Jellystone Park locations across the U.S. and Canada are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Yogi Bear-themed franchise this year with new amenities, activities, and accommodation options as well as new locations and record business levels.
“We have the most recognized brand in the family camping business,” said Rob Schutter, president of Milford, Ohio-based Leisure Systems, which franchises more than 80 Jellystone Park locations across 30 states and five Canadian provinces.
Several Jellystone Park locations across North America are investing in major improvements this year. Meanwhile, Jellystone is planning a variety of new activities and themed weekends, including a food frenzy weekend in Kerrville, Texas, with food fights and a pizza party with Yogi Bear and his friends; a talent show in Niagara Falls, Ontario, with dancing, air guitars and a lip-synching competition; and a “Down on the Farm” weekend in Caledonia, Wis., with pig races, horse races, and barn animal crafts.
Jellystone Park locations set a new record of $125 million in system-wide revenues in 2018, a 6 percent increase over the prior year. It was Jellystone Park’s 10th consecutive year of sales growth.
In January 2019, Entrepreneur magazine ranked Jellystone Park among the nation’s top franchise opportunities. Jellystone Park was ranked No. 202 on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list (No. 1 in the camping category), up 63 slots from the prior year, thanks to the company’s growth, innovation, and franchisee satisfaction. That same month, Franchise Business Review named Jellystone Park to its Top 200 franchise list based on franchisees’ responses to questions regarding its financial performance, how they rate the franchise’s long-term growth opportunities, and their willingness to “do it again.”