Both of my kids have introduced several friends to camping over the years. In my experience all kids are neutral at first, but like camping after trying it. They like playing with other kids, playing in the woods, playgrounds, lakes, staying up "late," fires, etc.
One of my youngest daughter's best friends is black (we are white.) We just took her on the first camping trip of her life a couple weeks ago (also her first time ever roasting marshmallows.) Like the other friends and cousins over the years, she had a blast and is excited to go again. She was not subconsciously programmed from birth to not like camping due to her skin color, she had simply not tried it before. She went from being totally neutral about camping to loving camping in about 12 hours. Her family has never gone and is still neutral.
I myself did not grow up camping with family. I began camping in tents as a teenager with friends. My first camping trip was with people that had done it before, and I loved it. We are now on our third RV in 23 years, so the industry has made some $ from me.
As was suggested earlier, I think this trade group should focus on getting new campers out as kids, in groups or however. Skin color should have nothing to do with it (because it has nothing to do with it.) I bet if you get a kid out camping one time that has never gone, and they have a good experience, odds are better than 50% that person camps as an adult (and takes their kids.)
Instead they want to make it into a PC contest. I already have Gillette commercials saying I should feel guilty for being a male, now I am supposed to feel guilty for camping while white. Literally no one I have ever camped with cares at all about anyone's skin color, ESPECIALLY not the kids on the playground having fun, eating smores, and making memories.
