Kampgrounds of America (KOA) parks throughout North America are expecting more record-setting crowds this week for the annual Labor Day Weekend of 2016.
Occupancy for the upcoming Labor Day Weekend is up 11.5 percent at the 490 KOA campgrounds in North America, compared to the same time period in 2015.
KOA projects Labor Day Weekend 2016 to continue the string of increases in major holiday occupancy rates at its various campgrounds so far this year.
According to the network, the trend began in May with KOA’s annual Care Camps Big Weekend event May 13-14, which saw a 16.5 percent growth in occupancy from 2015. Memorial Day Weekend was also up 14.5 percent from 2015, Father’s Day Weekend was up 6.1 percent and the Fourth of July Weekend saw a 17.2 percent increase in occupancy.
Canadian holidays at KOAs also saw huge increases, with a 24.1 percent growth in occupancy for Victoria Day Weekend May 21-23, a 13.5 percent boost in occupancy for Canada Day Weekend July 1-3 and a 11.1 percent increase for the Canadian Civic Holiday on August 1.
Travelers this Labor Day Weekend will see higher gas prices as the national average price for regular unleaded gasoline has been on the rise for the past two weeks, according travel group AAA. As of August 29, the national average price stood at $2.22 per gallon, up 6 cents from a week ago, and up eight cents from a month ago.
“Despite the increase, drivers are paying 27 cents less than they did at this same time last year and are on track to pay the lowest Labor Day gas prices since 2004,” AAA officials said.
While Labor Day traditionally represents a busy weekend for the active-lifestyle industry, for the first time in a long time, AAA said it would not issue its annual Labor Day forecast in 2016 “after deciding the holiday does not command as much interest as more other more popular travel periods,” according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
“In 2016, AAA released holiday travel forecasts for Memorial Day and Independence Day, and will release a third forecast for the Thanksgiving holiday,”AAA spokeswoman Julie Hall told the paper. “Other holidays, including Labor Day, are evaluated annually to determine national, regional and local media interest in the travel data.”
In 2015, AAA forecasted that 35.5 million Americans would travel 50 miles or more for Labor Day Weekend, compared to 37.2 million traveling for Memorial Day Weekend, and 41.9 million for Independence Day Weekend.
Photo courtesy Kampgrounds of America Inc.
