QuickBooksIntuit
class computer and software for word processing, e-mail, Internet access, spreadsheet, database, and other business applications meeting our requirements. Many KOA franchisees use QuickBooks® accounti
From the filings
+1.408% units YoYHQ-led decisions
KOA - Maryland Exemption
LodgingKOA - Maryland Exemption operates 483 campgrounds nationwide, and its Item 11 technology stack is set at HQ: every franchisee must run the KampSight/K2 reservation system and the sole-supplier payment processor the franchisor designates. With 432 franchised locations and franchised outlets up 1.4% year over year, this is a centralized buying environment for hospitality and payments vendors.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
Total units
483
432 franchised
Unit growth YoY
+1.408%
vs prior filing
AUV
$752K
Item 19, 2024
Royalty
8%
of gross sales
Ad fund
2%
national + local
Initial fee
—
per unit
Investment range
$5.16M–$31.67M
all-in, Item 7
Procurement
Approved supplier
from the filing
Item 19
Claims
from the filing
Ongoing fee load
What the operator pays every month
The recurring percentage of gross sales named in this filing, before rent, labour or any technology fee.
10%of gross sales (FY2024)
15% reference
Mandated & recommended tech
The systems vendors compete with
Systems named in Item 11 of this filing. None is recorded as mandated here, which is not the same as the filing mandating nothing. Read Item 11 before treating the category as open.
Franchisor behaviours
What the franchisor requires
24 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 5 explicit no's; 5 questions the text does not settle, which is not a no.
Accounting
Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?
YesItem 11
We have independent access to all information generated and stored in the computer systems and database discussed above and there are no contractual limitations on our right to access the information.
Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall deliver to the Franchisor, within ninety (90) days following Franchisee’s fiscal year end, a copy of the income statement and balance sheet showing the financial results of operations of the park/campground business for the fiscal year then ended.
How the franchisor buys
Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?
YesItem 8
We are the sole supplier of these items.
Is there a franchisee advisory council, association or committee?
YesItem 11
Each year, the Kampground Owners Association, which is made up of our franchisees and KOA each appoint an equal amount of members to serve as the Franchise Advisory Committee.
How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?
273597Item 8
In 2023 we received $273,597 in revenue from franchisees in payment for required goods or services.
Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
We receive rebates from some of our approved suppliers.
Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?
YesItem 8
If you want to purchase these items from a supplier that we have not approved, you must notify us, and we will require the supplier to submit plans and materials for our review to assure compliance with our specifications.
Communications
Does the franchisor own or control the business telephone numbers, or take them over when the agreement ends?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall immediately transfer to the Franchisor the toll-free number listed in the Directory and on the “koa.com” Internet web site and any other electronic medium or method of communication, including a website, home page, HTML document, Internet site, web page, including review or opinion pages or business…
Franchise management
Must the franchisee participate in a customer-satisfaction or net-promoter survey program?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall participate in all programs the Franchisor may require including the then-current customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and gift card programs and comply with all terms and conditions of such programs.
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesItem 11
Inspect your KOA campground premises from time to time to determine whether you and the campground are complying with our standards.
Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?
YesFranchise agreement
The Franchisor reserves the right to unilaterally change the KOA Quality Assurance & Policy Manual and any other manuals from time to time.
Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?
YesItem 11
we must approve the site you choose for your campground.
Marketing
Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall not register any Internet domain name or establish or otherwise obtain or acquire any electronic medium or method of communication, including a website, home page, HTML document, Internet site, web page, including review or opinion pages or business profiles, and any other profile associated with the…
Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?
YesItem 11
You must conduct local advertising to promote your campground.
Must the franchisee participate in a customer loyalty or rewards program?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall participate in all programs the Franchisor may require including the then-current customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and gift card programs and comply with all terms and conditions of such programs.
Operations
Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?
YesItem 8
You must use the credit card processor we specify and the payment processing device supplier we specify.
Payments
Must the franchisee use a payment processor or merchant-services provider designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesItem 8
You must use the credit card processor we specify and the payment processing device supplier we specify.
Are royalties and other fees collected by automatic bank debit (ACH or electronic funds transfer) from the franchisee's account?
YesItem 6
Unless we otherwise agree, you must pay fees and other amounts due to us via electronic funds transfer or other similar means.
Must the franchisee participate in a gift card program?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee shall participate in all programs the Franchisor may require including the then-current customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and gift card programs and comply with all terms and conditions of such programs.
Point of sale
Must the franchisee use a specific point-of-sale system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesItem 8
You must use the credit card processor we specify and the payment processing device supplier we specify.
Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?
YesItem 11
We have independent access to all information generated and stored in the computer systems and database discussed above and there are no contractual limitations on our right to access the information.
Sales and CRM
Must the franchisee use a CRM system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesItem 8
You must use our Campground Management Systems (“CMS”) which consist of KampSight/K2 KampSight (campground management software), eKamp (franchise intranet system), and other programs and technology.
Training
Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?
YesItem 11
If you wish to send more than two attendees, each additional person will incur a registration fee of $500, in addition to applicable travel expenses.
Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?
YesFranchise agreement
In addition to attendance at the initial KOA University Orientation, Franchisee must attend at least one KOA Convention during the term of this agreement.
The filing answers no to 5 questions
- Must the franchisee use an accounting or bookkeeping system designated or approved by the franchisor?Item 11
- Does the franchisor charge a fee to evaluate a proposed supplier?Item 8
- Is a minimum grand opening advertising spend required?Item 11
- Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?Item 11
- Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?Franchise agreement
The vendor opportunity at KOA - Maryland Exemption
KOA - Maryland Exemption operates 483 campgrounds — 432 franchised, 51 company-owned — under its 2024 FDD, with franchised outlets up 1.4% year over year. The system runs an 8% royalty on a 5-year initial term, and Item 19 makes a financial performance representation.
Who controls software purchasing
Purchasing is centralized at HQ. Toby L. O'Rourke serves as Director, President and CEO; Christopher A. Scheer as Director, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary; Darin E. Uselman as Chief Operations Officer; and Christopher S. Fairlee as Chief Acquisitions Officer — the offices that set and enforce the technology and supplier standards below.
Tech named in the FDD, and what is actually required
Franchisees must use KampSight/K2 for all reservations and guest registrations, and the wider Campground Management Systems bundle of KampSight/K2, eKamp, and related programs. The filing also requires a credit card processor and payment processing software and devices that KOA specifies. QuickBooks by Intuit is named separately in Item 7 of the filing.
Procurement, renewals, and timing
Item 8 runs an approved-supplier list: the credit card processor, payment device supplier, and CMS software are sole-designated suppliers, trademarked merchandise must come from approved suppliers, and franchisees may use any supplier meeting KOA's standards for other items. The 5-year term renews on full compliance, written notice, an upgrade to current standards, and a then-current agreement that can carry materially different terms.
How to read the KOA - Maryland Exemption FDD
The PDF viewer below carries KOA - Maryland Exemption's 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document in full. Vendors selling into campground and hospitality operations can talk to FranCloud for a ranked list of similar targets.
Questions vendors ask
KOA - Maryland Exemption, answered from the filing
KOA mandates its KampSight/K2 reservation and campground management system and a sole payment processor system-wide, which puts the buying decision at HQ. Toby L. O'Rourke, President and CEO, and Christopher A. Scheer, Chief Financial Officer, oversee the corporate office that sets those standards.
The filing requires KampSight/K2 for all reservations and guest registrations, plus the wider Campground Management Systems bundle (KampSight/K2, eKamp, and related programs), a specified credit card processor, and the payment processing software and devices KOA designates. QuickBooks by Intuit is also named in Item 7 of the filing.
KOA - Maryland Exemption runs 483 campgrounds — 432 franchised and 51 company-owned — as of the 2024 FDD, with franchised outlets up 1.4% year over year.
Item 8 runs an approved-supplier list with sole designated suppliers for the credit card processor, payment device, and CMS software; trademarked merchandise must come from approved suppliers, and franchisees may use any supplier meeting KOA's standards for other items.
The initial term runs 5 years. Renewal needs full compliance, written notice, an upgrade to current standards, satisfied monetary obligations, and signing the then-current agreement, which can carry materially different terms.
The embedded PDF viewer below holds KOA - Maryland Exemption's 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document in full, covering the Item 11 technology mandates and Item 8 supplier rules described above.
Source
Read the filing itself
Every number on this page traces back to this document. Read it in full, page by page. Buy the original PDF to download, search, and annotate it.
View only A one-time purchase: the original filing, yours to keep.
FDD alert
Tell me when this brand refiles.
We’ll email you the moment KOA - Maryland Exemption files a new annual FDD, usually the freshest signal of a vendor change.
Operator footprint
Who runs the locations
452 operators run 466 mapped locations. 12 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.
Operators by units owned
Single-unit440
2–9 units12
Top states by locations
| CA | 28 |
|---|---|
| TX | 25 |
| CO | 23 |
| MI | 19 |
| PA | 19 |
Ownership
The portfolio behind KOA - Maryland Exemption
single_brand_holdco of KOA.
Sibling brands
Related Lodging brands
Primary franchise filings · updated September 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.