Camping operators across North America and Europe are seeing a shift in traveler behavior as fuel prices and broader economic pressures influence vacation planning for the 2026 season. Industry leaders say demand for outdoor travel remains resilient, but consumers are increasingly choosing shorter trips, closer destinations, and more budget-conscious habits rather than abandoning camping vacations altogether.
According to the 2026 KOA Camping & Outdoor Hospitality Report, while over 52 million North American households camped in 2025 (surpassing pre-pandemic levels), there is a measurable shift toward “analog” and localized travel.
During a May 6 episode of MC Fireside Chats, panelists from across the outdoor hospitality and RV sectors described a market where travelers still value outdoor recreation but are adapting how they participate.
The discussion reflected concerns around affordability, booking flexibility, and changing consumer expectations in the post-pandemic camping market.
“We’re seeing that people are still booking, but they’re booking shorter trips and potentially staying closer to home,” said Eleonore Hamm, president of the RV Dealers Association of Canada.
“That’s what we’ve seen as a trend over many years when prices soar. I think people still want to get out there. They still want to see the outdoors. They still want to go RVing and recreate.”
Similar patterns emerged during previous periods of economic strain. During the 2022 fuel-price surge reported by Yahoo! Finance, Bret Jordan, managing director at Jefferies, mentioned that an AAA survey pointed towards a 40-year low in expected travel for the rest of that year.
Hamm noted that higher fuel costs are affecting both travel behavior and consumer purchasing decisions, particularly among first-time RV buyers who may be more sensitive to operating expenses.
This echoes Jordan’s statements from 2022: “You certainly see a migration to lower price point trailers. A lot of that is likely driven by new entrants to the RV Space,” he explained. “So people testing the water are coming into the lower price point items.”
Search Trends and Booking Patterns Show Shifts
Industry observers said the trend is not limited to Canada. Kevin Long, CEO of camping platform The Dyrt, said the company has observed declining camping-related search activity compared to last year.
“It was more of just seeing in Google Search Console that less Americans are searching for camping and camping-related terms,” Long said. “The overall search volume is down for April compared to what it was for last year in April.”
While existing RV owners still appear committed to traveling, Long said online interest has softened amid broader economic uncertainty. Some of that decline likely reflects a broader shift away from traditional search; Gartner has predicted a 25% drop in traditional search engine volume by 2026 as users move toward AI-driven “answer engines.“ Even accounting for that backdrop, Long said top-of-funnel camping discovery on The Dyrt has softened, though direct bookings on the platform remain robust.
At the same time, data from The Dyrt’s 2026 Camping Report, presented by Toyota Trucks, suggests camping demand and reservation reliability remain strong despite shifting travel habits.
The report found that 72.9% of campers used all of their campsite reservations in 2025, marking the third consecutive year of improvement, up from 70.7% in 2024 and 58.9% in 2023. The report also found that late arrivals declined by 9% year over year, while campsite no-shows fell by 5%, indicating campers are increasingly following through on planned trips even as they adjust booking behavior and travel patterns.
Scott Bahr, president of Cairn Consulting Group, said recent RV industry research points to a continued shift toward shorter travel distances as campers increasingly opt for trips closer to home. While Bahr noted that Cairn’s internal analysis shows a multi-quarter pattern of reduced average trip distances, he did not provide specific quarterly figures during the discussion. He added that the industry is still assessing at what point higher travel costs could begin to materially affect overall participation rates.
Data from the 2025 KOA Camping & Outdoor Hospitality Report shows the pattern is well-established: 57% of campers traveled 100 miles or less to reach their destination in 2024, a share consistent with 2019. While that suggests short-distance camping has been a sustained baseline rather than a sudden shift, panelists said current cost pressures appear to be reinforcing the pattern further.
The trend aligns with broader outdoor recreation research as well. A separate 2026 report from the Outdoor Industry Association identified “casual campers” as a growing segment of the market, reflecting an increase in travelers participating less frequently or taking fewer trips annually compared to more avid outdoor travelers.
Campground operators are already noticing changes in booking patterns. John Lindley, CEO of Michigan Association of Recreation Vehicles & Campgrounds, said some Michigan campgrounds have reported cancellations from out-of-state travelers while simultaneously seeing increased interest from nearby residents making shorter, last-minute reservations.
“People are still going to go out. They’re still going to camp,” Lindley said. “They might be taking shorter trips closer to home and less duration too.”
Similar Trends Emerging Internationally
The trend also appears to be emerging internationally. Simon Neal, founder and CEO of CampMap, said recent European travel data shows consumers reducing both trip distances and trip durations as economic pressures influence travel decisions.
“Actually, just reading a report that came out from a French group, they looked at data leading into the May bank holiday weekend,” Neal said. “They’ve seen a big change. Much shorter trips, more focused on experience.”
Neal added that the average holiday travel distance had decreased by roughly 50 kilometers, or about 30 miles, with many travelers now staying within a 150-mile radius of home. He also cited findings from European campsite platform Campings.com showing that “71% of people who responded to their questionnaire are going to be staying in-country.”
Camping Maintains an Affordability Advantage
The discussion highlighted how camping continues to position itself as a comparatively affordable vacation option, even as travel costs rise. Panelists said many travelers are adjusting spending habits rather than canceling vacations entirely.
“We’re finding that people may be saving more on their food costs by cooking themselves,” Hamm said. “But then, to what Simon said, they really want the experience of where they’re going.”
Hamm noted that many campers are scaling back restaurant spending while still prioritizing outdoor activities and destination experiences. Bahr added that camping remains one of the lowest-cost vacation options for families, particularly for travelers who already own camping equipment or RVs.
Lindley said affordability messaging may become increasingly important for operators trying to compete with traditional hospitality options.
“You can have a whole summer of weekends, of two and three-day weekends of camping in Michigan, for one week in a hotel someplace,” Lindley said.
Smaller RVs and Rentals Gain Attention
At the same time, panelists suggested the industry may need to adapt to changing consumer expectations and affordability concerns, with Lindley and Hamm both noting that smaller RVs are gaining share among buyers.
That shift is reflected in shipment data from the RV Industry Association, which shows that in 2025, total RV shipments reached 342,220 units. Towable RVs, which include most conventional travel trailers and are generally lighter units that can be pulled by existing vehicles, accounted for 306,191 shipments, or roughly 89% of the total. Motorhomes made up 36,029 units, or about 11%.
Industry observers said this distribution underscores the continued dominance of towable RVs in the market, particularly as consumers look for lower entry costs and more flexible ownership options. Towable shipments also increased 2.5% year over year, while motorhomes rose 3.3%, suggesting steady growth across segments even as the product mix remains heavily weighted toward smaller, towable formats.
“They want to buy something that they can tow with the vehicle they currently have,” Lindley said. Hamm said the same trend is becoming increasingly visible in Canada.
“We’re seeing smaller units. And to be fair, the price of a new RV has gone up over the last five, six years. People are adjusting,” she said.
Rental RVs and delivery-based camping experiences are also gaining traction among newcomers who may be hesitant about towing, setup, or ownership responsibilities. Several panelists described rental services that deliver and prepare RVs directly at campsites.
Neal also pointed to Europe’s longstanding preference for smaller RVs and more efficient travel setups as a potential model for North American consumers.
“If you compare the size of the RVs, the hardware between Europe and US, it’s phenomenally different,” Neal said. “They’re way smaller. But there’s still the same amount of kids and parents inside.”
Operators Face Changing Consumer Expectations
The conversation also explored longer-term behavioral shifts following the pandemic-era outdoor travel boom. Bahr suggested that parts of the outdoor hospitality industry may have become too focused on high-end accommodations and less focused on immersive outdoor experiences.
“What appears to have happened a bit in our industry overall is that the outdoor experience is fairly sanitized,” Bahr said. “A lot of the outdoors part of it has been minimized.”
Bahr referenced recent research indicating that campers who engage more directly with outdoor activities are significantly more likely to return and continue participating in camping long term.
“The more immersed someone is in the outdoors, the more likely they are to have an emotional connection to the experience,” he said.
Panelists also discussed how families continue to represent one of the strongest segments of the camping market. Neal described camping in Europe as “massively family-oriented,” while Hamm noted that family participation rates continue to outperform broader population averages.
“I think getting the kids involved in stuff is a real [opportunity],” Hamm said. “Once the kids get involved in it, then the whole family is there.”
Participants additionally identified flexibility as an increasingly important factor in booking behavior. Consumers, they said, are placing greater value on cancellation policies, shorter booking windows, and spontaneous travel opportunities compared to the advance-planning habits that became common during the pandemic.
“I think the big thing is just the ability to pivot quickly and have flexibility,” Hamm said.
Neal agreed, adding that flexible cancellation options have become standard expectations in other travel sectors.
“People are booking because they really want to come, but they just want that ability to bail out if they have to,” he said.
While economic conditions remain uncertain, panelists agreed that outdoor hospitality continues to benefit from its affordability, flexibility, and accessibility. Bahr said operators that focus on authentic outdoor experiences rather than overly programmed itineraries may be better positioned moving forward.
“I think people are getting to the point where things are maybe a little bit overly curated, and they want to be a little bit more self-directed,” Hamm added.
The full episode of the recent MC Fireside Chats broadcast is available at https://moderncampground.com/fireside-chats/mc-fireside-chats-may-6th-2026/
About MC Fireside Chats
MC Fireside Chats is a live podcast experience dedicated to the outdoor hospitality and outdoor recreation industries. Hosted by Brian Searl, founder and CEO of Insider Perks and Modern Campground, the show offers engaging discussions with industry leaders, innovators, and experts shaping the future of camping, RVing, glamping, and outdoor recreation.
Airing every Wednesday at 2 p.m. (ET), the show follows a structured weekly theme to deliver deep dives into the most relevant topics:
- Week 1: Industry Trends & Insights
- Week 2: Enhancing Guest Experience
- Week 3: Business Operations & Management
- Week 4: Marketing, AI and Technology
Each episode features a panel of recurring guests, complemented by 1–2 rotating special guests, including industry analysts, campground owners, technology providers, sustainability advocates, and more. Whether exploring the latest market trends or innovative guest experience strategies, MC Fireside Chats delivers thought-provoking insights for professionals and enthusiasts across the outdoor recreation spectrum.
To explore previous episodes of MC Fireside Chats, visit: moderncampground.com/mc-fireside-chats.