100 AutoCamp Locations?!

You read that right, AutoCamp fans! We’ve got insider info that there will be 100 AutoCamp locations within 10 years. Right now, there are 5 open. There are 4 more that are supposed to be coming this year (more on that, below), including AutoCamp Zion, which opens May 1, 2023. So…about 90 more coming in the next 9 or 10 years? It almost sounds too good to be true, and it very well may be…

100 AutoCamp Locations in 10 years

For those who followed, we are wrapping up a 5 week road trip that included stops at a few AutoCamp locations. Along the way, we met lots of people and learned a bunch of new info. The most important is the plan for extensive and rapid expansion of AutoCamp locations in the United States.

In 2019, AutoCamp partnered with a private equity firm that invested $115 million in AutoCamp to “to fund a rapid national expansion.” Also in 2019, Airstream announced “investment into AutoCamp to fuel the growth of its Airstream-focused experiential lodging business. The agreement designates AutoCamp the exclusive lodging partner of Airstream…” It is unknown as to how much money Airstream has invested in AutoCamp.

Just this week, AutoCamp took another step to prepare for rapid growth that could lead to 100 AutoCamp locations. IDeaS, the world’s leading provider of hospitality revenue management software and services, announced that AutoCamp will use their G3 Revenue Management System (RMS) across all properties to generate automated pricing decisions. One noteworthy element of adding G3 RMS is that not only will AutoCamp be able to scale pricing based on demand (think Uber’s surge pricing), but they may also implement minimum length. They said these elements will allow them to “stop leaving money on the table.” Clearly, AutoCamp is not only planning for rapid growth, but they’re going to testing minimum stays and fluctuating pricing.

Given these investments and partnerships, it would seem logical that we will see 100 AutoCamp locations. However, the question is: will it happen within 10 years?

AutoCamp Coming Soon Locations – Delays in Openings

We’ve written frequently about AutoCamp’s plans to have locations within a half day’s drive of the top 25 metro areas in the US. In 2023, AutoCamp is going to almost double their AutoCamp locations. From 2016 – 2022, AutoCamp opened 5 locations:

• 2016 – AutoCamp Russian River
• 2019 – AutoCamp Yosemite
• 2021 – Cape Cod
• 2022 (January) – Joshua Tree
• 2022 (June) – Catskills
• 2023 (May) – Zion

Again, with the infusion of cash and Airstream partnership in 2019, it does appear they were able to hit the gas on expansion in 2021 and 2022.

Then they announced they would be opening 4 more locations in 2023. However, we’re now in April of 2023, and all 4 locations already have seen delays in their openings dates.

• AutoCamp Zion starting taking reservations beginning May 1. They were supposed to be open “early 2023.” April is not early. It’s 2nd quarter…4th month…a third of the way into the year.
• AutoCamp Asheville was originally scheduled for mid-2023. It now seems to be on schedule for late 2023.
  UPDATED: FURTHER DELAYED TO “EARLY 2024”.
  Updated AGAIN (July 2, 2023): Now scheduled for “SPRING 2024”.
• AutoCamp Hill Country was originally schedule for “mid 2023”. AutoCamp now has it scheduled for early 2024.
  Updated AGAIN (July 2, 2023): Now scheduled for “MID 2024”.
• AutoCamp Sequoia was originally scheduled for “late 2023” but will now be opening Winter 2023/2024.
  Updated AGAIN (July 2, 2023): Now scheduled for “MID 2024”.

Given that AutoCamp will be late in opening all 4 properties they projected to open in 2023, is it really feasible we will see 100 AutoCamp locations in 9 or even 10 more years? This seems extremely ambitious and maybe not even attainable.

Trouble Purchasing Property

AutoCamp has already run into very significant problems in attempts to purchase properties that were not previously campgrounds, as other properties were, like Catskills, Asheville, and Cape Cod. AutoCamp ran into very strong opposition in Sedona and have given up on the property they attempted to purchase. In an attempt to find a location for an AutoCamp property in Williams, Arizona, the “gateway to the Grand Canyon,” AutoCamp again ran into strong opposition on an initial property they wanted to purchase and now yet again on a second property.

Will There Really Be 100 AutoCamp Locations?

AutoCamp Reviews and News is skeptical but hopefully. Obviously, we’re AutoCamp fans, but we’re also unaffiliated with AutoCamp, so we are able to be unbiased and look at AutoCamp objectively. The attempt to open “just” 4 camps in one year – and missing the projected mark on all 4 – doesn’t bode well for 100 in 10 years, but hopefully they will adjust and hit their mark. We are looking forward to traveling to the best outdoors places in the country and camping in AutoCamp luxury!