California enacts AB 518 — “Low-Impact Camping Areas” law (signed Oct 1, 2025)
What happened: California signed AB 518 (the Low-Impact Camping Areas Act), which lets counties authorize small, private low-impact campgrounds on private land under specified local rules. The bill was chaptered October 1, 2025.
Why it matters: opens a scalable market for private/hosted camping (new micro-campgrounds, farm stays, glamping hosts), increases demand for campsite outfitting, short-run tent/glamping inventory and booking platforms. Counties still must “opt in,” so rollout will be local and staggered.
Sources: Legislative text & bill status (Legiscan).
U.S. federal government shutdown (early Oct → ongoing): national parks & campgrounds strained
What happened: the October 2025 lapse in appropriations left many National Park Service staff furloughed; parks remain partially open but with reduced services, closures of some facilities, and rising incidents (illegal camping, waste, fires in some parks). Several outlets reported operational disruptions and calls to consider temporary closures due to safety/resource concerns.
Why it matters: short-term decline in high-service camping experiences, potential shifts to private campgrounds/state parks, stress on park-adjacent gateway businesses and camping gear rentals; risk of longer-term reputational/environmental impacts if shutdown continues.
Sources: NPS park status pages, reporting on Yosemite and other parks.
New glamping rollout on Australia’s Great Ocean Road — Apollo Bay eco-safari tents (bookings opened Oct 9, 2025)
What happened: Victorian Government delivered a ~$5.15M upgrade at Apollo Bay Recreation Reserve, adding 20 eco-safari / glamping tents (including accessible units) and related infrastructure; bookings opened Oct 9.
Why it matters: continues the global glamping trend and shows public funding being used to expand higher-margin, accessible camping stays — opportunity for glamping suppliers, furniture/soft-goods (beds, linens), and packaged experiences.
Sources: Great Ocean Road Coast & Parks Authority, Victorian government announcements and coverage.
Campground & RV park operators report a flat 2025 season and shorter booking windows
What happened: surveys and operator reports indicate 2025 overall park occupancy was largely flat versus prior years, with noticeably shorter booking lead times (consumers book later).
Why it matters: demand patterns shifting toward last-minute bookings affects inventory planning, just-in-time manufacturing, and B2B sales windows for seasonal camping products. Suppliers may need more flexible production/fulfilment strategies and promotions aimed at late planners.
Source: RVBusiness coverage of operator data.
