Popularity for camping & RVs grows as pandemic restricts traveling

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    PAOLA, KS (KCTV) — People are having to cancel summer vacation plans left and right, but many folks are still managing to get away on the road. Right now, camping and RVs are all the rage.

Hillsdale State Park in Kansas is definitely feeling the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s kind of been a blessing in a way,” Hillsdale State Park Manager Mark Napote said.

Napote says reservations for camping are booked about a month in advance.

“So we’re experiencing record-breaking visitation and revenue right now,” Napote said.

Revenue that was much needed after last summer when the park was closed due to flooding.

“State parks statewide have made $11.5 million which is a record for us. We’ve never done that before. But on the other hand, we spent nine to $10 million fixing everything that was damaged in the flood,” Napote said.

Napote says many of the visitors are new to camping, boating and vacationing in an RV.

“We are not your traditional campers. In fact, when we moved in, I said to our neighbors, ‘hey, we’re your city slicker neighbors, we don’t really know what we’re doing,’ and they were really kind and gave us some great camping tips,” first time camper Sylvia Hall said.

Hall rented an RV for a family vacation a little closer to Kansas City than they had originally planned.

“We were hoping to go to Germany,” Hall said.

She says the kids have loved it so far despite first time camper mistakes.

“We are kind of finding that we definitely should’ve packed more food because there’s nothing around here,” Hall said.

If you’re in the market to buy an RV or camper right now, you might have a hard time finding one. Dealers across the country are sold out.

KC RVs is a relatively new dealer who opened in November.

“My first year of business here I’ve gone through a worldwide pandemic and a shortage on RVs,” KC RVs and Motorsports owner J.E Cornwall said.

Cornwall says despite having to close down the store for a few months, he’s made a lot of sales. Customers are having to wait though as manufacturers try to keep up with the demand.

“Business has been good. We are experiencing some of the best times the RV industry has ever had,” Cornwall said.

Nationwide, a record 48 million Americans are expected to take an RV on the road this year. That’s up from 28 million last year, according to a survey by KOA Campgrounds of America.

“They can’t go to places that they used to go on vacation and now they’re seemingly interested in the camping world and we’re happy about it,” Cornwall said.

And not only is that good for his business, but for local, state and national parks across the country.

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