Congratulations to our 5th Annual Campspot Awards Winners!
February 13, 2026
Haley Dalian
Long-term guests are in a league of their own. Make the most of their time with you with these unique tips.
Not all campers are created equal. That’s especially true when it comes to long-term guests.
While transient campers might stay a weekend or a week, long-term guests often stay six months or more and settle into your campground as their home base. These guests aren’t just passing through; they’re building routines, forming relationships, and investing emotionally in your park. Where they choose to stay has a significant impact on their lives. You become their home away from home.
For park operators, long-term guests represent a unique opportunity. When served well, they provide stable, predictable revenue, become ambassadors for your park, and help create a thriving community. Importantly, they have different expectations than short-term visitors and should be treated accordingly.
Here’s how to better serve, engage, and delight long-term campers while turning them into loyal, repeat residents!
The biggest mindset shift for park operators is simple but powerful: long-term guests aren’t your average tourists. They make different choices with “home” in mind.
Extended-stay campers care about things that weekend-guests may seldom notice, including:
Treating long-term guests as residents means communicating proactively, not reactively. They want to feel involved in the life of the park and can in turn help set a positive tone for all of your guests. By providing clarity around expectations, you help to establish a consistent, peaceful environment that will perpetuate good behavior. Bottom line, guests who feel respected and informed are far more likely to stay longer and recommend your property to others.
On utility metering, Campspot has implemented new improvements to its integration with Wild Energy. Campground operators can now update or remap meters in Campspot without losing historical readings or invoice charges. Wild Energy readings can also be pulled when a reservation is manually checked in or out, rather than relying only on preset park times, so utility charges better reflect when guests actually arrive and depart. This added control reduces administrative burden and frees up more time to connect with long-term guests.
One of the main reasons guests choose long-term camping is the sense of belonging it offers. Park operators can nurture that feeling by intentionally building community.
Consider the following ideas to bring your guests together year-round:
Even small efforts can make a meaningful impact on the guest experience. When long-term guests feel connected to one another, your campground becomes more than just a place to park—it becomes a neighborhood, and everyone benefits.
Long-term guests value predictability. Unlike weekend campers seeking novelty, they want consistency in:
Clear lease terms, transparent billing, and dependable service go a long way toward building trust. If you do plan to change any processes, make sure to give your long-term guests ample and clear notice.
Much like tenants in an apartment community, long-standing guests expect regular, professional communication.
Best practices include:
Campspot’s integrated text messaging service is one way to efficiently communicate park-wide messages and sought-after updates. Two-way texting is also available to provide quick, high-touch service to your guests without high-maintenance strain on your staff.
Whether it’s through email, text, or a guest portal, consistent communication should be the norm for engaging with your long-term clientele.
Because long-term guests stay longer, operators have more opportunities to build personal relationships with them.
Follow these simple ways to personalize their guest experience:
These moments of recognition don’t require big budgets—just attention and care. Over time, they will turn guests into advocates. After all, there is no more powerful testimony for long-term growth than word of mouth from happy long-term campers!
Amenities that thrill weekend campers aren’t always the same amenities that long-term guests want or need.
Non-transient guests often value:
Investing in amenities that support daily life rather than just vacation fun can dramatically improve guest satisfaction and retention. These offerings will naturally entice your weekend warriors to stay a while longer, too.
Long-term guests appreciate simplicity. Flexible payment options, recurring billing, and easy account management remove unnecessary friction from their experience.
From the operator’s side, modern campground management software can:
Furthermore, tools that automate recurring payments and track extended reservations can reduce friction for both guests and staff. Speaking of, Campspot offers recurring guest billing designed to make long-term reservation management far more efficient. With this feature, you can:
These Campspot-powered capabilities and more ensure that long-term guests have a seamless billing experience so you can spend less time on administrative tasks.
Long-term guests are deeply invested in your campground. Their feedback is invaluable.
Here are some ways to gather their insights:
Most importantly, close the loop. Let guests know when their feedback leads to improvements. That transparency builds trust and shows that their voices matter. It can make all the difference between securing a repeat camper and doing your competitor a big favor.
Speaking of feedback, don’t be afraid to make the additional ask to guests to publicly share their experience at your property. Have a curated list of hyperlinked platforms ready to go—Google, Facebook, or your Campspot Marketplace page—where you would like guests to leave their positive reviews.
Serving long-term campers isn’t about offering more. It’s about offering different.
By treating non-transient guests as residents they are, fostering community, and supporting everyday living, campground operators can create a place people are proud to call home—no matter the duration, season after season.
In most parks, a long-term or extended-stay reservation is 30 days or more. Some campgrounds classify seasonal stays (3 to 6 months) or annual stays separately. Clearly defining long-term RV policies in your campground management software ensures accurate billing, reporting, and site management.
Campground reservation software like Campspot simplifies long-term RV park management by automating recurring billing, tracking long-term reservations, integrating utility metering, and reducing manual invoicing. Automation helps operators maintain accurate records while freeing up staff time.
Long-term camper retention improves when parks offer consistent communication, transparent pricing, reliable amenities, and community-building opportunities. Using campground CRM tools, two-way texting, and automated updates can help maintain strong relationships with extended-stay guests.
Yes. Long-term residents often require lease-style agreements, clearer quiet hour enforcement, mail policies, and utility guidelines. Creating structured long-term campground policies can help protect revenue while maintaining a stable community environment.
Haley Dalian is an environmental scientist, outdoor enthusiast, and steward of our planet. She enjoys skiing, scuba diving, and gardening in her home state of Michigan. As Campspot’s former marketing manager, Haley continues to write content that empowers campground operators through essential tools and confident know-how.
Image Credits: Adobe Stock users Tomasz Zajda, Larry D Crain, simona, Halfpoint, Francisco, Gabriel Trujillo, Miljan Živković
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