Maximize Revenue with Smart Upsells and Add-Ons at RV Resorts and Campgrounds

In today’s competitive outdoor hospitality market, every RV resort and campground is looking for creative ways to increase revenue without driving up base prices or overwhelming guests. The challenge is simple: how do you grow profit per guest while still providing a memorable experience that keeps campers coming back year after year?

The answer lies in smart upsells and add-ons. These are small, high-value extras that guests want to buy because they make their stay easier, more comfortable, or more fun. And when paired with technology like ResortForward’s guest engagement tools, these upsells can be seamlessly integrated into your booking flow, communication channels, and on-site operations.

For many RV parks and campgrounds, the past few years have brought strong occupancy rates but also rising operating costs. These range from utilities to insurance to labor. Guests are more value-conscious, yet still willing to spend more if the upgrade or add-on genuinely improves their experience.

Unlike price increases, upsells and add-ons give your guests choices. They allow travelers to personalize their stay while helping you earn more per site or cabin. This causes your guests to feel catered to, and you build sustainable, incremental revenue without appearing to “nickel and dime.”

Upselling works because of a principle called “perceived value.” When a guest books a site for $70 per night, a $10 firewood delivery, $15 golf cart rental, or $25 late checkout feels like a small add-on compared to the total trip cost.

It’s easier for a guest to say “yes” to these micro-upgrades after they’ve already committed to a larger purchase. That’s why the most successful campgrounds strategically present add-ons at key decision points, such as during online booking, in pre-arrival texts, or even at check-in.

Digital tools can automate these offers, making sure every guest sees the right option at the right time, based on their booking type, site category, or length of stay.

Every campground is unique, but the most profitable add-ons usually fall into five categories:

Guests love convenience. Offer small services that save time or make life on the road easier. Deliver firewood or ice to the campsite. Offer early check-in or late check-out. Offer premium Wi-Fi access or extra data packages. Provide linen or towel rental for cabin guests as well as laundry tokens or detergent packs.

Make it easier for guests to explore your property and surrounding area. This can be through golf cart, e-bike, or kayak rentals, shuttle passes to local attractions or trails, day-use passes for nearby lakes or facilities and equipment rentals (fishing poles, paddleboards, etc.)

These are ideal for RV parks with active or family-oriented clientele. Guests who might not plan ahead will often book these items once reminded through a friendly text message before arrival.

For guests willing to pay more for a special experience, offer upgrades that showcase your park’s best features. Offer site upgrades (waterfront, shaded, or pull-through sites). Include private picnic shelters or pavilions. Exclusive “premium” areas with expanded amenities and extended-stay discounts for digital nomads or snowbirds will also appeal to many travelers.

Food is one of the easiest and most enjoyable upsells. Even small campgrounds can offer breakfast bundles or s’mores kits, local beer or wine packages (where allowed), snack boxes or BBQ meal kits for cabins, or food truck night reservations or vouchers.

Automating these offers through pre-arrival messages makes them feel like a helpful suggestion rather than a sales pitch.

Today’s campers value memories over merchandise. Adding curated experiences helps your park stand out: Consider those things that will create these memories, such as guided hikes, yoga, or nature workshops, kids’ craft classes or scavenger hunts, movie nights, concerts, or themed weekends and photography or stargazing experiences.

These not only generate direct revenue but also boost your online reputation through guest photos, social shares, and reviews.

Timing and delivery are everything. Guests should never feel pressured or confused. The upsell should feel like a natural extension of their stay.

This is your best opportunity to showcase add-ons because the guest is already in buying mode. Think “Add a firewood delivery for $10?” or “Upgrade to a lakefront site for $15/night.” These small prompts increase revenue without slowing down checkout. Also, keep options simple. Limit to 3–5 add-ons to avoid overwhelming guests.

Once a guest has booked, the excitement builds. This is the perfect time to remind them of extras that enhance their stay. Use two-way texting and automated messaging to make this effortless. You might send:

“Hi John! We’re excited to welcome you Friday. Want us to have a firewood bundle or s’mores kit ready at your site? Just reply YES.”

This creates engagement and a feeling of personalized service while generating incremental sales automatically.

Even after check-in, opportunities continue. Guests often realize they’d like more amenities once they’ve settled in.

Promote daily specials or events (“Tonight’s pizza night — order by 6 PM!”). Offer convenience upgrades (“Add a late checkout for just $20 — reply YES!”). Encourage additional rentals (“Need another day with your golf cart? Extend now!”).

Because the messages are quick and conversational, guests don’t view them as advertising but instead see them as helpful options.

To maximize effectiveness, treat upselling as a system, not a side hustle. Here’s how to structure it:

Use surveys, reviews, or staff insights to find what guests ask for most often such as Wi-Fi upgrades, golf carts, early arrivals, etc.

A successful upsell should feel like a small “treat,” not a splurge. Keep prices psychologically appealing (e.g., $9.99 instead of $10, or “just $5 more”).

Combine related items into value packages. For example:

• Campfire Night Package: Firewood + s’mores kit + camp chairs, or
• Adventure Day Pass: Kayak rental + trail map + snack pack

Bundles encourage higher average order values while simplifying decisions.

Automation keeps the system consistent. ResortForward lets you schedule upsell messages based on reservation type or date, ensuring no opportunity is missed.

Monitor which add-ons sell best. Maybe your guests prefer firewood over Wi-Fi upgrades. Use analytics to adjust pricing or presentation over time.

Technology can turn what used to be a manual, hit-or-miss process into a smooth, automated system that feels personal.

Booking engines allow you to display optional add-ons as part of the reservation process without adding friction or confusing steps.

Send pre-arrival messages offering relevant upgrades based on guest type, site category, or stay length. Messages can be scheduled or triggered automatically through ResortForward.

Guests can simply reply “YES” to purchase. Payments and confirmations link directly to their reservation, keeping everything organized.

Track what sells, when it sells, and who buys it. Use this data to fine-tune your offerings and maximize profitability.

After checkout, send follow-up surveys or future booking offers. This turns happy guests into repeat visitors and promoters.

Upselling isn’t just about revenue; it’s about connection. Each add-on is a small gesture that says, “We’ve thought about what would make your trip better.”

When done right, these extras turn into memorable moments such as the family who remembers roasting marshmallows with your s’mores kit while giggling at dad jokes, the couple who appreciated a smooth early check-in after a long drive or the solo traveler who loved the yoga class you recommended. 

These details create stories. Stories create loyal guests.

In an era where travelers crave convenience, personalization, and value, smart upsells and add-ons have become one of the most effective ways to grow revenue and improve guest satisfaction.

By leveraging ResortForward’s automated messaging, integrated booking tools, and data-driven insights, RV resorts and campgrounds can transform everyday operations into a finely tuned profit engine.

Each firewood bundle, kayak rental, or experience package adds up, not just in dollars, but in delight. And when guests feel their stay was uniquely theirs, they’re more likely to come back, refer friends, and leave glowing reviews.

The best part? You don’t need to overhaul your business.  Just start small, automate smartly, and let technology do the heavy lifting.

Because in outdoor hospitality, it’s the little extras that turn a good stay into a great one — and a great one into lasting loyalty.