With COVID closings starting to ease up, people are beginning to think about travel in the upcoming summer months. Based on a new report from MMGY Travel Intelligence, 52% of the U.S. population are interested in traveling for leisure in the upcoming months with 36% saying they will most likely do so by car. So what does this mean? People are interested in traveling, but mainly to places near them.
Overnight stays are down as compared to day trips, however, staying at campsites and RV Parks would provide a way for people to extend their trip without having to stay in a hotel or resort where they run the risk of being close to other people.
The likelihood of travel, according to this report, also scales younger, with the majority of travelers wanting to venture out being between 35-49 followed closely by 18-34 year-olds. The one thing that seems to be slowing people down is the likelihood of contracting COVID where they travel.
So, how can RV Parks and campgrounds use their obvious advantages of being an already socially distant place to stay to attract customers in the coming months? Below we outline a few ways that may work for your campground.
Update pictures and websites.
Make sure your website has a statement about COVID and the measures you are taking to ensure the safety of your guests. Since people will be looking at pictures for proof of this, it is important to make sure you show campsites are a safe distance apart and highlight some activities in the area or at your campground they can do for fun while maintaining space.
Accept online reservations.
With the crowd skewing younger, the ability to make online reservations easily will be key. If you are worried about cancellations, make a clear cancellation policy upon checkout. Bonfire makes it easy to set up online reservations. In under 10 minutes, you can have the ability to take online reservations on a dedicated booking page. Click here to learn more.
Consider running ads and if you already are, make sure you adjust the radius of your ads to only show to those within 2 hours driving distance.
People are already thinking about traveling. Sometimes, they just need a little push to take the next step. If you have already completed 1 and 2, then once they click to your website from an ad, they can confidently and easily book. Remember, though, that people are looking for places they can drive to, so make sure the radius from your campground is maximum 120 miles and limit it to ONLY people who live in that location. Also, make sure to cap the age range to those most likely to travel - 18-50 year-olds. To download our FREE marketing guide click here.
According to the U.S. travel association, married couples are interested in traveling the most. This makes sense due to people only social distancing with small groups, such as family units. To narrow your audience further, limit the demographic by those listed as married as well.
Remember, the number one issue people have with traveling is being able to maintain safe social distancing and the safety precautions the place they are staying is taking. Highlighting that in any ad, on your website, or anywhere else you market will be key. If you have any other suggestions, we would love to hear them! Just email us at howdy@letsbonfire.com. We wish everyone a great Summer season.
