Choice Hotels International will pay approximately $130 million in cash for 100% of Harvest Hosts, the RV travel membership company that connects RV travelers with overnight stays at more than 11,200 host locations, including wineries, farms, breweries, museums and other attractions.

The company announced the deal Wednesday. The all-cash transaction, which is expected to close Oct. 1, acquires Harvest Hosts from New York-based growth equity firm Stripes as well as other shareholders.

Harvest Hosts CEO Joel Holland will continue to run the company alongside its existing leadership team. The full Harvest Hosts team becomes Choice employees at close.

Harvest Hosts will operate as a standalone business under its existing brand, "preserving its distinct member and host experience," with the two companies working to grow the business together, according to a news release.

The strategic logic

Choice frames the deal as a pairing of its scale, commercial capabilities and loyalty reach with Harvest Hosts' network of RV experiences, creating what the company calls an "opportunity to deepen engagement with existing members, introduce more travelers to Harvest Hosts and support the continued growth of both businesses."

The acquisition — and Harvest Hosts' asset-light operating model in particular — is complementary to Choice's existing hotel portfolio and consistent with its long-term growth strategy, Choice CEO Dom Dragisich said in a statement. Dragisich was appointed to the CEO role last month.

"Choice Hotels has a long history of delivering quality travel experiences for value-minded consumers, and our acquisition of Harvest Hosts extends that reach into an attractive segment of the outdoor travel market," Dragisich said. "Together we offer even more stay options for both of our companies' guests."

According to Choice's research, many travelers already use both hotel and RV travel, with Choice Privileges loyalty members particularly active in both stay categories. That overlap creates what the release calls "a natural opportunity to connect Choice's large and growing loyal traveler base with Harvest Hosts' distinctive network of RV experiences."

Holland emphasized continuity of the member-and-host relationships that define the business. "The heart and soul of Harvest Hosts is the unique connections we have built between our members, hosts and employees," he said in a statement. "We share a love of the open road and the communities that make every journey memorable. Joining forces with Choice Hotels gives us an incredible opportunity to bring that experience to more people and accelerate our mission of creating millions of happier campers and communities."

A crowded outdoor segment

Choice is the latest hotel company to partner with — or in this case buy — an outdoor accommodations provider to meet growing traveler demand for unique, nature-centered stays.

Last year, Marriott International debuted its Outdoor Collection, anchored by the Trailborn and Postbook Cabins brands. In 2024, Hilton partnered with AutoCamp while Hyatt partnered with Under Canvas, each pairing with outdoor hospitality providers to extend their reach into experiential stays.

The Harvest Hosts deal moves Choice beyond partnership and into outright ownership of an asset-light membership platform with a network exceeding 11,200 locations — a structure that sidesteps the capital intensity of owning outdoor lodging outright. Expect Choice to begin connecting its Choice Privileges base to the Harvest Hosts network as it looks to cross-sell hotel and RV stays to value-minded travelers.