November 1, 2010 -- The Board and members of the Virginia Campground voted to accept individual Virginia State Parks as full members of VCA and ARVC. Meeting at the 2010 Annual Fall Convention & Trade Show, the members decided that the association would no longer accept advertising in the VA Campground
Directory from nonmembers and therefore the state parks could join the association as regular members and be accorded all of the rights, privileges and benefits of membership including listings in the directory and advertising. In recent years, the Virginia State Parks department purchased a full page ad listing all of
the state parks with campground accommodations and also had icons on the state map in the directory denoting their locations. The VCA board and members at the meeting felt that state parks are marketing their facilities in the same manner as the private sector and the Continued Page 2
Continued from Page 1 state parks are not going away, so it’s best that the private campground industry embrace them, learn from them and benefit from having them in the industry,� said David Gorin, executive director of VCA.
seminars by Blake Ashdown, a longtime RV park entrepreneur and President of Sure Vista Solutions, a technology
based marketing company that specializes in measuring guest satisfaction and incorporating the findings
into action plans for business improvement. A marketing panel described three of the Continued
The association presented the new plan to State Park Director of Marketing Tom Cervanek and while he could not speak for the State Park department, he seemed to embrace the concept of full membership. The VCA meeting was held at American Heritage RV Park, Williamsburg, VA, on October 18-20. There were 20 campgrounds in attendance and 15 exhibitors. The conference focused the educational seminars on Park Marketing for the 21st Century and was highlighted by three
Steve Albrecht, Staunton/Walnut Hills KOA, Staunton VA (ARVC Board Member) and Karl Littman, VCA President, Candy Hill CG, Winchester VA. Linda Profaizer and David Gorin.
Continued newest marketing techniques. Carol Rust of Yogi Bear Jellystone Park, Luray, VA, described her park’s experience with Groupon, an internet marketing tool that is designed to attract new customers through limited deep discounting and the broad reach of the internet. Alan Kobran, president of Illumenetics, described his company’s customer relations management system (CRM), a technology solution for tracking and communicating with customers. And special guest Mary Arlington of High Plains Camping in Oakley, KS talked about how she turned a small campground into a profitable business through focusing marketing efforts in social media. In a moving ceremony at the convention’s Monday night dinner, VCA President Karl Littman, Candy Hill Campground, Winchester, and ARVC Board Member Steve Albrecht of Staunton/Walnut Hills KOA, Staunton, paid tribute to Linda Profaizer, retiring President and CEO of ARVC. The association presented her with a special gift in recognition of her 40 years of leadership in the campground industry with Woodalls and then with ARVC. VCA also bid farewell to Skip & Judy Deegans of
Skip & Judy Deegans with David Gorin, Executive Director VCA. Anderson’s Brochure Distribution Service on their retirement while welcoming Joe Tice, the new owner of Anderson’s. The small but powerful group of members attending the meeting supported the association by purchasing over $4,000 worth of merchandise at the annual auction. Karl Littman was elected to his fourth one year term as VCA President. Other officers elected were Vice President Ray Barker (Tall Pines Harbor, Sanford), Treasurer Bill Rhoads (American Heritage, Williamsburg), Secretary Kristina Crall (Grey’s Point Camp, Urbanna) and Board Chairman Steve Albrecht.
LARKSPUR, Colo., Nov. 2, 2010 – Paul Bambei, a marketing and business development expert and entrepreneur with a track record of success at some of the nation’s best-known companies, including Time Inc. and Comcast Corporation, will be introduced at the upcoming InSites Convention & Expo as the new president and CEO of the National Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds (ARVC). “I am extremely excited to have Paul coming on board as our new president and CEO,” said David L. Berg, CPO, ARVC’s chairman. “Paul is a proven leader, and his vast knowledge and experience working in senior management positions for Fortune 100 companies together with his recent experience as a business owner and operator made him the unanimous choice of ARVC’s Personnel Committee.” Bambei’s hiring, in fact, was also endorsed by nearly the entire ARVC Board of Directors, with 17 voting in favor and three abstentions. And while other candidates included one individual with hospitality industry experience and another
with an association management background, Bambei’s extensive business experience, selfconfidence and personable nature made him an easy choice, according to ARVC Personnel Committee members. “Paul is from the private business sector and for me that’s a plus,” said Personnel Committee member Deb Carter, who serves as executive director of the Maryland Association of Campgrounds as well as a representative of Campground Association Management Professionals (CAMP). “I represented CAMP at the interview and his first comment to us was, ‘You’re the group I can learn from,’” Carter said. “He was just very open and I found him to be extremely intelligent and he has a gentle way about him. He’s the perfect person to come in and work with everyone with a completely blank slate. But he also knows a great deal about ARVC. He can quote our bylaws, our mission statement. He is very familiar with GoCampingAmerica.com and demonstrated that he really wants to build ARVC
Paul Bambei will be introduced to private park operators during the association’s upcoming InSites Convention & Expo in Las Vegas as a hospitality brand. He also has a pure love of camping and RVing, which he does with his family.” Personnel Committee member Patrick O’Neill of Camping on the Gulf in Destin, Fla. said Bambei is “the right fit” for ARVC. “He’s incredibly organized and financially diligent,” O’Neill said, adding, “We were looking for someone who was not just a connected insider, but somebody who could look at the association from the outside” and make recommendations to
strengthen the organization. “We also need somebody who can take the marketing side of the GCA website and turn it into everything it should be,” he said. Marcia Galvin, another Personnel Committee member who also serves as executive director of the Massachusetts Association of Campground Owners, is also convinced that Bambei is the right person to lead ARVC. Continued
Continued “Even though he doesn’t have the association background, he has more of the other qualifications that we feel ARVC needs at this time, including his diverse business experience, his managerial style, his adaptability to different situations, and really, his personality and demeanor. He is very selfassured and confident,” Galvin said, adding, “He clearly rose to the top of the crop.” That viewpoint was also shared by ARVC Business Forum member Wade Elliott of Utility Supply Group, who joined the Personnel Committee in interviewing Bambei and other candidates for the position of ARVC President and CEO. “I was impressed by the caliber of the finalists interviewed,” Elliott said. “The finalists scored very closely with the exception of Paul Bambei, who outperformed the field. He was the clear choice.” Bambei, for his part, said he is eager to get started in his new role. “I’m looking forward to applying my consumer marketing expertise to the private businesses that make up ARVC’s membership with the goal of making them more profitable,” he said, adding that he plans to make campground marketing a major area of focus. Bambei has a demonstrated track record
of marketing and business management expertise. He recently co-founded Jookt LLC, the nation’s first high school sports network, and served as its COO for the past four years, during which time the company produced programs for broadcast television, cable and Internet distribution. From 2004 to 2006, he worked as a key advisor to Luxembourg-based Intelsat, Ltd., the world’s largest provider of fixed satellites, and helped develop a programming, distribution and financial strategy for the company’s new digital video transmission business in the U.S. Bambei also spent 20 years in senior management positions in the cable television industry, including vice president of operations for Comcast Corporation’s Comcast Media Center in Denver from 1999 to 2003, during which time he nearly tripled his division’s revenue, from $30 million to $80 million, while improving profitability from 30 to 45 percent. He also managed and improved Comcast’s relationships with over 100 vendors and 300 affiliates. From 1984 to 1999, Bambei was vice president of operations and marketing for Denverbased Rifkin and Associates, which under Bambei’s stewardship had grown to become the 20th largest cable company in the U.S., with 600
employees and operations in 13 states and 200 communities. Bambei initially honed his marketing skills while working as director of marketing for Time, Inc. from 1977 to 1983, during which time he successfully launched new products that accounted for 40 percent of the company’s revenue. Bambei holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications from Southeast Missouri State University in addition to completing the Advanced Business Management Program at the Denver University Center for Management Development. Bambei is also active with several community organizations, having served as a volunteer mentor for Save Our Youth and a coach for Arapahoe Youth League Baseball.
He also served as a board member of the Colorado Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Berg said Bambei will start training for his new position Dec. 1st so that outgoing President and CEO Profaizer can have ample time to brief him on the details of her position before she retires at the end of December. He will also attend ARVC’s InSites Convention & Expo, which is slated for Dec. 1 to 3 in Las Vegas. Profaizer has served as ARVC’s president and CEO for the past 10 years and has spent 40 years in the campground business. Prior to joining ARVC in 2001, Profaizer served nearly 30 years in management positions with Woodall’s Publications Corp., ultimately becoming the company’s president.
http://issuu.com/industryenews/docs/getawayusamediakit1
Leavitt Recreation & Hospitality Insurance (LRHI) has named Mitch Burdick as the new program underwriter for their RV park and campground program. Burdick has been with the agency since 2006 as a producer and account manager on risks throughout the nation. Prior to LRHI he worked in credit collections, financial services, and real estate. LRHI recently announced that they would make their
RV park and campground program available to other agents. The program is through Fireman's Fund Insurance Co. and Penn America, both rated "A" with industry ratings expert A.M. Best. LRHI has over 25 years of experience insuring RV parks and campgrounds and is one of the largest servicing agencies in the nation.
A MAN who drove 160km (100 mph) with 10 people on board his 3m caravan has copped a $2000 fine and two-year driving ban in the UK. Sameer Mirzar, from Saudi Arabia, pleaded ignorance of the law after hauling the single-axle caravan carrying three women and seven children from his home in the Midlands to Llanberis in North Wales for a picnic. Police told a Caenarfon court the consequences would have been "unimaginable" had there been an accident.
PEVERTED caravanner Keith Clancy, who has spent much of his life gold prospecting in Australia, is behind bars in the UK after being caught filming up young girls' skirts. A Welsh court heard he used a secret camera in his brogue shoe and had been filming up women's clothing for 20 years. Clancy, who had a mini recording studio in his caravan at Mold near Rhyl, was jailed for six months. A REPLICA caravan built entirely of bricks has begun an 18-month tour of New Zealand's north island.
The new entity sits alongside GetawayUSA as projects launched during 2010.
The joint publisher and editor of Campground & RV Park E News, Dennis Macready has launched a graphic design studio here in the USA which is a mirror image of Voir Creative which operates in Australia. Daughter Leigh Macready operates the studio Down Under where their portfolio covers a wide variety of clients offering Design right through to website construction and printing services. The family has a long history in marketing to the
Voir Creative USA will provide the same range of services and bring a fresh approach to the USA Campground Industry.
Leigh Macready
Dennis Macready tourism industry where Macready provided his marketing knowledge to many tourism boards including the Queeensland Caravan Parks Association and the Queensland Tourist & Travel Commission.
ARTWORK | LOGO DESIGN | WEBSITES | PRINTING SERVICES Contact Dennis Macready 865 387 5667 | 865 429 8344 E: dennis@voircreative.com W: www.voircreative.com
At the time of publication the show producers report that they are very happy with the attendance so far in day two of the three day event. The unique internet based show allows visitors to listen to a variety of speakers pertaining to the campground industry. So far 800 "unique" visitors have attended with most returning over the two days. "The opening webinar by Derrick Crandall drew 100 attendees even though there were a few glitches in the software" said producer
Art Leiberman. "There is no doubt attendance has already surpassed any show in our industry and the information in the data base will permit Sponsors and Exhibitors to do follow up marketing with good information from the booth registration data." Wednesday the Expo concludes with Mike Prom's webinar entitled Effective E Salesmanship, how hospitality businesses can effectively use the web as a marketing tool. Airwave Adventures also plan a special presentation in the Space chat room at
2PM Eastern time. A variety of speakers over Monday and Tuesday all had good attendances. The Expo, a first of it's kind for this industry was "on notice" to see how it performed. Apparently, apart from the software glitches most appeared happy with the result so far. Leiberman went on to say "Understandably we would have a few things that we need to improve on, after all, this is a whole new technique for us". Speaking from experience and as an exhibitor many
Expo Producer Art Leiberman people took the time to visit the Campground and RV park E News booth with my only problem juggling work at the same time as manning the online booth. Editor.
In Jellystone Park Journal, which is available to their client base the franchise syatem has seen fit to promote the online magazine GetawayUSA. GetawayUSA online magazine promotes Campgrounds and RVing depicting four states monthly with spectacular photography and interesting editorial on what to do in each state. Camping and accommodation options are covered with campground and state park features. Interesting topics like recipes, traveling with pets along with plenty of competitions and prize give aways make the magazine a must read for those interested in camping and RVing. The pages promote family values, getting back to nature and spending quality family time together. “The USA – You own it but have you experienced it yet? GetawayUSA is all about introducing you and your family to the Natural Wonders, the Historic sites, the Varied Culture and the interesting Places and People of this great land” The current issue features four states, South
Carolina, Utah, West Virginia and Oregon with the November issue featuring Florida, Louisiana, Texas and Arizona. Be sure to register and receive your issue of GetawayUSA. The magazine is free but those that want to receive discounts are asked to pay a yearly subscription of $12. Click here for the latest issue: http://issuu.com/industryen ews/docs/getawayusa2 when open click the full screen button on the left for best viewing. Click here to subscribe: http://www.getawayusa.com/competitions.html The magazine has now featured in many State Park blogs and a variety of social media.
The discount applies to campsites as well as rental cabins and park models at participating campgrounds, RV parks and resorts
TexasCabinRentals.net. Schaeffer said the discounts will apply Nov. 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th.
CROWLEY, Texas, Oct. 27, 2010 – Active and retired military servicemen and women will receive a 50 percent discount on campsites, rental cabins and park models through a special Veterans Day weekend promotion developed by TexasCampgrounds.com and TexasCabinRentals.net.
Veterans who participate in the promotion will need to show their military ID or other form of identification that shows their current or previous service in the military, Schaeffer said, adding that the discounts also apply to immediate family members who are traveling with veterans. The discounts are being offered on a space available basis and cannot be combined with any other discount programs.
“We think this is a great way to recognize the contributions of our Armed Forces,” said Brian Schaeffer, executive director and CEO of the Texas Association of Campground Owners, which manages the two websites.
Meanwhile, some parks are offering even more promotions for veterans. Alamo River RV Resort in Von Ormy is offering free camping and fishing for veterans from Nov. 11th through Nov. 14th.
Listings of campgrounds, RV parks and resorts that have agreed to participate in the promotion can be found by clicking on a Veterans Day promotion tab located on the homepages of TexasCampgrounds.com and
Blue Bonnet Ridge RV Park in Terrell, for its part, offers a standard 20 percent discount for veterans on a year-round basis while also participating in the 50 percent discount promotion for Veterans Day weekend.
LOS ANGELES, CA -(Marketwire) -- 11/01/10 -Reed's, Inc.. In the first of a two part series highlighting Oprah Winfrey's weekend camping trip to Yosemite National Park that aired on October 29, the talk show queen made a "Moscow Mule" cocktail, which featured Reed's Extra Ginger Brew as one of the ingredients. The show is broken into two parts with the second episode airing on November 3 at 3:00-4:00 p.m. CDT. The episodes recount the camping
adventure Oprah made with her best friend Gayle King on October 1 and feature their activities in the National Park. A link discussing the show and highlighting Oprah's camping adventure can be found at: http://www.oprah.com/index .html. In the first of the two part series that aired on Friday, October 29, Oprah is mixing the Moscow Mule: http://www.oprah.com/opra hshow/Oprah-and-GaylesHappy-Hour-Video.
The Moscow Mule was invented in 1941 and consists of 1 ounce vodka, 1 tsp. sugar syrup, fresh lime juice, 1/2 cup ginger beer, 1 sprig fresh mint, and one slice of lime. The cocktail caught on in Los Angeles in the early 1940s and became very popular, as evidenced by its mention in an edition of Inside Hollywood: "There is a new drink that is a craze in the movie colony now; it is called a 'Moscow Mule'" (Gwynn, 27 December 1942).
A link to Oprah's Moscow Mule cocktail recipe can be found at: www.oprah.com/food/Mosc ow-Mule-Recipe_1
BILLINGS, Mont. -Kampgrounds of America knows exactly where you are. Or, at least, the new KOA.com website does. KOA, the world’s largest system of open-to-thepublic campgrounds, launched its all-new KOA.com website today. One of the revamped website’s new features is geo-coding, which allow the website to know where an online user is located, and display campgrounds and special offers in that area. “The old version of KOA.com was already the most visited camping website in the world, with more than 1.1 million visitors each month,” said Lorne Armer, vice president of marketing for
KOA. “But it was time for an upgrade, and the new KOA.com offers our guests an enhanced online experience as they plan their camping trips, discover what there is to do near our campgrounds and make their reservations.” The new site also features Google Mapping, a familiar online technology that allows users to quickly navigate state and provincial maps, zeroing in on just the right locations. “The new KOA.com, which was produced by our partners at Genex in Los Angeles, will allow campers to spend time discovering some of the wonderful locations we have at KOA, so they do all of their trip research efficiently in one easy-to-navigate location,” said Armer. “They will have
real-time access to more than 60,000 of North America’s best recreational vehicle sites, tent sites and accommodations such as our new Kamping Lodges.” “We hope campers will come back to the new
KOA.com again and again, because we’re going to be continually adding new features.” To “test drive” KOA’s new, improved site, visit www.koa.com.
Wicked Woods, which is held at the Statesville East/I40 KOA in Statesville NC, just finished another super Halloween season. They were open for 16 nights this year during their 16th year of scaring young and old. People came up from as far away as Orlando Florida, and down from Michigan to walk through the Wicked Woods during October. The campground also got people that come from Virginia and South Carolina. While people came from a good distance away the large majority of the victims were from a local 2 hour drive.
The campground’s full hookup sites were full over the Halloween weekend, when they had 30 adults and 15 kids from the campground go through the Wicked Woods confirming the fact that attractions can help fill campground visitation. The good news is that numbers were up 35% this year which is a good sign for the economy. For people who want to spend fun time with their family and do something they feel safe at over Halloween, the Wicked Woods Trail is a big hit. www.midwaywickedwoods.com
Attendance was up and business was brisk at RVIA’s 58th Annual California RV Show, held Oct. 15-24 at the Fairplex in Pomona, Calif. Despite inclement weather during the opening weekend of the show and throughout the week, attendance climbed by 6%, with more than 20,000 people attending during the course of the 10-day event. Last year, the show drew just over 19,000 people. “It was a very successful show,” said RVIA’s Western Region Show Director Marsha McInnis. “Although we had several rainy, overcast days, we saw attendance rise over last year. And, more importantly, attendees and exhibitors were enthusiastic. Our exhibiting companies reported a very positive mood among attendees and good sales conditions.” “We were very pleased with our sales and the motivated buyers who came out in the rain to take advantage of show pricing,” said Mark Rosenbaum, sales director for Mike Thompson’s RV Superstores. “We had a great mix of first-time and veteran buyers, and our sales numbers jumped 27% over last year, which
was a lot with the weather challenges. This is a good barometer for 2011.” Mike Richardson of Richardson’s RV Centers added, “This year was very good for us compared to the last few years. We doubled our sales from last year.” “Like the rest of the RV industry, the market in California is gradually gaining strength,” said RVIA President Richard Coon. “The California RV Show is reflective of that. This year’s show rebounded from last year with more attendees, more exhibitors and more display space sold. We’re looking forward to building on that next year.” The California RV Show is the largest consumer show on the West Coast with exhibits this year spanning more than 460,000 square feet of exhibit space and 800 RVs on display. The 59th California RV Show is scheduled to take place at the Fairplex in Pomona, CA from Oct. 1423, 2011.
RV wholesale shipments are continuing their recovery from the economic downturn with total shipments reaching 194,000 units for the year through September, an increase of 60% over the same time period last year. Towable RVs have produced the greatest unit gains this year, rising from 112,500 total units shipped through September 2009 to 174,300 total units shipped through September 2010 (a 55% increase). Meanwhile, motorhome shipments have risen by a larger percentage with 114% growth in 2010 (9,200 total units shipped through September 2009 versus 19,700 total units shipped through September 2010). Although wholesale shipments are up overall for the year, the 16,700 units reported for September in RVIA’s monthly survey of manufacturers was down slightly (4%) from last September. This was the first month in more than a year that was less than the same month a year earlier; however, a slight slowdown was expected as shipments usually begin to ease at this time of year.
The performance of RV shipments through 2010 is indicative of the cautiously optimistic RV market outlook provided by Dr. Richard Curtin, director of the Survey of Consumers at the University of Michigan and author of RVIA’s RV Roadsigns forecasting newsletter. In remarks to RVIA’s Board of Directors at their meeting in Park City, Utah earlier this Fall, Curtin said RV wholesale shipments will moderate in the coming year as the national economy continues to recover at a slow pace while avoiding a double-dip recession. Under his “slow growth” economic model, wholesale RV shipments would end 2010 in the 239,900-unit range, spurred on by a modest gain in consumer spending and an improved credit market.
paddle sport facility, a Lake Huron Shore camp and a small rustic campground with paddle sports.
ARVC Michigan held its annual Fall Convention and area POOT tour October 17 -- 19 from West Branch Michigan. A Crackerbarrel session started the conference
covering a range of subjects from dog policies to family campground succession. The group toured five area member parks including a large park and
Seminar subjects included, Community Gardens, Social Media with Facebook startup and a surprisingly attention-grabbing talk on world and national economics.
The conference was held at the interesting Logging Themed Quality Inn of West Branch. The Annual ARVC Michigan Spring Convention and Trade Show will be held at the Bavarian Inn in Frankenmuth, Michigan on March 29 & 30.
By Larry The October 18, 2010 edition of Newsweek includes an article by Jeneen Interlandi raising the question about whether private companies should control water resources. Sitka, Alaska is a city of less than 10,000 people that spreads across 5,000 square miles and owns Blue Lake: trillions of gallons of water so pure that it needs no treatment. The city will soon begin selling 80 million gallons of this water each year for bottling and shipping to cities throughout the Middle East. The rights to another three billion gallons a year have been purchased for shipping by tanker to a water processing plant in India. Water transfer is nothing new. As far back as the Romans water was piped from mountains to cities. What is different now is that the world is experiencing a global freshwater crisis. Rivers, lakes and aquifers are
dwindling. The quality of this water is being compromised by industrial and household chemicals. The world population is increasing to such a point that the United Nations predicts demand for freshwater to outstrip supply by more than 30 percent. Goldman Sachs estimates that global water consumption is doubling every 20 years. In the midst of this situation private ownership of water has become big business, as evidenced by Sitka. Cities are looking to privatize water delivery because of the revenue it generates and because it relieves government of antiquated water delivery systems and other related headaches. Water supply, distribution and cost are not the next great crisis. They are the current great crisis, even though many of us do not notice it – yet.
November 4-7: 47th Annual CONY Conference and Trade Show, Syracuse, New York. For more information contact Donald G. Bennett at 585586-4360 or Don@nycampgrounds.com
December 1-3: InSites Convention and Outdoor Hospitality Expo, Rio All Suites Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information visit www.arvc.org
November 1-3 Virtual Outdoor Hospitality Expo
December 6-8: PCOA Conference, Wyndam, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. For more information contact Beverly Gruber at 610-767-5026 or info@pacamping.com
www.outdoorhospitalityexpo.com
or by calling them at 877901-EXPO (3976). November 7-10 KOA convention in Savannah, GA Vendors interested in the Expo or Convention sponsorships can call 406254-7435. New York's 47th Annual Conference and Trade Show 11/4/2010 - 11/7/2010 New York's 47th Annual Conference and Trade Show- Syracuse, NY
To post your upcoming events please email the editor at admin@industryenews.com