Outdoor hospitality is undergoing a structural shift as operators, designers, and developers move beyond traditional RV park and campground models toward immersive, story-driven destinations.
The change reflects evolving guest expectations, increasing demand for differentiated stays, and a growing emphasis on experience as the primary product rather than simply a place to stay.
The discussion surfaced during a recent MC Fireside Chats episode hosted by Modern Campground, moderirao Brian Searl, featuring campground owners, architects, and experiential hospitality developers examining how the industry is redefining value creation.
Participants included Jeremy Johnson, owner of Kamp Kona Hills; Zach Stoltenberg, associate principal of architecture at LJA; Joy de Vos, owner of Foxtrot Dairy Store and Campground; and Travis Chambers, founder of OutpostX, each contributing a distinct lens on how outdoor hospitality is evolving beyond commoditized lodging.
Immersive, Story-Driven Outdoor Destinations
Chambers, opened the discussion by describing his projects as immersive narrative environments rather than traditional lodging.“We’re building these, basically they’re movie set hotels,” he said, explaining that guests enter “a super themed unit” and experience a fully designed story world.
Chambers emphasized the depth of immersion his properties aim to create, stating, “There’s a whole story, there’s a podcast that you listen to on the way there with dialogue and characters and plot lines and backstories.”
He described the experience as intentionally disconnected from modern life, adding, “We try to remove all of your connections to the modern world… and you’re just in this 48-hour kind of experience.”
This reflects the same underlying shift identified in Booking.com’s 10th annual Travel Predictions prijaviti, which shows that travelers in 2026 are increasingly designing trips around personal passions, technology, and experiential goals.
The report points to a clear movement away from standardized travel products toward more individualized and experimental journeys, with technology playing a growing role in shaping how those experiences are discovered and delivered.
A key expression of this trend is the rise of “Romantasy Retreats,” where storytelling and travel intersect. As fantasy literature gains momentum, 71% of travelers said they are interested in visiting destinations inspired by fictional worlds. More than half indicated they would consider participating in role-play retreats based on favorite games, books, or films, while 78% said they would use AI-powered tools to locate “storybook” stays or real-world filming locations.
He also highlighted the role of storytelling in shaping guest perception and demand. “It’s a choose your own adventure thing,” he said, underscoring the importance of narrative structure in experiential hospitality design.
Marketing for such unconventional destinations, he noted, relies heavily on digital storytelling and influencer amplification. “We’ve spent maybe $30,000 total in two years on influencers to do about 250 million views on social media,” he said, describing how social platforms have become central to demand generation for experiential resorts.
Counterbalancing the discussion, Joy de Vos presented a grounded but parallel model rooted in agriculture and education. Describing her working dairy farm campground, she said, “We’re hoping that it’ll go on to the fourth generation… we decided, let’s do a campground. That sounds like fun. And then we talked about doing a store. We’ll have a little store to service the campground.”
De Vos emphasized the educational intent behind her operation, noting that many guests lack basic agricultural literacy. “I’ve encountered people that couldn’t tell that a bull calf was actually not a goat,” she said, highlighting the disconnect between urban populations and food systems. Her farm integrates camping with hands-on learning experiences, including tours and animal interaction.
Her farm integrates camping with hands-on learning experiences, including tours and animal interaction.
That educational, nature-rooted positioning maps to broader demand signals. Booking.com’s 2026 outlook found 43% of travelers plan to vacation specifically to feel closer to nature, with rising interest in quiet outdoor activities like birdwatching, foraging, and fishing — categories that working farms and rural campgrounds are uniquely positioned to deliver.
The conversation ultimately converged on a shared thesis: outdoor hospitality is shifting from commodity-based lodging to experience-driven design. As Stoltenberg summarized, “We’re seeing those master plan communities with resort-style swimming pools and top-tier amenities… you’re selling a lifestyle, they’re selling a brand.”
This evolution, participants suggested, is reshaping not only how campgrounds are designed but how value is defined across the industry. Instead of competing solely on price, amenities, or location, operators are increasingly competing on narrative, immersion, and emotional resonance.
Rethinking Revenue Models, Pricing Systems
Also in the conversation, Jeremy Johnson raised concerns about the limits of current pricing systems used in campgrounds, noting that “everybody’s saying turning on PriceLabs or turning on dynamic pricing in Newbook isn’t quite cutting it anymore.”
His comments reflected growing frustration among operators who feel existing tools fail to account for property-specific nuance.
Johnson added that many systems still lack flexibility at the property level, pointing out a key gap: “You can set a base floor, but you can’t set a dynamic floor.” He argued that pricing models need to better reflect seasonal shifts and the unique characteristics of individual properties rather than relying on static assumptions.
Stoltenberg responded by framing the issue as a legacy mismatch between traditional hospitality systems and outdoor hospitality realities. “All those systems and mechanisms, the booking software, they’re built for that traditional model,” he said. “Everything about outdoor hospitality is so unique and different.”
Stoltenberg also pointed to a broader industry shift away from RV-only development models. “There’s a big push right now into cabins, park models, glamping tents, other accommodation options,” he said, noting that operators are increasingly adapting to changing guest demand beyond RV-based stays.
About Me. Insider Perks
Insider Perks je tvrtka za istraživanje i ugostiteljstvo na otvorenom usmjerena isključivo na kampove, odmarališta za kampere i glamping destinacije. Tvrtka kombinira usluge za goste temeljene na umjetnoj inteligenciji, tržišne informacije, automatizaciju, web stranice spremne za umjetnu inteligenciju i marketing rasta u jedan povezani sustav za operatere nekretnina diljem Sjeverne Amerike. Insider Perks objavljuje originalna istraživanja industrije, uključujući Izvješće o cijenama ugostiteljskih objekata na otvorenom, Standard web stranica spremnih za umjetnu inteligenciju i prvi indeks cijena u industriji. Osnovan 2009. godine od strane Brian Searl, tvrtka opslužuje više od 500 objekata i posluje Modern Campground, najveća stručna publikacija u industriji.
About Me. MC Fireside Chats
MC Fireside Chats je podcast iskustvo uživo posvećeno industriji gostoprimstva i rekreacije na otvorenom. Domaćin Brian Searl, osnivač i izvršni direktor tvrtke Insider Perks i Modern Campground, emisija nudi zanimljive rasprave s vodećima u industriji, inovatorima i stručnjacima koji oblikuju budućnost kampiranja, vožnje kampovima, glampinga i rekreacije na otvorenom.
Emisija, koja se emitira svake srijede u 2 sati (ET), prati strukturiranu tjednu temu kako bi pružila dubinsku analizu najrelevantnijih tema:
- 1. tjedan: Trendovi i uvidi u industriji
- 2. tjedan: Poboljšanje iskustva gostiju
- 3. tjedan: Poslovne operacije i upravljanje
- 4. tjedan: Marketing, umjetna inteligencija i tehnologija
Svaka epizoda sadrži skupinu stalnih gostiju, nadopunjenu s 1-2 rotirajuća posebna gosta, uključujući industrijske analitičare, vlasnike kampova, pružatelje tehnologije, zagovornike održivosti i još mnogo toga. Bilo da istražujete najnovije tržišne trendove ili inovativne strategije doživljaja gostiju, MC Fireside Chats pruža uvide koji potiču na razmišljanje za profesionalce i entuzijaste u cijelom spektru rekreacije na otvorenom.
Za istraživanje prethodnih epizoda MC Fireside Chats, posjetite: moderncampground.com/mc-fireside-chats.