KOA Invites RVers To Experience Route 66’s 100-Year Legacy

Above, Elk City, Oklahoma KOA. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

As 2026 is the centennial of Historic Route 66, Kampgrounds of America is focusing their marketing to those KOA Kampgrounds along the historic route for the celebration.

According to RV Business:

BILLINGS, Mont. — As Route 66 marks its 100th anniversary, the historic “Mother Road” is once again at the center of American travel. New data from Kampgrounds of America (KOA) shows the centennial is helping fuel a resurgence in road trips driven by a desire for slower, more intentional exploration.

In a special preview of research soon-to-be released as part of KOA’s annual Camping and Outdoor Hospitality Report, 43% of campers say they plan to take a heritage or Americana-focused road trip, with growing interest in longer, multi-stop journeys that prioritize small towns, historic landmarks and roadside attractions.

“The Route 66 centennial is the perfect moment to finally take that iconic road trip you’ve been dreaming about,” said Diane Eichler, senior vice president of marketing at KOA. “This year, we’re seeing a real shift toward slower, more intentional road trips. People aren’t just driving Route 66, they’re stopping, exploring and spending time in the small towns along the way. Camping makes that kind of immersive travel easy.”

Also, according to the article:

Nearly 30 KOA campgrounds are located within an hour of Historic Route 66, stretching from Illinois to California.

The nearest KOA along the route is in Grants, New Mexico.

To read more, go here. 

KOA Camping Report: Boomers Are Back

Above, camping last week at Circle Pines KOA in Williams, Arizona. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To be honest, I didn't know that the baby boomer generation ever left camping. 

But according to a KOA annual camping report, apparently they had. Now they're back.

RV Business reported:

Kampgrounds of America Inc. (KOA) reports that nearly 88 million households identify as campers and that nearly 54 million households took a camping trip in 2023. 

The data is part of KOA’s tenth edition of its North American Camping & Outdoor Hospitality Report. The report, conducted by Cairn Consulting Group, has become a key bellwether for the industry and includes data collected from both KOA parks and non-KOA parks. 

“The past year also saw a higher proportion of baby boomers, 59% of whom were retired and on fixed incomes, and a lower-income Gen Z group,” notes the report. “Additionally, a drop in the participation of Millennials, who are currently at peak earning years, significantly influenced the new camper dynamics.”

To read more, go here. 

Winnebago Among Newsweek’s ‘Most Trustworthy Companies’

Above, my Winnebago at a KOA Kampground in West Yellowstone, Montana. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Winnebago has been named as a "most trustworthy company" by Newsweek for 2024. That's nice to hear since I've read of manufacturing problems within the RV industry since the end of the pandemic.

I am really not surprised since my 2015 Winnebago Minnie Winnie has been the most reliable vehicle I've owned.

According to an article in RV Business:

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. – Winnebago Industries (NYSE: WGO), a leading outdoor recreation product manufacturer, has been named by Newsweek to its 2024 Most Trustworthy Companies in America list. The respected ranking focuses on a holistic view of trust that considers three pillars: customer trust, employee trust, and investor trust.

Newsweek’s Most Trustworthy Companies list recognizes the top 700 companies in the United States, with a revenue of over $500 million, spanning 23 industries.

To read more, go here. 

June RV Shipments Down Compared To 2022

The boom in RV shipments during the pandemic is now over. This was expected to to happen sooner or later.

Although shipments are down, I am still seeing transporters of new RVs from Indiana stopped at the Flying J.

According to RV Business:

Results for the RV Industry Association’s (RVIA) June 2023 survey of manufacturers found that total RV shipments ended the month with 24,095 units, a decrease of 46.4% compared to the 44,942 units shipped in June 2022. To date, RV shipments are down 49.2% with 164,830 units.

The decrease was not unexpected, it should be noted, as several manufacturers scheduled shutdowns to one degree or another during parts of June and July due to softening market conditions and excess dealer inventory.

To read more, go here.