Login

Delaware North Diversifies Portfolio as Outdoor Travel Demand Evolves

Younger, More Connected Travelers Boost Longevity of Segment
Hotel News Now
December 1, 2022 | 2:09 P.M.

The National Park visitor who wanted to disconnect from technology and live off the land for their outdoor vacation may be giving way to a new outdoor-minded traveler who wants to stay connected while choosing their own adventures.

Scott Socha, group president of parks and resorts in Australia for Delaware North, said the definition of outdoor-minded travel has broadened to accommodate both active and passive guests.

“There are some who want to be active and hike 10 miles, and there are some who want to be a little bit more passive — still get outdoors, but take a tour and be able to maybe do a mile or a two-mile hike, and then come back to the lodge for hot chocolate or a massage,” he said.

Delaware North owns and operates Teyana at Yosemite outside Yosemite National Park in California. The lodge includes cabins like this one, as well as a spa and activity packages. (Delaware North)

Delaware North’s parks and resorts division owns and operates hotels in and around national and state parks in the U.S. and at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This fall, the company acquired outdoor recreation and event company Nova Guides, which operates ATV/UTV, fly fishing and snowmobile tours, along with its Camp Hale Weddings business near Vail, Colorado.

The company has been acquiring National Parks tour operators for several years as part of a strategy to appeal to experience-minded travelers, Socha said.

He said the pandemic “reintroduced some of the population to the outdoors who hadn’t been in a while, and that will stick.”

“Coming out of COVID, the consumer profile has skewed younger … than it was pre-COVID. It has skewed more diverse than it was ... that’s a good thing, from a longevity perspective, economically for the business.”

Labor issues that persist across the hotel industry hit the outdoor recreation segment as well. While the ability to access international workers on J-1 and H-2B visas again has been important to the business, Socha said housing employees requires significant investment.

Since Delaware North is an owner and operator, Socha said thinking critically about those investments has to be part of the long-term strategy. The company owns 11 hotels and is looking to grow that portfolio in the short term.

Socha said safety, accessibility, workforce and sustainable operations all play a role in the company’s long-term growth strategy.

For more from Delaware North’s Scott Socha, watch the video above.

Return to the Hotel News Now homepage.

IN THIS ARTICLE