Think Wi-Fi access and water slides are about as far as campground amenities will go? Think again. Park planners are busy coming up with new tweaks that will take your camping experience to a whole new level and RV manufacturers are forging ahead with new technology. Self-driving RVs that can meet you at your campsite - possibly perched above a river or canyon on a see-through parking space - are on the horizon.
Many of these futuristic improvements will be on display at RVX: The RV Experience coming up March 12 - 14, 2019 in Salt Lake City. Dealers and manufacturers attending the show will get a first look at the Campground of the Future, a 600-square-foot exhibit that will examine coming changes in every aspect of camping, from making reservations to sorting trash.
The Campground of the Future concept is being developed as a joint project by the RV Industry Association (RVIA) and Kampgrounds of America (KOA), based in part on KOA’s annual North American Camping Report, which tracks the camping habits and preferences of North American campers of all ages, including Millennials, the fastest growing group now taking to the roads. MobileRVing: The Buzz speaks with Toby O’Rourke, KOA’s president, about the exhibit and she reveals some eye-opening details.
“We looked at how camping will evolve; everything from environmental concerns, to workforce changes, to upgrades for accommodating the rapidly changing RVs of today,” she says. “For the exhibit, we’re concepting the campground of 2030, just a decade from now.”
Some of the biggest changes she sees coming are related to electric vehicles and the need to charge batteries in an environmentally sensitive way. “We’ll see solar power put to much greater use,” O’Rourke predicts. “Solar power pedestals and solar shade coverings, especially in arid or desert settings, will become widespread. We’re already experimenting with a solar panel roof at the Tucson/Lazydays KOA Resort in Arizona. It provides power for the campground as well as partial shade for the RVs parked underneath.”
New Skydeck RV Patio Site at the Tucson/Lazydays KOA Resort. [Photo/Kampgrounds of America]
Other changes driven by environmental awareness will include rainwater harvesting systems, gardens designed to manage rainwater runoff, and honey bee farms to preserve local ecosystems. New high tech paint will keep buildings cool or warm depending on the season. “We may even see campgrounds planting smog forests like the ones the Chinese are developing,” O’Rourke says.
Staffing is a constant challenge for campgrounds, and O’Rourke sees robotics as providing some solutions. “We’ll see self-cleaning pools and robotic systems that sort trash and recyclables,” she says. “Camp stores may go to the Amazon concept, where you walk in, make your selections and walk out, with your purchases automatically added to your account. ID wristbands will replace the need to carry money. At campsites, we’ll see voice activation, allowing you to order something, perhaps firewood, and have it delivered by drone or self-driving vehicle.”
Some of the biggest changes will come during campground check-in, she predicts. “The campground system will be able to interact with your on-board systems to automatically check you in,” she says. “Then your GPS will guide you to your site… an especially great feature if you arrive at night. Another innovation may even be able to automatically back you into your site.”
While many of these changes will replace workers with automation, O’Rourke stresses that the human factor is still key. “Lots of effort will go into workforce development and retention, including the design of better environments for work campers,” she says.
Today’s upscale camping resorts are already upgrading sites with paved patios, fire pits, landscaping and lounge furniture. O’Rourke expects this trend to expand with elevated decks and special features aimed at pets. “We’ll see fenced sites where pets can safely be off-leash yet be part of the family,” she says. “People are increasingly bringing their pets along, so we expect campgrounds to accommodate them with pet washing and pet-sitting services, as well as spray parks, where people can play with their pets.”
Camping resorts will increasingly employ concierge services, modeled on those at upscale hotels. In addition to information on the surrounding area, concierges can arrange electric vehicle rentals, tickets to surrounding attractions, service by qualified technicians on-site, and even early set up so your campsite is ready to go when you arrive.
“The resort will be your basecamp with increasingly all the services you need,” O’Rourke says. “You’ll be able to get your RV serviced or washed, buy outdoor equipment, or see the latest RV models on display.”
Recreation itself will change, with more trails adapted for electric scooters, hoverboards and other modes of transport. The KOA experts also envision a growing number of “pocket parks,” with enclosed areas for lawn games and other recreational pursuits.
Rental cabins will also be evolving in the Campground of the Future. “We’ll see voice activated controls, keyless entry, walls that turn clear or opaque on command, even retractable roofs so you can sleep under the stars,” O’Rourke tells The Buzz.
The Campground of the Future exhibit at RVX will itself employ cutting edge technology. Virtual reality headsets will allow attendees to explore 3-D computer generated models of future campgrounds in a variety of landscapes, including arid desert, urban, ocean side, lakes and forests, and mountains. The scenarios include options for different sizes and types of RVs, as well as tents, cabins and glamping options.
“We want there to be a real ‘Wow Factor’ in the exhibit, for people to say that would be so nice,” Toby O’Rourke says. Despite the coming technology, however, O’Rourke and the Go RVing experts believe that camping will retain its basic appeal. “What we don’t think will change are the reasons people go camping - to connect with family, to connect with new communities, to connect with nature. Those remain the same across generations.”
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