Native Campervans is preparing to launch in Phoenix. The firm already operates in Denver, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. (Courtesy Native Campervans)
A Denver-based camper van company wanted somewhere less snowy for its fourth location — and first new one in four years.
Native Campervans, which is headquartered at 2919 E. 42nd Ave. in Elyria-Swansea, currently rents vans in Denver, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. The company will add Phoenix to that list next month.
Chief Operating Officer Ryan McNutt said while Las Vegas — the company’s third market, added in 2019 — provided a warm destination, the company needed another to keep business moving through the colder months.
“Last winter a solid portion of our fleet was just sitting,” McNutt said. “We needed another warm-weather location to help offset our business in the winter.”
McNutt said the company, which rents out outfitted vans for camping and road trips, has a 100-van fleet, which is roughly 25 more vans than last year.
“We’re at a point now where we can’t meet the utilization needs of our fleet with just the three locations,” McNutt said.
Most customers rent the vans to travel to national parks, like Rocky Mountain or Yellowstone. With Phoenix, McNutt said Native will reach a whole new customer base because of the Grand Canyon.
“There is a dedicated group of travelers every year that just want to go see the Grand Canyon – I think it’s the top five most visited national park,” he said.
McNutt said he expects Phoenix and accessibility to the Grand Canyon to also grow the company’s international customers, who account for about 10 percent of business.
Native did between $3 million and $4 million in revenue last year, renting out vans to roughly 1,500 customers, according to McNutt. Depending on the length of a trip, which averages around eight days, McNutt said a typical rental will cost $1,500 to $5,000.
He said Native has seen competition spike as the van industry surged during the pandemic, which has decreased daily revenue slightly.
“When COVID hit the first month was wild, because no one was traveling, then jet fuel got poured on our industry and everyone wanted to come out and camp,” McNutt said.
Dillon Hansen and Jon Moran founded Native in 2015 and it has 13 employees. The company rents three styles of vans for rent; The Biggie and The Smalls each seat and sleep two, while The Squad can accommodate four.
Native Campervans is eyeing California and the Pacific Northwest next for expansion, McNutt said, with hopes to open in three more cities in the next five years.
“Denver’s been our bread and butter, this is where we were founded back in 2015, and we’ve really gone deep and saturated this market pretty well,” McNutt said.
Native Campervans is preparing to launch in Phoenix. The firm already operates in Denver, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. (Courtesy Native Campervans)
A Denver-based camper van company wanted somewhere less snowy for its fourth location — and first new one in four years.
Native Campervans, which is headquartered at 2919 E. 42nd Ave. in Elyria-Swansea, currently rents vans in Denver, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. The company will add Phoenix to that list next month.
Chief Operating Officer Ryan McNutt said while Las Vegas — the company’s third market, added in 2019 — provided a warm destination, the company needed another to keep business moving through the colder months.
“Last winter a solid portion of our fleet was just sitting,” McNutt said. “We needed another warm-weather location to help offset our business in the winter.”
McNutt said the company, which rents out outfitted vans for camping and road trips, has a 100-van fleet, which is roughly 25 more vans than last year.
“We’re at a point now where we can’t meet the utilization needs of our fleet with just the three locations,” McNutt said.
Most customers rent the vans to travel to national parks, like Rocky Mountain or Yellowstone. With Phoenix, McNutt said Native will reach a whole new customer base because of the Grand Canyon.
“There is a dedicated group of travelers every year that just want to go see the Grand Canyon – I think it’s the top five most visited national park,” he said.
McNutt said he expects Phoenix and accessibility to the Grand Canyon to also grow the company’s international customers, who account for about 10 percent of business.
Native did between $3 million and $4 million in revenue last year, renting out vans to roughly 1,500 customers, according to McNutt. Depending on the length of a trip, which averages around eight days, McNutt said a typical rental will cost $1,500 to $5,000.
He said Native has seen competition spike as the van industry surged during the pandemic, which has decreased daily revenue slightly.
“When COVID hit the first month was wild, because no one was traveling, then jet fuel got poured on our industry and everyone wanted to come out and camp,” McNutt said.
Dillon Hansen and Jon Moran founded Native in 2015 and it has 13 employees. The company rents three styles of vans for rent; The Biggie and The Smalls each seat and sleep two, while The Squad can accommodate four.
Native Campervans is eyeing California and the Pacific Northwest next for expansion, McNutt said, with hopes to open in three more cities in the next five years.
“Denver’s been our bread and butter, this is where we were founded back in 2015, and we’ve really gone deep and saturated this market pretty well,” McNutt said.
