The Virginia Campground Association (VCA) is highlighting artificial intelligence (AI) trip planning trends for campground owners, citing new The Dyrt data showing growing awareness but limited use.
The report finds 33.6% of campers trust AI to recommend a campground, 10.3% have used it, and 9.7% plan to try it in 2026, underscoring a gap between interest and adoption.
Even with low adoption, the association says campground discovery is shifting. AI tools differ from search engines by aggregating information from websites, directories, and reviews to generate recommendations, increasing the importance of consistent and accurate online listings.
AI systems prioritize clear, consistent, specific information. They favor plain-language descriptions identifying who the campground serves, where it is located, and what it offers, along with consistent listings across websites and directories and explicit amenity and accommodation details.
According to the announcement, the systems struggle with vague marketing language, outdated or missing information, and inconsistent listings across platforms, all of which can reduce how accurately a campground is represented in AI-generated recommendations.
The association says operators do not need a full marketing overhaul. It recommends tightening listing basics, clearly defining target guests such as overnight, seasonal, or family-focused travelers, ensuring consistency across websites and directories, and using specific search-style language like “full-hookup RV sites near Smith Mountain Lake” or “quiet campground in the Blue Ridge Mountains.”
It encourages keeping listings current and prompting guest reviews and photos, which AI tools often use to assess relevance and credibility.
An Insider Perks pricing report also analyzed more than 600,000 pricing data points from over 2,100 campgrounds across 48 states. It found median RV site rates of about $60 to $70 per night, with many stays under $80, and wide variation driven by accommodation type and amenities, including cabins, glamping units, waterfront access, hookups, pools, and dog parks.
“This is a national benchmark—not Virginia-specific pricing—but it reinforces something many of you already know: not all campgrounds operate in the same market. Product mix, amenities, and location all play a major role in where you fall on the pricing spectrum,” the association states.