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Even though I’m not an RVer, I think about traveling the country in an RV often.
This week, Rick is joined by Joel Holland, travel expert and CEO of Harvest Hosts, a membership platform for RVers to find unique overnight stays.
Harvest Hosts, a membership program giving RVers access to unique overnight stays, finds that in a recent survey, 63% of respondents sleep in parking lots–such as Walmarts, Cracker Barrels and rest stops–less often as a result of being a member. Additionally, a full 23% of Harvest Hosts members report using their RVs more frequently each year as a result of being part of the program. Members are going on multiple trips each year, and during those trips they’re staying at a mix of Harvest Hosts locations as well as traditional campgrounds. Since Harvest Hosts locations offer boondocking (no hookups) for 24 hours, the data shows that members are more likely to spend additional nights in campgrounds before and after visiting small businesses in the Harvest Hosts network.
“Our stay at Belle Marie [a Harvest Hosts location] was a one night stay between week-long campground stays for us,” says Steve and Sigrid, members of Harvest Hosts. “We very much enjoyed many of the wines at Belle Marie.”
RV ownership and rentals are reaching record levels. According to RVIA, 72 million Americans plan to go RVing this year. As they set out on the open road, the more options there are to stay overnight in their RVs, the better. Campgrounds and Harvest Hosts locations enable RVers to commune with the outdoors, connect with fellow road travelers, support small businesses, and take in some incredible views. Both options are actively helping RVers avoid spending the night in a public parking lot. With Harvest Hosts and traditional campgrounds as options, RVers are doing more of what road trips are intended to do – explore the country, not just park in it.
“As 2022 is going to be yet another record year for RVing, road trippers are looking for amazing things to do and see. For most, this doesn’t include seeing the parking lots of America,” says Holland, of Harvest Hosts. “We’re finding most of our members are going on more trips per year since joining the Harvest Hosts program, leading to more total bookings that help support small businesses and traditional campgrounds overall.”
The RV industry is bracing for another busy summer for road travel. Harvest Hosts locations complement traditional campgrounds across America to provide RVers with an incredible overnight experience no matter where the road takes them. In 2022, Harvest Hosts members will spend over $40M directly with the small businesses and communities they visit, and the company does not take any cut of that additional revenue.
