Camping is unique to Second Life’s economy. People are paid to park their avatars in a certain place rather than spend that time exploring or doing other activities.
It began when a landowner thought, since Linden Labs pays him based on how many avatars come to his land and how long they stay, he could actually turn a profit by paying for them to stay. Camping spots often appear as psychedelic dance pads, chairs, or even campfire logs and tents. Some camping spots animate the avatar so that looks like it is performing a task, such as sweeping or gardening. They are often surrounded by advertising or placed inside shops or clubs.
Campsite owners decide on the pay, perhaps 1 $L for 10 minutes. SL residents have banded together in groups to help each other find good spots.
But camping seems to be in transition. There are fewer places to camp. Many places have limits on how much an avatar can earn in one sitting. Some have taken the sitting out of camping by only requiring that the avatar register and stay on the property.
Some camping requires more from the camper. Some sites now encourage conversation by adding bonuses to avatars that chat, or only paying to chatting avatars. Some pay only if you participate in a certain activity, such as a game. A fairly new way to make money is to teleport friends into the region through a booth that pays per avatar brought in.
These trends have come from people who dislike seeing a room full of people merely sitting in chairs, most of them with the word ‘away’ over their heads. Many people keep Second Life minimized while they camp and do other real-life activity, even sleep. Hence, some people call this ‘Zombie Camping’.

It seems like there should be more to this story. What’s posted leaves me hanging & doesn’t answer his own question.