Three campgrounds across America are getting some new tenants, but campers need not be jealous of their shiny silver neighbors — the Airstream rigs are for rent.
Kampgrounds of America Inc. and Airstream Inc. are placing 25 of the company's most popular model trailers at KOA campgrounds in Las Vegas, Bar Harbor, Maine, and Key West, Fla., letting travelers rent the recognizable trailers like hotel rooms.
"A lot of people, frankly, don't know we're still in business because the trailers have looked largely the same over the years," Airstream chief executive Bob Wheeler said. "We know there's a demand — so it's just a matter of providing it in an easy and successful way in a great setting."
Airstreams are instantly identifiable by their long, rounded shape — imagine a giant aluminum Twinkie — and have been a historic part of American culture since the company began manufacturing trailers in the 1930s.
Wheeler said the company has been looking for years for ways for introduce potential customers to the iconic trailers. Until now, people have had to purchase an Airstream or know someone who owns one to sleep in its silvery confines.
The models at the campgrounds — the 25-foot Flying Cloud — retail for about $67,000, Wheeler said.
"It's a trial experience," he said.
Wheeler and Shane Ott, chief operating officer of Kampgrounds of America, said the Airstream rentals do more than just familiarize customers with the cushy amenities of a high-end recreational vehicle.
