2016 American Camper Report - Outdoor Industry Association

2016 American Camper Report

PRESENTED BY THE COLEMAN COMPANY, INC. AND THE OUTDOOR FOUNDATION

2 | 2016 American Camper Report

presented by The Coleman Company, Inc. and The Outdoor Foundation

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction......................................... 1 Key Findings........................................ 2 Camping Participation........................ 3 Profile of a Camping Trip.................... 17 Buying Behavior.................................. 29 First-Time Campers............................. 41 The Future of Camping....................... 49 Crossover Participation....................... 55 Method................................................ 60

2016 American Camper Report | 3

presented by The Coleman Company, Inc. and The Outdoor Foundation

Introduction

From a conventional tent to the comfort of an RV, from a cozy cabin to a primitive bivy, camping enables people of all ages and skill levels to connect to the outdoors. The inherent flexibility of the activity makes it accessible to virtually everyone. In fact, camping can be such a varied activity, that there is no universally held definition of what camping is. Instead, it encompasses the spirit of escaping everyday life to embrace the outdoors. The 2016 American Camper Report profiles the 40 million Americans who use camping to connect to the Great Outdoors in their own unique ways.

A Look Back at 2016: Overall Trends Forty million Americans, or 14 percent of the population over age six, camped at least once in 2015. While the activity lost 500,000 participants, the participation rate remained steady. In fact, participation in camping has remained steady at 14 percent since 2012.

In total, participants camped 587.2 million days, or an average of 14.7 days per camper. This was an increase from 2014 when campers logged 572.4 million days, or an average of 14.1 days per camper.

As seen in previous reports, the majority of camping participants were Caucasian and skewed slightly male with an average age of 35. While participation was spread fairly evenly across the nation, the Mountain Region ? which stretches from Montana down to Arizona and New Mexico ? had a slightly higher participation rate than the other regions in the United States.

These campers went on an average of 3.8 camping trips per year that each lasted an average of 2.7 nights. They typically drove 146 miles to their destinations -- which were often state campgrounds -- and set up camp within one-fourth of a mile from their cars.

The Year Ahead: Future Opportunities Each year, research in The American Camper Report underscores the importance of introducing Americans to the outdoors at an early age to instill a lifelong passion for camping and encourage healthy, active lifestyles. Similar to previous years, half of current adult campers participated in outdoor activities from ages six to 12, compared to just 23 percent of non-campers. The gap among campers who participated during adolescence was similar.

The outlook for camping appears bright. Eighty-eight percent of first-time campers said it was "very likely" or "likely" that they would continue camping next year. And, camping participants, new and old, plan to set off on an average of almost four trips.

To help stakeholders reach campers and non-campers alike, the 2016 American Camper Report details camping participation and provides data and analysis on camping trends throughout the United States. The report also takes a look at first-time camping participants to understand what motivates non-campers to take their first outing and how to retain them as camping enthusiasts. The research in this report will help the camping industry -- and the entire outdoor industry -- be better equipped to engage campers and initiate an increase in camping participation.

1 | 2016 American Camper Report

presented by The Coleman Company, Inc. and The Outdoor Foundation

Key Findings

Overview of Camping Participation

? Forty million Americans went camping at least once in 2015.

? Camping lost 500,000 participants from 2014 to 2015. Due to fluctuation in population size, the participation rate remained steady at 14 percent.

? Participants logged a total of 587.2 million camping days or 14.7 days per average camper.

? Tents were the most popular type of shelter.

? The Mountain Region had the highest camping participation rate at 19 percent.

? Eighty-eight percent of campers participated in multiple outdoor activities.

? The average camper was age 35.

Profile of a Camping Trip

? Campers went on an average of 3.8 camping trips, down slightly from 4.1 the year before.

? Forty-two percent of participants chose to camp at state park campgrounds.

? Camping outings lasted an average of 2.7 nights.

? Campers traveled an average of 146 miles to their camping destinations.

? Thirty-three percent of campers planned their trips at least one month in advance, but 38 percent did not make campsite reservations in advance.

? More than three-quarters of campers drove to their camping destinations and parked within onefourth of a mile of their campsites.

? More than half of camping participants had access to electrical hook-ups, and of those, 78 percent used the available electricity.

Buying Behavior

? Sixty percent of camping purchases replaced lost or broken items.

? A majority of participants who purchased camping gear made the decision to buy camping gear prior to their outings.

? Flashlights were the most popular camping purchases in 2015.

? Campers were most likely to buy camping gear in a store without doing online research.

? Forty-two percent of campers spent between $51 and $200 on camping gear.

First-Time Campers

? Twelve percent of campers were new to the activity in 2015.

? The highest percentage of first-time campers were ages six to 12 and 25 to 35.

? Campers spent an average $128.26 on their first trip.

? Coolers, sleeping bags and flashlights were popular purchases for first-time campers.

? Eighty-eight percent of first-time campers said it was "likely" or "very likely" that they would participate in camping next year

Future of Camping

? More than three-quarters of campers took their first trip between birth and age 15.

? Fifty-eight percent of campers were exposed to outdoor activities as adolescents. .

? Camping participants planned to take an average of 3.6 trips in the next twelve months.

2016 American Camper Report | 2

presented by The Coleman Company, Inc. and The Outdoor Foundation

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