Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts recently celebrated its 50th anniversary by posting record system sales for the 12th consecutive year. Same-park sales through Sept. 30, which marks the end of the camping season for most Jellystone Park locations, were up 9.9 percent over 2018.
Founded in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., as a single campground with family-friendly amenities such as a swimming pool and miniature golf course, today the Jellystone Park system boasts 75 locations across the U.S. and Canada. Glamping accommodations include premium, air-conditioned cabins, yurts, tree houses and fully equipped RVs.
“Several factors explain our growth,” said Rob Schutter, COO of Leisure Systems, the brand’s franchisor. “Millennial families are increasingly discovering camping and glamping, and most want the amenities, activities and accommodations that only Jellystone Park offers.”
Schutter noted that retail store sales were up more than 16 percent, while ancillary sales, which include food service and optional activities such as laser tag, were up more than 18 percent.
The brand’s strong sales performance, combined with its ranking as a top franchise by Entrepreneur, Franchise Business Reviewand Franchise Gator is generating strong interest among prospective franchisees, especially commercial real estate investors. Jellystone Park welcomed three new franchisees this year and expects to add four locations in 2020.
“There is tremendous momentum throughout the Jellystone Park system,” said Rick Spear, chairman of the franchisee advisory committee and long-time owner of the Estes Park, Colo., resort. “We have the benefit of being part of an established franchise system that is very much at the forefront of family vacation trends.”