2 | MECOA | Friday | May 20, 2011
By David M. Fitzpatrick BANGOR DAILY NEWS
So where do you like to go camping in Maine? If you’re like Rick Abare, the executive director of the Maine Campground Owners Association, you probably head inland to a lake to put your canoe in. That makes sense; Abare lives on the coast. But if you live inland, an oceanfront campground might be just the thing. Or maybe you’re the hiking type, and want to be close to Baxter State Park to spend a day on Katahdin, or in Washington County for breathtaking views on the Bold Coast, or in the Weld region so you can summit as many western-Maine peaks as possible. Or perhaps you get away from it all by getting near it all, where you can park your RV and head to amusement parks, shopping malls, and golf courses. Luckily for you, no matter what you like to do — you’re in Maine! You can find it all here.
Camping with MECOA With 200 campgrounds across the state as members of MECOA, representing over 17,000 sites for tents and RVs, you’re sure to find something to fit what you’d like to do. And so far, the camping season is shaping up to be a good one. “We’re looking forward to an excellent year,” Abare said. “Obviously, if we have the kind of weather we had last year, people will come out and camp.” With Maine’s varied geography of coastline and mountains, lakes and ponds, rivers and ocean, hills and dales, there’s a camping opportunity, and a type of camping, for everyone. “[That’s] part of what makes Maine so unique and special,” Abare said. “There’s a reason why people stay in Maine or come back to Maine, or why people [from away] come to Maine.” And we like to camp — apparently more than perhaps we realize. Abare said that, according to recent research, Maine is unique. Per capita, Maine has one of highest percentages of campers in the nation. “Folks who live in Maine appreciate the outdoors and use the outdoors and camp … more than almost any other state in the country,” Abare said.
Gas Prices and Lodging Tax But gas prices are rising… so you can’t really afford to take the family away for a camping vacation, right? Wrong. Of course, Maine is “Vacationland,” and visitors from all over descend upon our state in the summer months. But, perhaps surprisingly, the majority of people who camp here are Mainers. And with 200 MECOA member campgrounds, Mainers are always a short drive to probably many local campgrounds. With gas prices on the rise, Maine families are probably going to be interested in keeping the driving to within the state for family vacations instead of heading off on cross-country tours or buying plane tickets for everyone. Maine also enjoys substantial Canadian traffic. They’re already over five bucks a gallon up there, so they’re even more likely to head to Maine en masse. So far, the numbers are trending that way; Abare says that MECOA member campgrounds are reporting early reservations of 8 to 12 percent above last year. Even the RV industry is emerging from the bad economy and doing well amidst rising gas prices. “The number of used units that were available has dwindled as they’ve been sold off, and the new RV pricing is actually quite good,” Abare said. “The financing possibilities are back — that was a problem for the RV industry for a couple of years. But people being able to get financing for an RV is okay now.” On the radar for several years was the concern that the Maine lodging tax would increase, also affecting campgrounds. Luckily, the lodging-tax increase passed last year left campgrounds alone (and then was repealed anyway). The question still remains as to whether campgrounds should have to charge a lodging tax at all; after all, you bring your tent or camper with you, which constitutes your lodging, so why pay a tax to use your own equipment? That debate will likely continue in the future, but for now, in light of the concern of it going up, MECOA is pleased that the lodging tax is staying right where it is.
First, many MECOA member campgrounds are participating in a coupon program from June 1 through June 25, offering discount camping for Great Outdoors Month. Check the MECOA Web site at www.campmaine.com to keep updated on which campgrounds are offering coupons. Second, many MECOA member campgrounds will offer free day-use passes to nearby state parks. They’re good for your entire carload of campers, and enable you to leave the campground for the day and enjoy a free trip to a local state park or historic site. “It’s a very nice public/private partnership,” Abare said. “It’s part of our take it outside, get outdoors, get off the couch, Go Camping America campaign, in conjunction with the Great Outdoors Month. We’re very pleased to be participating in that.”
It’s All About Family So there are many factors for going camping: gas prices, the economy, convenience, and so on. But there’s always one constant factor that seems to trump everything: family. “I think more and more people are recognizing that they want to spend time with their families,” Abare said. “They want to be outdoors in a healthy environment, they want to take their own bed with them, and so they’re very happy to go camping, to be able to provide a campfire to sit around and tell stories and laugh with their families and friends. That’s what camping is all about — that quality time you just can’t get anywhere else.” Order a free copy of MECOA’s camping guide, download it, or view it interactively at:
www.CampMaine.com If you’re interested in a rental cabin, cottage, or RV at a campground, visit MECOA’s sister site:
www.CampMaineRentals.com
Campgrounds and State Parks An exciting partnership is sure to make Maine camping even more exciting this year. June is the nationwide Great Outdoors Month, and MECOA has partnered with the Maine Department of Conservation’s Bureau of Parks and Lands to offer campers in Maine a great bonus.
And visit these sites:
www.GoCampingAmerica.com www.GetOutdoorsUSA.org