Brian Searl opened the December 10th, 2025, episode of MC Fireside Chats by welcoming the audience to the final Guest Experience show of the year. Reflecting on how quickly 2025 has passed, Brian introduced the panel for this session. The lineup included recurring guest Jeremy Johnson, owner of Kona Hills Campground in Marquette, Michigan; Tyler Duffy from CampLife, a reservation and property management software company; Greg Rose, President of Camp Nauvoo in Placerville, California; and Joe Duemig from App My Community, a provider of mobile apps for RV parks. The group began by introducing their respective businesses, with Tyler Duffy noting that CampLife is celebrating its 20th anniversary next year, and Greg Rose describing his 86-acre property which focuses on glamping, tent camping, and weddings, having been purchased from the Boy Scouts ten years prior.

The conversation quickly turned to the topic of extending the camping season and the concept of immersive guest experiences. Jeremy Johnson shared his focus on winter recreation, given that his location in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan receives approximately 300 inches of snow annually. He discussed the success of winter glamping domes near the Twin Cities, where occupancy remained high despite the cold, driven by the novelty of the experience. Jeremy highlighted the potential for winter activities like fat tire biking, skiing, and ice climbing—noting that Munising, Michigan, hosts one of the largest ice festivals in North America—to attract guests during the traditionally off-season months.

Discussion then shifted to the nuance between novelty and genuine guest experience. Jeremy drew a comparison to immersive art experiences like Meow Wolf, suggesting that while novelty attracts a first visit, deep understanding of the guest is required for repeat business. He posed a theoretical question about whether a theme park ride knows a guest is a "super fan" and adapts accordingly. Tyler Duffy provided concrete data from CampLife’s system regarding repeat customers. He noted that while 2024 saw an impressive 87% repeat customer rate, that number dropped into the high 70s in 2025, though repeat visitors remain a substantial portion of stays across their client base.

Greg Rose chimed in regarding his own statistics at Camp Nauvoo, stating that he sees a solid 75% repeat customer rate. He attributed much of his remaining business to word-of-mouth recommendations from those loyal guests. This led to a broader discussion on customer acquisition costs, with the panel agreeing that marketing to existing customers through a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system is significantly more cost-effective than acquiring new ones. Tyler confirmed that CampLife includes CRM functionality allowing parks to automate rewards or early booking access for guests who have stayed a certain number of nights, such as 10 nights a year.

Tyler Duffy presented specific statistics regarding traveler behavior over the last year. According to CampLife’s data, the average distance travelers traveled to a park was 305 miles. However, the data followed a bell curve distribution, with nearly 60% of travelers coming from less than 100 miles away. Long-distance travelers, those traveling 700 to 800 miles, accounted for only about 5% of the data. This reinforces the trend that a vast majority of camping guests are locals or regional travelers rather than cross-country tourists.

The group explored the competitive landscape between private parks and state parks. Jeremy Johnson observed that in Michigan, state parks are often as crowded and developed as private parks, creating a market gap for true rustic experiences. He highlighted pricing data to support this demand, noting that he rents rustic tent sites for $45 a night, whereas the average daily rate for full hookup sites in Michigan was roughly 60, a difference of only $15. This suggests that guests are willing to pay a premium for a curated, rustic experience that offers solitude, provided it is convenient to local amenities.

This led to a debate on the concept of "disconnection." Brian Searl and the panel discussed whether Gen Z and other demographics truly want to be offline. The consensus was that while guests desire the feeling of being in the woods and disconnecting from work, they still require connectivity for safety and modern conveniences, such as calling an Uber or checking restaurant reservations. Jeremy noted that despite his park being in the woods, guests have 5G service, allowing them to use nature apps like bird identifiers while still feeling removed from the city.

In a round-robin question segment, Tyler Duffy asked Joe Duemig about his recent business expansion into Australia. Joe noted that the markets are quite similar, though Australian parks often feature camping on grass rather than concrete pads and utilize "annexes"—tents attached to the side of RVs—which are rarely seen in the United States. He also observed that New Zealand parks tended to be slightly less amenity-rich compared to their Australian or American counterparts, though water parks and high-end facilities do exist in specific locations like Sandstone Point.

Joe Duemig asked Jeremy about the trend of smaller parks offering high-end food amenities. Jeremy confirmed that food is a major focus, citing the rise of farm-to-table dining in rural areas. He mentioned a high-end property nearby where a stay can cost $1,500 a night because it includes meals prepared by a Michelin-caliber chef. While Kona Hills isn't at that price point yet, Jeremy expressed a desire to integrate a hospitality and food component in the future to blend the rustic outdoors with modern culinary comforts.

Finally, Greg Rose asked Tyler about integrating reservation systems with third-party platforms like Airbnb and Hipcamp. Greg mentioned that Hipcamp fees have risen significantly and that Airbnb was not effective for his venue. Jeremy Johnson advised Greg to focus on direct bookings, revealing that after just one year, Kona Hills receives 99% of its bookings directly, significantly reducing commission costs. The episode concluded with Brian Searl directing listeners to the guests' websites and teasing the next show on Outwired featuring Ari Smith.