Technology & Camping: Love It AND Leave It

NACR

Impact of Technology on Enjoyment While Camping

Campers are split when it comes to the use of technology in the outdoors. Four out of 10 say technology detracts from outdoor enjoyment, while three in 10 say it enhances their time outdoors. Technology seems to be a necessary evil, matched to the desire to stay connected to work and social channels while outside, even if it takes away from their enjoyment.

  • Enhances
  • Detracts
Technology has a great deal of impact on camping nights
Bar chart showing that 57% of campers say that technology ehances their time camping, while 29% say that technology detracts from their time.
Use camping to “digitally detox”
Bar chart showing that 29% of campers use camping to digitally detox, while 57% do not use camping to digitally detox.
Always work while camping
Bar chart showing that 50% of campers say they always work while camping, while 33% say they do not work while camping.

Additional Days Camping Due To The Influence of Technology

Half of the campers who take their work along say technology allows them to camp more often and enjoy themselves more. Campers who rely on cell phones or WiFi service while camping tend to camp longer ... up to nine extra days each year.

Additional Days Camping

  • 2017
  • 2018
  • 2019
Overall
Bar chart for campers who take their work along camping, showing the additional number days of camping due to the influence of technology, overall: 3.7 days in 2017, 3.1 days in 2018, 5.0 days in 2019.
Technology impacts amount of camping “a great deal”
Bar chart of campers who believe technology impacts amount of camping a great deal showing the additional number of days camping: 6.5 days in 2017, 5.8 days in 2018, 9.0 days in 2019.

Working While Camping

Under 25
Bar chart showing that of campers under age 25, 40% work while camping.
25 to 34
Bar chart showing that of campers age 25 to 34, 43% work while camping.
35 to 44
Bar chart showing that of campers age 35 to 44, 43% work while camping.
45 to 54
Bar chart showing that of campers age 45 to 54, 34% work while camping.
55 to 64
Bar chart showing that of campers age 55 to 64, 19% work while camping.
65+
Bar chart showing that of campers age 65 and over, 20% work while camping.

Media

The links below are provided should you need to contact a member of the KOA Media Relations Team (use the Media Contact link), download printable photos or graphs from the 2019 North American Camper Report (use the KOA Pressroom link), or desire additional information or facts about Kampgrounds of America (use the KOA Fact Sheets link).

Media Contact
KOA Pressroom
KOA Fact Sheets