The New Jersey Campground Owners Association (NJCOA) has released its annual report to its members, recapping association activities and achievements for the past 12 months.
Joann DelVescio, NJCOA executive director, addressed members in her annual message, highlighting rising fuel prices, increasing costs for goods and services, and the impacts of tariffs contributing to a cautious marketplace that has rendered travelers hesitant to make vacation decisions until the last minute.
“We have observed several key trends among consumers,” she wrote. “Travelers are making reservations closer to their arrival dates. Guests are booking shorter stays. Many are choosing destinations within driving distance to reduce travel expenses. Value and affordability continue to be primary considerations when travelers are planning vacations.”
Despite these trends, DelVescio reports that the association remains strong and active in promoting camping and vacations to keep New Jersey in top-of-mind awareness among travelers whether they are planning trips soon or further into the future.
DelVescio said, “We must maintain a public profile through marketing and advertising, because there is ever increasing competition from other hospitality sectors. So NJCOA is still going to consumer travel shows, placing advertising, maintaining a social media presence, distributing a camping guide, and being as responsive as possible to evolving marketing trends so we can keep pace with how people acquire destination information, plan trips and making bookings.”
According to the annual report, over the past year NJCOA has been monitoring more than 100 pieces of legislation that could significantly impact association members and New Jersey’s broader tourism industry. NJCOA is active in governmental affairs, and DelVescio has attended or spoken at several legislative events and business meetings at the local, state and national level representing NJCOA’s interests and voicing concerns or support as warranted.
A handful of New Jersey bills being monitored include S3195/A5157 prohibiting food services businesses from providing single-use utensils and condiments to customers, except upon request; A4807 prohibiting seller from charging credit card surcharges and establishing notice requirement for credit card minimums and cash discounts; A5420 permitting 30 calendar day extension to cure period for certain businesses to address and resolve certain violations; and A4446/S3390 requiring notification of pet presence in seasonal rental unit.
“It is critical for campground operators to know their elected officials and maintain communication with them to help policy makers better understand our industry,” DelVescio said. “NJCOA members can count on their association being steadfast in advocating on their behalf for policies that recognize the unique needs of New Jersey’s camping industry.”
The NJCOA annual report also included the following notes from the past year:
- The Campground Conference held mid-February welcomed 75 registrants from 13 states representing 38 campgrounds and 39 exhibitors. DelVescio reports it was the best attended event in the history of the association and was well-received by attendees and vendor alike. The next conference will take place February 25-27, 2027. More details are at www.campgroundconference.com.
- Over 60 people attended NJCOA’s Fall Tour, hosted by Four Seasons Family Campground in the Delaware River Region. The next Fall Tour is scheduled for September 28, 2026, in the Greater Atlantic City Region.
- 100,000 camping and vacation guides were printed and are being distributed across North America through a variety of means, including request fulfillment via direct mail, and racking at roadside information centers, RV dealers, attractions, campgrounds, AAA’s, and consumer shows.
- Of consumers requesting camping guides through the NJCOA website at www.gocampingnj.com:
- The top five activity interests include: Beaches, historic sites, hiking, fishing, and boardwalks.
- People age 60 and above were top among those requesting guides at 44%, followed by ages 50-60 at 25% and ages 40-50 at 19%. Requests from ages up to 40 years combined for 12%.
- People requesting guides were most interested in RV sites, followed in order by cabins/cottages, tents, seasonal sites, and park models/specialty rentals.
DelVescio is “on the road” conducting personal visits to association members. Feedback from those interactions generally indicates there have been some challenges so far this year, but that campground owners remain resilient.
“It’s been a wild summer because of weather – from extreme storms and flooding to extreme heat, poor air quality, and power outages – plus many other challenges,” said DeVescio. “The park owners are feeling it yet not really saying they’re having a bad season. They continue to roll with whatever comes up, like cancellations from Canadian customers who usually book for up to two weeks. The parks are filling the gaps with shorter stays from domestic travelers. They mention gas price fluctuations impacting visitor spending habits and saw minimal direct benefit from World Cup soccer matches recently held in NJ and Philadelphia that have been reported thus far.”
With much of the camping season still ahead, there is plenty of time to attract campers from within a three-hour drive to New Jersey campgrounds. Many campgrounds have exciting fall events and activities planned, making this an ideal time to promote seasonal getaways. As travelers continue to make reservations for late summer and fall camping, NJCOA will be rolling out targeted marketing that will help drive additional bookings and extend the camping season.
For more information about the New Jersey Campground Owners Association (NJCOA) visit www.gocampingnj.com, or follow @NJCampgrounds on Facebook and Instagram.
