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Millennials now make up the largest group of campers, and Gen Z is following suit. Both generations have a strong connection to technology and, as a result, seek the latest tech when choosing a campground for their stay.
Here are a few ways you can leverage technology to maximize your campground’s millennial and Gen Z bookings.
A recent RMS survey shows campers seek digital opportunities to self-manage their camping experiences from booking to communicating with staff.
Here are a few ways to create the tech-centered booking approach your Gen Z and millennial campers will appreciate.
Both Gen Z and millennials are avid social media users. In fact, 50% of Gen Z and 45% of millennials are on social media daily, making it crucial that you improve your social media presence to reach these audiences.
Some ways you can utilize social media to capture their interest are to:
If Gen Z and millennials can find your business, see that it prioritizes their preferences and needs, and are able to interact with you on their terms, it increases the chances that they book with you. In fact, 40% of millennials and 60% of Gen Zers report using social media for travel purposes. Those are numbers you can’t afford to ignore when it comes to maximizing your campground bookings.
Booking directly through a campground’s website is the most popular method of making a reservation among 63% of millennial and Gen Z campers. That’s why it’s crucial to optimize your website for direct bookings if you want to increase your revenue.
For millennials, more than half reported they wouldn’t even book a property if its website was difficult to use.
One way you can avoid this issue is to utilize an internet booking engine (IBE) with your website. An IBE gives your campers a seamless online booking experience. Equipped with an intuitive reservation form, it allows your campers to choose their dates, site, and additional amenities, rather than needing to make these requests over the phone or during their stay.
Whether your campground has an existing website or is currently looking for a solution, an IBE can be implemented on your existing site or operate as an out-of-the-box, standalone booking engine.
Gen Z and millennials are visual learners who prefer to see information to understand it fully.
Interactive maps are a great way to help them understand your campground in greater detail, improving the chances that they will complete their reservation.
With interactive maps, you can:
In addition to wanting more tech during the booking process, 85% of survey respondents indicated they'd like to see more technology at campgrounds.
Some popular tech additions you can add to your campground to meet these preferences include:
Fast and reliable WiFi is one of the most important services you can offer at your campground, especially for millennials.
This is because 66% of millennials who work remotely feel more productive and seek out locations that support their remote work needs. Additionally, 36% of millennials have booked “hush” trips; where employees work from a vacation destination without formally taking time off.
Having strong and reliable WiFi ensures you not only market your campground as a destination for remote workers, but for those who may need to check emails, connect with family, or share their experiences without delay.
Millennials are accustomed to easily accessible resources. A guest app can cater to this preference and help them manage their stay easily and efficiently.
For example, if visitors need to modify their reservation, view their information, or purchase add-ons, they can do it quickly and easily via the guest app on their phone.
Additionally, a guest app allows campers to check in and check out without needing to visit the front desk. This is vital for attracting millennials, as over half have stated they would avoid places that don’t offer contactless payment options.
This simplicity will help meet the preferences of millennials, improve their stay, and encourage more returning campers.
According to studies, one-third of Gen Zers currently own an electric vehicle, while two out of every three millennials intend to buy an electric car as their next vehicle.
Gen Z and millennials have nearly identical mindsets toward EVs, with about 65% believing that EVs are the future of the automotive industry. While boomers and Gen X aren’t as big of proponents of this change, there is still a large portion — 41% and 46%, respectively — that share the same sentiment about EVs as Gen Z and millennials.
Because not every campground provides EV charging, offering it at your property can help meet the demands of Gen Z and millennials, resulting in more bookings, a greater camper experience, and a competitive edge.
To appeal to tech-centric generations like Gen Z and millennials, it’s vital to leverage the most cutting-edge technology that will leave a great impression and encourage them to book again.
Meeting the preferences of these generations is just one step toward leading your business to operational excellence. You can learn more about the latest industry trends to further enhance your campground bookings by downloading our 2023 State of the Industry Report today.
