S’mores and Signals: Why Today’s Camping Experiences Demand Rock-Solid IT
Jay Cuthrell
Chief Product Officer
There’s nothing quite like the smell of pine, a sky full of stars, and the thrill of full Wi-Fi bars at your campsite. These days, campers still want the great outdoors—but they’re taking their entire digital world with them when they go. We’re talking power-hungry smartphones, decked-out RVs with more tech than a spaceship, and kids asking for the Wi-Fi password before they unbuckle.
Modern outdoor hospitality isn’t just about breathtaking views. It’s about bandwidth. Guests expect services that click, staff that’s synced, and systems that don’t ghost them halfway through a mobile check-in. Without the right IT infrastructure, even the most scenic site can go from peaceful to problematic faster than you can say “buffering.”
What Campground Operators Care About Most
Running a campground today can feel like you’re straddling two worlds: one foot in the peaceful wilderness, the other firmly planted in the Wi-Fi router. You’re not just the keeper of the land—you’re also the unofficial IT manager, logistics coordinator, and crisis responder when someone’s reservation vanishes five minutes before check-in.
Whether you’re overseeing a boutique glamping retreat or juggling operations across multiple RV parks, your top technical priorities tend to revolve around these big buckets:
- Frictionless guest experiences: Contactless check-ins, digital trail maps, and mobile booking aren’t “nice-to-haves” anymore—they’re table stakes.
- Efficient, connected staff: From front desk to field crew, your systems should talk to each other so your team doesn’t have to rely on walkie-talkies and crossed fingers.
- Safety and responsiveness: Guests want to feel secure. That means everything from 24/7 video feeds to weather alerts and emergency notifications need to work—no glitches allowed.
- Compliance and sustainability: Today’s operators are balancing nature-loving guests with eco-regulations, emissions standards, and data privacy rules—and IT plays a starring role in meeting all three.
- Insightful decision-making: Real-time data around occupancy, guest behavior, and site usage helps guide smarter business moves (and fewer midnight surprises).
And make no mistake—the opportunity is real. The global camping and caravanning market is booming, projected to grow from $56 billion in 2024 to over $93 billion by 2032.1 The U.S. camping market alone is expected to generate over $25 billion this year.2 Whether you’re upgrading infrastructure or adding new sites, one thing’s clear: nature may be timeless, but your operations can’t afford to be. With the right tech foundation, campground operators have a chance to win big: attract more guests, run leaner operations, and stand out in an increasingly competitive (and connected) market.
One Glitch, One-Star Review: When Tech Trouble Hits the Trail
You can have the cleanest bathrooms in the county, the friendliest camp hosts, and the most Insta-worthy views—but if your tech lets you down, none of it matters. One Wi-Fi drop, one frozen reservation screen, or one “this app isn’t working” complaint can tank the guest experience faster than a squirrel raid on the snack shack. All it takes is one glitch to turn a great stay into a bad review.3
Here’s what can derail even the best-laid campground plans:
- Reservation systems crashing during peak hours (because of course it happens on July Fourth weekend)
- Lost guest data or payment issues due to missing backups or outdated software
- Emergency alerts that don’t reach staff or guests in time—weather, fire, or that raccoon in the snack bar
- No visibility into inventory, site availability, or maintenance needs
- Security gaps that put sensitive data, and your reputation, at risk
These aren’t just “IT problems.” They’re guest experience problems, revenue obstacles, and online review nightmares waiting to happen. And when campers are relying on mobile apps to book, navigate, and stay updated, one glitch can mean a lost guest—and maybe a few too many one-star reviews.
Tech-Savvy Campers (and Regulators) Expect More
Camping used to mean unplugging. Now it means plugging in—strategically. Today’s guests roll in with expectations for everything to work like it does at home (or better). They want to check in from their phones, get trail updates in real time, and stream a movie under the stars—without a single buffering wheel in sight.
But it’s not just guests raising the stakes. Campground owners are juggling a growing list of demands behind the scenes, from installing EV charging stations and meeting sustainability goals to securing guest data and navigating new privacy regulations. Even emissions standards are driving up fleet and equipment costs for campground operators, from maintenance trucks to utility vehicles. You’re not just running a campground. You’re running a tech-enabled, regulation-bound, guest-satisfaction machine.
And to keep it all humming, you need more than just a couple of Wi-Fi boosters and crossed fingers. You need proactive, resilient IT management that covers guest-facing tech, compliance, cybersecurity, and everything in between, whether you’re upgrading an existing site, expanding to a new one, or managing multiple properties.
The Right IT Partner Isn’t Optional—It’s Survival Gear
That’s where ESP, a NexusTek company, comes in. As a trusted hospitality IT services provider, ESP specializes in technology solutions purpose-built for outdoor and destination-focused properties. From high-volume campgrounds to branded RV resorts and multi-site operations, we’ve supported thousands of successful technology transitions and installations across the U.S.
We’re not just a vendor—we’re your operations ally. Whether you’re planning a new build, expanding an existing property, or upgrading outdated systems, ESP delivers the hands-on expertise and nationwide reach to keep your sites running without a hitch.
Here’s what we bring to the table:
- Proactive monitoring and support: Catch issues before guests ever notice them
- 24/7 emergency response: Because system failures don’t respect office hours
- Cybersecurity and compliance services: Secure your operations and protect guest trust
- Cloud infrastructure and system management: Centralize operations and ensure consistency across sites
- Full-service managed IT: Offload tech headaches so your team can focus on delivering standout hospitality
- Project and transition support: From PMS/POS upgrades to full-scale integrations, we manage the moving parts so you don’t have to
Elevating Hospitality, Together
With support in over 35 states and experience across independent and branded properties—including hotels, RV resorts, marinas, and campgrounds, ESP, a NexusTek company, is built to scale with you. We know outdoor hospitality runs on more than scenic views and strong coffee. It runs on systems that work reliably, securely, and without surprises.
Let’s make IT the easiest part of your next season.
Reference
1. Credence Research,“Camping and Caravanning Market Report, October 2024.
2. Statista, Leading Camping Markets Worldwide in 2024, accessed May 2025.
3. Credence Research,“Camping and Caravanning Market Report, October 2024.
About the Author
Jay Cuthrell
Chief Product Officer, NexusTek
Jay Cuthrell is a seasoned technology executive with extensive experience in driving innovation in IT, hybrid cloud, and multicloud solutions. As Chief Product Officer at NexusTek, he leads efforts in product strategy and marketing, building on a career that includes key leadership roles at IBM, Dell Technologies, and Faction, where he advanced AI/ML, platform engineering, and enterprise data services.