The camping season may be winding down, but your marketing calendar still has plenty of life left in it.
Between November and February, there are opportunities to connect with past guests, encourage reservations for next season, and bring in some additional revenue. And you don’t need an elaborate campaign for every holiday. Sometimes, a well-timed email or a fun question on social media is all it takes to get people talking about camping again.
Of course, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s deserve a place on the calendar. But what about Groundhog Day? Or Valentine’s Day? Even the shortest day of the year gives you something to work with.
Here are some campground holiday marketing ideas to carry you through winter, including a few you might not have thought about.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving gives you a chance to reconnect with the people who helped make your camping season memorable.
Instead of a generic holiday greeting, share something personal. Maybe it’s a collection of photos from the past season, a story about a longtime guest, or a thank-you message from your team.
You could also ask guests to share their favorite camping memory from the year. Their responses might give you some wonderful stories to share later, with their permission.
Marketing Idea: Create a “Thankful for Our Campers” email featuring a few favorite moments from the season. Include a link to next year’s reservations if your booking window is open.
Small Business Saturday
Many parks are part of the small business community, and this is a good time to introduce guests to the people who keep your park running.
Share a little of your campground’s story. Introduce the family behind the business, recognize a hardworking employee, or give guests a behind-the-scenes look at what happens when the busy season ends.
If your camp store remains open or your park offers gift cards, you could also encourage guests to shop with you for the holidays.
Marketing Idea: Feature a favorite item from your camp store or invite guests to give someone a future camping getaway with a gift card.
Cyber Monday
People are already looking for holiday deals on Cyber Monday, so why not give them a reason to think about camping?
Consider offering an incentive for booking selected dates next season or for planning a longer stay. The offer doesn’t have to be a big discount. You might choose a bonus that adds value without reducing your regular rates. For example, you could offer a small store credit with qualifying reservations.
Marketing Idea: Send a short email with one clearly defined offer, an expiration date, and a direct booking link.
Winter Solstice
Here’s one of those smaller holidays that can make a surprisingly good social post.
December 21 is the shortest day of the year. After that, daylight gradually begins to increase, which gives campers something to celebrate. Pull out a beautiful photo of a summer evening at your park and remind guests that longer days are coming.
You could say:
“Today is the shortest day of the year, which means we’re officially on our way back to those long summer evenings around the campfire. Who’s ready?”
It’s a simple way to share a little anticipation for warmer weather, especially if your park is closed for winter.
Christmas
A camping trip can make an amazing Christmas gift. If your park offers gift cards, start promoting them well before Christmas. Show guests how they can give someone a future getaway, and make the purchasing process easy to follow.
You could also have some fun with a social post like this:
“Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is a lakeside campsite and a few extra vacation days.”
Invite guests to tell you what’s on their camping wish list. You might discover which amenities, activities, or store items they’re most excited about for next year.
Marketing Idea: Create a holiday email featuring gift cards, available accommodations, or a few reasons guests love visiting your park. Take advantage of the sentiment of the season by keeping the focus on experiences people can share with family and friends.
New Year’s Eve (Or New Year’s Day)
A lot of New Year’s resolutions involve exercise, saving money, and getting organized. Why not suggest something a bit more entertaining?
Ask guests to make a camping resolution for the next year. Maybe they’d like to explore a nearby attraction they’ve never visited or learn to cook something new over the campfire.
You could turn it into a Facebook poll or invite guests to share their goals in the comments.
Marketing Idea: Send an email encouraging guests to start planning their next adventure. If reservations are open, highlight a few upcoming events or popular dates that tend to fill quickly.
National Plan for Vacation Day (The Last Tuesday in January)
This holiday is practically made for campground marketing.
National Plan for Vacation Day encourages people to think about how they’ll use their vacation time. And after several weeks of holiday shopping, family gatherings, and winter weather, a camping trip might sound especially appealing.
Help guests consider their options. Share photos of your most popular site types, remind them about annual events, or highlight activities in the surrounding area.
Create a social media post introducing National Plan for Vacation Day and ask, “If you could add one extra camping weekend to your calendar this year, when would you take it?”
Don't forget to point them to your booking page!
Groundhog Day
Will Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow? And how much longer do we have to wait for camping weather?
Groundhog Day is a great opportunity to have a little fun with your guests. Try a Facebook poll asking whether they’re hoping for an early spring or preparing for six more weeks of winter. Pair it with a couple of photos of your park on a beautiful spring day and a quiet winter morning.
If your campground opens in the spring, this is also a natural time to start a countdown to opening day.
Valentine’s Day
There’s a lot to love about camping, and Valentine’s Day gives you plenty of ways to celebrate it.
Ask guests to share what they love most about your campground. Is it the friends they’ve made, the fishing, coffee around the campfire, or simply having time together away from their usual routines?
You could also invite people to tag their favorite camping partner or share a story from a trip they particularly enjoyed.
For parks with cabins or glamping accommodations available in February, consider promoting a Valentine’s weekend getaway.
Marketing Idea: Create a “Share the Love of Camping” campaign on social media. Encourage guests to share a favorite photo from your park and feature a few responses throughout the week, with permission.
You don’t need to run a promotion for every holiday. In fact, a calendar filled entirely with discounts can make it harder for guests to get excited about anything else.
Think about what you want each message to accomplish.
Some holidays are perfect for encouraging reservations while others are simply great for gathering photos and stories or reminding people why they enjoy your park.
So keep these things in mind to get more from your winter campground marketing:
A few thoughtful emails and creative holiday posts can help you stay connected with guests, even when they’re miles away from your campground.
CampLife’s Email Marketing feature makes it possible to send campground news and holiday campaigns directly to your guests using the information already in the system. And it’s available at no additional cost to CampLife customers.
So go ahead and put Groundhog Day on your marketing calendar. You never know which little holiday might spark a conversation.
If you’d like to know more about CampLife’s Email Marketing feature, members of the CampLife Community can reach out to our Customer Success team.
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