Kampgrounds of America, Inc. (KOA) released its 12th annual Camping & Outdoor Hospitality Report this week. The report indicates a surge in U.S. and Canadian households camping in 2025.
The data shows that over 52 million households went camping last year, exceeding pre-pandemic levels.
“The surge of first-time campers between 2020 and 2022 introduced millions of new households to the outdoors,” a KOA spokesperson said. “Many of those campers remain active today, anchoring the sector’s sustained growth.”
KOA President and CEO Toby O’Rourke said camping trips translated to $66 billion in local spending, an increase of over $5 billion from 2024.
“This report demonstrates that camping is not a niche market; it is a meaningful pillar of North America’s travel economy and a vital resource for local communities,” O’Rourke said. “Camping’s emergence as a mainstream leisure travel segment has broadened its reach and is driving meaningful economic impacts within our communities.”
After seeing steady growth during the pandemic, RV use is returning to pre-pandemic levels. The report found 67% of RVers traveling in an RV they own. The number of consumers taking trips in borrowed RVs jumped from 9% in 2024 to 21% in 2025.
The number of consumers renting RVs doubled from 4% in 2024 to 8% last year.
The baby boomer generation is still the most likely to own the RV they are camping in (73%). Gen Z travelers are the least likely to own (31%) an RV and, as a result, the most likely to rent (45%).
The number of RVing households dropped slightly from 2024 to 2025, down 64,600 households.
Eighty percent of RV consumers said their reason for buying an RV was camping trips, up from 72% in 2024. Working remotely, temporary housing and permanent housing each totaled 5%. Using an RV for guest housing and for rental were other purchase reasons given.
The data indicates that interest in renting RVs continues to grow, with 48% of survey respondents saying they are likely to rent an RV in 2026.
“This surge in rental interest among younger campers signals a critical opportunity,” the report states, “one that hinges on making rental accessible through competitive pricing, clear education and streamlined entry points for first-time renters.”
One-third of those likely to rent an RV said not knowing how to drive or operate an RV is the biggest barrier.
In total, 24% of respondents said they are committed to buying an RV in the coming year, 61% percent said they were unsure and 15% said they would not.
The results are based on a total of 4,088 surveys completed among a random sample of U.S. (2,834) and Canadian (1,254) households within the U.S.
Overall, the sample of U.S. households has a margin of error of +/- 1.82%, while the sample of Canadian households has a margin of error of +/- 2.83%.
