campsite business plan

Campground Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Campground Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your Campground business plan.

We have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their Campground companies.

Below is a template to help you create each section of your Campground business plan.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Shasta Lake Campground, located in Redding, California is a new campground business that focuses on providing convenient, modern amenities for the casual recreational camper and their family. Our goal is to make camping fun for everyone, including people who typically hate being outdoors. We do this by providing first-class amenities, such as WiFi, hot showers, a camp store, and modern restrooms. By providing these amenities and other fun activities and services, Shasta Lake Campground aims to be the top choice for camping in the Redding, California area all year round.

Shasta Lake Campground is led by David Cleveland who has been working in the campground industry for nearly 20 years. He started his career as a seasonal employee and worked his way up into a management position. While David has never developed his own campground, he has worked as a campground manager for many years and has gained an in-depth knowledge of the campground business including the operations side (e.g., running day-to-day operations) and the business management side (e.g., finances, marketing, etc.). His skills and experience are invaluable to our new campground business.

Product Offering

Shasta Lake Campground will provide both essential and luxury amenities that campers typically expect in a new campground. Some of these amenities will include:

• Electrical Hook-ups
• Water Station
• Modern Restrooms with Contactless Technology
• Hot Showers
• Covered Fire Pits
• Indoor & Outdoor Swimming Pools
• Amphitheater

Customer Focus

Shasta Lake Campground will primarily serve vacationers and residents within a 50-mile radius of Redding, California. We will also serve tourists that visit the area from all corners of the country.

Management Team

Shasta Lake Campground is led by David Cleveland who has been working in the campground industry for nearly 20 years. He started his career as a seasonal employee and worked his way up into a management position. While David has never developed his own campground, he has worked as a campground manager for many years and has gained an in-depth knowledge of the campground business including the operations side (e.g., running day-to-day operations) and the business management side (e.g., finances, marketing, etc.).

Success Factors

Shasta Lake Campground will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Location: The campground is located by numerous state and national parks, and is also a convenient distance away from the city.
• Year-Round Camping for Everyone: The Company is offering the only year-round camping option in the area for individuals of all ages and camping preferences.
• Management: Shasta Lake Campground’s management team has years of business and marketing experience in addition to campground management experience. This allows the Company to market to and serve customers in a much more sophisticated manner than competitors.
• Relationships: Having lived in the community for over 20 years, David Cleveland knows all of the local leaders, newspapers, and other influences. As such, it will be relatively easy for Shasta Lake Campground to build brand awareness and an initial customer base.

Financial Highlights

Shasta Lake Campground is seeking a total funding of $450,000 of debt capital to open its campground company. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Campground land purchase, design, and build-out: $250,000
• Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, rent, utilities): $150,000
• Marketing costs: $25,000
• Working capital: $25,000

Company Overview

Who is shasta lake campground, shasta lake campground’s history.

David Cleveland began researching what it would take to create his own campground company and did a thorough analysis of the costs, market, demographics, and competition. David has compiled enough information to develop his business plan in order to approach investors.

David incorporated Shasta Lake Campground as a Limited Liability Corporation in December 2022. Once the purchase of the land is finalized, light construction can begin to build out the campground.

Since incorporation, the Company has achieved the following milestones:

• Located available property for sale that is ideal for a new campground
• Developed the Company’s name, logo, and website
• Hired a general contractor for the build-out of the campground and its facilities
• Determined equipment and necessary supplies
• Began recruiting key employees

Shasta Lake Campground’s Services

Industry analysis.

Now that the pandemic is over, families all across the country are eager to get outside and explore the natural world around them. One of the most popular ways that Americans do this is by camping and visiting campgrounds. Campgrounds provide convenient access to nature without compromising comfort. They often have numerous amenities to make the experience enjoyable, including WiFi, modern bathrooms, and fun family-friendly activities.

According to Future Market Insights, the global camping industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.6% from now until 2030. This shows that camping is still an extremely popular activity and is only going to continue to grow and expand. Now that campgrounds offer luxuries and amenities to make the experience more enjoyable, people who usually hate the camping experience find themselves enjoying it.

Other factors that support the industry’s growth include the increase in disposable income and the increasing popularity of similar outdoor activities and industries.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

Shasta Lake Campground will primarily serve vacationers and residents within a 50-mile radius of the campground location. The community of Redding, California has thousands of active families, children, teenagers, young adults, adults, and seniors who regularly participate in camping and other recreational activities. Additionally, thousands of tourists visit the area each year who are looking for new recreational opportunities.

The demographics of Redding, California are as follows:

Customer Segmentation

Shasta Lake Campground will primarily target the following customer profiles:

• Families with children
• Outdoor enthusiasts

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Shasta Lake Campground will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.

Great Outdoors Rec Center

Built in 1922, the Great Outdoors Rec Center is located close to many outdoor recreational hot spots for hiking, bicycling, and kayaking. The center has a large outdoor property and rents out tent pads and RV space for weekend campers to utilize. Great Outdoors Rec Center also has many of the amenities campers look for such as accessible, clean bathrooms and a full kitchen that can be used for an additional fee.

Although Great Outdoors Rec Center offers campers a place to set up camp, its main business is as a recreational center, not a campground. Therefore, there are many times throughout the year when the camp area is not accessible for campers because it’s being utilized by the community for special events such as weddings and birthday parties.

Mountain Basin Campground

Mountain Basin Campground is a small campground near the closest forest in the area. This business operates primarily as a campground for school and church groups of children in the summer season. The location includes multiple fire rings, minimal bathroom facilities, and enough space to accommodate six-eight small tents.

The campground is only open for the summer season due to weather conditions in the area and is mostly used for daytime activities and one-night-only overnight camping for groups.

Rivers Camping

Established in 1990, Rivers Camping is a local campground company that operates multiple campgrounds around the state. Rivers Camping is a top choice for nature enthusiasts who are looking to take advantage of the many local outdoor activities nearby. Each campground is situated close to at least one outdoor recreation option, with most of them being located adjacent to a river. This company offers tent pads, but no RV pads.

Competitive Advantage

Shasta Lake Campground will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

Shasta Lake Campground will offer a unique value proposition to its clientele:

• A prime location in the heart of nature and away from the bustling city
• Located near popular hiking trails and scenic areas
• Family-focused environment
• Fun amenities, such as a swimming pool and playground

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for Shasta Lake Campground is as follows:

Social Media

Shasta Lake Campground will invest heavily in a social media advertising campaign. The company will create social media accounts and invest in ads on all social media platforms. It will use targeted marketing to appeal to the target demographics.

Website/SEO

Shasta Lake Campground will invest heavily in developing a professional website that displays all of the features and benefits of the campground. It will also invest heavily in SEO so that the campground’s website will appear at the top of search engine results.

Direct Mail

Shasta Lake Campground will blanket neighborhoods surrounding its location with direct mail pieces. These pieces will offer discounts and promotional incentives for people to choose the campground for their next camping adventure.

Pre-Opening Events

Before opening the campground, Shasta Lake Campground will organize pre-opening events designed for prospective customers. These events will create buzz and awareness for Shasta Lake Campground in the area.

Shasta Lake Campground’s pricing will be moderate and on par with competitors so consumers feel they receive great value when visiting our campgrounds. We will charge a fee per person, and the fee will fluctuate depending on the season and popularity of the campground. Children under the age of twelve can enter the campground for free.

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for Shasta Lake Campground.

Operation Functions:

• David Cleveland will be the Owner and Manager of Shasta Lake Campground. He will take charge of all the operations and executive functions of the company.
• David is joined by Jen Beal, who will be the Assistant Manager of the grounds. She will help out with the general operations of the campground, but also help out with the marketing and promotion efforts.
• David is also joined by John Parker, who will be the campground’s Administrative Assistant.
• David will hire several campground attendants to help manage the store, run the other amenities, and keep the campground clean for our visitors.

Milestones:

Shasta Lake Campground will have the following milestones completed in the next six months.

• 2/2023 Finalize lease agreement
• 3/2023 Design and build out Shasta Lake Campground
• 4/2023 Hire and train initial staff
• 5/2023 Kickoff of promotional campaign
• 6/2023 Launch Shasta Lake Campground
• 7/2023 Reach break-even

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

Shasta Lake Campground’s revenues will come primarily from the fees it charges for visitors to use the campgrounds. The company will also sell toiletries, snacks, and other items at its camp store.

The property purchase, equipment, supplies, and labor expenses will be the key cost drivers of Shasta Lake Campground. Other cost drivers include taxes, overhead, and marketing expenses.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Key assumptions.

The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and pay off the startup business loan.

• Average fee charged per person visiting the campground: $20

Financial Projections

Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, campground business plan faqs, what is a campground business plan.

A campground business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your campground business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can easily complete your Campground business plan using our Campground Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Campground Businesses?

There are a number of different kinds of campground businesses , some examples include: Seasonal campgrounds, Equestrian campgrounds, Year-round cabin campgrounds, and RV Campgrounds.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Campground Business Plan?

Campground businesses are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.

What are the Steps To Start a Campground Business?

Starting a campground business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop A Campground Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed campground business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.  

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your campground business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your campground business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Campground Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your campground business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws. 

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your campground business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 

7. Acquire Necessary Campground Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your campground business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your campground business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

Learn more about how to start a successful campground business:

• How to Start a Campground Business

Campground Business Plan Template & Guidebook

You've dreamed of becoming a Campground owner for a long time and now you are finally ready to get started. You've found the perfect property for your campsite, assembled the money needed to start your business and done your homework on how much it will take to get the place up-and-running. Unfortunately, there is one piece of the puzzle missing - a solid & comprehensive business plan . If you're like many Campground owners and entrepreneurs, you may feel that writing your own Campground business plan is a daunting task. That's OK. We're going to share the steps it takes to build out a plan.

Get worry-free services and support to launch your business starting at $0 plus state fees.

• How to Start a Profitable Campground Business [11 Steps]
• 25 Catchy Campground Business Names:
• List of the Best Marketing Ideas For Your Campground Business:

How to Write a Campground Business Plan in 7 Steps:

1. describe the purpose of your campground business..

The first step to writing your business plan is to describe the purpose of your campground business. This includes describing why you are starting this type of business, and what problems it will solve for customers. This is a quick way to get your mind thinking about the customers’ problems. It also helps you identify what makes your business different from others in its industry.

It also helps to include a vision statement so that readers can understand what type of company you want to build.

Here is an example of a purpose mission statement for a campground business:

Our purpose at Campers' Haven is to provide a serene, natural setting where families and friends can connect, relax, and enjoy the great outdoors. Our mission is to become the premier campground in the region, offering a range of campsites and amenities to suit every need. We are committed to preserving and protecting the natural beauty of our surroundings, and to providing a clean, safe environment for our guests. We aim to provide exceptional customer service, with friendly and knowledgeable staff who can help our guests make the most of their camping experience. We believe that spending time in nature is essential for physical and mental wellbeing, and we strive to provide our guests with the perfect setting to unwind and recharge.

2. Products & Services Offered by Your Campground Business.

The next step is to outline your products and services for your campground business. 

When you think about the products and services that you offer, it's helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

• What is my business?
• What are the products and/or services that I offer?
• Why am I offering these particular products and/or services?
• How do I differentiate myself from competitors with similar offerings?
• How will I market my products and services?

You may want to do a comparison of your business plan against those of other competitors in the area, or even with online reviews. This way, you can find out what people like about them and what they don’t like, so that you can either improve upon their offerings or avoid doing so altogether.

3. Build a Creative Marketing Stratgey.

If you don't have a marketing plan for your campground business, it's time to write one. Your marketing plan should be part of your business plan and be a roadmap to your goals. 

A good marketing plan for your campground business includes the following elements:

Target market

• Who is your target market?
• What do these customers have in common?
• How many of them are there?
• How can you best reach them with your message or product?

Customer base 

• Who are your current customers? 
• Where did they come from (i.e., referrals)?
• How can their experience with your campground business help make them repeat customers, consumers, visitors, subscribers, or advocates for other people in their network or industry who might also benefit from using this service, product, or brand?

Product or service description

• How does it work, what features does it have, and what are its benefits?
• Can anyone use this product or service regardless of age or gender?
• Can anyone visually see themselves using this product or service?
• How will they feel when they do so? If so, how long will the feeling last after purchasing (or trying) the product/service for the first time?

Competitive analysis

• Which companies are competing with yours today (and why)? 
• Which ones may enter into competition with yours tomorrow if they find out about it now through word-of-mouth advertising; social media networks; friends' recommendations; etc.)
• What specific advantages does each competitor offer over yours currently?

Marketing channels

• Which marketing channel do you intend to leverage to attract new customers?
• What is your estimated marketing budget needed?
• What is the projected cost to acquire a new customer?
• How many of your customers do you instead will return?

Form an LLC in your state!

4. Write Your Operational Plan.

Next, you'll need to build your operational plan. This section describes the type of business you'll be running, and includes the steps involved in your operations. 

In it, you should list:

• The equipment and facilities needed
• Who will be involved in the business (employees, contractors)
• Financial requirements for each step
• Milestones & KPIs
• Location of your business
• Zoning & permits required for the business

What equipment, supplies, or permits are needed to run a campground business?

To run a campground business, you will need a few key pieces of equipment, supplies, and permits. These include:

• Camping equipment and facilities such as tents, RV sites, and cabins
• Amenities such as bathrooms, showers, and fire pits
• A permit to operate your business (depending on location)
• Business licenses and permits for business activities (if applicable)

You may also need to hire and train staff to manage the campground and provide customer service.

5. Management & Organization of Your Campground Business.

The second part of your campground business plan is to develop a management and organization section.

This section will cover all of the following:

• How many employees you need in order to run your campground business. This should include the roles they will play (for example, one person may be responsible for managing administrative duties while another might be in charge of customer service).
• The structure of your management team. The higher-ups like yourself should be able to delegate tasks through lower-level managers who are directly responsible for their given department (inventory and sales, etc.).
• How you’re going to make sure that everyone on board is doing their job well. You’ll want check-ins with employees regularly so they have time to ask questions or voice concerns if needed; this also gives you time to offer support where necessary while staying informed on how things are going within individual departments too!

6. Campground Business Startup Expenses & Captial Needed.

This section should be broken down by month and year. If you are still in the planning stage of your business, it may be helpful to estimate how much money will be needed each month until you reach profitability.

Typically, expenses for your business can be broken into a few basic categories:

Startup Costs

Startup costs are typically the first expenses you will incur when beginning an enterprise. These include legal fees, accounting expenses, and other costs associated with getting your business off the ground. The amount of money needed to start a campground business varies based on many different variables, but below are a few different types of startup costs for a campground business.

Running & Operating Costs

Running costs refer to ongoing expenses related directly with operating your business over time like electricity bills or salaries paid out each month. These types of expenses will vary greatly depending on multiple variables such as location, team size, utility costs, etc.

Marketing & Sales Expenses

You should include any costs associated with marketing and sales, such as advertising and promotions, website design or maintenance. Also, consider any additional expenses that may be incurred if you decide to launch a new product or service line. For example, if your campground business has an existing website that needs an upgrade in order to sell more products or services, then this should be listed here.

7. Financial Plan & Projections

A financial plan is an important part of any business plan, as it outlines how the business will generate revenue and profit, and how it will use that profit to grow and sustain itself. To devise a financial plan for your campground business, you will need to consider a number of factors, including your start-up costs, operating costs, projected revenue, and expenses. 

Here are some steps you can follow to devise a financial plan for your campground business plan:

• Determine your start-up costs: This will include the cost of purchasing or leasing the space where you will operate your business, as well as the cost of buying or leasing any equipment or supplies that you need to start the business.
• Estimate your operating costs: Operating costs will include utilities, such as electricity, gas, and water, as well as labor costs for employees, if any, and the cost of purchasing any materials or supplies that you will need to run your business.
• Project your revenue: To project your revenue, you will need to consider the number of customers you expect to have and the average amount they will spend on each visit. You can use this information to estimate how much money you will make from selling your products or services.
• Estimate your expenses: In addition to your operating costs, you will need to consider other expenses, such as insurance, marketing, and maintenance. You will also need to set aside money for taxes and other fees.
• Create a budget: Once you have estimated your start-up costs, operating costs, revenue, and expenses, you can use this information to create a budget for your business. This will help you to see how much money you will need to start the business, and how much profit you can expect to make.
• Develop a plan for using your profit: Finally, you will need to decide how you will use your profit to grow and sustain your business. This might include investing in new equipment, expanding the business, or saving for a rainy day.

Frequently Asked Questions About Campground Business Plans:

Why do you need a business plan for a campground business.

A business plan is a document that outlines the goals and objectives of a business, as well as the strategies and tactics that will be used to achieve those goals. It is important to have a business plan for your campground business because it helps to focus the efforts of the company, communicate the business's goals and objectives to potential investors, and provide a roadmap for the business to follow. Additionally, a business plan can be used to help secure funding from investors or lenders, who will want to see that the business has a solid plan in place before they provide funding.

How to write a business plan for your campground business?)

To build a business plan for your campground business, start by researching your industry, competitors, and target market. Use this information to define your business's goals and objectives, as well as the strategies and tactics that you will use to achieve those goals. Next, create a financial plan that outlines your projected income, expenses, and profit. This should include a projected income statement, cash flow statement, and balance sheet. Once you have all of this information, you can use it to create a comprehensive business plan that outlines the goals and objectives of your business, as well as the strategies and tactics that you will use to achieve those goals. A well-written campground business plan contains the following sections: Purpose, Products & Services, Marketing Plan (including Marketing Strategy), Operations/Management Plan (including Operations/Management Strategy), Financial Plan (including Financial Forecasts), and Appendixes.

Can you write a campground business plan yourself?

Yes, you can write a campground business plan yourself. Writing a business plan is a valuable exercise that can help you clarify your business idea, identify potential challenges and opportunities, and develop a roadmap for success. While there are many resources and templates available to help you write a business plan, the process of creating one is ultimately up to you.

Related Business Plans

Home Inventory Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Home Inspection Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Home Decor Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Health And Wellness Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Hauling Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Hardware Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Handyman Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Hair Extension Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Handbag Business Plan Template & Guidebook

I'm Nick, co-founder of newfoundr.com, dedicated to helping aspiring entrepreneurs succeed. As a small business owner with over five years of experience, I have garnered valuable knowledge and insights across a diverse range of industries. My passion for entrepreneurship drives me to share my expertise with aspiring entrepreneurs, empowering them to turn their business dreams into reality.

Through meticulous research and firsthand experience, I uncover the essential steps, software, tools, and costs associated with launching and maintaining a successful business. By demystifying the complexities of entrepreneurship, I provide the guidance and support needed for others to embark on their journey with confidence.

From assessing market viability and formulating business plans to selecting the right technology and navigating the financial landscape, I am dedicated to helping fellow entrepreneurs overcome challenges and unlock their full potential. As a steadfast advocate for small business success, my mission is to pave the way for a new generation of innovative and driven entrepreneurs who are ready to make their mark on the world.

• EXPLORE Random Article

How to Start a Campground Business

Last Updated: October 21, 2021

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 10 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 126,264 times.

As tourism is a multi-million dollar business that caters to hundreds of thousands of people each year, knowing how to start a campground business can offer a lucrative business opportunity to entrepreneurs. You can start a simple campground just for tents or a full-scale luxury campground that offers cabins and RV hookups. It's essential to understand, however, that in order to start a successful campground business you'll need a sound business plan, sufficient investment and a good understanding of management principles. Read the steps below to find out how to start a campground business.

• Develop the landscaping, paving, electrical wiring for RV hookups, plumbing and a dump station for RVs.
• Construct recreational areas such as swimming pools, picnic areas with tables and fire rings, game rooms, a bathhouse, laundry facilities, and an office.

Community Q&A

• Arrange activities such as tours of the area, karaoke, parties and other events to attract more visitors. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• Offer discounts for students and returning visitors. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

Things You'll Need

• Business plan
• Investment money
• Business license
• Construction and development permits
• Dump station for RVs
• Hookups for RVs
• Laundry machines
• Picnic tables

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.acacamps.org/resource-library/create-business-plan
• ↑ https://smallbiztrends.com/2015/06/how-to-start-a-campground.html
• ↑ https://startupjungle.com/how-to-campground-business/
• http://www.buymydreamhotel.com/buying_a_campsite.htm

About this article

Did this article help you.

• About wikiHow
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

We earn commissions if you shop through the links below.  Read more

Back to All Business Ideas

How to Start a Campground

Written by: Carolyn Young

Carolyn Young is a business writer who focuses on entrepreneurial concepts and the business formation. She has over 25 years of experience in business roles, and has authored several entrepreneurship textbooks.

Edited by: David Lepeska

David has been writing and learning about business, finance and globalization for a quarter-century, starting with a small New York consulting firm in the 1990s.

Published on April 27, 2022 Updated on May 9, 2024

Investment range

$181,550 - $454,100

Revenue potential

$150,000 - $360,000 p.a.

Time to build

Profit potential

$45,000 - $108,000 p.a.

Industry trend

As the pandemic recedes, people are gearing up to get back out and enjoy the great outdoors. The campground industry had been experiencing strong growth pre-pandemic and is now on the rebound, showing an impressive post-pandemic expansion and forecast for continued growth in the years ahead. 

You could start your own campground and help countless families enjoy their vacation time while making a good living and contributing to environmental protection. But before you break ground, you’ll need to learn the business startup process. 

Luckily, all the information you need to start a successful campground is packed into this handy step-by-step guide.

Looking to register your business? A limited liability company (LLC) is the best legal structure for new businesses because it is fast and simple.

Form your business immediately using ZenBusiness LLC formation service or hire one of the Best LLC Services .

Step 1: Decide if the Business Is Right for You

Pros and cons.

Starting a campground has pros and cons to consider before deciding if it’s right for you.

• Get back to nature — Enjoy and conserve green spaces
• Social connection — Meet people from all over the country
• Good money — With just 10 campsites make up to $1,000 per night
• High startup costs — Land and preparation require a large investment
• Location-dependent — Needs to be accessible yet scenic

Campground Industry Trends

Industry size and growth.

• Industry size and past growth — The US campground industry is worth $10.7 billion.(( https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/market-research-reports/campgrounds-rv-parks-industry/ )) It took a large hit during the pandemic, but from 2011 to 2019 it expanded more than 35%. In 2021 the market rebounded with 15% growth and was worth $6.38 billion, and it amassed $8.1 billion in 2023.(( https://www.statista.com/statistics/1174142/campground-and-rv-park-industry-market-size-us/ )) 
• Growth forecast — The US campground industry is projected to show steady growth in the next five years.(( https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/market-research-reports/campgrounds-rv-parks-industry/ ))
• Number of businesses — There are more than 15,200 campground businesses in the US.(( https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/market-research-reports/campgrounds-rv-parks-industry/ )) 
• Number of people employed — The US campground industry employs more than 54,100 people.(( https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/market-research-reports/campgrounds-rv-parks-industry/ ))

Trends and Challenges

• Campgrounds are affordable, boosting popularity among millennials and Gen Z.
• Eco-friendly camping options, such as solar-powered generators, are gaining momentum.
• Remote work is making camping a great option anytime, as wifi-enabled campsites enable people to work while enjoying the outdoors. 
• People are seeking more amenities in terms of recreation at campgrounds, spurring an increase in expensive additions such as pools. 
• Outdoor safety always presents a risk for campgrounds, as injuries can be a liability for a campground owner.

How Much Does It Cost to Start a Campground Business?

Startup costs for a campground range from $180,000 to $450,000 or more. Costs include the land, preparation of the land with roads and equipment, and buildings and amenities.

To buy an existing campground, you could spend anywhere from $100,000 to $2 million. 

You’ll need a handful of items to successfully launch your campground business, including: 

• Electric, plumbing, and septic systems with hookups
• Maintenance equipment

How Much Can You Earn From a Campground Business?

Prices for campsites range from $40 to $50 for the off-season per night. During the peak season, they range from $60 to $100. These calculations will assume an average rate of $60 per night. Your profit margin after labor, overhead, and maintenance should be about 30%.

In your first year or two, you might have 10 campsites rented for 250 days a year, bringing in $150,000 in annual revenue. This would mean $45,000 in profit, assuming that 30% margin. As you begin to get regular customers and referrals, you might add 10 more campsites and rent them 300 days a year. With an annual revenue of $360,000, you’d make a healthy profit of $108,000.

What Barriers to Entry Are There?

There are a few barriers to entry for a campground. Your biggest challenges will be:

• The cost of land and preparation
• Finding land that is appropriate for a campground and can be zoned correctly

Related Business Ideas

How to Start a Glamping Business

How to Start an Airbnb Business

How to Start an Outfitting Business

Step 2: hone your idea.

Now that you know what’s involved in starting a campground, it’s a good idea to hone your concept in preparation to enter a competitive market. 

Market research will give you the upper hand, even if you’re already positive that you have a perfect product or service. Conducting market research is important, because it can help you understand your customers better, who your competitors are, and your business landscape.

Why? Identify an Opportunity

Research campgrounds in your area to examine their services, price points, and customer reviews. You’re looking for a market gap to fill. For instance, maybe the local market is missing an RV campground with RV hookups, hiking trails, and water features, or a more traditional campground for tents.

You might consider targeting a niche market by specializing in a certain aspect of your industry, such as tent camping or eco-friendly camping.

This could jumpstart your word-of-mouth marketing and attract clients right away. 

What? Determine Your Amenities, On-Site Offerings, and Add-Ons

Your services will depend on what features you add to your campground, such as a swimming pool or game room. You can also add wifi and sell snacks and beverages for additional revenue.

How Much Should You Charge for Campground Site Rental?

Off-season prices range from $40 to $50 per night, while peak-season prices range from $60 to $100. Check campgrounds in your area to make sure your prices are competitive. After all your costs, you should aim for a profit margin of about 30%.

Once you know your costs, you can use our profit margin calculator to determine your markup and final price points. Remember, the prices you use at launch should be subject to change if warranted by the market.

Who? Identify Your Target Market

Your target market will be broad, so you should spread out your marketing to include sites like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. You could also post on online camping forums. 

Where? Choose Your Campground Location

Selecting the right location for your campground is crucial for attracting campers and ensuring its success. Look for a scenic and desirable area that offers a range of outdoor activities, such as near a national park, a lake, or a forest.

Consider accessibility and convenience, ensuring that the location is easily reachable by car and has ample parking. By strategically choosing the right location, you can establish a popular and thriving campground that caters to a wide range of campers and outdoor enthusiasts.

Step 3: Brainstorm a Campground Name

Here are some ideas for brainstorming your business name:

• Short, unique, and catchy names tend to stand out
• Names that are easy to say and spell tend to do better 
• Name should be relevant to your product or service offerings
• Ask around — family, friends, colleagues, social media — for suggestions
• Including keywords, such as “campground” or “campsites,” boosts SEO
• Name should allow for expansion, for example, “Nature’s Best Campground” over “RV Park Campground”
• A location-based name can help establish a strong connection with your local community and help with the SEO but might hinder future expansion

Discover over 390 unique campground name ideas here . If you want your business name to include specific keywords, you can also use our campground name generator. Just type in a few keywords, hit Generate, and you’ll have dozens of suggestions at your fingertips.

Once you’ve got a list of potential names, visit the website of the US Patent and Trademark Office to make sure they are available for registration and check the availability of related domain names using our Domain Name Search tool. Using “.com” or “.org” sharply increases credibility, so it’s best to focus on these. 

Find a Domain

Powered by GoDaddy.com

Finally, make your choice among the names that pass this screening and go ahead with domain registration and social media account creation. Your business name is one of the key differentiators that sets your business apart. Once you pick your company name and start with the branding, it is hard to change the business name. Therefore, it’s important to carefully consider your choice before you start a business entity.

Step 4: Create a Campground Business Plan

Here are the key components of a business plan:

• Executive summary — A concise summary outlining the core aspects of the campground business plan, including its mission, goals, and key financial highlights
• Business overview — A brief introduction to the campground business, highlighting its nature, location, and overall purpose
• Product and services — Details about the specific offerings provided by the campground, such as campsite amenities, recreational activities, and any additional services
• Market analysis — Examination of the target market for the campground, including demographics, trends, and potential growth opportunities
• Competitive analysis — Assessment of competitors in the campground industry, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and positioning strategies
• Sales and marketing — The plan for promoting the campground, attracting visitors, and converting leads into customers, including sales tactics and marketing channels
• Management team — Overview of the individuals responsible for running the campground, detailing their roles, qualifications, and relevant experience
• Operations plan — An outline of day-to-day activities and processes involved in running the campground, covering staffing, facilities management, and customer service
• Financial plan — Detailed financial projections, including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow forecasts, providing a comprehensive overview of the business’s financial health and future expectations
• Appendix — Additional supporting documents and information, such as permits, contracts, or detailed market research, to provide a comprehensive context for the campground business plan

If you’ve never created a business plan, it can be an intimidating task. You might consider hiring a business plan specialist to create a top-notch business plan for you.

Step 5: Register Your Business

Registering your business is an absolutely crucial step — it’s the prerequisite to paying taxes, raising capital, opening a bank account, and other guideposts on the road to getting a business up and running.

Plus, registration is exciting because it makes the entire process official. Once it’s complete, you’ll have your own business! 

Choose Where to Register Your Company

Your business location is important because it can affect taxes, legal requirements, and revenue. Most people will register their business in the state where they live, but if you’re planning to expand, you might consider looking elsewhere, as some states could offer real advantages when it comes to campgrounds. 

If you’re willing to move, you could really maximize your business! Keep in mind that it’s relatively easy to transfer your business to another state. 

Choose Your Business Structure

Business entities come in several varieties, each with its pros and cons. The legal structure you choose for your campground will shape your taxes, personal liability, and business registration requirements, so choose wisely. 

Here are the main options:

• Sole proprietorship — The most common structure for small businesses makes no legal distinction between company and owner. All income goes to the owner, who’s also liable for any debts, losses, or liabilities incurred by the business. The owner pays taxes on business income on his or her personal tax return.
• General partnership — Similar to a sole proprietorship, but for two or more people. Again, owners keep the profits and are liable for losses. The partners pay taxes on their share of business income on their personal tax returns.
• Limited Liability Company (LLC) — Combines the characteristics of corporations with those of sole proprietorships or partnerships. Again, the owners are not personally liable for debts.
• C Corporation — Under this structure, the business is a distinct legal entity and the owner or owners are not personally liable for its debts. Owners take profits through shareholder dividends, rather than directly. The corporation pays taxes, and owners pay taxes on their dividends, which is sometimes referred to as double taxation.
• S Corporation — This refers to the tax classification of the business but is not a business entity. Either corporation or an LLC can elect to be an S Corp for tax status. Here, income is passed through directly to shareholders, who pay taxes on their share of business income on their personal tax returns.

We recommend that new business owners choose LLC as it offers liability protection and pass-through taxation while being simpler to form than a corporation. You can form an LLC in as little as five minutes using an online LLC formation service. They will check that your business name is available before filing, submit your articles of organization , and answer any questions you might have.

Form Your LLC

Choose Your State

We recommend ZenBusiness as the Best LLC Service for 2024

Step 6: Register for Taxes

The final step before you’re able to pay taxes is getting an Employer Identification Number or EIN. You can file for your EIN online or by mail/fax. Visit the IRS website to learn more. Keep in mind, if you’ve chosen to be a sole proprietorship you can simply use your social security number as your EIN. 

Once you have your EIN, you’ll need to choose your tax year. Financially speaking, your business will operate in a calendar year (January–December) or a fiscal year, a 12-month period that can start in any month. This will determine your tax cycle, while your business structure will determine which taxes you’ll pay.

The IRS website also offers a tax-payers checklist , and taxes can be filed online.

It is important to consult an accountant or other professional to help you with your taxes to ensure you’re completing them correctly.

Step 7: Fund Your Business

Securing financing is your next step and there are plenty of ways to raise capital:

• Bank loans — This is the most common method but getting approved requires a rock-solid business plan and a strong credit history.
• SBA-guaranteed loans — The Small Business Administration can act as a guarantor, helping gain that elusive bank approval via an SBA-guaranteed loan .
• Government grants — A handful of financial assistance programs help fund entrepreneurs. Visit Grants.gov to learn which might work for you.
• Friends and family — Reach out to friends and family to provide a business loan or investment in your concept. It’s a good idea to have legal advice when doing so because SEC regulations apply.
• Crowdfunding — Websites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo offer an increasingly popular low-risk option, in which donors fund your vision. Entrepreneurial crowdfunding sites like Fundable and WeFunder enable multiple investors to fund your business.
• Personal — Self-fund your business via your savings or the sale of property or other assets.

Bank and SBA loans are probably the best option, other than friends and family, for funding a campground business. You might also try crowdfunding if you have an innovative concept. 

Step 8: Apply for Campground Business Licenses and Permits

Starting a campground business requires obtaining a number of licenses and permits from local, state, and federal governments.

Many states require a campground license. You also need to check zoning requirements in your area. Check with your state and local governments for requirements.

Federal regulations, licenses, and permits associated with starting your business include doing business as (DBA), health licenses and permits from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration ( OSHA ), trademarks, copyrights, patents, and other intellectual properties, as well as industry-specific licenses and permits. 

You may also need state-level and local county or city-based licenses and permits. The license requirements and how to obtain them vary, so check the websites of your state, city, and county governments or contact the appropriate person to learn more. 

You could also check this SBA guide for your state’s requirements, but we recommend using MyCorporation’s Business License Compliance Package . They will research the exact forms you need for your business and state and provide them to ensure you’re fully compliant.

This is not a step to be taken lightly, as failing to comply with legal requirements can result in hefty penalties.

If you feel overwhelmed by this step or don’t know how to begin, it might be a good idea to hire a professional to help you check all the legal boxes.

Step 9: Open a Business Bank Account

Before you start making money, you’ll need a place to keep it, and that requires opening a bank account .

Keeping your business finances separate from your personal account makes it easy to file taxes and track your company’s income, so it’s worth doing even if you’re running your campground business as a sole proprietorship. Opening a business bank account is quite simple, and similar to opening a personal one. Most major banks offer accounts tailored for businesses — just inquire at your preferred bank to learn about their rates and features.

Banks vary in terms of offerings, so it’s a good idea to examine your options and select the best plan for you. Once you choose your bank, bring in your EIN (or Social Security Number if you decide on a sole proprietorship), articles of incorporation, and other legal documents and open your new account. 

Step 10: Get Business Insurance

Business insurance is an area that often gets overlooked yet it can be vital to your success as an entrepreneur. Insurance protects you from unexpected events that can have a devastating impact on your business.

Here are some types of insurance to consider:

• General liability — The most comprehensive type of insurance, acting as a catch-all for many business elements that require coverage. If you get just one kind of insurance, this is it. It even protects against bodily injury and property damage.
• Business property — Provides coverage for your equipment and supplies.
• Equipment breakdown insurance — Covers the cost of replacing or repairing equipment that has broken due to mechanical issues.
• Worker’s compensation — Provides compensation to employees injured on the job.
• Property — Covers your physical space, whether it is a cart, storefront, or office.
• Commercial auto — Protection for your company-owned vehicle.
• Professional liability — Protects against claims from clients who say they suffered a loss due to an error or omission in your work.
• Business owner’s policy (BOP) — This is an insurance plan that acts as an all-in-one insurance policy, a combination of the above insurance types.

Step 11: Prepare to Launch

As opening day nears, prepare for launch by reviewing and improving some key elements of your business. 

Essential Software and Tools

Being an entrepreneur often means wearing many hats, from marketing to sales to accounting, which can be overwhelming. Fortunately, many websites and digital tools are available to help simplify many business tasks. 

You may want to use industry-specific software, such as CAMPSPOT , ASPIRA , and BONFIRE , to manage your bookings, pricing, schedule, and payments.

• Popular web-based accounting programs for smaller businesses include Quickbooks , FreshBooks , and Xero . 
• If you’re unfamiliar with basic accounting, you may want to hire a professional, especially as you begin. The consequences of filing incorrect tax documents can be harsh, so accuracy is crucial. 

Develop Your Website

Website development is crucial because your site is your online presence and needs to convince prospective clients of your expertise and professionalism.

You can create your own website using website builders . This route is very affordable, but figuring out how to build a website can be time-consuming. If you lack tech savvy, you can hire a web designer or developer to create a custom website for your business.

However, people are unlikely to find your website unless you follow Search Engine Optimization ( SEO ) practices. These are steps that help pages rank higher in the results of top search engines like Google. 

Here are some powerful marketing strategies for your future business:

• Professional branding — Design your branding to reflect the outdoor adventure and tranquility of your campground, ensuring it resonates in all promotional materials.
• Direct outreach — Collaborate with travel agencies, outdoor clubs, and local businesses to introduce and promote your camping services.
• Professional website and SEO — Develop a user-friendly website showcasing your campground’s amenities and natural surroundings, optimized for relevant search terms.
• Local SEO — Ensure your campground is prominently listed in local search results to make it easy for potential visitors to find and choose your location. Regularly update your Google My Business and Yelp profiles to strengthen your local search presence.
• Social media engagement — Use Instagram and Facebook to post captivating photos and videos that highlight guest experiences and the beauty of your location.
• Camping tips and nature blog — Share valuable content about camping safety, local wildlife, and conservation to engage and educate your audience.
• Guest testimonials and adventure spotlights — Feature stories from satisfied guests to highlight the memorable experiences your campground offers.
• Content marketing — Create informative infographics or eBooks that provide camping tips for beginners or showcase the unique aspects of your site.
• Hosted events and activities — Organize onsite events such as guided hikes, wildlife tours, and outdoor family movie nights to enhance guest experiences.
• Open days and nature workshops — Offer tours and workshops on outdoor skills during open days to attract new visitors and engage the community.
• Partnerships with outdoor gear companies — Forge partnerships with gear manufacturers for co-promotions that benefit both your guests and your business.
• Local community engagement — Participate in local festivals and community events to raise your campground’s profile and integrate with the local area.

Focus on USPs

Unique selling propositions, or USPs, are the characteristics of a product or service that set it apart from the competition. Customers today are inundated with buying options, so you’ll have a real advantage if they are able to quickly grasp how your campground meets their needs or wishes. It’s wise to do all you can to ensure your USPs stand out on your website and in your marketing and promotional materials, stimulating buyer desire. 

Global pizza chain Domino’s is renowned for its USP: “Hot pizza in 30 minutes or less, guaranteed.” Signature USPs for your campground business could be:

• Enjoy our stunning waterfront campsites in your tent or RV
• The great outdoors plus all the at-home amenities 
• Eco-friendly camping to enjoy and protect our natural land

You may not like to network or use personal connections for business gain but your personal and professional networks likely offer considerable untapped business potential. Maybe that Facebook friend you met in college is now running a campground business, or a LinkedIn contact of yours is connected to dozens of potential clients. Maybe your cousin or neighbor has been working in campgrounds for years and can offer invaluable insight and industry connections. 

The possibilities are endless, so it’s a good idea to review your personal and professional networks and reach out to those with possible links to or interest in campgrounds. You’ll probably generate new customers or find companies with which you could establish a partnership. 

Step 12: Build Your Team

If you’re starting out small from a home office, you may not need any employees. But as your business grows, you will likely need workers to fill various roles. Potential positions for a campground business include:

• Campground workers — customer service, maintenance
• General manager — scheduling, accounting
• Marketing lead — SEO strategies, social media

At some point, you may need to hire all of these positions or simply a few, depending on the size and needs of your business. You might also hire multiple workers for a single role or a single worker for multiple roles, again depending on need. 

Free-of-charge methods to recruit employees include posting ads on popular platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, or Jobs.com. You might also consider a premium recruitment option, such as advertising on Indeed , Glassdoor , or ZipRecruiter . Further, if you have the resources, you could consider hiring a recruitment agency to help you find talent. 

Step 13: Run a Campground — Start Making Money!

Camping is coming back strong after a tough 2020, which means now is a great time to get in on the action. With your own campground you get to spend time in nature, help the environment and meet people from all over. You just need a great location, a passion for the outdoors, and a little creativity to make your campground a desirable destination.

Now that you’ve loaded up on business knowledge, it’s time to break ground on your successful campground!

• Campground Business FAQs

Yes, a campground can be profitable. The keys are to find a great location, and get creative with your concept to make your campground an appealing destination.

You’ll need to find land that can be zoned for a campground first. Then you may be able to get a business loan to make the purchase.

Considering a campground’s seasonal nature and the cost to start one, it generally offers a slow return on investment.

A great location makes a campground successful. People also seek amenities at camping sites, like pools, playgrounds for kids, and other features.

Campgrounds with amenities are generally the most popular, particularly those designed for RV camping. However, generally, the location is most important.

The campground is a collection of campsites that can be rented. The campsite is the individual space that renters can occupy. 

Location is very important. The land should also have appealing features like a river or lake and hiking trails. Amenities like pools are also important. 

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Decide if the Business Is Right for You
• Hone Your Idea
• Brainstorm a Campground Name
• Create a Campground Business Plan
• Register Your Business
• Register for Taxes
• Fund Your Business
• Apply for Campground Business Licenses and Permits
• Open a Business Bank Account
• Get Business Insurance
• Prepare to Launch
• Build Your Team
• Run a Campground — Start Making Money!

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Featured resources.

16 Business Ideas for Vacant Land

Carolyn Young

Published on September 8, 2022

How can you turn a vacant property into a steady revenue stream? There are plenty of ways. You could rent it out, convert it into storage, build afa ...

37 Summer Business Ideas

Published on July 21, 2022

Summer means taking a break, enjoying outdoor leisure, going to a summer camp, and BBQ’ing in the backyard. For smart entrepreneurs, it alsome ...

41 Outdoor Business Ideas

Published on July 13, 2022

Many major American businesses depend on outdoor activities, such as The North Face or Columbia. But there are also countless smaller businessesthat ...

No thanks, I don't want to stay up to date on industry trends and news.

How to Start a Campground

If you love the outdoors and some hard work, you could start a campground business. Whether you have land or are purchasing land, you could start enjoying the great outdoors and working for yourself as soon as you get everything set up. You'll provide a place for people who are passing through on their way to another destination and for those who want to enjoy some time connecting with nature. Campers use all sorts of shelters from tents to fully contained RVs.

Before you start a campground business, you'll need the knowledge and willingness it takes to do many things, including accounting, repairs, road maintenance, plumbing, electrical maintenance, and management. You may be able to farm some of these things out, but it is much more cost-effective to do these things yourself.

Learn how to start your own Campground and whether it is the right fit for you.

Ready to form your LLC? Check out the Top LLC Formation Services .

Start a campground by following these 10 steps:

• Plan your Campground
• Form your Campground into a Legal Entity
• Register your Campground for Taxes
• Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
• Set up Accounting for your Campground
• Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Campground
• Get Campground Insurance
• Define your Campground Brand
• Create your Campground Website
• Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your campground. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas .

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

What will you name your business?

• What are the startup and ongoing costs?
• Who is your target market?

How much can you charge customers?

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Campground Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship , you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name , we recommend researching your business name by checking:

• Your state's business records
• Federal and state trademark records
• Social media platforms
• Web domain availability .

It's very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

Want some help naming your campground?

Business name generator, what are the costs involved in opening a campground.

The costs to open a campground business depend on what you are starting with. Assuming it's nothing, costs include:

• The purchase of land. These costs vary depending on location and the number of acres being purchased. Land may range from $1,000 an acre if has a lot of “unusable” land or upwards of $10,000 an acre if most of the land is flat, it's on a lake or river, or it has outstanding views.
• For buying an existing campsite, prices range from about $100,000 to over $2 million.
• Licensing and permitting, including sales tax and occupancy certificates. These fees also depend on the size of the operation, what you are offering and the location. For example, you may have to pay a fee for each soda machine you have on the premises, or a fee for each employee.
• Designing the campground, including roads, the locations of the sites, and locations of amenities you are providing. These may include playgrounds, a dog walk area, rec room, boat ramp, hiking trails, roads and bridges.
• Clearing of the land and creating the roads.
• Installing electric, plumbing and septic systems.
• Building bathhouses, bathrooms, fencing, rec buildings, installing a pool and building any other amenities you plan.

What are the ongoing expenses for a campground?

Expenses will vary, depending on how you set your business up. They may include:

• Garbage disposal
• Septic tank maintenance and cleaning
• Cleaning supplies
• Licenses and permits that need to be renewed
• Gas for camp vehicles
• Maintenance on camp vehicles
• Gravel for roads, if applicable
• Patch materials for paved roads
• Entertainment, such as paying performers

Who is the target market?

Customer types will depend on the type of campground you are running. If you are running a campground that has only primitive sites, your customers will like tent camping. If your campground also features sites with utilities, you'll attract “glampers,” those with RVs that enjoy having all the comforts of home.

How does a campground make money?

A campground makes its main income by renting out sites. It may also have a small store that is stocked with camping gear, non-perishable food and other items that campers may find useful. A popular seller is ice, so adding an ice freezer will also make some money for the business.

The charge per night depends on the amenities, the location of your campground, the location of the site and the type of site. Sites might go from $10 per night to over $100 per night. Primitive sites would be the cheapest, while sites that provide electric, water and WiFi hookups might cost more.

Also, if you have amenities, such as a pool, a rec room, a playground and more, you need to charge a little more per site so that you can cover the cost of putting those amenities in, and cover the cost of maintenance for them.

How much profit can a campground make?

Profit is dependent on many things, including the number of sites you have, whether you have cabins for rent, the business expenses and start-up liabilities, such as loans for land. A smaller campground with extensive liabilities will make less profit than a larger campground with the same amount of liabilities.

If you are able to keep costs down, your profit will be larger. Before you set pricing for your sites, you'll need to figure your monthly overhead. This includes mortgage payments, utilities, employee costs, licensing and permitting fees and inventory. For items that are not paid monthly, divide yearly payments by 12 to get the monthly cost. Once you get your monthly overhead, you'll be able to figure how much you need to charge for each campsite.

If you charge different prices at different times of the year, or if you give discounts, you'll also have to figure that in. If your monthly overhead is $3,500 and you have 100 sites, you'll have to charge $35 a night just to break even, unless you have a camp store or other amenities that you charge for.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Make your business more profitable by taking several steps:

• Add more sites
• Check your accounting to ensure that you are charging a fair amount that covers utilities and your liabilities
• Ensure that you are sold out by making your campground the best place to go in your locations
• Create a budget and stick to it
• Add additional services that you might charge for, such as ice, firewood, and a store

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC's free Small Business Startup Guide - a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship , partnership , limited liability company (LLC) , and corporation .

Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your campground is sued.

Form Your LLC

Read our Guide to Form Your Own LLC

Have a Professional Service Form your LLC for You

Two such reliable services:

You can form an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee.

Recommended: You will need to elect a registered agent for your LLC. LLC formation packages usually include a free year of registered agent services . You can choose to hire a registered agent or act as your own.

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It's really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website . If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil .

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

• Separates your personal assets from your company's assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
• Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

• Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business' expenses all in one place.
• Build your company's credit history , which can be useful to raise money later on.

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

Federal Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a campground. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits .

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a campground business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting  SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits .

For information about local licenses and permits:

• Check with your town, city or county clerk’s office
• Get assistance from one of the local associations listed in  US Small Business Associations directory of local business resources .

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses .

Release of Liability

To avoid liability and potential lawsuits, campground businesses should have their clients sign a release of liability. Here is an example of one such form.

Recommended: Rocket Lawyer makes it easy to create a professional release of liability form for your campground when you sign up for their premium membership. For $39.95 per month, members receive access to hundreds of legal agreements and on call attorneys to get complimentary legal advice.

Certificate of Occupancy

Businesses operating out of a physical location typically require a   Certificate of Occupancy  (CO).  A CO confirms that all building codes, zoning laws and government regulations have been met.

• If you plan to lease a location :
• It is generally the landlord’s responsibility to obtain a CO.
• Before leasing, confirm that your landlord has or can obtain a valid CO that is applicable to a campground business.
• After a major renovation, a new CO often needs to be issued. If your place of business will be renovated before opening,  it is recommended  to include language in your lease agreement stating that lease payments will not commence until a valid CO is issued.
• If you plan to purchase or build a location :
• You will be responsible for obtaining a valid CO from a local government authority.
• Review all building codes and zoning requirements for you business’ location to ensure your campground business will be in compliance and able to obtain a CO.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance . This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance . If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers' Compensation Coverage.

FInd out what types of insurance your Campground needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Campground.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you aren't feeling confident about designing your small business logo, then check out our Design Guides for Beginners , we'll give you helpful tips and advice for creating the best unique logo for your business.

Recommended : Get a logo using Truic's free logo Generator no email or sign up required, or use a Premium Logo Maker .

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator . Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a campground

Marketing a campground business depends on where you are located and the type of people you are catering to. The best way to promote is word of mouth, which means customer service that goes above and beyond. Advertise on social media sites, send out flyers and advertise on sites for campers, at specialty outdoors stores and on radio and television, if possible. Radio and TV ads are expensive, so this may not be something you can do upfront. When marketing your campground, be sure to tell potential customers about the amenities that make your campground the best place to camp. If you have a large lake, list activities such as fishing, boating, canoeing and swimming. When advertising hiking trails, add the length and difficulty of the trail. Let potential customers know if you have a camp store, a recreation area and the types of sites you offer.

How to keep customers coming back

In order to attract and retain customers, you need to target your advertising to those who would most likely use your campground. If offer only primitive campsites that require a hike to get to, advertise to those who like to hike. If you provide enough hiking trails with great sights, hikers will come back time and again.

If you have sites that offer electricity, WiFi and other amenities, advertise to those with RVs. Keep all sites, no matter which type, clean and easy to access. Make roads easy to navigate for the longer RVs. These are all features that you would advertise to “glampers.”

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business .

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

• All legitimate businesses have websites - full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
• Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
• Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended : Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders .

Other popular website builders are: WordPress , WIX , Weebly , Squarespace , and Shopify .

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2023 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it's fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

A campground business is perfect for someone who loves the outdoors and dealing with people. The right person for this business also has experience in management, including accounting, budgeting, hiring staff, and keeping inventory.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at a campground?

A campground business owner will have several daily activities to do, unless he or she hires some help. Assuming that at startup, the business owner will be doing all of the work, his or her duties include:

• Checking campers in and out;
• Accounting;
• Emptying trash containers at each campsite;
• Cleaning bathhouses and bathrooms;
• Interacting with campers in person and on the phone;
• Setting reservations;
• Planning events;
• Handling campers' complaints about other campers, the site or the campground;
• Opening and cleaning rec rooms and other amenities the campground offers; and
• Seasonal duties such as snow plowing, picking up debris from trees and cleaning up after storms.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful campground?

Campground owners need a plethora of skills if they want to do all of the work without hiring anything out. Skills that will help include:

• Office management
• Customer service
• Working with heavy equipment
• Landscaping and design

What is the growth potential for a campground?

The growth potential depends on how much adjoining land is available. Campground owners could make over $1 million per year if the campground is large enough and is popular. If a campground is small, but is always booked to capacity, the owner could buy adjoining land to create more campsites and significantly increase business.

Another avenue for growth is to create a franchise. Franchises give you unlimited growth potential, since you could open campgrounds across the country. In a franchise, franchisees – those who buy the franchise – would be operating the campground. You would make money from franchise fees and a portion of the profits for each campground.

TRUiC's YouTube Channel

For fun informative videos about starting a business visit the TRUiC YouTube Channel or subscribe to view later.

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor.

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting a campground?

You'll spend much less if you already have land that you are able to convert into a campground. Think about what the area has to offer. If there is a river on the property, you might cater to those who like to fish. If most of the land is flat, you may want to cater to the handicapped, especially if you are able to make concrete hiking trails that would be easy for those in wheelchairs to navigate. Depending on what you offer, you may need several different licenses and permits. Campers are there to enjoy the experience, so you may want to have a small store, playgrounds for children, a dog park area, and a recreation room for those rainy days. Additional tips include:

• Make curves and turns in the roads wide enough for longer rigs.
• Be sure to have plenty of pull-through sites to make it easier for the larger rigs.
• While “glamping” is quite popular, you will also find that there are many who like to rough it. Be sure to have plenty of primitive sites for tents.
• Offer a good variety of 50-amp and 30-amp hookups.

How and when to build a team

It's time to build a team when the number of sites you have is too high for you to maintain them all by yourself each day. You may have to clean each site, and at a minimum, empty the trash. If you are by yourself, you also need to be able to complete site maintenance early in the morning so that you are in the office to check people in and out.

If you have grown to the point where it's difficult to manage yourself, or even with a spouse, you should have the income to hire at least a part-timer to help you with some of the physical work. You might also hire someone to mind the office.

Once you decide to hire outside help, be sure to check references and do a background check. The person has to be trustworthy enough. Even if the person is working the grounds, you want someone you can trust not to break into your customer's campers or lift some of the camping gear your customers might leave outside when they go to town or go sightseeing.

Read our campground hiring guide to learn about the different roles a campground typically fills, how much to budget for employee salaries, and how to build your team exactly how you want it.

Useful Links

Truic resources.

• TRUiC's Campground Hiring Guide

Industry Opportunities

• Own a KOA Campground
• Campgrounds for Sale
• Learn about more Family Fun Business Ideas!

Real World Examples

• Campers Paradise
• Maine’s Beaver Dam Campground
• KOA: A Large Campground Business

Further Reading

• Story of a Family Who Started Their Own Campground
• Campground Business Basics and Additional Resources

Have a Question? Leave a Comment!

RV Park Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 2,500 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their RV parks. On this page, we will first give you some background information with regards to the importance of business planning. We will then go through an RV park business plan template step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate RV Park Business Plan Template here >

What is an RV Park Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your RV park as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for an RV Park

If you’re looking to start an RV park or grow your existing RV park you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your RV park in order to improve your chances of success. Your RV park business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for RV Parks

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for an RV park are bank loans and angel investors. With regards to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to confirm that your financials are reasonable. But they will want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business.

The second most common form of funding for an RV park is angel investors. Angel investors are wealthy individuals who will write you a check. They will either take equity in return for their funding, or, like a bank, they will give you a loan. Venture capitalists will not fund an RV park.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

Your business plan should include 10 sections as follows:

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of RV park business you are operating and the status; for example, are you a startup, do you have an RV park that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of RV parks.

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. For example, give a brief overview of the RV park industry. Discuss the type of RV park you are operating. Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers. Provide a snapshot of your marketing plan. Identify the key members of your team. And offer an overview of your financial plan.

Company Analysis

In your company analysis, you will detail the type of RV park you are operating.

For example, you might operate one of the following types:

• Traditional RV Park : this type of RV park can be a small campground with a few dozen sites, a resort with hundreds of sites, and everything in between. It can also provide just the basics (electricity and fresh water), or full-service options such as sewer hookups.
• Glamping Resorts : this type of RV park offers a range of amenities, such as spas and restaurants and golf, as well as luxury RVs for rent.

In addition to explaining the type of RV park you operate, the Company Analysis section of your business plan needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to question such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include sales goals you’ve reached, new store openings, etc.
• Your legal structure. Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry analysis, you need to provide an overview of the RV park business.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the RV park industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating. 

Secondly, market research can improve your strategy particularly if your research identifies market trends. For example, if there was a trend towards glamping, it would be helpful to ensure your plan calls for plenty of amenities and/or high-end activities.

The third reason for market research is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your RV park business plan:

• How big is the RV park business (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential market for your RV park. You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your RV park business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: young families, couples, retirees, etc.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of RV park you operate. Clearly young families would want a different atmosphere, pricing and amenities, and would respond to different marketing promotions than retirees.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, include a discussion of the ages, genders, locations and income levels of the customers you seek to serve.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can understand and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

Finish Your RV Park Business Plan in 1 Day!

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your business plan?

With Growthink’s Ultimate RV Park Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other RV parks.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t direct competitors. This includes hotels, motels, tent campgrounds and hostels. You need to mention such competition to show you understand that not everyone who owns an RV uses an RV park each time they travel.

With regards to direct competition, you want to detail the other RV parks with which you compete. Most likely, your direct competitors will be RV parks located very close to your location.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their businesses and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as:

• What types of customers do they serve?
• What products do they offer?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them (or research reviews online).

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you provide superior amenities?
• Will you provide amenities that your competitors don’t offer?
• Will you make it easier or faster for customers to reserve a site?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For an RV park business plan, your marketing plan should include the following:

Product : in the product section you should reiterate the type of RV park that you documented in your Company Analysis. Then, detail the specific amenities you will be offering. For example, in addition to water hookups, will you offer sewer hookups, or a convenience store, etc.?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your marketing plan, you are presenting the types of sites you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the location of your RV park. Document your location and mention how the location will impact your success. For example, is your RV park located next to a heavily trafficked national park, or tourist attraction, etc. Discuss how your location might provide a steady stream of customers. 

Promotions : the final part of your RV park marketing plan is the promotions section. Here you will document how you will drive customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Advertising in local papers and magazines
• Reaching out to local bloggers and websites 
• Social media advertising
• Partnerships with local organizations (e.g., amusement park ticket holders get a discount on an RV site)
• Local radio advertising
• Banner ads at local venues

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your RV park such as serving customers, procuring supplies, keeping the store clean, etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to serve your 1,000th customer, or when you hope to reach $X in sales. It could also be when you expect to hire your Xth employee or launch a new location.

Management Team

To demonstrate your RV park’s ability to succeed as a business, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company. 

Ideally you and/or your team members have direct experience in the RV park business. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act like mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in RV parks and/or successfully running retail and small businesses.

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statements.

Income Statement : an income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenues and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you serve 50 customers per week or 100? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets : While balance sheets include much information, to simplify them to the key items you need to know about, balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. For instance, if you spend $100,000 on building out your RV park, that will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a bank writes you a check for $100,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement : Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and make sure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.

In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing an RV park:

• Location build-out including design fees, construction, etc.
• Cost of maintaining an adequate amount of supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Taxes and permits
• Legal expenses

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your park design blueprint or location lease.

RV Park Business Plan Summary

Putting together a business plan for your RV park is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will really understand the RV park business, your competition and your customers. You will have developed a marketing plan and will really understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful RV park.  

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your RV Park business plan?

OR, Let Us Develop Your Plan For You

Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.

Click here to see how Growthink’s professional business plan consulting services can create your business plan for you.

RV Park Business Plan FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my rv park business plan.

Growthink's Ultimate RV Park Business Plan Template  allows you to quickly and easily complete your RV Park Business Plan.

What is the Goal of a Business Plan's Executive Summary?

Where can i download an rv park business plan pdf.

You can download our free RV Park business plan template PDF here . This is a sample RV Park business plan template you can use in PDF format.

Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.   Click here to see how a Growthink business plan writer can create your business plan for you.

Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

• For Camp Professionals
• For Parents & Families

Whether you are just starting a camp, looking for new investors in your operation, or looking for a loan to improve facilities at an existing camp, a well-thought-out business plan can be an extremely helpful tool. At a recent national conference of the American Camp Association®, several new camp owners and directors representing both for-profit and nonprofit, day and resident, private and agency-affiliated camps, participated in a panel discussion on challenges they had faced in starting their programs in the last five years. Diane Tyrrell, writing in Camping Magazine, reported that when these new executives were asked to provide key tips for starting a camp, their first response was to remember that camp is a business — and the second was to take the time before you do anything else to develop a good, workable business plan. (Tyrrell, 2010)

While there are many different to write a business plan, camps should consider including these parts:

• Cover Sheet
• Executive Summary

Introduction

Operations, facilities, and equipment, risk management, cover sheet and executive summary.

Your cover sheet should be simple. At the top of the page, use the words “Confidential Business Plan,” then your camp name, address, date, and your name. Leave writing the executive summary until last, then limit the summary to one or two pages in length. The executive summary is an overview of your plan and should highlight the most critical components of your camp business plan, including a strong closing summary stating why your camp will be successful or why the improvements you desire will have a positive impact on your business.

In the introduction, explain what your camp is all about. Provide an overview of the program, the location, the mission of your camp, and if you are just starting, the top three to five goals that you have for the first three to five years. If you’ve been in business and are making improvements, note the reason for the improvements. You may want to tie your goals to other sections of your business plan, such as marketing or accreditation.

Also include information about yourself. Along with selling your idea, it is important to sell yourself. Do not be modest, but explain why investors should trust you to use their money wisely. Be honest and do not exaggerate your experience; instead provide an objective description of yourself and your other investors (if you have them) or of your organization, whichever is applicable. Include in the introduction your qualifications to run a camp.

If you’re purchasing an existing camp, review the camp’s history and why you are purchasing it. Explain if you will be transferring the license and/or registration for the camp (if required), or if you will be applying for a new license, any needed business permits, and when.

Also included should be the legal structure of your camp, noting whether it is a sole proprietorship, a partnership, a for-profit corporation, or a nonprofit corporation. If you have partners, list them. If this is a corporation, whether for-profit or nonprofit, identify the board of directors. Your partners or board members can give you credibility, so share their names and the roles they will take in your camp. Share the qualities that will make your camp a good business investment. Consider closing the introduction with a recap of the mission and goals of your camp and why you will be successful.

This is your chance to get your readers excited about your camp, to show what makes it special, and why it is a good investment. Try to connect with your readers in this section, because if you get them hooked on your vision for the camp, the rest of the business plan will be an easier sell.

Be specific about your program goals. If you have photos of your campers, this is a great place to use them (with parental permission — and no names, of course). Imagine that your reader is the parent of a potential camper and then sell your program from that perspective. If you have anecdotes or quotes from campers or parents, include them as appropriate to illustrate what you’re doing. Get permission from parents to use their testimonials. They will probably be happy to assist you and could even know some of your potential lenders.

Your competitive advantage will be one of the most important pieces in this section. Without making any comments about your competitors, explain why a camper would want to come to your camp. Do you have programs that others don’t? Do you have staff that others don’t? If you can’t answer those questions in the affirmative, then look deeper and find the unique value that your camp offers. Is your location outstanding? Is your pricing structure competitive? Do you offer discounts that others don’t?

Share whatever research you have about the need for your program, especially any surveys that support your venture. There is an old marketing axiom that says, “Find out what they want and then give it to them.” If you have not determined that there is a need for your camp, do some research before settling on exactly what your program will offer. If you use general camp research, be sure you attribute it to the author and note that it is general in nature, not specific to your camp.

Explain whether your program is currently in operation or if it is in development. If it’s in development, describe where in the process you are and what you’re doing to bring your program to fruition. If you listed your short-term (three to five years) goals in the beginning of this section, close with what you plan on doing in the long-term and how you anticipate your camp growing and meeting your goals.

In the staffing section, provide details about your key staff, emphasizing their experience and how they can contribute to the success of your new camp. Include photos, if possible, and past camp experience, explaining how these are the right people to be on your management team. If you do not yet have staff, describe the type of person you will recruit for key leadership positions and where you will look to find them. Indicate how your key staff will be compensated.

You’ll also need an organization chart showing reporting responsibilities and other staffing relationships. Your organization chart may include the staff you need at the present (or during your first summer or program), as well as the staff that will need to be added as you expand and when you project that growth to occur.

Reference some of the American Camp Association accreditation standards related to staffing and explain how your staffing plan will meet or surpass the generally accepted standards in the field. You will want to establish staffing ratios by age and any exceptions to the ratios. In addition, reference your state and/or local regulations for staffing and how your operation will meet those.

Staffing should also include a recruitment plan, indicating where you will find your staff, and a training plan outlining the training provided for your employees, including any certification that you will require. Address whether or not you will use volunteers too.

Your operations section will show the details of how your camp will function and is your chance to explain some of the inner workings of your camp, such as registration, maintenance, food service, and any other behind-the-scenes components of your business. If you can, use graphics or diagrams to show how these functions support the program, and showcase any technology or innovative systems you are using.

Whether you lease or own a facility, this is your opportunity to share the details: location, size, type of living units, program facilities, meeting/dining spaces, natural features, and any other areas at your camp that make your facility unique or show how it aligns with the program. If you are seeking funding to purchase or expand your facility, share more details about the features, your master site plan, design considerations, and construction plans.

Similarly, if you have or need equipment to accomplish your goals, describe how you will use it and your plans for maintaining or procuring the equipment. If the equipment plays a key role in your program or operations, explain why and include graphics of the equipment in use, especially if it is unusual.

Your marketing strategy can make or break your business plan; no matter how good the program is, you have to have campers and families who will buy the experience at your camp to be successful. Your marketing plan should include at least these parts:

• Product — exactly what are you selling?
• People — a definition of who your customers are, which should include gender, age, interests, geographic location, and any other distinguishing factors. How large is your target market?
• Pricing strategy — the tactics you will employ, such as a standard fee, discounts, sliding scale, or different levels of programming.
• Promotion — which tools you will use, whether personal visits, advertising, social media, or direct marketing, and which will be the most critical to secure new campers.
• Competition — identification of who your competitors are and what differentiates your camp from theirs. If available, include statistics on your competitors’ successes; are they full?
• Budget — how much will you spend on marketing?
• Repeat business strategy — specific marketing efforts to existing campers.
• Key messages — what will be your key messages in promoting your camp?

Your potential investors will be most interested in your financial story — what your financial model is, how and when you will reach a breakeven point, and how and when you will meet your financial goals. Several standard financial statements should be included:

• Current and projected income statements for at least two years
• Current and projected balance sheets for at least two years
• Cash flow projection, by month, for at least two years
• Your personal balance sheet and how you will be compensated

Similar financial information for your secondary business, if you have one (for example, your off-season use of camp and how that will affect your camp business)

In addition, describe your key financial assumptions:

• The size of your potential customer base
• The rate at which you project to grow over time
• The pricing structure and how it may change over time
• Your fixed and variable costs and how they will change over time
• Research or data on which you base your projections
• Adjustments that must occur should your assumptions change

This is also your opportunity to present your need for start-up money and working capital, explaining how you derive these projected needs. If you have already secured some funding, disclose that, as well as any other plans to seek funding. Keep in mind that this business plan is confidential and that your potential investors need reliable information to carefully consider your request to invest in you and your camp.

Camp administrators are used to dealing with risks — whether activities that could cause injuries, weather or other natural occurrences, or financial risks due to low enrollment. Plans to deal with all types of risks should be addressed here, noting whether you are retaining risk (and what you’re doing to manage the risk retention), reducing risk by specific plans, or transferring risk to others through insurance. Some items you may include here are:

• Activity risk management plans, including listing high-risk activities, with an example of your detailed plans as an appendix
• Natural occurrences and how you will respond
• Financial risk identification and plans
• Insurance policies — type and limits of liability
• Risk management analysis conducted in conjunction with your insurance carrier. Most carriers are willing to do an assessment and provide written suggestions for mitigating potential risk situations on your property.

Any reference material or expanded plans can be attached, should the reader desire more information.

A business plan will take time, but the investment is well worth it. The discipline required to develop a thorough plan will allow you to look closely at all the pieces and parts of your camp — especially your financial roadmap — adjusting as needed and learning the minute details of the business in which you will put not only a substantial amount of money, but also your heart and soul.

Presentation and Graphics

• Throughout your business plan, consider including photos, graphics, and charts to illustrate your goals and the other information you are presenting — but not an excessive number.
• Look at your plan as if it were being presented to you: Is it interesting? Does it keep your attention? Are the illustrations relevant to the topic being presented?
• Consistency in the presentation is important. Select a font that is easy to read; then keep the same font throughout your document. Use italics and bold fonts sparingly. The main text should be in a font no smaller than 10-point and no larger than 12-point, depending on the font you choose.
• This is a business document not a social media post. Do not use emoticons and think twice before using exclamation points.  
• Number your pages for easy reference.
• If you can print in color, do so, but do not overwhelm the reader with font color changes. Photos will generally look better in color, as will charts and graphs.
• Bind the document so no one will lose any pages.
• If you are not skilled at developing a professional-looking document, get someone who is to help you format your business plan. Substance is absolutely the most important thing, but substantive plans that look unprofessional don’t get very far.
• Ask the lender or potential investor if he or she prefers a printed copy or an electronic copy of your business plan. If they ask for an electronic copy, do not send a word-processing document; instead, save your document as a PDF file, which will take up much less space.
• Take advantage of the spell-check function in your word processing software. Do not have any misspelled words.

Presenting Your Business Plan in a PowerPoint® Show

• If you are asked to make a presentation and can show PowerPoint slides, remember the rule of fives: no more than five lines per slide, and no more than five words per line.
• Find out how many people will be in the room for your presentation so you can arrange to project the slides if there are more than two people who will be watching. Confirm ahead of time that it is permissible to use an LCD and that there is a screen or wall on which to show your presentation. If that is not possible, then make color copies of your slides, one per page, and have enough for everyone in the room.
• Ask how long you have to make your presentation and stay within the allotted time.
• Be prepared to answer questions about everything in your business plan, including your financials. Although your accountant may have had considerable input in the financial section, potential lenders will expect to hear the detailed finances from you, the owner.

Reference Sheets, A. & Thoensen, D. (2014, February 5). The business of camp. Healthy Learning.

Ann Sheets is senior vice president at Camp Fire First Texas in Fort Worth and a past national president of the American Camp Association.

Photo courtesy of Appel Farm Arts Camp, Elmer, New Jersey 

You may also like

Essential communication requirements of caretakers, wow your campers’ parents, family camp impacts on family functioning, we knew it all along vagal nerve tone and health and the lifelong benefits of camp.

How to Start a Glamping Business (Free Business Plan Template)

As one of the fastest-growing sectors in the vacation rental industry, glamping businesses present an excellent opportunity for aspiring hosts. More and more guests are choosing to book short-term rentals that offer a unique vacation experience, something glamping can provide at an affordable price.

We are seeing this trend throughout the world, with the global glamping market predicted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.9% through 2031. This will bring its global market size to an expected $7,856.23 million by the end of this period.

This growth represents a huge business opportunity for glamping investment, especially as nature getaways continue to increase in popularity.

Don’t see the form to download our glamping business plan template? Click here .

What is a glamping business?

Glamping is, quite literally, the combination of the words “glamorous” and “camping,” and is also referred to as luxury camping. For many, the idea of camping may conjure up memories of being cold and wet in the middle of nowhere with little to no amenities. However, glamping has completely revolutionized this idea, making it an unforgettable experience for even the most trepid traveler.

Imagine being surrounded by nature and tranquility while having access to the comforts of luxury accommodation. Guests can explore the great outdoors and enjoy various activities, from hiking to stargazing, before relaxing in a hot tub and sleeping in comfortable beds.

It doesn’t sound bad, does it? And when it comes to glamping as a business owner, it gets even better.

This is because the investment opportunities are endless. You can start a glamping business pretty much anywhere, as long as it has access to nature. And depending on the accommodation type, you can attract guests throughout the year .

What is a glamper?

As we’d describe people who go camping as campers, “glampers” are what we call glamping guests. These travelers are unique as they’re looking for an off-grid experience without sacrificing the comforts of a standard vacation rental. Therefore, you’ll have to appeal to your target customer by emphasizing your property’s proximity to nature and highlighting the amenities you offer.

As glamping is a niche market, ensuring your business’s sustainability will require you to understand who intends to stay at your property.

Who goes glamping?

Younger guests.

Glamping is especially popular among 18-32-year-olds , with experts citing several reasons for this. Firstly, it’s fashionable, and the aesthetics of glamping make it perfect for social media . Secondly, music festivals have started to include glamping as a more comfortable choice of overnight accommodation.

In addition, there is an increasing awareness of the importance of environmental protection and sustainability. Most glamping structures are built using low-impact materials, including upcycled and natural products, making them appealing to eco-conscious travelers.

The rise in popularity of wellness and wellness tourism means glamping is in demand for guests looking to participate in activities such as yoga and forest bathing.

Beyond Millenials and Gen-Z, families have also taken to glamping. They see being in nature as an opportunity to bond and share quality time together away from work, cell phones, and video games.

Luxury camping is for everyone

Although younger guests make up the majority of the market share, glamping is attractive to a variety of age groups, which helps to support the argument for investment. According to the most recent data, guests in the 33-50 age group will have the second-fastest CAGR .

Are glamping businesses profitable as vacation rentals?

So, is glamping a good investment ? This should be your biggest concern before starting your business. The idea of putting money into something trendy could make buyers concerned, and rightfully so.

Fortunately, glamping’s popularity isn’t so fleeting. Since its rise to fame in the late 2000s, glamping has become a travel trend that seems here to stay. Taking this into account, along with its relatively low startup costs, it’s realistic to expect a quick ROI.

How much does it cost to start a glamping business?

The glamping business startup cost varies widely depending on the price of land in your area and the type of accommodations you choose to offer.

While you may be tempted to invest in the cheapest land you can find, remember that location is everything for glamping. Picturesque surroundings and proximity to local outdoor attractions will go a long way toward attracting guests and maximizing your nightly rates. So, a more expensive plot may well be worth it.

Property costs aside, you will need to have at least a few thousand dollars to start your glamping business, assuming you go with a cheaper glamping accommodation option. However, if you hope to provide a more expensive option such as yurts, your accommodations could cost tens of thousands of dollars. Read about the different types of glamping in the next section to learn more.

Additionally, as with any vacation rental business, you’ll have the following costs to take into account as well:

• Furnishings and decor
• Glamping insurance
• Property taxes
• Maintenance and cleaning costs

How much do glamping businesses make?

Similarly, glamping business income depends on a variety of factors, including the type of accommodations you offer.

For example, you can purchase good quality bell tents for as little as $2,000 , which are considered low-maintenance compared to a standard vacation rental. High-end luxury camping sites can charge up to $1,000 a night , so running a profitable business might be easier than you think.

In general, revenue potential for glamping businesses ranges from $40,000 to $250,000 . This puts glamping business profit around $32,000 to $200,000.

Of course, you’ll have fewer costs in your second year of business, as you won’t have to purchase accommodations and furnishings again. So, your profit will only grow over time!

Types of glamping

The beauty of glamping—for investors and guests—is the wide range of accommodation types available. Hosts can let their imaginations run wild when it comes to the kind of vacation experience they offer.

Cabins and pods are the most common in North America, followed by tents, yurts, and treehouses. However, there are many weird and wonderful examples of glamping options, from domes and pods to Airstreams and upcycled buses.

In the list below, we look at some of the most popular luxury camping categories.

Of course, the concept of cabins is not new, and they have been around for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Nevertheless, this is exactly what makes them so intriguing.

The rustic appearance of these log structures is often associated with the North American wilderness, and many can be found within easy reach of the continent’s most impressive national parks, making them ideal for glamping.

Pods are typically made from wood and are designed to replace traditional camping tents. Their interiors are often simple yet comfortable and can be fitted with electrical appliances and even WiFi.

Notoriously low-maintenance, pods can be built for as little as $3,000 , giving hosts a quick ROI, especially when there’s more than one unit on site.

3. Bell tents and tipis

Bell tents are classic glamping structures that provide better weather protection and offer more space than camping tents. They are durable, breathable, and easy to build.

Tipis are traditional Native American tents, but the modern version is constructed from cotton fabric and wooden beams. These triangular-shaped tents are found throughout North American campsites and are especially popular among families with young kids .

Although some may consider these tents too simple to be regarded as luxury camping, there are usually shared amenities outside of the accommodation. Hosts may offer facilities like bathhouses and outdoor kitchens to make up for the lack of amenities inside.

Originating from Mongolia, yurts are traditional circular tents often found in Central Asia that are made using a lattice of flexible wood and covered in felt. They are typically fitted with patterned rugs, comfortable beds, and a wood-burning stove, and are significantly more spacious than a regular camping tent.

Building a yurt can cost between $7,500 to $64,000 , depending on the size, materials used, and amenities you provide.

5. Treehouses

Unsurprisingly, treehouses are made from wood and are normally built within a tree, making use of its organic architecture, or placed in the woods. They are perfect for guests who want a peaceful stay in nature mixed with a bit of adventure.

The options are endless with treehouses. They are particularly popular among couples due to their romantic vibe. Still, if you build expansions or multiple units, you can expect higher profits by marketing your property to families and larger groups.

6. Tiny houses

Tiny houses are one of the most eco-friendly options, as they are designed to take up the minimum amount of space and minimize resources. In addition, many are built with eco-friendly materials.

Typically, vacation rental owners who manage tiny homes have more than one unit on a larger plot of land. The average cost to build a tiny house is between $30,000 and $60,000 .

7. Trailers and Airstreams

Retro trailers and Airstreams are hugely popular—and an American icon. Often associated with movie stars, these portable accommodations are not necessarily cheap, but they certainly boast longevity.

Hosts can add outdoor seating and barbecues to create an ambient exterior setting.

A dome is a transparent pod that usually comes with just a bed in its most basic form. Glampers love these structures because they can enjoy sunrises and stargaze from the comfort of their pillows.

Ideal for romantic getaways , domes can cost anywhere between $3,000 and $14,000 .

9. Railroad cars

While railroad cars will certainly be hard to obtain, if you’re able to locate them, you’ll have a highly unique experience to offer your guests. Remodel their interiors to create comfortable and attractive accommodations that your guests will love.

Why should you start a glamping business?

Hosts have different reasons for starting a glamping business, and not all of them do it purely for profit. There’s no doubt that glamping can be a lucrative business. However, many do it for their love of nature, the lifestyle, or simply as a side hustle as they tend to their land.

Whatever your reasons are, here’s why you should start a glamping business.

1. Glamping is an unforgettable experience

Glamping opens doors to a whole new group of travelers. The idea of traditional camping puts many people off: the cold, mosquitoes, no running water, no access to fresh food, etc.

However, glamping is a completely different ball game. Providing a comfortable and unique vacation in the great outdoors will allow inexperienced travelers the opportunity to connect with nature.

Many vacation rentals offer more exclusive extras, such as welcome packs , yoga classes, rustic breakfasts, organic farming experiences,  and animal petting areas.

Whether you market your vacation rental to couples, families, or large groups, it’s bound to be an unforgettable experience with long-lasting memories made.

2. Eco-friendly and luxurious

As both luxury and sustainable tourism trends surge, hosts have the opportunity to invest in an eco-friendly vacation industry—and their guests will love them for it!

Installing solar panels and eco-toilets while using recycled and organic materials will allow you to offer the experience guests want while lowering your carbon footprint.

3. Lower investment and higher profits

The initial investment for glamping isn’t as high as buying a house and having to take out a mortgage. Rather, it is a lot cheaper to build, manage, and run. Therefore, the profit should be higher, and you should get your return on investment in a shorter amount of time.

The key is to get your glamping vacation rental out on the market. Know how to target your vacation rental to certain types of travelers, such as fitness and wellness travelers and millennials . Be aware of SEO hacks to ensure guests find your vacation rental on the most popular OTAs.

Today, glamping is considered a profitable business and can be managed in the same way as any other type of short-term rental.

4. Glamping is for everyone

Even though the younger generation makes up nearly 50% of the market share , each age group is growing year by year, demonstrating that glamping is for everyone.

You can tailor your marketing approach to target specific age groups while installing appropriate facilities to match.

5. Weddings and events

Glamping isn’t restricted to local campsites. As an investor, you could decide to cater to the increasing rise in glamping weddings and music festivals. You can capitalize on these notoriously profitable events by offering unique and luxurious experiences for a relatively low starting cost.

6. Running a glamping business is fun!

The opportunity to be your own boss, earn an income, and be surrounded by nature is appealing to many would-be hosts. It can be a hugely rewarding experience tending to your land while welcoming all kinds of people. 

Reading the reviews from guests on luxury camping listings and speaking to fellow glamping hosts will tell you all you need to know about how fun it can be!

Starting a glamping business

The great news is that it’s relatively easy to open a glamping business considering the lower startup costs and the minimal build time. However, a successful glamping business still needs some strategizing. 

Glampers have a good radar for what makes a glamping site different from a typical campsite, so you have to carefully plan out your short-term rental business if you’re going to convince potential guests.

Create a glamping business plan

Would you undergo any major investment without a structured idea of where you’re headed? Of course not! Glamping is no exception. Many vacation rental owners are wrongly misled to believe it’s too easy to own a glamping business. While it can be a lower commitment, planning is still imperative.

A good example of a business plan for glamping would include a company and industry analysis, an operations plan, and revenue management, at a minimum. 

Still not sure how to write your glamping business plan? We’ve got you covered with our glamping business plan example .

Business loans for glamping

It’s not a plot of land and it’s certainly not a hotel, so what is it? In the eyes of lenders, glamping can be hard to categorize. It’s important to find the right loan for your glamping endeavor to avoid excessively high interest rates or extended timelines for paying it back. Read up on all the tips for financing so you don’t end up paying more than you have to.

Your own bank

This might be your best option if you have a good relationship with your bank. Good rapport goes a long way with lending, as most lenders are seeking reliable borrowers.

Local banks and credit unions have it in their best interest to lend to their local residents, so see what options they could offer you. Also, you give back to your community and stimulate the local economy—so it’s a win, win!

Secured loans

If you already have other assets you could put on the line as a “security” to get a loan, this might be a good option. This is especially beneficial for vacation rental owners who already have other properties. Your existing asset might help you secure a good loan.

Startup loans

Due to its unconventional nature, some lenders don’t view a glamping business as a property investment so much as a startup business. In some cases, you can secure a loan under the “startup” category with better terms and conditions than a property loan may offer you.

Building a glamping site

Your construction is going to vary depending on a number of factors. No two glamping businesses are created equal, nor should they be! Glamping is acclaimed for its uniqueness, so each build is going to be entirely different. Still, there are some factors to consider regardless of how you decide to create your glamping business.

Many sites are heavily safeguarded by governing authorities. Protected land and building permits can make the construction of a “glampsite” difficult.

Be on the lookout for land with an easements clause. Essentially, this means that certain parameters over your property (like road access, a septic system, or hooking up to an electrical grid) would require additional access outside of your property, like a private road on your neighbor’s land. You could find yourself purchasing land that can’t be converted into a glamping site if you’re not careful.

Zoning restrictions

Zoning laws are great for when you don’t want a busy highway at your doorstep, but they’re less than ideal when you’re trying to start a vacation rental business. There are many zoning regulations, especially for highly touristic areas, that would prevent you from building your glamping business on some plots of land.

If you’re using a realtor or real estate site, make sure you’re filtering out zoning options that wouldn’t allow a glamping site to be built.

If you’re dead set on owning a tipi glamping business, you should only consider land that would be feasible for this type of accommodation. The same is true for any other type of glamping stay. If you want to offer bubble domes, then a plot of land with heavy light pollution and limited visibility might not be your best option.

If you’re still undecided on what type of glamping accommodation you’ll offer, keep it general with the land you buy. If it’s difficult terrain to build on, has limited access to the main road, or is not suitable for installing a septic or well system, then think again! The more difficult your land is to make it habitable, the longer construction time you’ll have.

For more information, you can learn best practices and stay up-to-date with glamping industry news by joining groups like the American Glamping Association (AGA).

The AGA has over 300 active members who meet weekly to discuss topics such as zoning, permitting, glamping structures, raising capital, and more. The association works to create alignment across the industry as it continues to evolve.

What are the glamping regulations in the United States?

Beyond the zoning and building regulations we covered in the previous section, some parts of the country have been explicit about glamping builds. In most cases, if you’re buying raw land, you’ll have to get approval for the “change of use” as it will go from woodland to a business or rental property, depending on local law.

It’s important to consult with your state and local authorities to understand the specifics. Some land is off-limits for glamping whether it’s protected, zoned differently, or federally recognized aboriginal land.

Outside of the U.S.

Zoning and building laws can drastically vary from country to country. For example, in the Netherlands, you don’t need a building permit for glamping as it’s not considered a “permanent build,” but in the U.K., you would need a permit. Always check your local laws to avoid any future fines, penalties, or legal troubles.

Marketing your glamping vacation rentals

What makes glamping so attractive? The sense of escape, the lure of luxury, and the breathtaking views…now you just have to sell it! Glamping is easy to market thanks to its built-in beauty, widespread popularity, and originality. All that’s left for you, the glamping business owner, is to market it. Know who you’re selling to and create an online marketing plan that caters to your crowd.

There are a number of OTAs that specialize in glamping, including Glamping Hub , Hipcamp , and Glamping.com , and even the larger vacation rental platforms, such as Airbnb, are including glamping in their categories .

Use a glamping management software

If you’ve overcome the hurdles of building a glamping campsite, stuck to your business plan, and marketed to potential guests, now is your time to reap the rewards and rake in all those reservations!

Whether you’re working with one yurt or 20 tiny homes, you’ll need the right tools for your day-to-day business operations. It can become overwhelming to manage reservations, set up a booking calendar, list on multiple sites, and run your business.

Lodgify’s glamping management software provides all the property management tools necessary for running your glamping business. What’s more, Lodgify even integrates with Glamping Hub , the premier online booking platform specializing in nature-based accommodations, to empower glamping hosts with increased visibility and bookings. Glamping Hub offers a curated booking platform, SEO-optimized listings, an integration with Kayak, and a secure payment system.

Download our free glamping business plan

If you’re taking your first steps into the glamping industry, you can download our free glamping business plan template to help you along the way. Owning a glamping business can be both exciting and challenging—but definitely worth it.

Don’t see the form to download our glamping business plan sample? Click here .

Ready to take more direct bookings?

No set up fees, no credit card details, no obligation. Try Lodgify free for 7 days.

How To Start A Campground Business (23 Step Checklist)

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

Do you love to camp?

Do you love the smell of campfires and wood smoke drifting through the crisp morning air?

Do you love the outdoors and nature?

Do you like to see families enjoying good times outdoors?

If so, then starting a campground may be the perfect business for you.

How To Start A Campground Business

How Big Is The Campground Industry?

Camping is one of the most popular outdoor recreational activities in the United States.

In 2013, the annual revenue of campgrounds and RV parks was estimated at more than $5 billion.

In 2014, consumers spent an additional $1.5 billion on camping equipment.

In 2013, there were more than 40 million camping participants in the US aged six or older.

Why Starting A Campground Business Now Is A Good Idea

Americans spend billions of dollars a year on camping and camping-related products.

Because of the rising costs of gas, travel, and other vacation expenses, camping remains the number one choice of most Americans.

Campground Business Facts

Here are some facts and figures about the campground business:

Campground Business Startup Costs: $10,000 to $50,000

How Much Do Campground Owners Make: $10,000 to $1 million or more with an average $100,000

How Much Campgrounds Charge: $20 to $100 a night

What Skills Are Required: Love of hard work, organizational and basic computer skills, basic maintenance, people and customer service skills

Are Franchises Available: Yes

What Do I Need to Get Started: Land

Can I Start From Home: Yes

Campground Business Ideas

Campground business ideas are endless. Think about it.

There are already Boy Scout Camps, Girl Scout Camps, Church Camps, and Camps for the Handicapped.

Everywhere you look there are camps that cater to specific groups.

Starting a Campground that does the same can make yours a destination campground in your region or state.

“Camp Wheelie” for instance can be a campground that is 100 percent wheelchair accessible right down to the fishing dock, showers, camping spots and nature trails.

Maybe you want a campground along a fly fishing river that caters to fly fishermen.

Campground Business Themes

• Flyfishing campground
• Rafting, canoeing and kayaking campground
• Motorhome only campground
• Swimming campground
• Fitness campground
• Wheelchair friendly campground
• Extended stay campground
• Motorcycles only campground
• Tent camping only campground
• Seniors only campground
• Tiny Homes on wheels campground
• Trains campground for people who love all things trains
• Wildlife rehab campground for people who want to see nature up close while animals are rehabilitated
• Sailing campground for people who want to learn to sail while they’re camping

Additional Resources

Well-known and popular RV and campground resources include consumer sites and campgrounds for sale if you don’t want to start your own from scratch, as well as a couple of articles on starting a campground business.

http://www.gocampingamerica.com/

http://www.passportamerica.com/campgrounds

http://www.rvia.org/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5kDf95r-Fw

http://www.campgroundsforsale.com/index.html

http://www.reserveamerica.com/

http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/may2009/sb20090512_499502.htm

Online Campground Schools, Courses, and Tutorials

http://www.campgroundschool.org/enroll-online

https://www.inspiredcamping.com/starting-a-glamping-business/

http://www.arvc.org/about_arvc

http://www.ncsbsa.org/resources/ncs/

http://www.capterra.com/camp-management-software/

http://mobilehomeparkclassroom.com/home

Great Campground Business Blogs

http://www.liveworkdream.com/2007/10/12/life-as-a-campground-owner-never-underestimate-the-entertainment-factor/

http://blog.koa.com/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-koa-campground-owner/

http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2005/10/free_camping.html

http://www.leisureholding.com/blog?start=5

Slide Presentations

Youtube videos.

Books & Magazines

http://www.rvparkuniversity.com/rv-park-investment-books-and-courses/rv-park-and-campground-investing-book.php

Camping Magazines

• Airstream Life Magazine
• Trailer Life Magazine
• Glamping with Mary Jane
• Camping Life

Share this post

Related posts.

How to Start Your Own Ice Cream Business

Ice cream businesses are probably the most visited shops by kids and adults alike.  Understandably so as ice cream is...

How to Open a Campground Business

Do you love camping? Ever thought of sharing your love for the great outdoors with other happy campers like you?...

How to Open an Interior Design Business

So you want to start an interior design business? Maybe you have something dreamed up in your head about having...

What would you like to search?

Popular searches.

• interior design
• adult day care business plan
• Restaurants
• event enter

10+ SAMPLE Camping or Camp Ground Business Plan in PDF | MS Word

Camping or camp ground business plan | ms word, 10+ sample camping or camp ground business plan, what is a camping or camp ground business plan, what are campgrounds, things to prepare for camping, elements involved in making a camping or campground business plan, how to make a camping or campground business plan, what should i look for a campground, do campgrounds bring in a lot of money, what characteristics characterize a good camping site.

Camp Ground Business Plan Template

Camp Ground Concession Business Plan

Field Office Camp Ground Business Plan

Camp Business Plan Outline

Standard Camp Ground Business Plan

Camp Ground Business Plan Example

Camp Ground Park Business Plan

Camping Business Plan Format

Draft Camp Ground Business Plan

Camp Ground Operations Business Plan

Camping Business Plan in DOC

Step 1: introduction and cover page, step 2: services, step 3: financial and marketing strategy, step 4: risk management, step 5: make a presentation, share this post on your network, file formats, word templates, google docs templates, excel templates, powerpoint templates, google sheets templates, google slides templates, pdf templates, publisher templates, psd templates, indesign templates, illustrator templates, pages templates, keynote templates, numbers templates, outlook templates, you may also like these articles, 5+ sample investment company business plan in pdf.

What do you do when you have tons of spare cash lying around your home or burning a hole in your wallet or expensive jeans pocket? For some people, the…

41+ SAMPLE Unit Plan Templates in PDF | MS Word

As a teacher, you might know about every school policy, the steps to keep classrooms safe for intellectual development, how to set up an organized classroom, and the proposed…

browse by categories

• Questionnaire
• Description
• Reconciliation
• Certificate
• Spreadsheet

Information

• privacy policy
• Terms & Conditions

RVParkBusinessPlan.com

Completely editable RV Park Business Plan

Easy to Use Dashboard Integrates with All Documents!

Everything is Integrated and Automated ! Please view the video on this site. You can read the plan here .

All content updated for 2023 ! The purchase price is $29.95.

At RVParkBusinessPlan.com, we have created a number of tools that you can use for developing a business plan specific for a RV park or campsite facilities. Our site provides you with an easy-to-use Excel based spreadsheet that provides a three-year financial forecast including a profit and loss statement, cash flow analysis, balance sheet, breakeven analysis, and business ratios overview. The Excel spreadsheet can be completely customized to how you intend to develop your operations, and it has been developed in a simple to develop format.

Through a simple question-and-answer system, the financial statements are automatically created.

Please see the video below:

The Word document is a complete business plan specific for a RV park. The chapter list is as follows:

• 1.0 Executive Summary
• 2.0 Financing Overview
• 3.0 RV Park Operations
• 4.0 Economic, Industry, and Market Research
• 5.0 Marketing Plan
• 6.0 Personnel Summary
• 7.0 Financial Plan
• Appendix A – SWOT Analysis
• Appendix B – Reference Sources
• Appendix C – Monthly and Quarterly P&L Statements
• Appendix D – Monthly and Quarterly Cash Flow Analysis

In addition to receiving the RV park business and excel model, you will also receive:

• A stand alone 24 page marketing plan
• A “How to Guide” related to starting or acquiring a RV park (or campsite facility)
• Three SWOT Analysis Templates
• Two RV Park Pitch Decks

How To Write an RV Park Business Plan + Template

Creating a business plan is essential for any business, but it can be especially helpful for RV park businesses that want to improve their strategy and/or raise funding.

A well-crafted business plan not only outlines the vision for your company, but also documents a step-by-step roadmap of how you are going to accomplish it. In order to create an effective business plan, you must first understand the components that are essential to its success.

This article provides an overview of the key elements that every RV park business owner should include in their business plan.

Download the Ultimate RV Park Business Plan Template

What is an RV Park Business Plan?

An RV park business plan is a formal written document that describes your company’s business strategy and its feasibility. It documents the reasons you will be successful, your areas of competitive advantage, and it includes information about your team members. Your business plan is a key document that will convince investors and lenders (if needed) that you are positioned to become a successful venture.

Why Write an RV Park Business Plan?

An RV park business plan is required for banks and investors. The document is a clear and concise guide of your business idea and the steps you will take to make it profitable.

Entrepreneurs can also use this as a roadmap when starting their new company or venture, especially if they are inexperienced in starting a business.

Writing an Effective RV Park Business Plan

The following are the key components of a successful RV park business plan:

Executive Summary

The executive summary of an RV park business plan is a one to two page overview of your entire business plan. It should summarize the main points, which will be presented in full in the rest of your business plan.

• Start with a one-line description of your RV park company
• Provide a short summary of the key points in each section of your business plan, which includes information about your company’s management team, industry analysis, competitive analysis, and financial forecast among others.

Company Description

This section should include a brief history of your company. Include a short description of how your company started, and provide a timeline of milestones your company has achieved.

If you are just starting your RV park business, you may not have a long company history. Instead, you can include information about your professional experience in this industry and how and why you conceived your new venture. If you have worked for a similar company before or have been involved in an entrepreneurial venture before starting your RV park, mention this.

Industry Analysis

The industry or market analysis is an important component of an RV park business plan. Conduct thorough market research to determine industry trends and document the size of your market. 

Questions to answer include:

• What part of the RV park industry are you targeting?
• How big is the market?
• What trends are happening in the industry right now (and if applicable, how do these trends support the success of your company)?

You should also include sources for the information you provide, such as published research reports and expert opinions.

Customer Analysis

This section should include a list of your target audience(s) with demographic and psychographic profiles (e.g., age, gender, income level, profession, job titles, interests). You will need to provide a profile of each customer segment separately, including their needs and wants.

For example, RV park customers may include families with children, retirees, and business travelers.

You can include information about how your customers make the decision to buy from you as well as what keeps them buying from you.

Develop a strategy for targeting those customers who are most likely to buy from you, as well as those that might be influenced to buy your products or RV park services with the right marketing.

Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis helps you determine how your product or service will be different from competitors, and what your unique selling proposition (USP) might be that will set you apart in this industry.

For each competitor, list their strengths and weaknesses. Next, determine your areas of competitive differentiation and/or advantage; that is, in what ways are you different from and ideally better than your competitors.

Below are sample competitive advantages your RV park business may have:

• Lower prices than traditional hotels
• Amenities such as pools, playgrounds, and BBQ areas
• Onsite laundry facilities
• Pet-friendly policies
• Easy access to major highways

Marketing Plan

This part of the business plan is where you determine and document your marketing plan. . Your plan should be clearly laid out, including the following 4 Ps.

• Product/Service : Detail your product/service offerings here. Document their features and benefits.
• Price : Document your pricing strategy here. In addition to stating the prices for your products/services, mention how your pricing compares to your competition.
• Place : Where will your customers find you? What channels of distribution (e.g., partnerships) will you use to reach them if applicable?
• Promotion : How will you reach your target customers? For example, you may use social media, write blog posts, create an email marketing campaign, use pay-per-click advertising, launch a direct mail campaign. Or, you may promote your RV park business via word-of-mouth marketing.

Operations Plan

This part of your RV park business plan should include the following information:

• How will you deliver your product/service to customers? For example, will you do it in person or over the phone only?
• What infrastructure, equipment, and resources are needed to operate successfully? How can you meet those requirements within budget constraints?

The operations plan is where you also need to include your company’s business policies. You will want to establish policies related to everything from customer service to pricing, to the overall brand image you are trying to present.

Finally, and most importantly, in your Operations Plan, you will lay out the milestones your company hopes to achieve within the next five years. Create a chart that shows the key milestone(s) you hope to achieve each quarter for the next four quarters, and then each year for the following four years. Examples of milestones for an RV park business include reaching $X in sales. Other examples include expanding to a second location, developing a new service, or hiring additional staff.

Management Team

List your team members here including their names and titles, as well as their expertise and experience relevant to your specific RV park industry. Include brief biography sketches for each team member.

Particularly if you are seeking funding, the goal of this section is to convince investors and lenders that your team has the expertise and experience to execute on your plan. If you are missing key team members, document the roles and responsibilities you plan to hire for in the future.

Financial Plan

Here you will include a summary of your complete and detailed financial plan (your full financial projections go in the Appendix). 

This includes the following three financial statements:

Income Statement

Your income statement should include:

• Revenue : how much revenue you generate.
• Cost of Goods Sold : These are your direct costs associated with generating revenue. This includes labor costs, as well as the cost of any equipment and supplies used to deliver the product/service offering.
• Net Income (or loss) : Once expenses and revenue are totaled and deducted from each other, this is the net income or loss.

Sample Income Statement for a Startup RV Park

Balance sheet.

Include a balance sheet that shows your assets, liabilities, and equity. Your balance sheet should include:

• Assets : All of the things you own (including cash).
• Liabilities : This is what you owe against your company’s assets, such as accounts payable or loans.
• Equity : The worth of your business after all liabilities and assets are totaled and deducted from each other.

Sample Balance Sheet for a Startup RV Park

Cash flow statement.

Include a cash flow statement showing how much cash comes in, how much cash goes out and a net cash flow for each year. The cash flow statement should include:

• Cash Flow From Operations
• Cash Flow From Investments
• Cash Flow From Financing

Below is a sample of a projected cash flow statement for a startup RV park business.

Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup RV Park

You will also want to include an appendix section which will include:

• Your complete financial projections
• A complete list of your company’s business policies and procedures related to the rest of the business plan (marketing, operations, etc.)
• Any other documentation which supports what you included in the body of your business plan.

Writing a good business plan gives you the advantage of being fully prepared to launch and/or grow your RV park company. It not only outlines your business vision but also provides a step-by-step process of how you are going to accomplish it.

A well-written business plan is an essential tool for any RV park owner. In this article, we’ve outlined the key components of a successful business plan and shared a template that you can use to create your own.  

Finish Your RV Park Business Plan in 1 Day!

Wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your RV park business plan?

With our Ultimate RV Park Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

How To Set Up A Campsite Business (Plan, Template & Samples)

Are you looking to set up a campsite business in the UK? We highly recommend you speak with a professional business consultant first.

Smallholdings for Sale partners with expert business planning consultants . ✅

What Type of Camping Business Are You Planning?

Complete a Quick Form — Get Free Advice

Setting up a campsite can be a highly rewarding job for an owner with a complementary love of the outdoors.

Still, however keen you are to begin a business of any kind, it always pays off to prepare by making detailed plans.

In this article, you’ll learn about what it takes to run a profitable campsite, how to write a winning campsite business plan, plus how to practically lay out your campsite amenities for success.

Table of Contents

Campsite ownership: who does it suit lifestyle vs. business style.

• Campsite Feasibility Plan
• Drafting A Campsite Business Plan
• Buying The Right Campsite
• Planning Campsite Site Layout & Amenities
• Campsite Regulations: Planning Permission & Licenses
• A Comprehensive Line-Up of Campsite Machinery

Keep a look out as you read this article. Within each chapter, we provide numerous hands-on resources which we hope will enable your to make a more profitable campsite acquisition.

You might be surprised.

According to experienced owners, the most important factor for success when running a campsite is excellence in “customer service .”

Your camping customers will be of varying proficiency and experience.

Keeping all visitors well accommodated and hosted will be your secret to keeping them coming back .

Who is campsite ownership really for?

As a baseline, a well-rounded, intermediate skill set in outdoor pursuits will go a long way to keeping the whole operation smoothly ticking over.

Many sites employ specialists in one activity or another, like archery for example, to establish a competitive edge and unique selling point.

A love of the outdoors for an owner though is a must.

Season in, season out. Come rain or shine (…as they say..) your motivation for getting up early and making sound preparation for the optimal guest experience must never dull.

Patience, as well as diligence in being able to spot a camper wading out of their depth, are keen survival skills for the business.

Responsiveness to onsite problems calls for round-the-clock availability. Logistically, this can be difficult to achieve if you live a distance from the site.

Campground owners who take up residence on-site , fare better in resolving potential unforeseen operational issues.

Is camping experience essential to success as a campground owner?

Absolutely .

The campsite customer experience is all the more memorable if owners prioritise knowing their customers.

How best can you get to know a camper? Be one.

Any length of experience in the discipline will reveal that campers are quite a social bunch.

Fostering a communal atmosphere within the camp adds untold value to the stay of guests.

Campsite visitors are typically a diverse crowd also, hailing from a variety of international destinations.

With such a wealth of diversity, a campsite can be a very eclectic environment and leveraging this by encouraging respectful, organised interaction is a winner for any site owner.

If you are a complete newbie to the culture, then to get a real grasp on the key success factors (the kind that you might not find by desk research alone) we advise taking the plunge to gather some first-hand experience.

If you have personally embraced the discipline of camping already – then this will give you valuable insight into what benefits would be most appreciated by customers.

What does a typical day in the life of a campsite owner look like?

Campsite ownership is still a business .

Whilst the operational aspects of running the site are based outdoors, there is just no getting away from the office-based administrative tasks typical to any business ownership.

Take this average ‘day-in-the-life-of’ , as disclosed by Don Pezza , owner of Waterloo Harbour Campground in New York , during interview with Businesses For Sale :

Q: What does a typical day/week look like? A: It’s long. I would open the office at 8am and handle camper check-out until 11am when my wife would take over the office while I went outside and worked on maintenance or landscaping. I would get back to the office around 5pm-6pm and that’s when new campers would be checking in. You definitely have to like the business to do it every day.  You also need to be available to your customers 24-7. Once someone broke a water pipe and water was gushing 50 feet into the air at 11pm. If I hadn’t lived onsite, that would have been a real problem.

…interview courtesy of www.businessesforsale.com

Prerequisite skills for successfully running a campsite

A campsite owner who is an all-rounder will have more resilience to outlast most storms .

There are many facets to the job:

• inc. sales, marketing, promotion, PR, financial accounting…
• inc. check-in, check-out, training, cleaning…
• inc. outdoor fire pits, other technical abilities, vehicle mechanics, water safety…
• inc. plumbing, electrics, landscaping etc…
• inc. languages, cultural awareness, cooking etc…

…to name a few.

Do ex-corporate career people make good campsite owners?

Ultimately, passion for people is what makes businesses tick.

Where this exists, trade booms. Where this is waning, productivity is starved.

Corporate explorers who swap the sharp suits for waterproofs and Nikwax can make a raring success of the trade if their heart is in the right place .

Take Vikram Jashapara , for example , an ex-finance company boss, inventor of dog aides and owner of Springfield Park Campsite, St Albans, Hertfordshire …within this interview , he demonstrates just how to break the mold.

Campsite Feasibility Plan: Do Your Due Diligence Before Investing

There is more than one way to set up a campsite.

Commonly, however, the necessity of the physical asset of land is totally unavoidable.

To get started, you either will have land already and will re-purpose what you’ve got, or you will need to acquire land .

Remember, running a camping business also requires, for example , the appropriate trade licenses.

So by no means are we saying that it is as easy as simply getting some land.

But regulatory checks and balances aside for the moment, the foundational requirement of land is the first major hurdle to starting your campsite business.

Beyond the decision of either changing the use of land which is already owned or acquiring a new plot, are the finer business details enclosed within a campsite feasibility study or master plan .

What is a feasibility study? A campsite business is a means of matching the desire of customers for a winning outdoor pursuit experience, with reliability, whilst making a profit. A feasibility study is the assessment of whether the project of starting-up a campsite is likely to be worth the endeavour . Whilst it is impossible to tell for sure if a business is guaranteed to fail or succeed, you can establish a well calculated guess. Executive summary for setting up a campsite This is a high level summary of the feasibility study, giving direction and a head to the document. Set a mission statement. Say what you expect your campsite to mean to your customers and why, in a succinct sentence or two. Products and services of the campsite Like any business, the services and products mix offered by a campsite are entirely different – no two being alike. Some campsites are more traditional that others offering an generally expected array of activities and amenities onsite. Other campgrounds, after their owners, like to set trends and make their mark with innovation. Whatever the line-up of products/services, consistent quality and profitability is key to sustaining long term advantage. Core competencies and abilities must support the delivery of what is to be expected within the make-up of campground offerings. Technology considerations The delivery of the aforementioned products and services will to some degree depend upon the competent use of technology. Equipment of varying kinds are used on campsites… tractors, septic tanks, electrical hook-ups, showers and water mains … Acquisition of machinery , competent use, training, licenses and other such considerations are typically addressed within feasibility plans. A critical showstopper for many business operations in one way or another, overlooking technology can leave trade high and dry . Assessing the feasibility of such prerequisites for performance is key to getting it right in practice. The marketplace Analysis of the campsite marketplace is key for validating the progress of the start-up project beyond mere concept. Market indicators and statistics can provide a solid basis for further investment and commitment to delivering your campground start-up. Supporting your start-up plans with evidenced trends and data-driven research of existing use, similar to the services/products you have in mind, grants confidence to planned progress. Staff Every campsite needs round the clock care, simply because your guests do. Multidisciplinary skills demand as well as flexible availability of labour resources makes for quite a fine balance in aptly running a campsite. Budget wise, there will need to be a mix part-time and full time stewards assigned to the day to day management, maintenance and operations of the business. At this stage, a simple outline of dedicated personnel is all that is required to pull together a quick assessment of feasibility. Names and IDs at this stage are useful to line up against function. Schedule Time management is always a critical factor when planning a successful business. Even at this early stage of planning, establishing a firm handle on scheduling – even just for milestone orientation to get a gauge of scope is useful. An estimate of scope gives firmer understanding of how you might expect things to develop once you are underway. Setting firm boundaries of time will grant you and your team reachable goals along the way. 6 year projection for a campsite business This 6 year projection simply takes into account your income and cost expectations for the campsite. The aim here is to produce a cashflow figure per year. This gives you an idea of how financially fruitful your campsite plans are likely to be over a 6 year period. A comprehensive overview of revenue streams should be included: covering core business services as well as peripheral , more experimental or speculative ventures. A well-founded array of costs ought to be laid out here, doing away with as many assumptions as possible for greater certainty. Your 6 year estimate should be used to support your ultimate start-up decision, either way.

Drafting A Campsite Business Plan (Template Included)

Business plans are more than formalities.

They should be the architectural commercial blueprint for how you intend to turn your campsite business concept and subsequent investment into multiplied returns, over the long term.

Your campground business plan should suffice a road map of exactly how you intend to drive your business vehicle confidently to the destination of success.

In our opinion your campsite business plan should incorporate the following points :

Feasibility Plan

Already done (see previous chapter of this blog).

Project Plan for starting up your campsite

Your project plan for starting up your campsite begins with a problem statement .

A problem statement by definition declares how your business is to serve your customers . It answers the question…

“ …what value are your really adding, beyond what’s already out there? “

Your business will genuinely fulfill it’s purpose (and therefore have long term success) if it consistently solves customer’s problems, rather than primarily being a vehicle for making you money.

Customer-centric is the term used to describes a business with the customer at heart .

“This schematic summary published on Blogmutt , does a good job of piecing the concept together visually.”

…Quote from Smallholdings For Sale

Campsites and their owners therefore, according to sound business etiquette and teaching, ought to provide enriching camping experiences for their camping guests.

Where do you begin?

Talk to some campers & find out the problems they experience camping – and simply work hard to fill in the gaps!

Where are you going to find campers talking about their camping problems?

• Groups and associations
• Consumer rights portals
• Product reviews
• Social media channels
• On campsites…visit a few, talk to some campers

…the list goes on

Discuss the organisational impact

A new campsite business will impact your current organisational set-up one way or another.

It will require both personal commitment and sacrifice .

Making detailed notes on how this change in lifestyle might be managed will help you set realistic expectations for the business start-up road ahead.

Consider your personal resources and quantify your increased levels of output and personal investment.

Being granular in this area avoids the common culture shock (and often abandonment) of starting and enduring on within this new venture of yours.

Campsite market research & analysis

The marketplace is awash with campgrounds and what they have on offer.

Taking a deep dive examination into what exists out there in the commercial markets for camping activities will help you discover opportunities for you to effectively service the needs of potential guests.

Comparing existing market offerings according to the following benchmark criteria will grant you a well rounded picture of what’s out there and further give indication as to where you ought to position your campsite business within your market:

The Marketing Mix – 7Ps “Simply put the Marketing Mix is a tool used by businesses and Marketers to help determine a product or brands offering.” – Professional Academy …image courtesy of www.marketingmix.co.uk Product (service) – what type of campsite services are on offer? i.e. tent pitching, caravan/motorhome pitching, on-site activities, amenities like a launderette etc. Place – which location do you think will favour your campsite business the most? What location is going to be most convenient for your campers? Price – examining fees and fee structures of existing campsite businesses will give you an idea for what your customers might already be used to. Promotion – getting your business known by target markets takes establishing a deliberate course and sticking with it. Taking a look at how your peers in the marketplace already achieve this might stir up a few ideas of your own. People – customer service is the number one, resounding quality of a successful campsite business according to experienced owners. Getting your ‘people mix’ right from the top will get you a good headstart. Process – ‘secret sauce or special formula’ is simply the way you do things which customers find worth coming back to, time and time again. Get this right and you’ll soon gain a loyal, repeat customer base of campsite visitors. Physical environment – layout is a winning ingredient in campsite businesses. Get this right and make the experience all the more convenient for a diverse range of guests and you’re on to a winner all round. Consider the requirements of families vs. sole campers, or groups versus individuals etc. Privacy and proximity between guest pitches are very important dimensions to get right with planning uses of space with campsites.

Marketing & campsite promotion

Effectively and profitably reaching new audiences for your campsite business is a key success factor.

Communication is the key.

Can you persuade your audience that you understand their needs and that you have what it takes to deliver the quality they desire all round?

Problem solving businesses in these days with more commercially savvy and research able customers (…yes, even in the camping industry) reap incomparably greater rewards .

Isn’t it just about getting your brand out there? What’s with problem-solving?

There are two approaches to getting your campsite to market.

• Traditional advertising […simply getting out there], vs…
• (Digital) Content Marketing […expertly answering customer problems & gaining reputation for it]

Traditional marketing involves saying what you’ve got and presenting an offer.

Content marketing involves harnessing the benefits of the internet to deal with customer’s questions and problems with expert answers and guides.

The winner?

Content marketing.

It builds trust early on , establishing your business as an authority in its field.

This positions your business, no matter how small or new, as outright leader before an audience of thousands, every day.

Traditional advertising vs content marketing The disparity in bottom-line results is worlds apart. No contest. Content marketing has the following undeniable advantages over traditional advertising: zero-budget diy (do it yourself) rockets conversion rates provides unbeatable sales collateral grows brand reputation…exponentially long lasting primes customer for winning experience talk with customers from afar demand generation …the list goes on! All you need is a brand , domain name and a website content management system like, WordPress.org as a blogging platform (which is an online digital business journal for regularly relating to your prospective customers with your latest advice on how to solve their most pressing camping problems)  & all for minimum cost. The cost of content marketing is mere pennies in comparison to traditional marketing channels, yet offering incomparable reach and long term benefits. …image courtesy of Visual.ly Is there any real reason why your campsite business would not, could not, should not, benefit from a content marketing strategy ? Here is how we advise you go about developing your very own campsite content marketing strategy … [1] Niche problem discovery – find out customer problems by listening to their conversations and making diligent notes. [2] Seed your top content marketing topic ideas by keyword research – define which problems your customers would really appreciate you solving for them the most and discover how they might phrase how they ask such questions, using search engines like Google. [3] Produce content silos based on common themes to group together similar pieces – your web content, in the form of written articles and other supporting media like videos and images, where appropriate, needs to be an overwhelmingly volume driven and exceedingly well organised body of advice. Siloing is a very effective way of collating your ideas. [4] Put together a schedule of production for your content marketing strategy – piece by piece, outline your plan for how you intend to develop the content pieces over time. Once you’ve gotten this far, all that remains is to get developing that content…and… …to hit publish of course!

Monitor your website traffic for updates on just how fruitful your content marketing efforts are proving in the live environment.

The final markers of success, however, of course are sales revenue and profit.

Which brings us neatly on to our next topic.

Financial plan for a campground business plan Writing a financial plan for your campsite business will typically have the following profile: Profit/Loss or Income Statement Cashflow Staff Budget Sales Projection Business Budget Asset Register Balance Sheet Here’s a break down to explain the purpose and format for each chapter of this financial plan for setting up your campsite business… Profit/loss or income statement This profit loss template faces-off your campsite income directly against the expected costs & overheads . When the two figures are lined up correctly ( income vs. outgoing ) – the resulting figure indicates the financial profitability ( or loses made ) of your business, on paper. Cashflow statement This cashflow statement will give you an idea of cumulative movement of cash in and out of your campsite business . This differs from the profit loss in that it gives you a running total of your campsite’s cash position in order to predict availability of funds for meeting obligations and re-investing in operations etc. Staff budget Keeping a keen eye on your staff budgeting and labour resource management is critical to maintaining consistent operational commitment. This spreadsheet will grant you oversight of your staffing budget at a glimpse. Useful for keeping staff provision in view, for now and as well as for the future, as your campsite grows. Sales projection Having an accurate guess-timate for what your sales figures are likely to be for any given trade period is advantageous for forward planning. Estimations within business planning are all dependent. Cash flow, upon profit loss. Profit loss upon sales. Sales upon marketing research and product/service offering etc. Aligning your estimations one with another will keep constant the assumptions and rationale , making your overall numbers of greater integrity . Sales figures here should be underpinned by sound evidence-based reasoning. Asset register Keeping a running tally on the tangible and intangible assets your campsite business holds prepares you planning their maintenance, replacement or sale. A running total of valuation and depreciation will put to the forefront of their worthiness and market value. This helps inform your decision making for handling them optimally for your business. Balance sheet A fundamental view on the balance of assets ( revenue generating – “monies coming in” – business holdings ) vs. liabilities ( monies owed ) will offer a firmly grounded picture of long term business sustainability. True profitability, answering the question, “what is your campsite business really built on?”

Management plan for a campsite business plan

Management of your campsite business comes down to your processes and procedures .

Coupled with keen stewardship and personal attentiveness of the staff, also being systematic goes a long way .

The following framework is our recommended academic approach (based on Prince2 Project Management principles) to staging the running of your campsite business for the most controlled results:

Cost management The basis of estimate method will ensure your cost estimates for starting up your campground will carry a reliable granularity. Every cost is broken down into its contributing elements, complete with itemised description and accompanying figures. Labour management Campsites are labour intensive operations . As an owner, you’ll need to keep a detailed draft plan of how you intend to handle staff and bring them into the optimal array for delivering the service quality your customers desire. This labour management matrix covers the following disciplines: delegation of roles and responsibilities, operational organisation, acquisition, scheduling Procurement management for campsites Procuring campsite assets and services effectively and efficiently needs professional planning. Vendors and your relationships with them need evaluating continually in order to achieve favourable results for your business. Quality management for campsite businesses Quality of campers’ customer experience can be either positively or conversely impacted by service and product attributes. Check-in/check-out procedures Availability of amenities Pitch features etc… List the attributes for each product or service and define metrics for measuring against a standard. Risk management for campsite owners Risk assessment in camping operations are a major consideration. Documentation of health and safety routine inspections throughout the grounds and all equipment is an ongoing requirement. Keeping a risk register allows for continual oversight over operational issues and your progress made in tackling them. A framework for internal management of risk based on PRinCE2 principals will keep you in good stead for keeping bearing down on risk.

Buying The Right Campsite vs. Campsite Construction

As you can imagine, doing anything from scratch comes at a bigger initial cost – yet the long term results are more than often much more satisfying.

A campsite set-up comes with common obstacles either way, whether constructing and equipping a new site, or acquiring an existing business:

• planning permission
• campsite license
• minimum standards
• amenities planning
• capital expense
• reserve for initial revenue expenses

But generally speaking, the more extensive the project, the higher the barrier to entry becomes . So building a campsite from scratch is a far more adventurous prospect and as such is wrought with greater complexities. The following considerations when setting up a campsite, however, are typical for any project: Ownership – leasehold or freehold, along with long term on-site tenants like. cabin owners, might make campsite ownership more of a complex decision. Aspect – where is your campsite located? Advantages & disadvantages of the site? Access – is your chosen campsite conveniently & safely accessed by motor vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians etc.? Can emergency vehicles access your site and turnaround safely? Drainage – is your soil type permeable enough to allow ample drainage during periods of significant downpour? Is there risk of waterlogging ? Do you need to install boreholes into the land to aid drainage? Sewage – do you have ample capacity for current operational sewerage output as well as planned future growth? Have the systems been inspected and do they meet expected standards? Equipment – mobility around the site, haulage and landscape preparation requires appropriate equipment. Do you have sufficient tools and machinery for your planned operation? Electrics – do you and staff have sufficient technical problem solving knowledge for handling brownouts and restoring breaker settings once tripped? Do you have necessary dedicated electrical tools for electrical installation and repair onsite? Roads & Paths – do you have a tractor onsite? Do you have ample attachments for leveling off aggregate surface layers to produce a workable hardcore? Do you need tarmac or asphalt road surfaces? Mowing and Landscaping – are there expanses of lawned green? Do you need seated mowers to get the job done efficiently and effectively, in between busy occupation periods? Seasonal Issues – are you aware of flooding patterns, insect infestations and local woodland wildlife which may affect the user experience, one way or another, of your camping guests? Plumbing – pipework is adversely affected by cold weather extremes. Do you have necessary expertise, or can you call upon necessary expertise to avoid having to repair burst pipes or toilet basins in winter, by preventative measures?

Starting from scratch can become a minefield of bureaucracy according to some experienced owners.

Take this expat for example who immigrated to France in 2004 and set up campsites from scratch twice over and found both encounters to be very costly arrangements.

“…the caravan site had to have an enormous 8,000 ltr tank installed with an even more enormous two tiered soak away system. Doing most of the work ourselves it still cost an enormous budget busting €22,500 .” …a forum thread from French Entree property website

Advice from many is to find a depreciated campsite with the minimum of amenities which you intend to offer and simply bring the standard up to scratch.

Some say the potential cost savings from avoiding the premium of an existing campsite business many be completely lost or even dwarfed by the eventual cost of ‘ regulatory hoop gymnastics ‘ when starting out from scratch.

The merits, either way, are valid, but it depends on your ability to make the decision in the confidence of long term profitability.

Planning Campsite Layout & Amenities

Aside from location, the utility of space is critical to getting the balance right with delivering optimal campsite services.

Organisation and layout of your campsite pitches and amenities will either make for a convenient camping experience or otherwise one with quite a lot of user friction.

Of considerable importance is establishing optimal campsite layout for immediate operations as well as for the accommodation of future growth.

Setting the best layout for the customer for time to come can be make or break for campsite businesses.

Integrally tied into the planning permission process , drafting a good layout has multiple benefits.

The best way however to get a proper feel for what we mean, regarding campsite layout, is to delve into an illustrative case study .

The experts at the helm in this professional case study are SCHOENBAUER CONSULTING, LLC .

A husband and wife team with plenty of complimentary corporate experience in architectural landscaping and business management respectively.

“ …a Minneapolis-based planning, design, community outreach/public process, and research firm specializing in public projects that improve the quality of life in our communities. “

…image and quote courtesy of http://www.schoenbauerconsulting.com/

Case study background:

The City of Fergus Falls retained Jeff and Kathy to draft a campsite master plan for the development of Delagoon Campground . It is a strategic, visionary document.

It is a primary tool of communicating a clear case for eliciting funding and to accompany the necessary planning submissions .

What we aim to provide by relaying this case study is a user-friendly digest for campsite start-ups , much like yours, whatever the scale.

These are strategic considerations of a development project, as articulated and delivered by consummate professionals.

We hope your enjoy this…

The Delagoon Campground Case Study

Regional significance and importance

It seems this campground aside from serving tourists also offers it’s resources to the community in which it resides and thus is highly valued for recreational benefits.

It’s redevelopment would provide a wealth of opportunities to fill a discernible value gap that otherwise would have been left unattended.

“ The campground is a much needed regional recreational facility that complements other public (and private) regional or state-level campgrounds in the area . “

Regional general camping availability

Within the region, the are many other privately owned campsites which offer only limited availability to their facilities throughout the year.

Without Fergus Falls , regional guests looking for a general camping experience, year round, will be driven out of region to search for a solution elsewhere.

“ Delagoon Campground is the only public campground along the full length of the Central Lakes State Trail. “

Setting & Environment

The campground is surrounded by lakes which are favoured positions for fishing trips.

There is also a local business district which connects guests to services such as local shops and entertainment.

“ … direct access to Pebble Lake, the Central Lakes State Trail and the amenities provided at Delagoon Park all add value to the camping experience. “

Current campsite map

The current campsite map and layout offers an accurate as-is picture.

But also the map highlights s a raft of glaring problems which are in great need of correction.

A closer examination alludes to many issues which tell a story of general disrepair and in some areas, frank decay.

Having said that, the value-adding opportunities for redeveloping what is certainly a most diverse use of land are manifold.

“Although in need of redevelopment, the site itself is well-suited and well-located for development of a regional-level campground…(however), the existing utilities are rundown and do not meet current standards.”

The user trends for campsites within this region show an increasing preference (particularly from older guests) for a higher quality of amenities e.g. RV/Camper hook-up above and beyond over the more rustic, authentic tent-based experiences.

“…the diversity of campers and types of camping units is wide ranging – with a trend toward larger self contained RVs and campers.”

Vision Statement

This is the portion of the document where the ambition of the executive team of owners is succinctly outlined for all to see.

The ideal camping experience should be found within these lines and all amenities by which to deliver real service excellence for years to come.

“ [Mission statement:]… provide a high quality camping and outdoor recreational experience, along with providing a convenient place to stay for residents, regional visitors and tourists… “

Master plan illustration The campsite masterplan is neatly summed up by the following illustration.

Roadways and entrance

The roadways and entrance to the campsite are quite an attraction in themselves.

They do a delightful job of showing off the outstanding natural beauty of the environment.

They are built-up in tarmac for durability and ease of traverse for guests in motor vehicles like RVs etc.

“…new entrance drive will traverse through an old farmstead to create a more appealing sense of entrance to the campground.”

Custom designed buildings to contain laundry rooms, toilets and shower rooms are provided for within the planned redevelopment.

The designs and standards are underpinned by the local authority heath and safety department policies.

“…number of options are being considered for the design of the sanitation building and toilet facilities.”

Dump station and trash

Dump station and trash recycling amenities are regularly distributed through the expansive landscape of this park.

“… trash/recycling center will be designed with a pull-off lane from the entrance road to allow campers to dispose of their trash without blocking outgoing traffic.”

Trails, reserves and recreational areas

Trails which are tarmacked for easy car access are flanked by picnic benches, ballparks and beach.

There are wood storage units at regular intervals for campers to obtain pest-free wood for wood fires.

“…allow campers to walk or bike between camp loops and gain access to the various recreational features within and outside the campground.”

Lawns and landscaped areas

Aside from well maintained turf in many areas of the park, there is more wild, natural habitat with trees and shrubbery .

“… well-maintained park-like aesthetic will be retained, many of the areas in and around the campground loops will be transitioned over time to a more natural landscape of native trees.”

This campsite layout case study wouldn’t be complete if there wasn’t a round-up of cost.

As is customary for such a grand scale project, the costs involved for delivering the goods are likewise massive.

If your campsite start-up project is a more humbled scaled down version, if even comparable at all, don’t fast forward just yet.

It’s worth taking a look at the itemised costs as they lend a well rounded appreciation for all involved.

These cost categories might be very applicable to your project, albeit with numbers a little lower than these quoted costs. However, the principal of cost category should still apply.

Campsite Regulations FAQs: Planning Permission & Licenses (England and Wales)

Setting up a campsite is an activity regulated by UK law .

As for the checks, balances and controls involved, these are the nuances in the form of a classic FAQ exercise (full details are displayed on the GOV.UK website ):

Who governs the application process for a campsite license (England and Wales)? Local authorities are responsible for the exercising of governance over the allocation of campsite licenses here in the England and Wales. What are the prerequisites for campsite license application (England and Wales)? Prior to applying for a campsite license, you must first have planning permission . What exemptions are there for applying for a campsite license (Englnad and Wales)? If you are hospitable to certain types of manual labourers such as the following, then you will be exempt from applying for a campsite license: forestry workers builders seasonal workers like fruit pickers or, travelling showmen If you have 5 or more acres and accommodate 3 or less tents for 28 days or less per year , you will also be exempt. If you are the member of an organisation and have exemption certificate If your site is approved by a camping or caravan organisation with an exemption certificate If members of an exempted organisation stay in tents on your site If granted, what restrictions can be applied to the issuing of a campsite license (England and Wales)? Even should you receive a campsite license, you might still be constrained to do the following: Conform your preferred layout to our new instruction; How many tents are allowed onsite; Toilet facilities that should be provided “…don’t agree with your campsite permission outcome?” You can appeal to your local magistrates court. How do I apply for a campsite license (England and Wales)? Get in contact with your local council. Ask for the form , fill it in (detailing proposed campsite layout, available amenities etc.) and await your council’s decision . Some authorities, charge a fee on awarding a campsite license. What happens if I don’t get a campsite license and begin operation, although requiring one (England and Wales)? You could be fined . What happens if I break the conditions of my license (England and Wales)? Again, you could be fined .

A Comprehensive (…but not exhaustive) List of Campsite Machinery

The following is a useful list of the kinds of equipment many campsiteslike the type you are seeking to set up use.

These items are a matter of preference and are not mandatory. We hope you find it worth a quick glance.

Note : this outline of items and respective suppliers can be found at: http://www.caravanparkproducts.co.uk/

Alarms – ensuring valuable equipment and off-bounds facilities are protected, alerting you if there should be any accounts of tampering or interference. Barriers –  barricading particular  areas from your guest footfall to ensure necessary boundaries are maintained. Benches and tables – communal hotspots for a quick exchange or sharing some food in designated areas. Bicycle parking – guests can secure their bikes when visiting various parts of your site. Bollards – deterring vehicular traffic from specific areas on site. Booking management system – take online bookings and collate all customer data together in one neat digital CRM. Campfire/fire pits – large controlled fires where guests can gather at night to roast snacks and warm themselves together. CCTV – keep a protective watch over your guests to ensure the utmost safety standards are exercised at all times. Changing and toilet cubicles – purpose made sanitary facilities for all guests. Chemical toilet – does your site lack running water? Do you need a toilet facility? Enter, chemical toilet. Simple. Coin meter + timers – electrical hook-ups and other amenities might be on controlled meter usage, available to guests. Coin operated laundry – clothes washing facilities for guests to conveniently and cost effectively keep there clothes & bedding clean. Dog waste bins – discrete, appointed communal cans where guests can deposit their dog’s waste. Fencing – bordering your site and containing the use of your landscape physically and visibly. Fire extinguisher – fire protection equipment strategically positioned onsite as a back-up should any fires breakout. Geodesic domes or marquee – temporary demountable structures, gathering points where guests can assemble under a canopy. Hardstanding – for touring caravans and RVs to take position at your designated pitches. Hazard markers – for highlighting areas where hazardous material or chemical has been split to alert others to beware of the instance. Help point telephones – for guests who need assistance and must speak with someone in an emergency. Hookup meters – metered electricity for charging up RV/motorhome batteries etc. Log cabin – more permanent accommodation available on-site for an alternative where necessary or preferred by some guests. LPG water heaters + boilers – provide reliable hot water for your campsite guests. Mowers & leaf blowers – keep lawn areas attractive to use and respectfully tidy for your guests. Notice boards – general notices and messages are clearly displayed and won’t weather easily with these purpose made notice boards. Pitch markers – outline exactly where each pitch begins and ends to avoid doubt and confusion among guests. Playground equipment – children can now enjoy constructive outdoor activities with your safe play environment. Portable toilet – toilet facilities for all. Reception desks – a professional presentation upon check-in with a manned reception. Safety flooring – install flooring with good grip for aspects of the site where guests will need the artificial help. Sheds – multipurpose storage. Showers – allow guests to bathe themselves adequately on your campsite and keep them coming back with repeat bookings. Signage – make clear reference to denote key features on site. Tractor – a general, all-round utility vehicle for your campsite, performing tasks such as: laying down hardcore etc. Wifi broadband – allow guests to remain conveniently connected to the internet with wifi internet broadband.

Conclusion for Setting Up Your Campsite

Whilst we have certainly put a lot of effort into presenting you with a comprehensive guide , we still believe in the fruitful manner of online social media… a ‘guide post’ isn’t truly complete without a long list of comments !

Feel free to mention your thoughts below and to give us some food for further thought for relevant updates to this post.

We hope you gain good value in planning and preparation from this article for starting your own campsite business.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I’ve Worked at a Campsite for 5 Years—These Are the 15 Mistakes Every Camper Should Avoid

What you really need to know before heading to a campsite.

H ot dog buns. It sounds funny, but when people ask me what they need to pack for camping, that's one of the first things I always say—because they are consistently one of the most common items my campers forget. Everyone remembers the hot dogs for roasting, but not the buns for putting them in. As a result, we end up selling an unbelievable amount of hot dog buns at our camp store during camping season! But that's just one of the common camping mistakes I see—and one of the camping tips I’ve learned over the years.

I didn't grow up as a camper. In fact, it wasn't until I met my now-husband, Alan, in college that I decided to even try sleeping anywhere that wasn't a bed. But as I fell in love with him, I also fell in love with the great outdoors, and in 2019, we purchased a KOA campsite in Brattleboro, Vermont, that we own and manage together nine months out of the year. To accommodate every level and style of camper, we have camper cabins, campsites for tent camping and spots for RV camping. So believe me when I say I've seen it all and learned a lot along the way, including the rude habits other campers dislike .

Whether you're a  camping newbie looking to get started or a veteran camper in search of new camping hacks , you’re about to learn something here. And it will make your next camping trip so much better.

Get  Reader's Digest ’s  Read Up newsletter  for more travel, tech, humor, cleaning and fun facts all week long.

Not doing a "shakedown trip"

A shakedown trip is a dry run of your camping trip, with all your equipment but close to home. This way, you can test out everything, see if you're missing any items and—most important—make sure you know how to put up your tent. I've seen too many campers show up with brand-new camping gear and equipment still in the box and have absolutely no idea how to use it. I've also seen seasoned campers who've forgotten the tent stakes because they haven't checked the bag since the previous season.

Do this instea d: Do a practice run with all your equipment, set everything up, turn it all on and off, and make sure it's all in good condition. Yes, it will take an extra couple of hours, but it's better to spend the time before you leave rather than scramble once you get to the campsite because your camp stove is broken. This is one of the best camping tips you'll ever learn.

Walking through occupied campsites

Want to start a fight with a stranger? The fastest way to make an enemy while camping is to cut through another person's campsite. When you pay for a site, it is reserved just for your use, and it's reasonable to expect others to treat it as your property for that period of time. It's also a safety issue: Wandering through unfamiliar campsites can lead to tripping over an invisible guy line (those cords that extend from a tent to stakes in the ground) or getting bitten by a dog.

Do this instead: Always stick to the official trails. We make sure that there are clearly marked paths to each campsite, so there's no need for shortcuts. This is also time to remind you to stick to official hiking trails too, though for different reasons.

Leaving food or deodorant in your tent

There are bears near our campsite, but even if large mammals aren't a concern, raccoons, opossums, mice and other critters love a free feast—and your tent wall is not going to stop them from pigging out. Fun fact: Animals don't generally differentiate between chips-as-food and toothpaste-as-food. Anything scented can draw their attention, and that's especially true of bears. By the way, here's  what to do if you see a bear .

Do this instead: If you're camping in an area with bears, it's important to follow all campsite rules for storing food and hygiene items. This usually means storing them high up in a tree in a "bear bag" or on the ground in a "bear box," as bears have been known to break into cars too. Otherwise, make sure all food is packaged and put away in your car. Don't leave food unattended out on tables or in your tent or pack.

What should you do with your garbage? Most campsites have critter-proof garbage cans, so make sure to dispose of your trash in the proper receptacles. (It may mean driving your garbage to the designated disposal area.) Some campsites require you to pack out your own garbage, however, so ask the camp host when you arrive, or check the website for the specific guidelines.

Using plastic tent stakes

First things first: Remember to pack your tent stakes! They're usually stored in a separate bag from the tent, so they're easy to forget, and not having them will make putting up your tent nearly impossible. That said, it may be worth upgrading your tent stakes if the ones that came with your tent are plastic. The point of staking your tent down is to keep it stable in storms, and plastic breaks and bends easily.

Do this instead: At the very least, check to make sure all your tent stakes are accounted for and not broken. To be really safe, buy metal tent stakes. (You can find them at any camping store or online.) Pro camping tip: Don't forget a small rubber mallet to pound them into the ground with. A rock is a surefire way to bend the stake and smash your toe.

Not bringing enough bug spray

The outdoors are full of bite-y bugs, and your best defense against ticks, mosquitoes, chiggers and other pests is a bug spray with DEET. While most campers do remember to bring one can, they often underestimate how much bug spray they'll need. Same goes for sunscreen—the more time you are spending outdoors, the more sunscreen you will go through, and a family can easily go through a whole bottle in one day at the lake.

Do this instead: I recommend bringing at least a couple cans of bug spray if you're staying for a weekend, and more for longer stays or larger groups. It's also a good idea to bring at least one backup bottle of sunscreen. Don't stress, though—if you run out, most campsite stores carry them. Just know they will be more expensive.

Underestimating the weather

Of course you know that there are no air conditioners or heaters in the wilderness, but most of us are so used to central air that we underestimate how much the temperature swings and what that feels like. For instance, in June, it's not uncommon for our campsite to be near 80 degrees in the daytime and 40 degrees at night. Not understanding this means too many campers end up shivering in the evening. Weather also often changes quickly, going from warm and sunny to thunderstorms in minutes.

Do this instead: Make sure your sleeping bag is rated for the climate you will be camping in. Check the website a few days in advance for the weather report. And pack at least one warm jacket or coat, a hat, a rain jacket or umbrella, and a rain fly for your tent.

Forgetting propane

Two common mistakes made by people in all types of RVs ? Forgetting to refill their propane tanks or not bringing enough propane. Propane isn't just used for cooking, after all—you'll need it for heating water and for heating and cooling the RV too. Tent campers should also bring smaller propane bottles that work with their camp stove.

Do this instead : Check the propane tank level before you leave, and get it refilled if necessary. For camp stoves, bring an extra propane bottle. If you run out, your camp host will be able to tell you a spot nearby to fill up.

Not dressing in layers

Even if it's sunny and warm your entire trip, you'll likely need more than a T-shirt and shorts to be comfy and safe. Yet we see too many campers show up with nothing but clothing for the beach. Bringing some different options will help you adjust to the temperature—plus, dressing in layers is one of the best ways to protect yourself against the sun on very hot days. It can also help you avoid scrapes, bug bites and other outdoor hazards. To be comfy, you'll want to start out in the cool of the morning with pants and a sweatshirt. You'll find yourself shedding layers throughout the day and then adding them back on when the sun sets.

Do this instead: Pack at least one pair of durable pants, a long-sleeve top, a warm jacket or sweater, a sun hat and a swimsuit so you can be prepared for anything throughout the day. While we're on the topic of clothing, don't forget to bring hiking boots and socks.

Traveling with firewood

You may want to bring your own wood to burn in the campfire—perhaps you have extra wood lying around the garage, or you know a place to get it for free—but this is a bad idea. First, many woods used in construction are treated with chemicals that become toxic when burned. Second, it's illegal in most places. Due to invasive insect species that travel in wood and kill trees, most states now have laws that prohibit bringing firewood across state lines.

Do this instead: Plan to buy your firewood from the camp host on site or from a local gas station or camp store. All firewood should be kiln-dried to make sure it's bug-free—not to mention, it will burn better.

Improperly storing perishable food

Camp meals can be one of the best parts of camping. There's just something about being outdoors that makes everything taste ah-mazing—but not if you end up with food poisoning. There are no fridges at most campsites (not even for the rangers, so don't ask), and RV fridges can be less than reliable. This means if you're bringing meat (including lunch meat), seafood, milk, yogurt or other perishable items, you'll need to be extra cautious about food safety.

Do this instead: Check to make sure your RV fridge is in good working order before leaving home. Bring a food-grade cooler and enough ice to keep it cold. If you're staying more than a day or two, you'll need to buy more ice to restock the cooler. Check at the campsite store or local gas stations.

Forgetting basic cooking staples

Salt and pepper can make a huge difference in the flavor of your food, but while these staples are close at hand at home, many people forget to pack spices and seasonings for camping. Same goes for cooking oils and utensils such as knives, cutting boards, napkins, measuring cups and spatulas.

Do this instead: Buy a separate set of salt and pepper shakers to keep with your camping supplies. If you camp often, buy a separate set of camp dishes, pots and utensils that you keep with your gear. This is one of the camping tips that will make your life so much easier. For people who only do the occasional trip, have a master checklist that you can print out and go through before every trip. (While you're at it, include a small broom, dish soap and sanitizing wipes.)

Letting your dog roam free

Camping with pets ? Bringing a furry friend can add a lot of fun to your trip. Things feel more free outdoors, and they generally are, so it makes sense that you'd want to give your pet a wider range to roam. Lots of people want to let their dogs off-leash while hiking or at their campsite, but I cannot warn against this enough! This is a recipe for a lost dog, a dog bite or (tragically) a mauled dog. Wandering dogs can also get into fights, make a mess by pooping on trails or eat unattended food that could be bad for them.

Do this instead : Keep your dog on a leash or tie-out that keeps them within the range of your campsite at all times. Bring extra food and water, since they'll be working extra hard to regulate their body temperature as well. And whatever you do, never leave a dog or other pet unattended at your campsite.

Plus: These dog camping gear essentials might come in handy.

Planning on a campfire

What's camping without a warm, crackling campfire? Unfortunately, with droughts continuing in many parts of the country, this beloved tradition isn't always safe, and many campsites are under a burn ban. There are different levels of burn bans with different restrictions—for instance, you may be able to use a lit stove to cook your food but not have a fire.

Do this instead: Check with the camp host upon arrival or check the website a few days before your trip to make sure you're up to date on any fire restrictions in your area. Then follow the rules to the letter, even if it means your campfire stories are a little chillier than normal!

Arriving after dusk

It's easy to get a late start, and travel plans can change unexpectedly, but these things have more consequences when you're camping. Arriving close to dusk or after dark will make it really difficult to set up your campsite. Thinking about using your car to shed some light? One of the top annoyances reported by campers is someone else's car headlights beaming directly into their tent.

Do this instead: Plan ahead so you arrive with plenty of daylight to get your site set up. It can be done in the dark, but if you can avoid it, you'll be glad you did! If setting up your own campsite sounds too tedious, you can always check out luxury camping . You'll still want to follow these camping tips, of course, but certain aspects of your experience will be easier, not to mention a little less rustic.

Being noisy during quiet hours

Most campsites have rules, including when you're allowed to play music from speakers, sing or talk loudly. Sure, you might enjoy dancing, laughing and singing campfire songs till the wee hours of the morning, but your neighbors with a baby may not, and noise carries easily through thin tent or RV walls.

Do this instead: Know the campsite rules, and follow them. Generally, this means trying to be quiet between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. If the ranger or campsite host asks you to quiet down or comply with a different rule (like parking in the designated areas), don't argue, and do your best to accommodate it.

Kathryn Berta is the co-owner of a KOA campsite in Brattleboro, Vermont . It was voted a Top 10 Campground by USA Today's 10 Best in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

The post I’ve Worked at a Campsite for 5 Years—These Are the 15 Mistakes Every Camper Should Avoid appeared first on Reader's Digest .

Politics latest: Cameron warns Israel against Rafah invasion - and blasts Labour over defection

The foreign secretary spoke to Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips about the war in Gaza, Russia's advance in Ukraine and Natalie Elphicke's defection from the Tory party.

Sunday 12 May 2024 12:25, UK

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

• Cameron: Elphicke defection 'naked opportunism' for Labour
• His message to Hamas: You can stop the fighting tomorrow  
• Today is the 25th anniversary of the Scottish parliament
• Electoral Dysfunction:  Elphicke defection like 'being punched in gut'
• Faultlines:  Can British farming survive?
• Live reporting by Faith Ridler

By Darren McCaffrey, political correspondent

"If you don't stand for anything, then you fall for stuff like this."

Lord Cameron taking the opportunity on Sky News this morning to attack what he branded was Labour's "opportunism" over right wing Dover MP Natalie Elphicke's defection this week.

A defection that has now become a real headache not for the Tories but for the Labour leadership and specifically the judgement of Keir Starmer.

New allegations have emerged on Sunday, from the former Justice Secretary Robert Buckland that Nathalie Elphicke tried to influence a court case involving her ex-husband and predecessor in Dover, Charlie Elphicke.

Nathalie has branded this as all nonsense and we have now ended up in a situation without a lack of substantial evidence of he said, she said.

And while Labour has a point in asking why Buckland didn’t raise this earlier.

The bigger question remains, did the Labour leadership make the right call in allowing Elphicke to defect?

While this specific allegation is new, Elphicke was previously temporarily suspended from the Commons and told to apologise after using official Commons stationery, to write to senior judges in pre-sentencing.

She was also forced to apologise for comments she made supporting her ex-husband in relation to some of the victims.

And all this aside, Elphicke has spent years attacking Labour and Labour policies from the right – it is therefore not a surprise that many MPs are not best pleased.

Far from it, those on the left of Labour are increasingly vocal about their distain for Elphicke and her inclusion in the parliamentary party.

Many pointing out that the Labour's broad church doesn’t at the moment include Diane Abbot.

Criticism like this might only grow louder.

And so it all becomes very difficult for the Labour leaders. Ultimately it was his call. Maybe it seemed too good a political win to ignore past concerns about Elphicke.

But did Starmer properly weigh up the possible reaction inside his party, the damage it might do to the party's reputation and more importantly his questions he would raise about his judgement.  

The UK economy is no longer in recession, according to official figures.

Gross domestic product (GDP) grew by a better-than-expected 0.6% between January and March, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

Economists had predicted the figure would be 0.4%.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said it showed the economy had "turned a corner".

He told Sky News's Ed Conway: "I am pleased that while there's more work to do, today's figures show that the economy now has real momentum, and I'm confident that with time, people will start to feel the benefits of that.

"We've had multiple months now where wages are rising, energy bills have fallen, mortgage rates are down and taxes are being cut... I'm pleased with the progress that we're making."

Mr Sunak added: "I am confident the economy is getting healthier every week."

You can read more here:

Labour politician Zarah Sultana said she does not "buy" Natalie Elphicke's defection to her party from the Conservatives unless the Dover MP has "had the biggest Damascene conversion ever".

The MP for Coventry South told the BBC: "I think it's great when people are moving towards the Labour movement and the Labour Party.

"Natalie Elphicke, however, is an interesting one because she is a former paid-up member of the ERG (European Research Group), she voted for Liz Truss in the leadership (election), she's at odds when it comes to fire-and-rehire.

"So unless she's had the biggest Damascene conversion ever, I just don't buy it."

Ms Sultana added: "And it's concerning as well in terms of conversations I've had within the PLP (Parliamentary Labour Party), especially in the Women's PLP on the comments that she's made about her ex-husband and the trial."

A cut in VAT and a new levy on arena and stadium tickets are urgently needed to stop grassroots music venues from closing, MPs have said.

A report by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee said artists are facing a "cost-of-touring crisis", with venues stopping live music or closing entirely at a rate of two per week.

The cross-party inquiry heard from the Music Venues Trust (MVT), which said 2023 has been the most challenging year for the sector since the organisation was founded in 2014, while Creative UK said the grassroots music sector took a "battering".

In total the number of grassroots music venues (GMVs) declined from 960 to 835 last year, a net decrease of 13%, representing a loss of as many as 30,000 shows and 4,000 jobs.

The closures come against a backdrop of spiralling costs due to rising rents and energy bills, while audiences are cutting back on expenditure due to the economic climate.

You can read more from Sky News below:

By Alix Culbertson , political reporter

Scotland's new first minister has told Sky News that the controversial gender recognition reforms "cannot be implemented."

John Swinney,  who became first minister this week , has faced questions over his stance on gender recognition after MSPs voted in 2022 to pass a bill to make it simpler for people to change their gender without having to obtain a medical diagnosis.

The UK government blocked the bill from being made into law and the Supreme Court rejected a request by the Scottish government for a judicial review.

Asked if he would be fighting to push the bill through, Mr Swinney told Sky News: "The reality of the situation we face is that the Supreme Court has said that we can't legislate in that area. We can't take forward that legislation."

Across the UK, anger is brewing amongst some farmers.  

Protests have already been held in London, Dover and Cardiff, with more planned - mirroring similar tensions seen across Europe in the last six months.     

They say they’re annoyed about cheap foreign imports and changes to subsidies forcing them to give up land in favour of environmental schemes.    

But what does this mean for the food on our table - and does British produce risk becoming a luxury product for the wealthy only?    

On the Sky News Daily , Niall Paterson is joined by West of England and Wales correspondent Dan Whitehead to find out why farmers are so concerned, and speaks to Liz Webster, the founder of Save British Farming, about why she believes eating British isn't just good for our farmers - it's good for the nation's health, too.   

In response to our report, Farming Minister Mark Spencer, said: "We firmly back our farmers. British farming is at the heart of British trade, and we put agriculture at the forefront of any deals we negotiate, prioritising new export opportunities, protecting UK food standards and removing market access barriers. 

"We've maintained the £2.4bn annual farming budget and recently set out the biggest ever package of grants which supports farmers to produce food profitably and sustainably."

The Welsh government said: "A successful future for Welsh farming should combine the best of our traditional farming alongside cutting-edge innovation and diversification. 

"It will produce the very best of Welsh food to the highest standards, while safeguarding our precious environment and addressing the urgent call of the climate and nature emergencies."

👉  Listen above then tap here to follow the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts   👈

You can catch up with all the highlights by scrolling through the Politics Hub.

But stick with us, we'll have updates from Westminster all day.

Following the defection of the Dover and Deal MP Natalie Elphicke to Labour, Beth, Ruth and Jess discuss the surprise move and whether it could have been handled differently by Sir Keir Starmer.

They also talk about Beth's interview with the former immigration minister Robert Jenrick and his warnings about Reform UK.

Plus, how significant was the defeat of former Conservative mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street? Beth and Jess were both there to tell the story.

And they answer a question on Labour and the Muslim vote, and what the party can do to restore confidence and trust.

Email Beth, Jess, and Ruth at [email protected] , post on X to @BethRigby, or send a WhatsApp voice note on 07934 200 444.     

👉 Listen above then tap here to follow Electoral Dysfunction wherever you get your podcasts 👈

In January 2023, Rishi Sunak made five promises.

Since then, he and his ministers have rarely missed an opportunity to list them. In case you haven't heard, he promised to:

• Halve inflation • Grow the economy • Reduce debt • Cut NHS waiting lists and times • Stop the boats

See below how he is doing on these goals:

Next up, Trevor Phillips is joined by Sally Mapstone, the vice-chancellor of St Andrews University.

Ms Mapstone attended a meeting at Downing Street on Thursday, in which Rishi Sunak met with university bosses and Jewish students.

They discussed a "de-escalation" of protests on campus.

"The meeting on Thursday was with government but I should say it was also attended by representatives from the Union of Jewish Students," Ms Mapstone says.

"It was good to have them along there."

She adds: "I wouldn't say that the prime minister was making a complaint, this was really an opportunity for universities to express the seriousness of which we are taking cases of perceived or reported antisemitism on campus -and recognising there has been an increase across the UK in this kind of reporting."

There was an emphasis on "de-escalating the situation," she says.

"We manifestly don't want to see any incidents or the sort of activity that we've seen on US campuses, which is so distressing."

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free