RVer proposes refundable $100 booking fee to curb campground no-shows, RVtravel reports
A reader's idea to charge campers $100 they lose only if they never show up appeared in a column asking whether slower RV sales have made campsites easier to find.
A reader of RVtravel has proposed that campgrounds charge a refundable $100 fee at booking to stop people from reserving sites they never use, according to the site's weekly column on campground crowding.
The reader, identified only as Steve W., described booked but empty sites as "a consistent problem I see all over the country and in all seasons." Under his plan, a camper's credit card would be charged an extra $100 when booking. The money would come back if the camper either showed up or cancelled, even at the last minute. A camper who did not show up would lose the $100 on top of any other costs already paid. The site would then become available right away for others to book for the rest of the reservation.
“"Unfortunately, we can't rely on people to have common courtesy anymore. We have to hit them where it hurts. In the wallet."”Steve W., RVtravel reader
He said the fee should apply everywhere, naming Rec.gov, state parks, private campgrounds and KOAs.
The idea matters because it came up in a column asking whether finding a campsite has become easier. RVtravel stated that RV sales have slowed and fewer people are buying RVs. It noted that reader comments do not necessarily represent its views.
Readers' experiences varied. Craig J. said that on a six-week trip through 22 campgrounds, starting in mid-August, all but one had lots of empty sites. He listed Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Idaho.
Others wrote mostly about cost. Michelle T. said a 44-night spring trip to Big Bend National Park averaged $27 a night for accommodations. She said she kept costs down by boondocking, staying in state parks and COE campgrounds, and planning ahead. Mathew F. said he saved with the America the Beautiful pass, a yearly Texas state park pass and Passport America.
Some readers said rising prices are pushing them away. Denise M. said higher prices have forced her and her husband to boondock more, and that they may need to rethink plans to camp full-time in retirement. She added that some states charge out-of-state campers more. Nancy P. and Stanley P. both said a hotel can sometimes cost about the same as a campsite, or less.
Much is still unknown. The column does not say whether any campground or reservation system has looked at a fee like the one proposed. It gives no figures on how often booked sites go unused. The accounts are from individual readers, not a survey, and RVtravel did not publish data showing whether crowding has actually eased.
