If you’re the outdoor type with a strong work ethic and a desire to live out in nature, owning a campground is an exciting way to use your skills and passion. On top of that, starting an RV park and procuring land for tent and cabin sites is an extremely lucrative business opportunity.
Before starting your venture, you’ll want to consider a few things to create a sound business plan. Depending on your means, you will want to secure the proper funding while learning basic management principles.
Starting with your ideal vision of what you want the campground to look like, you can first determine your location, explore whether you’d like the go the franchise route and develop a financing plan for your campground business.
Is the Campground Business Right for You?
Before searching for nearby properties and designing the ideal camping experience, you’ll want to consider whether the campground business is right for you. If you love the outdoors and you grew up camping, it can seem like a no-brainer to start your own campground for others to enjoy. However, it’s essential that you first have a solid foundation, just like when you start any other kind of business.
If you are wondering what you need to open an RV park or how to start a traditional campground, read our guide below for all that it entails.
Explore Your Options
If you’re unsure how to start an RV park business or a campground, there are a few ways you can go about it. You can create an independent company, or you can enjoy the many benefits that come with joining a franchise.
When you join the Kampgrounds of America, Inc., you will experience the perks of joining a network of businesses located across the United States and Canada. When you join this iconic campground franchise, you join one of the most recognized brands in North American culture that continues to serve returning generations of campers as well as new campers.
KOA is positioned to help you start and maintain your own business through our franchise network of campgrounds across the U.S. and Canada. The KOA Difference promises a rewarding experience through a flexible franchise model as well as a national marketing and branding plan. With KOA, your campground stands out above the rest.
Owning a campground franchise gives you the opportunity to increase your revenue and success rate while enjoying a rich and rewarding experience. Provide an excellent camping experience for your guests by taking advantage of extra support from knowledgeable industry professionals. Owning a franchise reduces risk and provides you with more resources.
Determine the Location
When you decide to become a franchisee with KOA, your first step will be finding the best location. You might choose to buy a KOA that’s open and operating, convert your existing campground to a KOA campground or build a KOA from scratch, depending on your means and the vision you have for your campground.
Build a KOA
If you are fortunate to own some land, you’re already on the right path to starting a campground or RV park from scratch. Partnering with KOA to design your campground allows your facility to reach best-in-class standards while offering top-quality amenities and services for campers. The KOA construction process assists with the design and implementation of your ideas to help you achieve a successful opening day.
When designing your campground, there will be many factors to consider, such as infrastructure and lodging. From waterside tent sites or RV Sites to deluxe Patio Sites, we will work with you to design the sites and amenities today’s guests demand. Our Deluxe Cabins are another option to ensure your guests have a comfortable stay.
When you join KOA, you can also consider fun additions such as pools, pavilions and other recreational activities for your facility. At KOA, you can help families enjoy time together by planning themed weekends for kids, providing fun playgrounds and offering other engaging amenities for the perfect camping experience.
Our experts will help you design and implement your ideal campground features when you choose to build a KOA.
Convert Your Campground to a KOA Campground
If you already own a campground, you are off to a great start. Converting an existing campground into a KOA Campground is a stress-free and straightforward process. Supportive KOA team members will guide you every step of the way to smoothly transform your campground.
Buy a KOA
You can purchase an existing KOA campground if constructing a campground from scratch is not for you. Our relationships with other franchisees mean that we often know when campgrounds are for sale or about to hit the market.
You can explore our Campgrounds for Sale page to browse new listings across the U.S. and Canada. Buying a KOA gives you the advantage of purchasing a campground in an ideal location where campers will spend a lot of time and return again and again.
Research Your Financing Options
Like any business, starting a campground requires financial resources. KOA understands the importance of finding the right lender, which is why we’ve partnered with Independence Bank of Havre, Montana.
When you are ready to purchase the campground of your dreams, KOA has the resources, tools and connections to help make it happen. We can aid in your financial decision process with our online calculators. You can first use the Net Worth Estimator to calculate the possible money you can spend on a KOA. Then, the Startup Costs Estimator will find the campground price range to match your available funds.
Take Over and Start Ownership
After you secure financing and determine a location to buy, build or convert to a KOA, you are ready to join one of the most recognized campground franchises in North America.
Join KOA to watch your business grow and attract customers from across the world. With help from a reputable brand and strong KOA franchisees across the country, you will have endless opportunities to increase revenue while achieving your goal of owning a campground.
Once you are established, you can use our proprietary analytics and reports to gain insight into camper rates, nights and your campground’s overall performance. You can also compare your campground to regional averages, offering insight into how you can grow revenue and improve operations.
Ready to Join the KOA Family? Contact Us Today
Investing in a KOA franchise presents many benefits when it comes time to owning the campground of your dreams.
KOA has a large footprint across North America with over 500 locations. As one of the most recognized brand names in camping, KOA offers 60+ years of industry experience and camping expertise.
To join the KOA family, fill out our online request form or call us at 800-548-7239 today!
