Industry Background/AnalysisJesse Carvalho

Industry Analysis/Company Background

• Of the estimated 12,000 camps in the U.S., approximately 7,000 are resident camps and 5,000 are day camps.

• 15% of ACA(American Camp Association)-accredited camps offer both day and resident camps.

• The number of day camps in the U.S. has grown by nearly 90% in the past 20 years.

Industry Analysis/Company Background

65% of camps report enrollment that stayed the same or increased within the past five years, while 10% of camps reached capacity level and 35% of camps are reportedly 90-99% full

Camps employ more than 1,200,000 adults to work as counselors, program/activity leaders, unit and program directors/supervisors, and in support services roles such as maintenance, administration, food service and health care.

Target Market • Niche? Computers are now used not only for camp

registration and financial records, but also for program scheduling and client data. Use of the Internet as a marketing tool continues to increase. ACA's Web site receives an average of over 120,000 visits a month and an average of 4,000 visits daily. Of the approximately 2,400 ACA-accredited camps, 79% have their own Web site.

• We target children and teens mostly.

• We are not serving adults, unless they have background checks and want to contribute to camp.

• To me, the program presents the chance to free myself from childhood and take steps into adulthood. I can become a more influential person in society through teaching and being a role model.

— Adam, age fourteen

http://www.campparents.org/newsletter/1103/after- the-deluge

Competition• 438 camps registered in Florida

• There is no camps reported to be overnight in the Pinellas county

• A lot of the camps are concentrated in just one or a few different activities or trainings

• The camps don’t mention any kind of food menu.

• Some of these camps don’t have websites.

SWOT

Strengths• High demands in the summer time

• Make the prices competitive

• Fun, family oriented niche market

Weaknesses• The number of camps in area

• Space needed for facilities, the funds to build.

• Will parents buy the membership?

SWOT

Opportunity• Better marketing/advertising

• Know a few people in the industry

• Target all ages

Threats• Already established camps, have loyal

customer base.

• Other establishments take my ideas and steal the overnight camping idea.

ReferencesWallace, S. (2011). After the deluge — letters from my campers. Retrieved from http://www.campparents.org/newsletter/1103/after-the-deluge