Outdoor Hospitality - Guests Come to Unplug. They Still Expect Wi‑Fi That Works.
Here’s the glamping paradox: guests book to get away, yet they expect connectivity more than ever.
Families show it most clearly
Parents book outdoor stays for time together “free from daily distractions.”3 Most say they’re more engaged and present with their kids than at home.4 Yet families with children are among the groups most likely to say reliable internet at a campground matters.4 The kids put the tablets away, but mom still needs to confirm tomorrow’s rafting trip, and dad still needs to answer that one work email.
That isn’t about streaming all weekend. Guests use Wi‑Fi to plan the next day’s hike, book an activity, order dinner or message the front desk. It has become a basic amenity.
Connectivity affects bookings
Campers say they’d camp an average of 5.2 more nights a year when Wi‑Fi is available.1 Most of that demand won’t come to any single property, but a small share adds up. For a 40‑unit property at $300 a night and 60% occupancy, filling just 1–2% of unsold nights is worth roughly $17,000–$35,000 a year in room revenue.*
What guest reviews tell us
Reading glamping reviews across many properties, the same two complaints keep coming up:
- “Wi‑Fi only works at the lodge.” Coverage is strong in the office and common areas but drops off in the tents and cabins where guests actually spend their time.
- “It depends which unit you get.” One cabin has a great signal while the one next door has none.
Neither complaint is surprising. Wi‑Fi was designed for indoor spaces, not for units spread across acres of trees and terrain.
Private 5G fixes the layer underneath
- More reach: each radio covers far more ground, so there’s less equipment on the landscape.
- Consistency: every unit gets the same experience, not just the ones near the lodge.
- Nothing new for guests: they connect to familiar Wi‑Fi in their tent or cabin, carried over the private network.
- Priority for operations: check‑in, payments, cameras and staff communications stay first in line.
What would it take for your property?
Every site is different: 20 acres, 80 acres, 300 acres. Compare private 5G with outdoor Wi‑Fi for your site and operational needs.
Try the Outdoor Hospitality Wireless Estimator →- KOA, 2026 Camping & Outdoor Hospitality Report, “Technology in the Outdoors.”
- KOA, 2026 Camping & Outdoor Hospitality Report, “Glampers Are Graduating.”
- KOA, 2026 Camping & Outdoor Hospitality Report, “Family Connection.”
- KOA, 2025 Camping & Outdoor Hospitality Report, “Strengthening Family Connections” and Wi‑Fi importance by demographic.
* Illustrative: 40 units × $300 average nightly rate × 60% occupancy = 5,840 unsold nights per year; 1–2% filled = 58–117 nights.
KOA reports are available at koa.com/north-american-camping-report.