eplace the term “hearth, patioand barbecue industry” withhearth, patio, barbecue and

camping industry. Broaden the term“Outdoor Room” to Outdoors. Andremember that in 2005 there were 8.6million permanent households in theU.S. classified as mobile/manufacturedhomes. Their heating and cooking sys-tems have much in common with theapproximately 10 million truly “mobile”homes, i.e., recreational vehicles (RVs).Many products and services providedby manufacturers of hearth, patio andbarbecue products can, with little or nomodification, be directed to the camp-

ing market. Outdoor cooking equip-ment, outdoor heaters, manufacturedfuels, outdoor illumination and outdoorfurniture apply to the campsite as wellas to the patio.

With the popularity of recreationalvehicles there is a considerable marketfor indoor gas cooking, heating and illu-mination appliances. Camping and pic-nicking often go hand-in-hand withbarbecuing and the outdoor preparationof food. Backpackers have portable cookstoves and lanterns. Fishermen andboaters also use portable heaters andlanterns. Across the board these appli-ances, fuels and associated accessories

are not much different, if at all, fromtheir cousins used in the Outdoor Room,on the hearth or on the patio.

Camping includes wilderness camp-ing, tent camping at developed andundeveloped sites, RV camping, cabincamping, youth camping and churchcamping. Both the camper and theproprietors of developed RV parks, cab-ins and traditional campgrounds arepotential customers. Specifically, camp-ing represents a market for metal, plas-

One in four Americans participates in camping; they needhearth, patio and barbecue products. An opportunity existshere for both manufacturers and retailers of these products.

24 HEARTH & HOME JANUARY 2008

R

At Outdoor Resorts’ Rancho California RVResort guests enjoy luxurious sites surround-ing a lush golf course.

by James E. Houck and Lyrik Y. Pitzman

CAMPING: An OpportunityCAMPING: An Opportunity

camping

ABOVE PHOTO: ©2008 RICH COX PHOTOGRAPHY.

tic, wicker, rattan and wood furniture;outdoor fabrics; gas, charcoal and elec-tric grills; fire starters, charcoal andoutdoor firelogs; grill parts, utensils;accessories and cooking related items;patio heaters; gas lanterns; and LPGappliances.

Camping HappensThe Outdoor Industry Foundation (OIF)estimates that, in 2005, there were 68.1million camping participants (over 16years old) in the U.S. The results of a2000 California survey showed themedian length of each camping trip wasthree to six days. Similarly, a 2004 Wis-consin study showed that the averagenights camping per trip was 2.7 for tent

campers and 3.7 nights for RecreationalVehicle (RV) campers. The results ofthe California survey also showed thattwo-thirds of camping parties had twoadults, and six out of 10 had no chil-dren. However, both the California studyand the Wisconsin study showed a largeraverage party size of about 4.1 people(some camping parties are quite large,which brings up the average).

There are approximately 200 millioncamping nights per year in the U.S. Onethird of U.S. adults say they have goneon a camping vacation in the last fiveyears. Over 2,186,000 Americans age55 and older RV-camp at least 15 daysa year. Further, a 1996 survey reportedthat 20 percent of Canadians go camp-ing each year. Currently eight to 12 per-cent (depending on the survey) ofvehicle-owning households are reportedto own a RV and this percentage isexpected to continue to increase. In addi-tion to owning a RV, many consumersrent a RV from over 400 national rentalchain outlets.

There are more than 17,000 improvedpublic and private campgrounds in theU.S., and considerable camping occursat unimproved sites as well. (See barchart.) Closely allied in terms of out-door cooking equipment and outdoorfurniture is picnicking. According to anational survey, 114.4 million Ameri-cans went picnicking in 1999.

In addition to the approximately17,000 improved campgrounds shownby ownership, there are also consider-able numbers of improved campgrounds

in state forests, city and county parks,national wildlife refuges, military bases,tribal lands, as well as organized youthcamps, campgrounds in Mexico andmore than 3,000 campgrounds in Canadathat are not part of the tally.

It is estimated that 31.9 million peo-ple camped at a primitive site withoutfacilities and 52.7 million camped atdeveloped sites with facilities such astables and toilets. The OIF surveyshowed that 17.7 million participantswere involved in “away-from-car” camp-ing (away-from-car camping is definedas camping more than a quarter-milefrom the car) and 51.7 million partici-pants were involved in car camping.

Wood Fire Charcoal Fire Portable Gas Stove

N.DAK.

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With KabinsWithout Kabins

W

With Kottages or Lodges

Kampgrounds of America (KOA) is the largest campground chain in North Americawith more than 500 campgrounds. Map courtesy of KOA.

JANUARY 2008 HEARTH & HOME 25

A living area set up under an awning.

According to a 2005 Kampgroundof America (KOA) survey, 71 percentof KOA campers took summer vaca-tion trips; 68 percent took summer week-end trips; and 23 percent took wintertrips to southern locations.

The Happy Camper ProfileThe 2000 California study showed thatfew campers are under 30 years oldand that 58 percent of all campers areover 50. The 2005 KOA study foundthat the average age of a KOA RVcamper is 57 and a KOA tent camperis 42. The 2004 Wisconsin study showedthat the average age of tent campers is41 and the average age of RV campersis 50. The average age of Americancampers reported by the OIF surveywas somewhat lower at 35 years oldbecause it included away-from-carcampers, most of which, not surpris-ingly, are comprised of more youngercampers with 16 and 34 being the mostcommon age group.

The KOA study found that 79 per-cent of campers are married and 37percent of campers do so with children.About 50 percent of active campers fallinto the Baby Boomer generation, andone in five active campers are retired.

According to a 2005 University ofMichigan study, today’s typical RVowner is 49 years old, married, withan annual household income of $68,000.RV owners are likely to own their homesand spend their disposable income ontraveling.

The State of Wisconsin study foundthat 48 percent of RVers were Baby

Boomers, 23 percent were empty nesters(55-64 years old), and 19 percent wereGen X-ers (25-34 years old). The OIFstudy noted that away-from-car camperstend to go with friends; that segmentis dominated by the young-adult mar-ket, whereas car camping is tradition-ally a family activity.

The OIF study also concludes thatthe away-from-car campers are primar-ily made up of males, with a male tofemale ratio of 2.5 to 1, whereas carcampers are more gender balanced.However, in general, male campers gocamping 2.9 times a year, which is sig-nificantly more than females, who gocamping 1.78 times per year.

Campers are relatively well educated.In California, the majority of campers,84 percent, have had at least some col-lege or graduated from a trade school.Campers are relatively affluent with overtwo-thirds having annual incomes of$50,000 or more (in 2000) and about25 percent are minorities. The highestper capita number of campers is in theWest (42% in 2005) and the lowest isin the Northeast (24%).

The Great OutdoorsAbout two-thirds of campgrounds andRV parks in the United States are com-mercially owned. Many commercialcampgrounds are affiliated under vary-ing arrangements. There are three basictypes of commercial campground affil-iations: chain campgrounds, indepen-dent campgrounds and membershipcampgrounds. Largest among the chaincampgrounds are:

• Kampgrounds of America (KOA)(franchised chain)

• Good Sam Park Network (indepen-dent registered campgrounds)

• Thousand Trails (membership camp-grounds)

• Best Holiday Trav-L-Park Associa-tion (non-franchised chain)

• Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park CampResorts (franchised chain)The basic features of commercial

campgrounds are RV sites rangingfrom rustic clearings to “pull-thru”concrete pads with utility hookups forwater, sewage, electricity and LPG,tent sites, rest rooms and shower facil-ities. Some of the fanciest have soak-ing tubs , gyms, f i sh ing ponds ,extensive libraries, on-site golf courses,nature trails, teen video game parlors,live entertainment, hook-ups with high-

speed Internet access, classes in birdwatching and financial investing, evenconcierges to arrange restaurant andtour reservations. Some upscale RVparks even sell sites to RV owners –just like condos.

In contrast, many public camp-grounds, such as those operated by theNational Park Service, National ForestService, Bureau of Land Management,U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service, and stateparks and forests systems, typically offerfewer amenities with commensuratelylower rates than their private competi-tors. These public lands offer the bulkof away-from-car camping, which hasbecome a major recreational activitysince the 1960s when the “backpackerboom” hit North America, encouragedby the development of durable light-weight equipment.

The Long WeekendThe long weekend is replacing thetwo-week time off, which means fewertotal overnight stays in campgrounds,particularly public campgrounds. Totalovernight stays in national parks fell20 percent to 13.8 million between1995 and 2005. RV campers may rep-resent the best future target market;the Recreational Vehicle Industry Asso-ciation’s (RVIA) Campfire Canvasssurvey found that 89 percent of respon-dents feel that RVs make it easier totake more frequent weekend getawaysor mini-vacations.

26 HEARTH & HOME JANUARY 2008

0

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Private campgrounds are steadily going upscale.

Campgrounds in the U.S.

camping

Home Away from HomeTent campers and RV campers repre-sent different market opportunities forhearth, patio and barbecue products,with RV campers being the more sig-nificant target of the two.

There are more RV campers than tentcampers and as Business America noted,“The progression from tent camping toRV camping as campers grow older isevident. Even though RV camping ismore commonplace than tent camping,tent camping is not insignificant andtent camping is more common on pub-lic land. Some statistics illustrating therelative number of tents and RVs are:

• 77 percent of KOA campers use RVs,11 percent tents and 10 percent Kamp-ing Kabins (2006).

• 51 percent of Quebec campers usetrailers, 10 percent mobile homes, 39percent tents (1999).

• 68 percent of Wisconsin campers (2004)use RVs and 32 percent use tents.

• 58 percent of campers in developedNational Park Service (NPS) Camp-grounds use tents and 42 percent useRVs. (This does not include campersin concessioner campgrounds.) In addi-tion, for every 10 campers campingin developed NPS campgrounds, threecampers either use sleeping bags ortents in walk-in undeveloped camp-sites not accessible by road.*

Tin Box CampingRV camping is sometimes irreverentlyreferred to as tin box camping and prob-ably represents the largest market poten-tial to the hearth, patio and barbecueindustries. Tin boxes, or RVs, cover awide range of interests and budgets. Atone end of the spectrum there are fold-ing camping trailers that sell for a fewthousand dollars, while at the other endare luxurious motor homes that featureall the comforts of home and come witha pricetag to match.

The RV world is generally dividedinto two broad categories: motorizedRVs and towable RVs. Motorized RVscombine a motor vehicle chassis andliving quarters in a single unit. Amongmotorized RVs there are class A, classB and class C motor homes. TowableRVs are designed to be towed (or car-ried) by a car, van, SUV or pickuptruck, but are small enough not to requirea special highway movement permit.Among towable RVs there are traveltrailers, folding camping trailers, fifthwheels and truck campers.

Class A motor homes are from 30 to40 feet in length. They usually providecooking facilities, a refrigerator, heat-ing, air conditioning, a self-containedtoilet, water tanks, faucets, sinks, a LPGsupply, a separate 110-volt electricalsystem, and a full array of appliancesand entertainment features.

Class B motor homes are also com-monly known as van conversions. Theyare generally 17 to 19 feet in length.Class B motor homes usually providecooking facilities, a refrigerator or anice box, heating, a self-contained toi-let, a fresh water tank, a waste watertank, a faucet, a sink, convertible/fold-ing beds, a LPG supply, and 110 VACand 12VDC electrical outlets.

Class C motor homes, sometimesreferred to as mini-motor homes, arescaled-down versions of Class A motorhomes. They are 20 feet to 31 feet inlength and have a driver compartmentsimilar to a van. They usually providecooking facilities, a refrigerator, heat-ing, air conditioning, a self-containedtoilet, water tanks, faucets, sinks, a LPGsupply, a separate 110-volt electricalsystem, and a full array of appliancesand entertainment features.

Travel trailers come in a variety ofsizes, ranging from a small bedroomon wheels to the equivalent of a ClassA motor home in terms of amenities.Travel trailers may be as small as 10feet long or as big as 35 feet long.

28 HEARTH & HOME JANUARY 2008 *Source of Data: 2004 Profile of Wisconsin’s Campers.

“The fire is the maincomfort of the camp,

whether in summeror winter, and is about

as ample at one seasonas at another. It is wellfor cheerfulness as forwarmth and dryness.”

– Henry David Thoreau.

camping

30 HEARTH & HOME JANUARY 2008

camping

Folding camping trailers are commonlyreferred to as tent trailers or pop-uptrailers. Folding camping trailers usu-ally provide cooking facilities, a refrig-erator or an ice box, heating, a freshwater tank, a waste water tank, a faucet,a sink, convertible/pull-out beds, a LPGsupply, and a separate 110-volt electri-cal system.

Fifth-wheel trailers are similar to largertravel trailers, but they have an exten-sion on the front of the box that extendsover the tow vehicle and a horizontalplate that looks like a wheel (hence thename “fifth wheel”) that rests on thetow vehicle for support.

Truck campers, sometimes referred toas pickup campers or slide-on campers,consist of a camper body loaded ontothe bed of a standard pickup truck.Because truck campers can be loadedand unloaded with relative ease, theyare popular among weekend RVers.Truck campers usually provide cook-ing facilities, a refrigerator or an ice-box, heating, air conditioning, aself-contained toilet, a fresh water tank,a wastewater tank, a faucet, a sink, aLPG supply, and a separate 110-voltelectrical system.

Associations If you want to sell products to campers,campground operators or retailers, thereare a number of associations that offerits member RV parks and campgroundsgroup purchasing power; publish mag-azines and newsletters for campers;provide national public relations, pro-motional services and advocacy for stateand national issues; and host annualconvention/expos.

These include: the National Associ-ation of RV Parks and Campgrounds(ARVC), Sporting Goods Manufactur-

ing Association (SGMA), RecreationVehicle Industry Association (RVIA),Outdoor Industry Association (OIA)with its affiliated foundation the Out-door Industry Foundation (OIF),National Association of State Park Direc-tors, American Recreation Coalition,and the National Recreation and ParkAssociation.

The MarketAccording to the Good Sam Park Net-work, the typical Good Sam Park camperspends on average $2,900 a year onRV accessories. A 2002 Vermont sur-vey found that resident campers spendon average $3,177 per year primarilyon RV- and tent-related costs, and $600per year on items such as stoves, cool-ers, lanterns and lawn chairs. A 2006Outdoor Industry Foundation Recre-ation State of the Industry report showedannual durable goods expenditures notrelated to RVs per camping participantwas about $430. 1985 Statistics Canadaestimated that 26 percent of Canadianhouseholds own camping equipment.

In 2006, 390,500 RVs were shipped,making it a $14 billion-a-year industry.Buyers age 35-54 are the largest andfastest growing segment of RV owners.

As Boomers enter their prime buyingyears over the next decade, the numberof RV households will outpace overallhousehold growth. Twenty-three percentof current (2005) and former RV own-ers intended to purchase a RV in 2005.It is worth noting that, for many RVbuyers, the interest on their RV loan istax deductible as a second home mort-gage, and the KOA study found that 50percent of campers spend an average of16 hours a month on the Internet.

As with any mature market, thereare well-established players already inthe game. The challenge for new play-ers will be to distinguish their prod-ucts, find a niche, and establishdistribution and retail outlets.

The Bottom LineOne American in four participates incamping, making it the third most pop-ular recreational activity in the U.S.The camping market represents anopportunity for manufacturers, distrib-utors and retailers of traditional hearth,patio and barbecue products. A lucra-tive market does exist, witnessed bythe fact that, over the past five years,outdoor industry businesses have out-performed the S&P 500.

Roughing it? Hardly. Campgrounds are going decidedly upscale.

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Kampgrounds of America (KOA) is thelargest private campground chain inthe U.S with more than 500 camp-grounds across the country.

What is the current status of thecamping, campground and recre-ational vehicles market?

“I have been involved in the out-door industry for over 30 years and Ihave never seen it more robust.”

Have you noticed any new trends?“There is no longer any

question: We do not need tobe an overnight facility; weneed to offer an experiencethat includes recreation,entertainment and more fun.

“We (the campground andhearth, patio and barbecueindustries) are mutually com-patible. More people aredoing outdoors at home, which meansmore people will do outdoors when theycamp. But they’re basically limited towhat they can put in their cars, trucksand motor homes.

“To that degree, we in the campgroundindustry have to anticipate what we knowthey can’t take with them. So there is adevelopment of what we call patio sites.They provide people with a variety ofexpectations: a picnic table, gas-firedgrill, hot tub, hammock, swings, etc.”

What type of vendors do you lookfor when selecting appliances for yourcampground?

“This is an incredibly new market,and your audience has a tremendousopportunity to pursue it aggressively. Ithink we are on the brink of somethingimportant. Last year more RVs were soldin the U.S. than in any year in the last30. Instead of the evolution we have seenover the last 30 years, where people might(trade up) from a tent, then a pop-up

trailer, then trailer, type-C motor home,motor coach, etc., we now have BabyBoomers going straight for a motor home,and they have high expectations for ser-vice and the facility.

“There are many campgrounds thatneed an industrial- or commercial-gradeproduct similar to what hotels seek intheir beds, refrigerators and hair dryers.We need products that are not beingused as household items, but are being

used for commercial purposes.We think the campgroundindustry is one of those indus-tries that is not on many peo-ple’s radar. My advice is thatthere is tremendous potentialhere, and that the industry youare writing for needs to getcloser to the campgroundindustry.

“The National Association of RVParks and Campgrounds (ARVC) rep-resents 4,000 private campgrounds, andI bet these guys (the hearth, patio andbarbecue industries) have not evenknocked on their door. This past yearwas the first time in our history that bothKOA and ARVC held their conventionstogether. We had 250 vendor spots atthe convention; it was the biggest expofor camping ever. It was held at the con-vention center in Phoenix. (Dates for the2008 conventions for ARVC and KOAhave not been set at this time.)

According to the Outdoor Indus-try Association, campers spent over$400 on durable goods per partici-pant annually. What would be youradvice to a company wanting to breakinto this new market?

“I think it’s like the rental car busi-ness. If they are proactive in the camp-ing industry they may find more peoplebuying it when they get home. I often

rent a car and check it out. If you cantest-drive a barbecue, a hearth, patioequipment and find that you like it,then you may wind up buying it whenyou get home. There is a tremendousopportunity to do some branding inthese high-volume camping experiencesthat may last for a night or a week.

“I think there is a win-win situation,both on the wholesale and retail sides,to get products into campgrounds thatare hosting the conference. We esti-mate there are 175 million camper nightsa year, on the public and private sides.That is a huge number of hamburgers,hot dogs, s’mores and outdoor activi-ties that have basically been ignored.”

So you’re recommending partner-ships with campgrounds?

“What happens if you experience aColeman lantern in a campgroundbecause it is provided for you? You gohome and want one. Hotels these dayshave the new soft bed, the new showerhead and curtains. They have a catalogin their room that offers all that stufffor sale. A wholesaler or manufacturerwho comes to KOA wanting to oper-ate through 500 campgrounds in NorthAmerica, and wants to establish a part-nership where we are using their prod-ucts, is going to realize more sales.

“The future for this industry is huge!We have another 15-20 years of 9,000Baby Boomers a day reaching retire-ment age; Baby Boomers have twicethe likelihood of owning a RV, thanthe average American. The whole oppor-tunity to further develop that experi-ence is huge. For example, we are nowbuilding RVs with remote controls forTV sets that pop-up so we can watchit outside.”

camping

ABOVE and BELOW: Class A RV.

PH

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Jim Rogers, Chief Executive OfficerKampgrounds of America (KOA)

32 HEARTH & HOME JANUARY 2008

34 HEARTH & HOME JANUARY 2008

The Good Sam Club consists of morethan one million families who own recre-ational vehicles. Membersget access to information anddiscounts with associatedbusinesses. Additionally, asso-ciated campgrounds get thecredibility of the Good Samtrademark name. AGI is theparent company of the GoodSam Club and eight otheraffiliated companies servingthe safety, security, comfortand convenience needs of theNorth American recreationalvehicle market.

What is the current sta-tus of the camping, camp-ground and recreationalvehicles market?

Bray: “As far as the RVsare concerned, there are morethan nine million vehicleson the road this year. Overthe next 10 years the num-bers are supposed to rise to 15.4 mil-lion; that’s a 71 percent increase.”

Daquino: “Even though gas pricesare at record levels, it seems as if peo-ple are traveling at record levels andcampground occupancy rates are as highas they have ever been, if not evenhigher. Things are looking pretty healthyas far as usage of RVs and participa-tion at campgrounds.”

Have you noticed any new trendsin the camping, campground andrecreational vehicles market?

Bray: “A few years ago the biggestmovement was toward slide-out, wherethe walls slide out and expand. Anotherarea of growth is in the tow-ables, thetrailers. There is a lot of interest inwhat is called toy haulers – a traileror fifth wheel with living quarters inthe front part; the back part is essen-tially a garage.”

Daquino: (In reference to tow-ables)“This is indicative of the fact thatyounger people are getting more andmore into the market. And they’re find-ing that RVs are useful in helping themenjoy their active lifestyle. For manyyears people associated RVs with anolder demographic, and maybe a retiredone. But perhaps that is changing.”

Bray: “A lot of the RVs comeequipped with a built-in barbecue; it

just slides out like a drawer.” What kind of backyard

products are you seeingpeople use at campgroundsor around their RV?

Daquino: “It runs thegamut. Basically, you buyyour space, it’s your littleyard and people go wildwith it.”

Bray: “I think that RVers,for years and years, havemade their outdoor campsitetheir own private outdoorliving space. That is just thenature of RVing; you wantto be outdoors. And certainlyproducts for them to do thathave improved over theyears. It’s not just foldingchairs anymore. One trendis condos where people buythe land, the pad. You go to

some of those campgrounds and it’samazing what people are doing; itbecomes almost like one-upmanship; theyneed to have a better campsite than theirnext-door neighbor. People are pouringtens of thousands of dollars into installingJacuzzis, barbecues, wet bars … it’severything. It gets very elaborate.

“There is one condo campground Iknow of, it’s being built with a subter-ranean garage under the campsite, asmall garage that is big enough for agolf cart and patio furniture so thatwhen the RVer leaves, they have a placeto leave all that stuff behind.”

According to the Outdoor Indus-try Association campers spent over$400 dollars on durable goods perparticipant annually. What would beyour advice to a company wantingto break into this new market?

Daquino: “You would definitelyneed to develop some kind of relation-ship with one of our companies, becausewe are so dominant in the industry.Camping World (currently part of ourcompany, and will become a sister com-pany in the future) is the biggest mar-keter of the things you need if you aregoing to be in the RV lifestyle. It has50 stores across the country, enormous

presence on the Internet and also inyour mailbox in the form of catalogs.Our publications are, by and large, thebiggest in these markets and are reach-ing people to a greater extent thanother publications. Without soundingtoo self-serving, I do think it makes

sense for people who want to reach(this market) to at least develop somekind of relationship with us.”

Bray: “Over the years, what I haveseen that works for marketing to thisgroup is that you have to have that RVfocus – targeted marketing. You couldargue that, if people are buying a patiochair from a catalog, they make a con-nection from the house to the RV, butI’m not sure that always happens. (Mar-keters) should find out what RVers reallywant, particularly the portability factor.If I were promoting an item like that Iwould be promoting that it is portable,light, easy to carry and fits in an RVvery easily. Just target it that way.”

A growing number of upscale RVresorts and high-end campgroundsare providing creature comforts andambiance at their campsites. How arecampers bringing the comforts andambiance of their home into the camp-ground? And what are the camp-grounds providing for them?

Daquino: “It runs the gamut and itcan get pretty elaborate. I mentionedInternet access, Wi-Fi ability, landscap-ing and privacy at the site. A lot of parksare going out of their way to providewider sites so you have the privacy andyou have a sense that the space is yours.

“When you are at an RV campground,that space underneath your awning isyour living room. The living room isnot in the rig; it’s outside the rig. Any-thing that makes that space seem morelike a living room or living space…enhances the experience. That includesa grill, tables, chairs, awnings, eventhings like television sets.”

Sue Bray (top), executive directorand vice president of the Good Sam ClubJoe Daquino (bottom), vice presidentand publisher of Affinity Group (AGI).

camping

High-End RV at the Bluffs in Freedom, NH.

Premier Resorts owns four RV resorts,with locations in California, Oregonand Washington. The Eugene, Oregon,location provides 152 sites with all thelatest amenities.

In addition to grills, can you tellus what other appliances (heaters,lights, generators) and furniture(chairs, tables, coverings) people areusing at your campground? And howare these appliances fueled?

“We provide picnic tables at all ofour sites. Chaise lounges and ergonomicchairs that can run upwards of $150apiece are a popular choice that ourguests carry with them, as well asportable exercise equipment. I have seentreadmills and stationarybicycles that fold up andare completely portable.

“All of our sites arefull hook-up. Any heatersor other appliances areeither electric or propanef i red. The high-endcampers who are lookingfor a different experienceslide out full stainless-steel grills with heatingpads that they store in thebasement of their largemotor home. Grills arejust like the kind you would have in thebackyard – a $1,500 grill set-up, withlegs that snap in place. Most of the oneswe see nowadays inside the RVs areelectric. They are getting farther awayfrom propane on the higher-end motor

coaches, but yetthe (outside) grillsthey carry withthem a re s t i l lpropane.”

Are the pull-out grills after-market?

“You can getthem aftermarket,but it is also a fac-tory option. Youcan also get full surround sound the-ater systems – large screen flat TVswith great speaker systems – that pullright out of the basement.

“The basement is just like in an oldGreyhound bus, whereyou put your baggage,down below. Those com-partments have gottenlarger and all the TVs,grills and theater systemsjust roll out like a drawerdoes in a kitchen. Itcomes out and locks intoplace, you use it, thensnap it all down so it’sportable, and it all slidesback inside. It’s amazingwhat they have downthere.

“They are now offering electric andpropane-fired fireplaces inside the RV.The electric fireplaces are beautiful.They set them right up front by thedashboard, which becomes the focalpoint of the living room. They are amaz-

ing, not only in how they look, but alsoin the amount of heat they put out.”

How can a manufacturer of camp-ing products access campgroundmanagers on a supplier level?

“The best way for a vendor that hassomething to offer for the camping/RVindustry is through a periodical by thename of Campground Manager, put outby Woodalls, which is a leader in thedirectory industry for RV parks.”

What types of home furniture andappliances are found inside the RVsthat visit your campgrounds?

“They have gotten away from whatI consider to be RV-style furniture andmade a switch to home-style furniturewith everything being full size. Whetherit’s full-size lounge chairs and sofas,side-by-side refrigerator/ freezers, elec-tric range or oven, double shower withdouble heads and vanity bathrooms withtwo sinks and two mirrors.”

Why do people come to private vs.public campgrounds?

“Amenities. The public parks arevery basic. With the cost of a modernRV people want to use what they arebuying, and they are not able to do thatin the public campgrounds. It alsobecomes a social event. In this indus-try everybody wants to get to knoweverybody, so you give them a plat-form to do that, whether it is jazz shows,wine tasting or out fishing by the pond.People make lifelong friendships in thisindustry.”

The AuthorsJames E. Houck and Lyrik Y. Pitzmancan be reached at OMNI Environmen-tal Services; e-mail houck@omni-test.comand pitzman@omni-environmental.com,phone (503) 643-3788. OMNI’s Web siteis http://www.omni-environmental.com.

camping

Terry McMullen,Director of OperationsEugene Premier RV Resorts

This grill slides out from the “basement.”

Lush interior of a Marathon Coach.

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36 HEARTH & HOME JANUARY 2008