Benchmarking Basics
What Is a Comp Set in Outdoor Hospitality?
A comp set is short for competitive set. That sounds more intimidating than it is. A comp set is simply a group of properties that are similar enough to yours that comparing performance actually means something.
That's it. It's simply a more relevant group of properties to measure yourself against.
Not Every Nearby Park Is Comparable
Say you operate a 180-site RV resort with a pool, cabins, premium pull-through sites, and strong summer leisure demand. There are three parks nearby: a 40-site mom-and-pop campground, a seasonal park where most guests stay for months, and a 200-site destination RV resort with similar amenities and pricing.
Which one belongs in your comp set? Probably the third one. Proximity matters, but similarity matters too.
The Basic Comp Set Equation
A useful way to think about it:
If one of those pieces is wildly different, the comparison gets weaker. For example:
Your park occupancy
82%
Comp set occupancy
76%
Performance gap
+6 pts
What Makes a Good Comp Set?
The goal is not to find properties that are identical. They never will be. The goal is a comparison group that is relevant.
| Factor | What to look at |
|---|---|
| Location | Are the properties competing for similar demand? |
| Property type | RV resort, campground, glamping property, cabin resort, or something else. |
| Size | A 500-site destination resort behaves differently than a 35-site campground. |
| Guest mix | Transient, seasonal, long-term, leisure, group business, or some combination. |
| Amenities & positioning | Pools, waterparks, cabins, waterfront access, premium sites, and overall experience influence pricing and demand. |
| Seasonality | Two parks can sit close together and still carry very different demand patterns. |
Why Comp Sets Matter
Without a comp set, benchmarking becomes vague. "Our occupancy was 84%" is nice to know, but compared to whom? The whole state? Every park in a 100-mile radius? A luxury glamping resort next to a long-term RV community?
"How did we perform compared to properties competing for similar demand?" That's a much more useful question.
It's About the Group, Not One Competitor
A comp set isn't a list of properties you're trying to outperform head-to-head, and you don't need to know exactly how one specific competitor priced or performed. What matters is the aggregated performance of the group. That protects confidentiality while still giving operators meaningful market context.
Instead of asking "what did Park X charge last Saturday," you're asking "how did our relevant market perform." That distinction is what makes the data useful.
Your Comp Set Can Change
Markets change. Properties renovate. New resorts open. Guest behavior shifts. A park may add cabins, a waterpark, or premium amenities and suddenly compete against a different group than it did five years ago. That's why comp sets should be reviewed periodically.
Where OHR Fits
OHR helps operators benchmark performance against relevant comparable properties, creating market context around metrics like occupancy, ADR, RevPAS, booking pace, pickup, and seasonality.
The goal is not to compare you against everybody. It is to compare you against the right group, because benchmarking only works when the comparison makes sense. See how OHR builds a comp set.
Frequently asked questions
What does comp set mean?
Comp set stands for competitive set: a group of similar properties used to compare performance.
How do you choose a campground comp set?
Operators typically consider location, size, property type, guest mix, amenities, seasonality, and pricing position.
Do all nearby campgrounds belong in the same comp set?
No. Geographic proximity alone does not make two properties comparable.
How many properties should be in a comp set?
The right number depends on the market, but the group should be large enough to protect confidentiality while remaining relevant.
Can a campground's comp set change over time?
Yes. New supply, renovations, repositioning, and changes in guest demand can all affect which properties are most comparable.
