th wheel with jacks (and leveling blocks) down, 1 slide out and right at the entrance to the parking lot. I wanted to kindly let him know he was sticking out like a sore thumb but realized...stupid is stupid and there's no fix for it. Prices will start to increase once campgrounds start filling up consistently as they turn down others all afternoon. There are changes coming out west to address the over-reserved and "no-shows". Once you start hitting people in the pocketbook, they will reduce the abuse. There is also a survey of public opinion addressing the problem out west. Once they start charging for the "free stuff", the "vagabond, everything for free, bathe once a week" crowd will migrate back to places like "Slab City" and Quartzsite. Then we will find places open up.