By Art Lieberman I’m not exactly sure why it happened, but the ARVC Insites Expo in Las Vegas was a huge success from the point of view of everyone this reporter spoke to. Perhaps it was the location itself, or perhaps the fact that admission to the trade show was free, or perhaps it was the email blast that ARVC sent
out to any campground within driving distance, but rarely had we seen a show so crowded with enthusiastic campground owners. The Expo was supposed to open at 4:30 PM on Wednesday, December 2nd, so imagine our surprise when crowds began to enter the Expo exhibit floor a half-hour early. It looked like Black
Friday in Las Vegas. I’m not sure, at this writing, what the actual attendance was, but as an exhibitor it easily justified the expense for this Insites. The sprawling Rio Hotel & Casino’s Convention Center was perfect for this year’s extravaganza. There was plenty of room Continued Page 2
Continued from Page 1 for the exhibits and the breakfasts and luncheons which ARVC traditionally holds in the exhibit hall. Most of the “usual suspects” were present as exhibitors or sponsors. It was also nice to see some new faces with interesting items and services being offered to campground owners. Many State campground association’s Executive Directors were also present supporting the National Association. KOA and Leisure Systems were, of course, present. Yogi Bear made an appearance on Friday to have his picture taken with campground owners and exhibitors. In the face of a downturned economy it was wonderful to see ARVC produce a hugely successful Insites Convention this year!
At the MCPS booth
Judges rated private parks on customer service, marketing, eco-friendly practices and involvement in their local communities.
Mass., (Large Park Category). Lakewood Camping Resort, Myrtle Beach, S.C., (Mega Park Category)
The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds recognized the achievements of private parks in seven states during its annual industry awards competition.
The park that made exemplary efforts to become eco-friendly received the association’s “Plan-ItGreen Award.” The winner in this category was: Cherry Hill Park, College Park, Md.,
The highest honors, called the “Park of the Year” awards, sponsored by the Trailer Life RV Parks, Campgrounds & Services Directory, were given to campgrounds, RV parks and resorts based on several criteria, including customer service, employee training, operational excellence, national directory ratings and community service. Winners included:
Parks recognized for their outstanding marketing and promotional efforts included: Sun-N-Fun Resort & Campground, Sarasota, Fla., (Website of the Year Award) Padre Dam’s Santee Lakes, Santee, Calif., (Brochure of the Year Award) Lakewood Camping Resort, Myrtle Beach, S.C., (Direct Mail Piece of the Year Award)
Dogwood Acres Campground, Newville, Penn. (Small Size Park Category). Shelby-Mansfield KOA, Shelby, Ohio, (Medium Size Park Category). Pine Acres Family Camping Resort, Oakham,
On the marketing front, awards were also given to state campground associations that produced the best statewide campground directories. Award recipients in this category included: The Massachusetts Association of Campground
Owners (Medium State Association Category) The Florida Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (Large State Association Category) Top performing state campground association executives were also recognized for their efforts, including: Kristy Smith, Ohio Campground Owners Association, (State Executive Director of the Year) Scott Sherwood, Connecticut Campground Owners Association, (State President of the Year) Industry volunteers were also recognized for their exemplary volunteer efforts on behalf of the campground industry. Winners in this category included: Gene Zanger, Casa de Fruta Orchard RV Resort, Hollister, Calif. Winner of the Stan Martin Award, the private campground industry’s highest award. Jeff Sims, former chairman of the National Association Continued
Continued of RV Parks & Campgrounds, was presented the Chairman’s Club Award for his volunteer work. Jeff Sims and his wife, Susie, visited over 1,800 campgrounds, RV parks and resorts and traveled over 38,000 miles to promote the association and talk about the benefits of membership. Allen Beavers, who just retired as Executive Director of the Connecticut Association of Campground Owners, was the winner of the industry’s Pioneer Award for exemplary service for more than 25 years. Eric Stumberg, president and CEO of Austin, Texasbased TengoInternet, a wireless Internet or Wi-Fi service provider, was also recognized by the association as its “Supplier of the Year” for going the extra mile on behalf of its
customers and the campground industry. A $5,000 award was also presented to Bakers Acres Campground in Little Egg Harbor Township, N.J. for its creativity in producing a video commemorating the 100th anniversary of the RV industry. This award was sponsored by Evergreen USA. The winners were announced last week during the association’s annual InSites Convention & Tradeshow, which took place at the Rio All Suites Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The next InSites Convention & Tradeshow and campground industry awards program will take place Nov. 30 to Dec. 3, 2011 at the Savannah International Convention Center in Savannah, Ga.
Pine Acres Family Campground accepts their award
Guy Gagnon, Melissa Haskins Bourgoin, Scott Sherwood, Chip Menz, Paul Bambei, Yogi Bear at the Evergreen booth
By Pamela Wright Has this telephone conversation between a potential group and your front desk staff ever happened at your park? “Hello, The Best RV Park Resort. My name is Jane. How can I help you?” “Yes, I would like to get information on bringing 20 RV’s into your park. What do you have to offer to a group of that size?” “Ummm….I don’t know, the manager takes care of that. Can I have the manager call you?”
“No, I’ll call back later.” You already know what the ”I’ll call back later” means. You may not get a second chance at selling that person on bringing their group in to your park. If the staff person had group policies at the front desk, then when the question arises they would at least be able to give the person information and hopefully get that phone number for a call back.
What should your group policies include? 1.) You may have different policies depending on whether the group is arriving during off season or in the middle of your busy season. I would suggest that you make the off season the most attractive while the inseason policy would lean more towards a Sunday through Thursday stay excluding holidays and special events. 2.) How many spaces are you willing to dedicate for a group? Remember that most groups want to be parked together and can have rig sizes ranging anywhere from 28’ to 45’. Again, this can vary depending on the season. 3.) How many units/reservations would a group need to qualify for any group considerations? I believe a good number to
start with is 10 as a minimum number. I would then create a second policy for groups that are 11 to 25 rigs and a third for 26 or more rigs. You may even want a fourth category for groups that are in the 50 and up range. This would cover the large rallies such as FMCA and Good Sam. 4.) What qualifications does the group need to meet to qualify for any group considerations? I am a strong believer in requiring that one person collects the money, creates the list of members and is the sole contact with the park. If everyone is going to make their own reservation, you are going to end up doing as much if not more work. 5.) How long does the group have to get names and rig sizes to you? If you require a 30 day prior to arrival deadline, you will now have more flexibility in Continued
Continued deciding which sites you are going to assign to the group. 6.) How much of a deposit are you going to require to hold the sites? I don’t know of any park manager that hasn’t been stuck with turning business away because they believed that they had a large group coming in. Then a week before the group is scheduled to come in, you get a phone call saying that they have changed their minds. A deposit won’t stop the cancellations but it will give you a little more lead time to the notification. 7.) Are you going to allow the group to use your clubhouse/pavilion/picnic area at no charge? I would give this one a definite yes but would limit the amount of time they can use the facilities at no charge. I would also require a cleaning charge (you can make this refundable if everything is left in a clean condition.) 8.) When is the final balance due? Again, I would make a 30 day prior to arrival rule for paying the final balance. This will hold down any of those last minute changes that takes a group that you planned for 20 sites down to a group needing 10 sites.
These are just my recommendations; you may have numbers that you are already using that works well for you. 10.) Do you have a written agreement that you fill out and ask the group leader to sign along with you? This will save a lot of headaches after the group arrives since everything you have agreed to is written down and acknowledged by both the group and yourself. By having written policies you take a lot of the unknowns out of the conversation and give your staff a good basis to begin the sales effort of landing that group. Pamela has now made her database of Group contacts available to you. For more information, email her at pwright@FocusedWords.com. FocusedWords is a company dedicated to helping you promote and market your campground to Rver’s everywhere. Be sure to follow Pamela on Twitter: @rvstops and @FocusedWords. Check out her blogs at RvTripKits.blogspot.com and at FocusedWords.com/blog1.
9.) Are you going to offer any discount off of your normal rate? 10% for a small group is reasonable with 15% for a medium size and 20% for a large group. Pamela Wright
Campgrounds at North Carolina state parks have seen about 20 percent more use this year. State Park and Recreation officials credit a new reservation system for some of that increase. Up until last year, the only way you could lay claim to a campsite or picnic shelter in North Carolina was to go to the state park, find an empty site and set up camp. "You didn't have reservations," says Charlie Peek with the state park
system. "You just picked out a campsite and the ranger would come around and write you a receipt." That works fine unless you've traveled for hours only to find an entire campground full. But since July of last year campers have been able to make reservations online or by phone up to 48 hours in advance. Peek says that has changed a significant part of the camping experience.
American families are ready to hitch up their trailers and tow the RV industry out of its worst stretch in nearly two decades.
homes favored by older travelers. Before the recession hit, towables accounted for eight out of every 10 new RV shipments. Now they make up about nine out of 10 RVs shipped to dealers.
The industry was driven into the ditch last year by the Great Recession. Sales plunged, plants closed and thousands of jobs were cut as orders for recreational vehicles dropped to their worse level since 1991. Now, RV makers such as Winnebago are starting to turn profits and have begun to hire. And dealers are ordering more RVs for their showrooms. This year, shipments of RVs ranging from entry-level pop-ups to spacious motor homes are expected to hit their highest level since 2007, when the economic downturn began. The upswing is a sign that somewhat looser credit, stable fuel prices and
improved consumer confidence are inspiring Americans to buy more RVs.
Typical RV buyers are people between 35 and 54 with disposable income.
"Things are starting to look up," says Tim O'Brien, president of an RV dealership in Lapeer, Mich., where sales are up 55 percent from a year ago. "People are ready to get out from underneath the frugality of the last couple of years and go out and have some fun and recreation," he says.
They're starting to buy again, say industry leaders and dealers who convened at a trade show in Louisville this week. But a growing share of RV sales come from families choosing less expensive towable RVs, including folding camping trailers, or pop-ups. Those towables are smaller and cost a fraction of the price of amenity-filled motor
Towables, attached to pickups or hitched to the back of another vehicle, cost between $4,000 and $100,000, according to the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association. Stand-alone motor homes can start at about $41,000 for van-like RVs, according to the industry group, while spacious, bus-like vehicles can run as much as $400,000 for top-of-the-line models. And that's before the cost of gas. Big RVs can get as little as 8 mpg. Bob Olson, CEO of RV manufacturer Winnebago Industries Inc., says a trend
of families buying cheaper towables is encouraging. "They have to start somewhere. And one thing about this lifestyle, you get hooked on it and you want to upgrade." Winnebago recently signaled its intention to move back into the towables by signing a letter of intent to buy SunnyBrook RV, which makes those type of RVs. Winnebago last built travel trailers in 1983. The industry is looking for a recovery across all RV models. It expects shipments from
manufacturers to dealers to hit 236,700 in 2010, up 43 percent from last year's nearly 20-year low of 165,700. Through October, shipments have risen nearly 53 percent from the same period in 2009, according to RVIA. In 2011, shipments are forecast to reach 246,000. Higher shipments mean dealers expect retail sales to rise. While the two don't always correlate, there are signs that sales will, in fact, grow in the mid-single digits in 2011 "with a bias toward cheaper units," says Bret Jordan, who follows RV companies for Avondale Partners.
"It correlates pretty well with consumer confidence and economic improvement," he says. Profits are returning to the industry. Winnebago, which closed two plants during the recession, posted net income of $4.9 million in the fourth quarter ending Aug. 28, compared with a loss of $50.2 million a year earlier. That marked its second straight profitable quarter. Revenue more than doubled to $449.5 million for its full fiscal year. The results follow the company's biggest loss of $78.8 million in fiscal 2009. Its profit peaked at $70.6 million in fiscal 2004.
Jobs are also starting to come back. About 250,000 RV workers were laid off at the height of the downturn, according to RVIA. But Jayco, which makes towables and motor homes, has hired about 500 more workers this year. Dutchmen, a division of Thor Industries Inc. and a maker of towables, has nearly doubled its work force from about 400 during the worst of the recession to about 770 now. Winnebago shed about half its work force, roughly 1,670 workers, but has since added back about 400 employees. Full Article: http://abcnews.go.com
The board of directors of the National Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds (ARVC) has voted unanimously to not pursue the purchase of an office building in Castle Rock, Colo. because of potential legal and financial liabilities that surfaced during the extensive due diligence process. ARVC had previously announced plans to purchase the 2nd floor of the building in June. But after hiring a Denver-based
real estate attorney to review the proposed transaction, ARVC learned of several unresolved financial issues and condo
David L. Berg
association documents, which made it unwise to proceed with the transaction, said Linda Profaizer, ARVC’s president and CEO. ARVC Chairman David L. Berg discussed the problems with the transaction and ARVC’s decision to find a new office location in the Denver area during the association’s annual breakfast meeting Thursday at the InSites Convention & Expo in Las Vegas.
Berg said ARVC PresidentElect Paul Bambei will lead Continued
Incoming ARVC CEO Paul Bambei
Continued
Retiring ARVC CEO Linda Profaizer the association’s efforts to find a new headquarters building, though he also noted that any future purchasing decisions would be decided by campground and RV park owners who sit on ARVC’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors. Berg said the Denver area remains an area of focus because all of ARVC’s staff lives in the area and owns homes there, including Bambei, who takes over as the association’s president Jan. 1st ARVC’s board of directors voted 18-2 earlier this year to explore new office locations in the greater Denver area after determining that the Larkspur building he association has been renting from Jellystone Park Camp-Resort owner Ian Steyn was not the best option for the association.
Berg said ARVC’s timing in purchasing a new building now is also worthwhile, given that we’re at the bottom of the real estate market and that commercial real estate prices are the lowest they’ve been in many years. ARVC’s board sold its previous headquarters building in Falls Church, Va. after the city announced in 2003 that its redevelopment plans would include the eventual razing of the ARVC building. Rather than wait for the eventual loss of the building, the ARVC board began searching for other potential locations for the association’s headquarters. Former ARVC Chairman Jason Sheaffer formed a nine-member task force in 2005 to establish criteria for the move and to research various headquarters options, including staying in Virginia. The task force, whose members represented the diversity of America’s campground industry, ultimately determined that Denver was the best location, citing the city’s prominent rankings for quality of life and low cost of living, ample labor supply, as well as its proximity to major highways and airports.
MILFORD, Ohio, Dec. 6, 2010 – Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park CampResorts in 35 major cities across the country are joining Warner Bros. Pictures in a series of promotional activities leading up to the release of “Yogi Bear,” the new Warner Bros. movie featuring the voices of Dan Aykroyd and Justin Timberlake. The film opens in theaters across North America on Friday, December 17th. “The upcoming ‘Yogi Bear’ movie gives us an unprecedented opportunity to introduce Jellystone Parks to children and families across the country who have never visited one of our parks before,” said Michele Wisher, director of marketing of Milford, Ohiobased Leisure Systems Inc. (LSI), which franchises 75 Jellystone Park campgrounds across the country through a license agreement with Warner Bros. Consumer Products. Several of the joint LSIWarner Bros. promotional activities, which began in late November and continue through Dec. 17th, include guest appearances by Yogi Bear and Boo Boo on television morning news programs as well as at seasonal festival of lights and tree lighting events and holiday parades. Photo
opportunities with Yogi Bear and Boo Boo are also being set up at theaters, children’s hospitals, parks, zoos and shopping malls. Some campgrounds are also developing customized activities to generate interest in camping as well as the movie. “We’re planning to have a campsite set up with a campfire and an RV at the Leitersburg Cinema in Hagerstown,” said Vicki Vitkun, co-owner of the Jellystone Park in neighboring Williamsport, Maryland. “We’ll also offer photo opportunities with Yogi and Boo Boo as well as door prizes and opportunities to win free movie tickets and free camping.” While most Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Parks will be closed for the winter when the movie debuts, Wisher said the upcoming promotional activities will help “plant a seed” in the minds of families looking for fun places to camp next spring and summer, while providing an immediate boost to Jellystone Park campgrounds in southern locations that remain open throughout the winter months. About “Yogi Bear” Everyone’s favorite pic-a-
nic basket-stealing bear comes to the big screen in “Yogi Bear,” a new adventure, filmed in 3D, that combines live action with computer animation. Dan Aykroyd stars as the voice of Yogi, Jellystone Park’s notorious troublemaker, and Justin Timberlake as the voice of Boo Boo, Yogi’s faithful pal and co-conspirator in his never-ending schemes to separate park visitors from their lunches. Yogi has always relied on his quick wit and fast feet to stay one step ahead of irate campers while dodging his long-suffering nemesis, Ranger Smith. But he and Boo Boo are
about to face a situation worse than anything Yogi has ever gotten them into…Jellystone Park is being sold! Faced with his biggest challenge ever, Yogi must prove he really is “smarter than the average bear,” as he and Boo Boo join forces with Ranger Smith to find a way to save the park from closing forever. “Yogi Bear” is directed by Eric Brevig and produced by Donald De Line and Karen Rosenfelt. The screenplay is by Jeffrey Ventimilia & Joshua Sternin and Brad Copeland, based on characters created by Hanna-Barbera Continued
Continued Productions. Leading the film’s live-action cast are Anna Faris, Tom Cavanagh, T.J. Miller, Andrew Daly and Nate Corddry. Serving as the film’s executive producers are Andrew Haas, James Dyer and Lee Berger. A Warner Bros. Pictures presentation of a Sunswept Entertainment/De Line Pictures Production, in Association with Rhythm & Hues, “Yogi Bear” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. “Yogi Bear” is rated PG by the MPAA for some mild rude humor. www.yogibear.com. About Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park™ CampResorts Launched in 1969, the Jellystone Park system is the second largest chain of campgrounds in the United States, boasting 75 campgrounds with more than 15,000 campsites in 28 states and Canada. Its Camp-Resorts, which focus on the family market, are among the best campgrounds in the industry with a quality
Justin Timberlake
Dan Aykroyd reputation for being fun, friendly, clean and serviceoriented parks. Additionally, each Jellystone Park is themed with Yogi Bear elements providing instant recognition and consumer appeal. It is truly a place “Where You Camp With Friends.”® Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts are franchised through Leisure Systems, Inc. (LSI), a wholly owned subsidiary of The Park River Corporation, Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information, visit www.campjellystone.com. About Warner Bros. Consumer Products Warner Bros. Consumer Products, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.
YOGI BEAR and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © Hanna-Barbera. (s10)
GALVESTON — Plans are moving forward for an RV site at Seawolf Park, a project estimated to cost nearly $2 million. The Park Board of Trustees has approved $120,000 from Federal Emergency Management Agency public works funds to pay for an architectural company’s engineering and administration fees to get the project started. In a budget update to the park board, RandallPorterfield Architects estimated the RV campground will cost $1.89 million and include 44 RV spaces. Within the next six months, the park board, which manages and promotes
some of the city’s tourism industry, will be ready to accept bids on construction, Lou Muller, executive director of the park board, said. The RV site will be developed on about 4 acres left of the entrance to the park and west of the parking lot at Seawolf Park, a popular fishing spot and home to naval exhibits such as the USS Cavalla. “While Dellanera RV Park is very popular because of its location right on the beach, the Park Board of Trustees and staff feel that an RV park at Seawolf will be equally, if not more, popular because of the additional recreational opportunities it will offer,” Muller said.
The board expects to break ground on the campground in the spring and complete work in February 2012. Construction will be funded from FEMA public works money for improved and alternate projects. In September, the city’s planning commission approved a request to rezone the land designated for the RV park from heavy industrial to planned development. Site plans for the park also were approved. The park board managed Dellanera RV Park, which closed after Hurricane Ike struck two years ago. More than $980,000 in reconstruction and repairs
to the park are under way. “A substantial amount of this work has been completed,” Muller said. “New water and sewer lines have been installed, electrical work is under way. ... We anticipate that we will be ready for customers by mid-April if the weather cooperates with the contractors.” In 2007, Dellanera Park generated $518,000 in revenue, while the following year, before Ike hit, the park generated $436,000. Article: http://galvestondailynews.com
By Joe Elton On December 1st it was my pleasure to join about 100 other citizens from across the political and occupational spectrum at a meeting hosted by the White House Office of First Lady Michelle Obama. The First Lady wasn’t there, but professional athletes, representatives from the outdoor industry, cities, states and organizations who work with youth were in attendance. The program was opened by Dominique Dawes the great Olympic gymnast. Her presence brought back memories of the 1996 Summer Olympics and the Magnificent 7 that won gold for the USA. Robin Schepper, executive director of the Let’s Move program, told us we were brought there to help formulate strategy and to engage in networking on behalf of Let’s Move.
Strategy discussions and networking were the order of the day as the group sought to organize behind the worthy goals of the Let’s Move campaign. As stated on the Let’s Move website, the “campaign, started by First Lady Michelle Obama, has an ambitious national goal of solving the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation so that children born today will reach adulthood at a healthy weight.
Joe Elton and Derrick Crandall
Let’s Move! will combat the epidemic of childhood obesity through a comprehensive approach that will engage every sector impacting the health of children and will provide schools, families and communities simple tools to help kids be more active, eat better, and get healthy.” Robin Schepper discussing the Let's Move program In my mind there is an important role for all local, state and national parks, public lands and anyone in the outdoor recreation business in this crusade. Private and public campgrounds are the base camps for many young peoples earliest outdoor recreation experiences and we need to do all we can to connect them to a healthy lifestyle.
Joe Elton
Dominique Dawes
Thirty-two campgrounds and RV resorts have earned all around “A” grades in the third annual consumer satisfaction survey of independent parks. The top parks were announced at the Rio All Suites Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas during an awards ceremony Friday that was hosted by the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds. Some 30,200 camping and RV enthusiasts participated in the online survey, which evaluated guest experiences at 2,400 independent campgrounds and RV resorts affiliated with the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds. “Twenty two of the nation’s 32 top parks in our survey also received ‘A’ ratings last year, while 13 parks have received ‘A’ ratings three years in a row,” said Bob MacKinnon, president and CEO of GuestReviews, the Murrieta, Calif.-based company that created the online survey on behalf of the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds. MacKinnon said that GuestReviews expects to survey more than 4,000 parks within the next two years. That’s nearly half of the nation’s private parks.
The results of the surveys are gradually being posted the websites of state and national campground associations, including GoCampingAmerica.com, the website of the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds. “The objective of these surveys is to help private campground, RV park and resort operators to pinpoint the improvements they need to make to provide their guests with the best possible camping experience,” said Linda Profaizer, president and CEO of the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds. Consumers are invited to submit their own reviews of private campgrounds and RV resorts they have recently visited by logging on to www.gocampingamerica.com
and clicking on the “Review a Park” tab. Survey results will eventually be posted on the GoCampingAmerica website. The 32 parks earning “A” grades for 2010 are listed below. Ashland Resort, Northfork, W.V., a first-time “A” grade winner Buffalo Lake Camping Resort, Montello, Wis., a first-time “A” grade winner Buttonwood Campground,
Mexico, Penn., a three-time “A” grade winner Chalk Creek Campground & RV Park, Nathrop, Colo. a two-time “A” grade winner Cherry Hill Park, College Park, Md., a first-time “A” grade winner D & W Lake Camping and RV Park, Champaign, Ill., a first-time “A” grade winner Dogwood Acres Campground, Newville, Penn., a three-time “A” grade winner Gettysburg Campground, Gettysburg, Penn., a twotime “A” grade winner High Plains Camping, Oakley, Kan., a three-time “A” grade winner Keen Lake Camping & Cottage Resort, Waymart, Penn., a two-time “A” grade winner Hocking Hills KOA, Logan, Ohio, a three-time “A” grade winner Kozy Rest Kampground, Harrisville, Penn., a threetime “A” grade winner Lake George RV Park, Lake George, N.Y., a threetime “A” grade winner Las Vegas RV Resort, Las Vegas, Nev., a first-time “A” grade winner
Magnolia RV Park & Campground, Kinards, S.C., a first-time “A” grade winner Meadowcliff Lodge & RV Resort, Coleville, Calif., a two-time “A” grade winner Mill Creek Ranch RV & Cottage Resort, Canton, Texas, a three-time “A” grade winner Misty River Cabins & RV Resort, Walland, Tenn., a three-time “A” grade winner Mountain Vista Campground, East Stroudsburg, Penn., a twotime “A” grade winner Ocean Lakes Family Campground, Myrtle Beach, S.C., a three-time “A” grade winner Peace Valley Campground, Marble, N.C., a three-time “A” grade winner Pioneer Campground, Laporte, Penn., a threetime “A” grade winner Pontchartrain Landing, New Orleans, La., a twotime “A” grade winner Red Apple Campground, Kennebunkport, Me., a twotime “A” grade winner Rincon Country East RV Resort, Tucson, Ariz., a first-time “A” grade winner Continued
Continued Sunny Brook RV Resort, South Haven, Mich., a three-time “A” grade winner The Springs at Borrego RV Resort and Golf Course, Borrego Springs, Calif., a first-time “A” grade winner The Vineyards Campground & Cabins, Grapevine, Texas, a threetime “A” grade winner Tiger Run Resort, Breckenridge, Colo., a firsttime “A” grade winner West Canada Creek Campsites, Poland, N.Y., a two-time “A” grade winner Willow Tree Resort, Longs, S.C., a two-time “A” grade winner
Wishon Village RV Park, Shaver Lake, Calif., a firsttime “A” grade winner The GuestReviews national online survey program was launched in February 2008 in collaboration with the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds. For more information about the GuestReviews survey, please contact Bob MacKinnon of GuestReviews.com at (877) 707-7080 as well as Linda Profaizer at the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds at (303) 681-0401. Also be sure to visit www.guestreviews.com and www.gocampingamerica.com.
By Larry
The earth has the same amount of water today as it has always had. The water cycle is the same as always: rain and snow fall to earth. Some of it evaporates back into the atmosphere and some of it goes into the ground. Some of it is captured by lakes and some of it flows away into the oceans. The oceans provide humidity to the atmosphere that eventually becomes rain and snow. We humans use water in the part of the cycle that has moisture in the form of surface or groundwater. The water we use goes back into the cycle as “waste” water. Some of it is evaporated but most of it goes back into the ground, rivers or lakes.
http://issuu.com/industryenews/docs/getawayusamediakit1
The quality of what goes back is typically degraded from use. “Degraded” can mean there are additives in the wastewater such as chemicals and trace metals or there are nutrients in the wastewater such as phosphates and nitrogen. That’s where the environmental challenge
arises. With more and more people, more agricultural use of fertilizers and pesticides, and industrial processes using water at ever faster rates the overall quality of the earth’s moisture is degrading more quickly than the natural cycles can cleanse it. Bottom line: testing of water and treatment of water will continue to become more costly. The disposal of wastewater will become more regulated as well as more costly. Recycling of water in a variety of ways will be encouraged, if not mandated. Recycling will become common. While there will likely be financial incentives to encourage and reward change, usable water will cost more, will be increasingly regulated and will become ever more scarce. Treat your water like liquid gold because it is!
MADISON, Me., Dec. 7, 2010 – Yonder Hill Family RV Park has become the first campground in Maine to join the Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park CampResorts chain. “I’m very excited about this,” said park owner Allen York, adding that Jellystone Park’s name recognition, marketing and reputation for fun family activities will help increase revenues and occupancies at the 120-site park, which is located in central Maine. “Being in central Maine, we’re out of way of the
coastal tourist locations. But by becoming a Jellystone Park it will help make our park a destination in itself. We also hope to serve as a stopover point for Canadian families heading to the beaches,” Allen said, adding that his park is close to many outdoor recreation opportunities, including whitewater rafting, hiking, biking and ATV trails. While Yonder Hill’s business was up 12 to 15 percent this year compared to last year’s figures, York believes his business could
double next summer as a result of the Jellystone Park affiliation. “We typically book about 10,000 site nights a summer, but with any luck we’ll get it to 20,000 next summer,” he said. Jellystone Park CampResorts are widely known for having unique activities and special themed weekends, which is something Yonder Hill has offered for years. This year’s events included parkwide Olympic games, pirate themed weekend, a Christmas in July
celebration, Halloween themed events and various competitions, including a pie eating contest and watermelon seed spittin’ contest. Of course, all these activities now have an extra element of fun with Yogi Bear participating. Next season, Yogi will be on site daily to greet campers, pose for photo ops and take part in events. “Anybody can provide a place to stay overnight,” York said, adding, “What we want to do is get that customer to want to come back again and again.”
ARTWORK | LOGO DESIGN | WEBSITES | PRINTING SERVICES Contact Dennis Macready 865 387 5667 | 865 429 8344 E: dennis@voircreative.com W: www.voircreative.com