Kampgrounds of America (KOA) was named a double award-winning franchise in Franchise Business Review’s most recent recognition. The company received two awards as a 2023 Top Recession-Proof Franchise and a Top Franchise for Women.
Across both award lists, KOA was the only hospitality provider of any type included.
Franchise Business Review (FBR), a research firm that performs independent surveys of franchisee satisfaction, provides the only ratings of franchises based solely on franchisee satisfaction and performance. To identify the award-winning companies on this year’s Top Recession-Proof Franchises list, FBR analyzed data from more than 36,400 franchise owners representing more than 365 brands. Brands selected for the award have outstanding satisfaction among their franchise owners and demonstrate strong potential to outperform their competitors.
“Campground success and satisfaction has been central to our business since we began franchising campgrounds nearly 60 years ago,” said Darrin Uselman, chief operations officer of Kampgrounds of America. “This recognition shows that we are continuing to achieve that goal while offering an opportunity that can weather economic uncertainty.”
According to KOA’s 2023 North American Camping and Outdoor Hospitality Report, 92 million U.S. households identify as campers. Even amid economic headwinds, half of campers say that camping offers a more cost-friendly way to travel during a downturn, and 38% say they’ll continue to camp even if the economy worsens. More than half (56%) of RVers will use their RV more (33%) or the same amount (23%) in the case of an economic downturn.
Kampgrounds of America’s inclusion as a Top Franchise for Women was based on a survey of more than 8,100 female franchise owners. According to Franchise Business Review, women own 32% of all franchises and are, on average, more satisfied overall than men regarding franchise ownership. Companies were selected for how well the franchise meets their expectations in terms of support, work-life balance, financial opportunity and other critical areas of business ownership, according to female owners. Only 48 franchise opportunities made the final list.
“Women are important leaders across KOA, so to win this award is very validating,” Uselman said. “We take pride in supporting entrepreneurship across diverse backgrounds. There is opportunity here for everyone.”
Franchise Business awards for Kampgrounds of America include Top Recession-Proof Franchises (2021, 2022, 2023), Top Franchises for Women (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023), Top Franchise Culture (2020, 2021, 2022) and Most Profitable Franchises (2022). Kampgrounds of America has also been recognized as a Top Franchise annually more than ten times, placing the company in the Franchise Business Review Hall of Fame.
