As the National Park Service faces calls for increased diversity and more connectivity amid record visitation, a survey of campers shows that parks are a prime destination in 2016 and an increasingly popular draw for minorities, particularly if the campground includes free Wi-Fi.

More than half of all U.S. campers intend to visit a national park this year, and 1 in 7 Canadian campers say they intend to visit as well, according to the 2016 North American Camping Report, the second annual survey conducted by Cairn Consulting Group and sponsored by Kampgrounds of America.

Campers reported spending a greater proportion of their camper nights at state or national park campgrounds in 2015 than 2014. The proportion increased by 5 percentage points among Hispanic campers, 7 percentage points among African American/black campers, and 10 percentage points among campers of Asian descent. Also, non-whites spent a higher proportion of their overall camper nights specifically in national parks when compared with white campers.

“Past research has indicated that many of the minority groups, and in particular African American/blacks, do not feel welcome at national parks,” the survey says, “yet efforts by the park system to entice increased visitation may be paying dividends with increased visits.”

As for younger campers, the report says millennials, defined as someone born between 1981 and 1997, were by far most likely to say that they plan to spend more nights and trips camping in 2016.

“Camping is making inroads into every ethnic group and age category in North America,” the report says. “It matters not if you are a senior citizen or a member of the millennial age group, the desire to get outside – and share the experience – is increasing.”

Speaking of sharing, nearly all campers said they bring their smartphone or cell phone with them when camping, and there was a marked increase in campers bringing a tablet. The usage of social media was greatest for sharing photos or videos of camping experiences, and researching an area was also a popular use.

While only 1 in 5 campers said Wi-Fi is “very important,” non-white campers were much more heavily influenced by free Wi-Fi at campgrounds.

The report suggests there is an increase in minority representation overall, and among new campers, representation closely matches the overall population.

“This could represent a dramatic shift in how camping is not only perceived, but impacts levels of participation, opening the outdoors to all who seek the experience of spending time outside, away from home,” the report says.

Among the positive notes in the report was that "campers are much more likely to have children living in their households than are U.S. residents overall." While 35 percent of campers in 2012 reported having children in their households, by 2015 that percentage had climbed to 46 percent.

"Camping appears to be growing in appeal as a family activity," the report said.

Interestingly, those surveyed preferred, by a 2-to-1 margin, public campgrounds over privately owned campgrounds. At the same time, a majority also preferred a range of accommodations, with half of the respondents saying they hoped to stay in a cabin this year.

Low gas prices fueled visitation to national parks last year, and more than half of all campers said that decreased gas prices had a “great deal of impact” on their increased camping in 2015.

Overall, 85 percent of respondents said they plan to continue to camp at least as much or more than they have in the past. Camping incidence was highest in the West.

This report is rich in data and insights to trends in camping, both in general and specific to demographic groups. The results are based on 2,923 responses to an online survey, including about 600 from each of four U.S. regions and 505 from Canada. Overall, the sample of U.S. residents has a margin of error of +/- 1.99 percent. The sample of households was statistically balanced to ensure that the results are in line with overall population figures by age, gender and ethnicity.