RV Parks Reporting a Large Boost From April 8 Solar Eclipse – RVBusiness – Breaking RV Industry News
The April 8 eclipse had a positive effect on occupancies and revenue at many campgrounds, particularly those in the “path of totality,” which experienced several minutes of total darkness.
Several park operators told Woodall’s Campground Magazine, a sister publication of RVBusiness, that they experienced far more business in early April than would otherwise be the case as a result of the eclipse.
“The eclipse was a huge boost to spring for parks in the path of totality,” said Tessa McCrackin, chief marketing officer for Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Northgate Resorts. “Parks in the path of totality had a 982% revenue increase year-over-year as well as a 256% increase in site nights year-over-year.”
McCrackin said campers also enjoyed the special activities Northgate parks organized for eclipse seekers, particularly its parks in Texas, such as the Jellystone Park locations in Kerrville, Canyon Lake and Tyler, and the Camp Fimfo locations in Waco and New Braunfels.
“On the ground, we’ve heard really good feedback,” McCrackin said. “Campers gathered to watch the eclipse together. Even for the parks that had cloud cover, campers gathered to watch as the eclipse peeked out through the clouds and then watched in amazement as the sky darkened. I heard it got so dark the automatic lights came on! We watched from our home office in Michigan, which wasn’t in the path of totality, but we still all counted down, cheered and were amazed at the temperature drop.”
Great Escapes RV Resorts also took advantage of the eclipse to generate revenue and attract new guests at its two Ohio Jellystone Park locations in Mt. Gilead, near Columbus, and Nova, which serves the Cleveland and Sandusky markets.
The two Jellystone Park locations usually begin operations later in the spring but opened early for the eclipse. It proved to be a smart move, according to Cherolyn Johnson Chiang, director of marketing for Great Escapes RV Resorts.
“Not only did the parks generate revenue at a time when they normally would be closed, (but) they were visited by first-time Jellystone Park families who were wowed by the attractions and special eclipse activities,” Johnson Chiang said, adding, “It was a great way to introduce the locations to future guests.”
Billings, Mont.-based Kampgrounds of America, Inc. (KOA) also saw a significant impact on its business as a result of the eclipse.
“We have 41 campgrounds directly in the path of totality and a further 10 or so that were close by. In the lead-up to the eclipse, our campgrounds directly in the path of totality were seeing 165% growth compared to the same time last year,” said Diane Eichler, KOA’s senior vice president of marketing.
Scott Foos, CEO of Castle Rock, Colo.-based Horizon Outdoor Hospitality, said several parks his company manages were able to boost their business as a result of the eclipse.
“Six of our managed locations were in the path of totality, spanning Texas, Ohio, and New Hampshire. While we welcomed guests at three locations, the other three remained closed due to snow cover,” he said. “In Ohio, at CampHiYo!, we opened the season early to a sold-out crowd, providing an unusual economic boost we wouldn’t otherwise see. Meanwhile, at Horseshoe Ridge RV Resort in Hill Country, we held our grand opening weekend in conjunction with the eclipse, capitalizing on the perfect opportunity to showcase the property’s dark sky community in Wimberley and the breathtaking views from the property.”
Rachel Godbout, COO of Advanced Outdoor Solutions in Cape Coral, Fla., said the parks her company manages that were in the path of the eclipse were at 100% occupancy during the eclipse.
But while many parks saw their business rocket as a result of the eclipse, other parks, particularly in Northern states, were unable to open early enough to take advantage of eclipse visitors. Some park operators in or near the path of totality also said they didn’t experience any impact on their business.
“It was blown way out of proportion,” said Tom Cauthen of Johnson RV Resort & Park in Ingram, Texas, adding, “We were just about the same as last year.”
Several park operators told WCM, however, that they saw significant gains in revenue and occupanices from the eclipse. Beyond the business gains that resulted from the eclipse, McCrackin said it was also fun to plan for the eclipse and to enjoy the event with park guests.
“It’s really special that so many campers were able to gather for this rare event,” she said. “For us, we have been preparing for this for a long time. I personally remember setting up the first waitlist for our park in Kerrville, Texas, after the eclipse in 2017. Here and there over the following years, people would add themselves to the waitlist and we would talk about it sporadically. This, of course, ramped up as things got closer and we were in full eclipse mania as we entered 2024. To see it finally arrive and look at all the photos from our locations was cool. We’re all joking like ‘What will we talk about now?!’”
