Majority of Campers Cancel or No-Show Reservations

April 30, 2024

PORTLAND, Ore., April 30, 2024 /OUTDOOR SPORTSWIRE/ – The Dyrt, the No. 1 app for camping availability, photos and reviews, has found that less than half of campers (42.7%) used all the reservations they made in 2023. This eye-opening statistic is part of The Dyrt’s 2024 Camping Report presented by The All-New Toyota Tacoma.

The report also found that it was four times more difficult to book a campsite in 2023 as compared to 2019. Amid the overall increase in the number of Americans who camp and scarcity of campsites, over-reserving campsites has become a strategic exercise to make sure you have a spot.

“I canceled a reservation last season because I was on a multiday trip and used the reservation as a placeholder to make sure we had a site in the relative area where we were looking,” says The Dyrt camper Ryan B. of Montana. “I ended up finding a prime site and canceled our reservation.”

Of the campers who canceled a reservation in 2023, 87.3% canceled with more than 48 hours notice and 32.2% pulled the plug with less than 48 hours notice. (Some canceled multiple reservations in different timeframes.)

“It breaks my heart to see vacant campsites at ‘sold-out’ campgrounds because I know there’s a camper who wanted to stay there and is missing out on an awesome experience,” says The Dyrt CEO Kevin Long. “That’s why we created The Dyrt Alerts, so campers are immediately notified when someone cancels their reservation at a sold-out campground — even at the very last moment.”

While some campers are courteous enough to cancel reservations they don’t plan to use, others simply no-showed on campsites they reserved. According to The Dyrt’s report, 14.9% of campers no-showed at least once in 2023.

Since public campgrounds are relatively affordable, campers often have little incentive to cancel reservations they don’t need. California recently passed a law to encourage cancellations more than a week in advance.

As for who exactly is no-showing their reservations, the report found that Millennial and Gen Z campers are 52.6% more likely to no-show than Gen Xers and Baby Boomers. Also, campers earning more than $250,000 were more than twice as likely to no-show as those earning less than $50,000.

About The Dyrt

The Dyrt is the most comprehensive camping resource with millions user-generated reviews, photos and tips for every RV site, cabin, glamping and tent camping location, including all public, private and free camping areas in the United States. The Dyrt is how campers search, save and book camping of any type anywhere in the U.S. With The Dyrt PRO, campers get reservations at sold-out campgrounds, advanced maps, discounts on camping and more. The Dyrt is the No. 1 camping app and receives more than 30 million visits from campers each year because The Dyrt has it all. www.thedyrt.com

Photo Credit: The Dyrt camper Brad J. | Creek Side Resort, Kansas