The Dyrt reported that 40% of the people who went camping for the first time in 2021 identified as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
According to a press release, this is up from just 23% in 2018, representing a two-thirds increase in four years according to the company’s 2022 Camping Report.
“Our mission from the very beginning has been to make camping easier and more accessible for everyone,” said Sarah Smith, co-founder of The Dyrt. “Seeing these statistics is so encouraging. The camping community is becoming increasingly more diverse, and that’s a wonderful trend that we hope continues. The outdoors are truly for everyone.”
The 2022 Camping Report indicated that 8.3 million people went camping in the US for the first time last year. That puts the total number of new campers identifying as BIPOC at 3.3 million. In total, one in five Americans camped last year.
The Dyrt’s report is based on a random sample of thousands of The Dyrt users and two separate third-party surveys. The company that connects campers to campgrounds also interviewed some respondents, including these members of The Dyrt community who camped for the first time in 2021.
“I always wanted to do real camping. We ended up on a private ranch in Zion, and I’ve never seen the stars as clearly as I did there. After a long day of hiking, enjoying the sunset and the stars at night with the crackling fire… it amplifies the experience of enjoying Mother Nature with the ones you love,” shared Jose Delgado of West Covina, California.
Zixuan “Felicity” Meng of Alberta, Canada said: “My family went to an RV show and we were inspired to buy a trailer. As a person with a mild intellectual disability, I would say to anyone with a disability, go camping — it can boost your confidence as a person and bring you fullness and happiness. I love camping, end of story.”
While as for Caroline Muñoz of San Diego, California: “My mom and dad weren’t into hiking or being outside. My girlfriend loved the outdoors so we went camping together. She showed me how to pitch a tent and build a fire. It was super helpful to have someone to guide me. We broke up, but I wanted to go camping again. I have planned a bunch of trips in 2022.”
About The Dyrt
The Dyrt’s mission is to expand the camping community and help more people enjoy the outdoors. With over 30 million annual camper visits and 4 million user-generated reviews and photos for US campgrounds, The Dyrt is the largest source of camping information. The Dyrt PRO lets campers plan road trips, find free camping areas on public lands, use the app offline and more.
Featured image from The Dyrt.
It’s remarkable to see camping becoming more inclusive. Let’s keep celebrating and sharing these unique outdoor experiences! Any tips for engaging more diverse campers?