Key Takeaways
- •The OHPI hit 102.7 in May — the first month-over-month increase since the index launched in April
- •Demand pressure jumped 9.4 points to 49.4% while RV site pricing actually dipped below the baseline to 99.3
- •Tent sites and lodging are capturing the pricing upside. RV operators are leaving money on the table.
The industry now has a pricing benchmark. The first month of real data is telling operators something they probably don't want to hear.
The Outdoor Hospitality Pricing Index, published monthly by Insider Perks, hit 102.7 in May — the first measured increase since the index launched at a baseline of 100.0 in April. The national weighted average nightly rate across private campgrounds, RV parks, glamping resorts, and public campgrounds rose to $103.58. The headline number looks healthy. The breakdown underneath it doesn't.
Tent sites led the increase, jumping to an index reading of 105.6 as northern parks opened for summer at full seasonal rates. Lodging — cabins, cottages, and on-site accommodations — climbed to 102.1 as inventory entered peak availability. RV sites dropped to 99.3. The average RV site is now cheaper than it was at baseline in April.
Why RV Sites Are Lagging
Part of the explanation is structural. Tent sites at parks that were closed for winter come online at higher summer rates, pulling the tent average up sharply. Year-round RV parks in southern markets continue at their established pricing without a seasonal jump. That mechanical effect suppresses the RV average even when underlying demand is strong.
But the demand data suggests something more is happening. The OHPI's Demand Pressure Index jumped 9.4 points to 49.4% in May — a significant move that signals real consumer intent to book outdoor accommodations. Demand is building. RV site prices aren't following it.
The index tracks forward-looking pricing across future check-in dates, not just what guests paid last night. That's what makes it useful. When demand pressure rises but pricing stays flat, it means operators have room to move rates up and aren't taking it. That's revenue sitting uncaptured.
What the Best Operators Are Doing
The parks that are closing the gap between demand pressure and pricing are the ones running dynamic rate strategies — adjusting prices based on forward availability, day of week, and booking lead time rather than setting annual rates in January and leaving them alone.
The OHPI's methodology tracks this directly. It can compare what a July site costs as observed in May versus what it cost as observed in April. The difference between those two numbers is real demand movement stripped of seasonal noise. Parks that aren't adjusting prices as that signal builds are effectively subsidizing their guests' stays.
The national median RV site rate sits at $62 per night according to Insider Perks' 2026 Outdoor Hospitality Pricing Report. Delaware tops the state rankings at $109. North Dakota sits at the bottom at $44. The range reflects how dramatically local market conditions vary — and how much pricing room exists in markets where operators are anchored to outdated rate assumptions.
What It Means
Demand is ahead of pricing. That gap doesn't fix itself. If you haven't reviewed your summer rates against forward occupancy in the last 30 days, the OHPI data gives you the clearest reason yet to do it now.
Source: Insider Perks — OHPI May 2026