{{Short description|Chain of campgrounds in the US and Canada}} {{For|other topics named similarly|Koa (disambiguation)}} {{Use American English|date=May 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox company | name = Kampgrounds of America | logo = KOA campgrounds logo.svg | logo_size = 155 | logo_alt = | logo_caption = | type = [[Privately held company|Private]] | image = | image_size = | image_alt = | image_caption = | industry = {{Unbulleted list|Amusement|Recreation}} | genre = | fate = | predecessor = <!-- or: | predecessors = --> | successor = <!-- or: | successors = --> | founded = <!-- if known: {{Start date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} in [[city]], country --> 1962 | founder = <!-- or: | founders = --> Dave Drum | defunct = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> | hq_location = 1205 N Transtech Way | hq_location_city = [[Billings, Montana]] | hq_location_country = United States | area_served = United States, Canada | key_people = Toby O'Rourke ([[Chief executive officer|CEO]]) | products = | brands = | services = {{Unbulleted list|RV parks|Campgrounds}} | revenue = | revenue_year = <!-- Year of revenue data (if known) --> | operating_income = | income_year = <!-- Year of operating_income data (if known) --> | net_income = <!-- or: | profit = --> | net_income_year = <!-- or: | profit_year = --><!-- Year of net_income/profit data (if known) --> | assets = | assets_year = <!-- Year of assets data (if known) --> | equity = | equity_year = <!-- Year of equity data (if known) --> | owner = {{ubl|[[Oscar Tang]]|[[Agnes Hsu-Tang]]<ref name="yellow_whistle">{{cite web |title=Join KOA in Supporting The Yellow Whistle to stop Asian Hate |url=https://koa.com/blog/join-koa-in-supporting-the-yellow-whistle-to-stop-asian-hate/ |website=KOA Blog |access-date=8 September 2021 |archive-date=8 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210908055250/https://koa.com/blog/join-koa-in-supporting-the-yellow-whistle-to-stop-asian-hate/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>}} | members = | members_year = <!-- Year of members data (if known) --> | num_employees = | num_employees_year = <!-- Year of num_employees data (if known) --> | parent = | divisions = | subsid = Sir Speedy, Inc. | rating = <!-- Credit rating; used for banks only --> | website = {{URL|www.KOA.com}} | footnotes = }}
'''KOA''' (short for Kampgrounds{{sic}} of America) is an American [[Franchising|franchise]] of privately owned campgrounds. Having more than 500 locations across the United States and Canada, is the world's largest system of privately owned campgrounds.<ref>{{Cite web|title=KOA: 50 Years Of Family Camping |work=Family RVing Magazine|date=December 2012|url=https://familyrvingmag.com/2012/12/01/koa-50-years-of-family-camping/|access-date=2021-08-25|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Welcome|url=http://www.koapressroom.com/|access-date=2021-08-25|publisher=KOA Press Room|language=en-US}}</ref> It was founded in 1962 and is based in [[Billings, Montana]], United States. The current president and CEO of KOA is Toby O’Rourke.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.ktvq.com/story/30854563/kampgrounds-of-america-announces-change-in-leadership|title=Kampgrounds of America announces change in leadership|publisher=KTVQ|last=Klemann|first=Dustin|date=30 December 2015|access-date=10 November 2016|archive-date=11 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111062256/http://www.ktvq.com/story/30854563/kampgrounds-of-america-announces-change-in-leadership|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== History == KOA was founded in 1962 in Billings, Montana, by businessmen Dave Drum, John Wallace and two other partners. Drum got the idea to start the campgrounds while walking his property along the [[Yellowstone River]] and seeing travelers heading to the [[Seattle World's Fair]]. The first campsites, known as Billings Campground, were located on Drum's property north of the Yellowstone River. For $1.75 per night, campers could pitch their tent on a campsite that included a picnic table and fire ring. This first campground also provided hot showers, restrooms, and a small store.<ref name=Billings>{{cite news|last1=Howard|first1=Tom|title=KOA's history started with a good idea and a humble campground|url=http://billingsgazette.com/business/features/koa-s-history-started-with-a-good-idea-and-a/article_67af2f6a-cece-526d-82dc-d51e34799174.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 9, 2017|work=The Billings Gazette|date=September 1, 2012|location=Billings, Montana}}</ref> The campground was quickly successful and by the summer of 1963, Drum, Wallace and their partners decided to create a system of campgrounds throughout North America. They named the company Kampgrounds of America and began selling [[franchising|franchises]].<ref name=Billings/>
In 1969, KOA became a public company.<ref name="koa_history">{{cite web |title=KOA History |url=http://www.koapressroom.com/press-kit/koa-history/ |publisher=KOA Press Room |access-date=8 September 2021}}</ref> By the end of the 1969 camping season, KOA had 262 campgrounds in operation across the U.S. By 1972, 10 years after KOA's creation, KOA had 600 franchise campgrounds.
The [[1970s energy crisis]] caused the collapse of many travel-oriented businesses, and KOA's stock price sharply declined as fewer Americans drove for vacations. New York City financier [[Oscar Tang]], a major stockholder at the time, purchased the company in its entirety after the 1979 oil crisis.<ref name="koa_history" /> However, by 1982 KOA franchises had increased to nearly 900. By 2002, after stricter quality standards weeded out many campgrounds, KOA campgrounds numbered almost 500, with most being in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Homegrown camping company celebrates 40 year anniversary|url = http://billingsgazette.com/business/homegrown-camping-company-celebrates-year-anniversary/article_49d41fe7-3d35-5bb0-8aa9-c6ebb2520694.html|website = The Billings Gazette |first1=Jan |last1=Falstad |date=August 3, 2002 |accessdate = 2015-12-31}}</ref>
KOA annually inspects each campground with a 600-point inspection, which it claims is the most stringent in the business.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tomaszewski |first=Lois |date=8 October 2018 |title=Routine Maintenance Is Critical for Happy Campers |url=https://mobilerving.com/the-buzz-articles/features/routine-maintenance-is-critical-for-happy-campers-1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250328193445/https://rvingusa.com/the-buzz-articles/the-news/routine-maintenance-is-critical-for-happy-campers-1 |archive-date=28 March 2025 |url-status=dead |publisher=RVing USA |access-date=28 March 2025 |language=en}}</ref>
In 2015, [[James D. Rogers|Jim Rogers]] stepped down as CEO after 15 years and was replaced by the president of the company, Pat Hittmeier. In April 2019, Hittmeier retired, and was replaced by new CEO Toby O'Rourke, the first woman to hold that position in the company's 57-year history.<ref>{{Cite web|title = KOA announces new CEO|url = http://billingsgazette.com/business/koa-announces-new-ceo/article_8b2c4433-daf9-5801-a44d-a6b2c29d3cfd.html |last1=Olson |first1=Erik |website = The Billings Gazette |date=December 30, 2015 |accessdate = 2015-12-31}}</ref>
<gallery widths="200" heights="135"> File:KOA Kampground Lake Panasoffkee.jpg|Entrance to [[Lake Panasoffkee]], [[Florida]] KOA File:Mt. Lassen Shingletown KOA campground reception, Shingletown, 2011.jpg|Reception of a KOA campground in [[Shingletown, California]] File:KOA campground Petersburg Michigan.JPG|KOA campground, [[Petersburg, Michigan]] File:Jonestown-Hershey NE KOA Journey Creekside Campsite.jpg|Creekside campsite at Jonestown/Hershey NE KOA Journey in [[Jonestown, Columbia County, Pennsylvania|Jonestown, Pennsylvania]] </gallery>
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons category|Kampgrounds of America (KOA)}} * {{Official website}}
{{Billings, Montana}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:1962 establishments in Montana]] [[Category:American companies established in 1962]] [[Category:Companies based in Billings, Montana]] [[Category:Campgrounds in the United States]] [[Category:Franchises]] [[Category:Privately held companies based in Montana]]