Cost of campgrounds
Every once in awhile I read comments in discussions about the high cost of campgrounds, especially when brands like KOA are being discussed.
I wanted to comment on this from the perspective of a business traveler. I think campgrounds are pretty economical. I'm still working full time and travel on business between 50 and 70 nights per year, staying in hotels.
Since the economy bottomed I've noticed a distinct increase in hotel costs. It wasn't many years ago that I'd usually spend <$100 for a Fairfield Inn or Hampton Inn level of accommodation except in major metros. I could get a decent hotel within the Marriott brand family for $150 almost anywhere but the biggest cities. Now rooms in most small towns are in the $125 range. Near metro areas those rooms are in the $150's. In many major urban areas I'm seeing a minimum of $250 and regularly pay closer to $300 when there's a lot going on in town.
In March we vacationed in Florida and looked to stay somewhere in the Palm Beach to Ft Lauderdale area. Inland hotels during the week were running over $300 and anything close to the water was running $400+
But what's truly amazing are the taxes. I make a habit to look at my receipt every time I check out of a hotel and look at the total taxes. Even at the low end of hotel costs $125-$150, a single night's taxes will pay for most campground nights in full.
I guess my point is that I think that campground rates are pretty reasonable all things considered. I don't think twice about a $40 campground anymore. I'd except to pay $60+ for a nice location in a major tourist metro. Splurging on a luxurious property or location for $100 is understandable in my opinion.
Personally, I want campground owners to continue to make money to put to upkeep and expansion and to encourage other owners to build new. I don't want campground owners to sell to a condo developer that wants to build vertically in that same piece of real estate.
I do appreciate that fixed income RVers can't handle the the increasing cost of campgrounds but I think that's a societal problem much deeper than campground costs.
I wanted to comment on this from the perspective of a business traveler. I think campgrounds are pretty economical. I'm still working full time and travel on business between 50 and 70 nights per year, staying in hotels.
Since the economy bottomed I've noticed a distinct increase in hotel costs. It wasn't many years ago that I'd usually spend <$100 for a Fairfield Inn or Hampton Inn level of accommodation except in major metros. I could get a decent hotel within the Marriott brand family for $150 almost anywhere but the biggest cities. Now rooms in most small towns are in the $125 range. Near metro areas those rooms are in the $150's. In many major urban areas I'm seeing a minimum of $250 and regularly pay closer to $300 when there's a lot going on in town.
In March we vacationed in Florida and looked to stay somewhere in the Palm Beach to Ft Lauderdale area. Inland hotels during the week were running over $300 and anything close to the water was running $400+
But what's truly amazing are the taxes. I make a habit to look at my receipt every time I check out of a hotel and look at the total taxes. Even at the low end of hotel costs $125-$150, a single night's taxes will pay for most campground nights in full.
I guess my point is that I think that campground rates are pretty reasonable all things considered. I don't think twice about a $40 campground anymore. I'd except to pay $60+ for a nice location in a major tourist metro. Splurging on a luxurious property or location for $100 is understandable in my opinion.
Personally, I want campground owners to continue to make money to put to upkeep and expansion and to encourage other owners to build new. I don't want campground owners to sell to a condo developer that wants to build vertically in that same piece of real estate.
I do appreciate that fixed income RVers can't handle the the increasing cost of campgrounds but I think that's a societal problem much deeper than campground costs.
