TACO News Winter 2023

EDUCATION

TACO launched educational webinars that were well attended. The topics included Risk Management and Emergency Preparedness, Pool Operator Certification, and management operational topics like Workampers vs Employees, and much more. TACO News featured a three-part article on EVs and the camping industry.

MARKETING

New Texas Campgrounds Blog highlights member parks for every season and occasion throughout the year. New Texas Campground YouTube channel featuring drone videos of several popular campgrounds in Texas. Produced at the direction of TACO’s marketing department, these can be used by campgrounds in many of their marketing efforts.

2023 RV Travel & Camping Guide to Texas features over 400 TACO member park listings and finder maps. The guide emphasizes a glamping theme with covered wagons on the cover. We also added two new potential amenities categories for member service and facility charts to include glamping and EV charging.

LEGISLATIVE

We surveyed our members in 2022, and received a terrific level of participation. Survey results confirmed that members’ #1 focus

remains with legislative initiatives. You may have thought nothing was going on in 2022, as there were no Texas legislative sessions last year. That could not be further from the truth. As we were preparing for the 2023 Texas legislative session, there were lots of meetings and discussions on topics such as the RV limited liability law, property taxes, and water billing.

LEGAL

The TACO staff and attorneys reviewed, revised and expanded the TACO Legal Handbook. A completely new edition of the Taco Legal Handbook is available in print and online at the members site, www. TACOmembers.com.

ADMINISTRATIVE

With growth in so many areas, TACO added more staff to handle the additional administrative tasks that go along with growth. We are providing membership services for over 400 Campground Members and have strengthened relationships with more than 90 Vendor Members. The association is stronger financially than it ever has been in the history of the organization. New board members were added to complete the TACO board in January. The TACO Assistant Executive Director participated in several national meetings regarding strengthening the campground and tourism industries.

An official publication of the Texas Association of Campground Owners

Luxe Wagon

Everything you love about our Conestoga® Premier Wagon, now with an additional 80 sq. ft. of bathroom space inside! The fully enclosed and vented bathroom extends the lifespan of your canvas, and protects your guests from odors and humidity.

Fully Isolated Bathroom with Sink, Shower, Toilet and Ventilation

Multiple Sleeping

Configurations (sleeps up to 6)

MiniSplit AC/Heater

Double Hoop Canvas Insulation

Uses Standard RV Hookups

Much more!

Bar Wagon

Serve craft cocktails by night, or have a chuck wagon breakfast by morning. This versatile floor plan will provide a memorable food and beverage experience for your guests. Perfect for western weddings and events.

Unique Experience

Easily Transportable Flexible Layout

Shower House

Install bathrooms without hiring a contractor!

ADA Compliant Models Available

Multiple Configurations

Uses Standard RV Hookups

Premier Wagon

Allow your guests to experience the spirit of the wild west in comfort!

TACO Officers & Directors

Regional Directors

Camping Expected To Remain Strong During Recession

By: Tom Davidock, Outdoormiles.com

Directors At Large

If economic history teaches us anything, when the going gets tough, people head to the great outdoors. While a 2023 recession is not certain, economic data suggests it could be right around the corner. Many businesses are preparing for an economic downturn, but not all. The RV and camping industry only needs to look at past recessions to realize they are positioned to weather the storm.

The camping and outdoor recreation industries have historically proven to fall into a recessionproof category. Compared to traditional forms of entertainment or travel, camping and outdoor activities are lower-cost options and offer individuals a sense of normalcy during tough times.

More than 11 million Americans already own an RV. Campers who own an RV will typically use it during a recession, helping to keep campgrounds busy. Historically, overnight stays in campgrounds remained steady or saw an uptick in reservations during recessions. Camping reservations increased during the 1980s, 1990, and 2008 recessions while the rest of the economy deflated.

During the 2008 Great Recession, campground reservations remained strong and continued to do so throughout the recession. In 2009, the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds reported that campground and RV park occupancies and revenues kept pace with 2008 numbers, despite the recession. This was atypical of other travel sectors.

In 2020 during the pandemic-driven recession,

just like in 2008, the tourism industry suffered. Not only was the public concerned about finances, but they were also afraid to travel and, in many instances, couldn’t. However, once again, the camping industry flourished. In 2020-2021, as lockdown mandates began to loosen, camping reservations soared, driving campground occupancy to an all-time high. These past few years have been one of the biggest booms the RV and camping industry has ever seen.

However, not all camping industry sectors escape recessions. While camping is popular during recessions, excess discretionary spending is not. Historically, RV manufacturers see a steep decline in RV shipments during recessions. However, the RV industry can take comfort in an expected rebound. Historical trends show a big boom in RV shipments immediately after a recession.

While a recession isn’t guaranteed this coming year, businesses are beginning to prepare for a drop in business. However, campgrounds and the RV park industry should prepare for another busy season. The good news is that history has proven that camping is recession-proof, and national and local businesses catering to campers may come out on top.

Texas Association of Campground Owners Legislative Report

FEBRUARY 2023

By: Ron Hinkle, TACO Legislative Consultant

The 2023 Texas Legislature has convened and is in full swing. The Texas House and Senate began its 140-day legislative session on January 10 and all the players are in place.

This will be an important legislative session, especially due to the $33 billion surplus in the state coffers. In recent testimony before the Senate Finance Committee, the Texas Comptroller stated that this surplus is unprecedented. Texas has never had such an abundance of tax revenue; nor, in fact, has any other state. A surplus of this magnitude draws a large number of requests for funding or tax breaks from many agencies and entities. Of greater concern are the spending plans of state leaders and the legislature. There have already been statements by Governor Abbott and Lt. Governor Patrick in favor of setting aside at least $15 billion for property tax reduction, and a proposal to raise the homestead exemption to $70,000.

HERE ARE THE BILLS TACO IS WORKING ON:

• HB 1286 - The bill provides improved building guidelines for construction and expansion of RV parks, by applying NFPA 1194 standards, to enhance and coordinate with local building codes.

NFPA 1194 is the standard developed by the National Fire Protection Association. These higher building standards provide guidance for building of world-class RV Parks, which enhance local communities and provide greater local tax revenues.

• HB 1612 (S.B. 594) - Clarifies and adds that a water supply corporation will determine its rate for water supplies to a RV Park as it does to other commercial entities they serve. Other providers of water to a RV Park are subject to consistent rate structure; thus, ALL commercial entities (residential, commercial, industrial, apartment, rental housing, irrigation, homeowner’s association, builder, out-ofdistrict, etc.) are treated the same in the provider’s rate structure. It’s a matter of fairness and consistency.

• Campground Immunity Bill. The bill will create a new section 75B, Civil Practices and Remedies Code that exempts Recreational Vehicle Park and Campground entities from certain liability for damages or injuries resulting from risks inherent to camping by those persons experiencing time at an RV Park or campground and who attempt to assign blame for injuries that arise from the inherent risks that are beyond the RV Park and campground owner’s control.

Camping like any other outdoor activity has its inherent risks when a person encounters a variety of factors in nature (uneven terrain, natural bodies of water, etc.).

It is important to note: The bill does not exonerate or shield Recreational Vehicle Parks and Campgrounds from all liability. This bill is not about protecting RV Park and campground owners from negligence on their part; the bill is designed to shield them from injuries or damages that may occur as a result of a guest or camper encountering risks that exist in the natural world.

• HB 1895. This bill will amend the Tax Code by adding a new section for recreational vehicle parks. The bill states that in determining the market value of the real property of a recreational vehicle park, the chief appraiser shall use the cost method of appraisal.

This is a great slate of bills for TACO and we look forward in getting members directly involved in the process to help educate their legislators and have them vote FOR these bills.

The bill clarifies that a Water Supply Corporation will not charge an RV Park an administrative fee for services.

TACO VENDOR MEMBERS

TACOMEMBERS.COM

RV DEALER, REPAIR & SERVICE CONVENIENCE RV PARTS & REPAIR

Andy Townend 936-344-2027 convenrv@yahoo.com

Fully-stocked RV Parts Store and RV Service Shop. Come and see us for all your RV Parts and repair needs. www.conveniencerv.com

LAND N SEA DISTRIBUTION

Shaunna Battles . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-432-7652 shaunna.battles@landnsea.com

RV parts distributor. www.landnsea.net

PPL MOTOR HOMES

Courtney Casares-Hernandez 713-988-5555 courtney.c@pplmotorhomes.com

RV consignment dealer, serving locations in Houston, Cleburne and New Braunfels. www.pplmotorhomes.com

RV PARK & STORAGE

ON YOUR WAY STORAGE

STORE GOODS CONT.

WILCOR INTERNATIONAL

WIRELESS INTERNET PROVIDER (WI-FI)

ACCESSPARKS

Susan Corrigan

800-346-2345 susanc@wilcor.net

Camping goods - outdoor wholesale supplier. www.wilcor.net

WILDTHINGS SNAP-ONS LLC

Adina Powers 415-457-0112 adina@wildthingstshirts.com

Adventure clothing for Kids! www.wildlthingstshirts.com

WATER TREATMENT

INFILTRATOR WATER TECHNOLOGIES

Steve Murdock 512-415-2446 smurdock@infiltratorwater.com

Wastewater treatment solutions for residential and commercial systems with daily flows up to 300,000 gallons per day. www.deltatreatment.com

WEBSITE SERVICES / MOBILE APPS

APP MY COMMUNITY

Tim Rout 858-353-0845 sales@accessparks.com

Fourteen years as end-to-end managed services provider (MSP), offering true broadband Wi-Fi to RV Parks nationwide. Every installation fiber-optic fed with 0 installation charges. We guarantee quality with over 30 million happy campers served annually. www.accessparks.com

CC CONSULTING

Colin Cassells . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-884-2294 sales@cassellsconsulting.com

Technology solutions and Wi-Fi/internet provider. www.cassellsconsulting.com

CHECKBOX

Jim Ganley 866-345-9434 info@checkboxsystems.net

CheckBox provides affordable, reliable, easy-to-manage Wi-Fi systems and services to thousands of locations across the U.S. www.checkboxsystems.net

Bill Brownfield

979-710-7102 customercare@onyourway359.com

Safe & convenient RV parking in northwest Houston, avoiding Houston’s congested highways. www.onyourway359.com

RVSHARE LLC

RV RENTALS

Joe Duemig 636-459-5161 joe@armstrongsoft.com Custom mobile app provider. www.appmycommunity.com

BIG RIG MEDIA LLC

Jeff Beyer 866-524-4744 sales@bigrigmedia.com

SKYWEB NETWORKS

Wayne Heminghouse 855-759-9434 info@skywebnetworks.net

Skyweb Networks offers affordable Wi-Fi solutions that are guaranteed to be effective. www.skywebwifi.com

TENGO INTERNET

888-482-0234 campgrounds@rvshare.com

Steve Manes

RVshare is the world’s first and largest peer-to-peer RV rental marketplace in the US. www.rvshare.com

STORE GOODS

Big Rig Media is the leading Digital Marketing & Website Development firm servicing the Outdoor Hospitality Industry. www.bigrigmedia.com

TXAD WEB DEVELOPMENT & DESIGN

Kimberly Chung 512-469-7660 kchung@tengointernet.com Wireless internet provider. www.tengointernet.com

TAIL BANGERS

Lisa St Clair

302-934-1125 lisa@tailbangers.com

All-Natural Dog Treats by dog bakery Tail Bangers Inc. www.tailbangers.com

Michael Moore

. 877-518-1989 michael@texasadvertising.net

Website design and hosting, ADA Compliance Services, Adwords and Online Marketing. www.txadweb.com

*These vendors provide a TACO members-only discount or service .

WIDE OPEN WI-FI

Bruce LeVine 972-731-6767 info@wideopenwi-fi.com

Wide Open Wi-Fi will design, install & maintain a high-speed Wi-Fi environment at a cost far below competitors, increasing profits and marketability. www.wideopenwi-fi.com

If you have land, you have a Destination

It’s true. PlainsCraft Covered Wagons bring intrigue to any piece of land. And with amenities like A/C and bathroom upgrades, you can have glamping in an instant. Start planning for 2023 and get in our pipeline fast to start putting your land to work for you. Choose from fully loaded wagons to our brand-new Pony Wagon and experience the appeal of glamping.

Get in touch and let’s build something together. Plainscraft.net/taco

AGS Guest Guides

At Home In Texas

AGS has been proudly providing FREE guest guides & site maps in Texas for more than 36 years. We’re looking forward to many, many more!

Low-Cost Perks You Can Add Today

If you are looking for ways to enhance your customers’ experience and make a lot of happy campers, there are certain perks you can add to help make your guests choose you over other local campgrounds.

Add these three perks and you’ll stand out from the crowd.

1 . EARLY CHECK-INS: By providing RVers with the chance to check-in early, you are going to make a lot of campers very happy! After driving an RV for multiple hours, those campers are going to feel mentally fatigued. The last thing they want to do is waste time in a congested parking lot waiting to check-in.

2 . LATE CHECK-OUTS: Likewise, late check-outs are great too. By offering late check-outs, you allow your guests to actually enjoy their last night on the grounds. It will create a positive last impression on them, rather than a stressful experience of trying to hurry up and meet the check-out deadline.

3 . OFFER FIREWOOD: Some campgrounds sell firewood, but many don’t. If you want to eliminate the headache of acquiring and selling firewood, you could outsource it to a local. Allow them to drive around and deliver it daily to your campers. Or connect with a tree trimming company and exchange them getting to sell firewood at your campground for some of their tree trimming services.

These perks can add a lot to your guests’ experience. Consider adding these to your CampersCard Membership program too! With CampersCard, you’ll gain access to 800,000+ RVers and outdoor enthusiasts, and you’ll be connected to a company with a decade of RV travel business experience.

For more information contact the CampersCard team at listings@camperscard.com or visit CampersCard.com to learn more.

REGION 2

GRANBURY RV RESORT

1800 MAMBRINO HWY, GRANBURY, TX 76048

HIDEAWAY RV PARK

9549 FM 751, QUINLAN, TX 75474

LAKE POINT RV RESORT

3100 E FM 922, VALLEY VIEW, TX 76272

LONESTAR 23 RV PARK

5860 FM 51, WEATHERFORD, TX 76086

PEACE N QUIET RV

1317 E MAIN, GUN BARREL CITY, TX 75156

REGION 3

THE PRESERVE RV PARK

1300 HIDDEN COVE RD, POINT BLANK, TX 77364

ROCKING R’S RV RANCH

11003 FM 3126, LIVINGSTON, TX 77351

ROSEWOOD VILLAGE RV PARK

22833 FM 1774, PLANTERSVILLE, TX 77363

REGION 4

PACE BEND RV PART AT BRIARCLIFF

306 PACE BEND RD S, SPICEWOOD, TX 78669

RUSTIC RV PARK

2089 FM 2131, COLEMAN, TX 76834

THE OLD EL CAMINO MOTOCOURT AND RV RESORT

9087 CAMINO REAL, KYLE, TX 78640

REGION 6

PARADISE CANYON 2220 COUNTY ROAD 2615, RIO MEDINA, TX 78066

Proactive Versus Reactive Steps to Aid Both Your First Time & Seasoned Guests

By: Joe & Rose Duemi, App My Community

Another great season is right around the corner– and through this season, I’m sure every staff member will have their fair share of questions from first time campers. Although some of the questions cannot be anticipated, how can you be proactive in providing resources to both your guests and your staff to aid them in the unofficial “new camper orientation process”?

We travel frequently in our RV and although are not new to RV life, there is always the sense of “unknown” when entering a campground as a first-time guest.

Through our travels, we recently stayed at Talona Ridge RV Resort in East Ellijay, Georgia. Upon pulling up to their spacious sites, we see a QR code at every pedestal. By scanning the QR code, guests are taken to a website that lists how-to’s of setting up an RV at their resort. As hosts, they took the extra time to document steps for hooking up an RV for guests that are new to camping.

Lake George RV Park in Lake George, New York has a section of their mobile app dedicated to “Hookup and Troubleshooting” issues and diagnosis steps. They have focused on hitting the big four set up areas in a concise way (electrical, water, sewer, and cable). Each section has a brief overview of what to look for, what to do (and in some cases, what not to do) and troubleshooting common issues that occur and the steps of how to resolve them. These empowering tools also give the new camper the feeling of confidence to continue their camping adventures and return as a satisfied guest. As new areas of questions come up, additional sections and content

can be easily added.

In order to aid new campers, it is important to guide them through not only the physical steps of camping, but also the unspoken rules amongst campers.

The BCLCA (British Columbia Lodging and Campgrounds Association) has spearheaded the Camper’s Code project. Per their website, “The Camper’s Code is a collaborative campaign started in 2021 by a dozen BCbased organizations who believe deeply in the responsibility of every single person to create a safe, enjoyable, respectful camping experience for all— people, wildlife, and nature, too.” In short, they have created a pledge for all those who enjoy outdoor hospitality to create a community of “respectful recreation”. The pledge includes basic “Campground 101” rules that new campers may not be aware of. Points are as simple as “don’t walk through another guest’s site”, “be mindful of your pets”, and other simple reminders that enable all guests to have an enjoyable time together. To promote this mentality, they have even created signage for posters and templates to share on social media and around the campground.

Taking additional steps to aid the camper will also aid your staff. Their time can be better focused on caring for guests in other ways instead of creating a “reactive” atmosphere where the guest has to come to you for help.

Building Better WiFi

Str eaming Online Lear ning Zooming I Is your W iFi system up to these demands?

CheckBox has over 20 years of experience providing quality, affordable WiFi to thousands of locations, from small family run campgrounds to expansive RV resorts. With the expertise and resources to get you up and running quickly, CheckBox provides scalable, affordable solutions ready to deploy today.

Need A New W iFi System for the New Year?

No required contracts or monthly fees

Large on-hand inventory ready to ship today

Includes S/A/F/E - the Survey And Feedback Engine

Includes MultiNet - Multiple networks with one system

Live, dedicated U.S. based support for Staff and Management

Optional U.S. based support for guests

Since 2002 CheckBox has been the choice of thousands of parks and resorts. From small family run campgrounds to RV resorts with thousands of sites, CheckBox has scalable, affordable solutions ready to deploy today.

CheckBox has the lowest total cost of ownership of any professional WiFi system. With CheckBox there are no mandatory contracts and no required monthly fees.

866.345.9434

www.CheckBoxSystems.net

If you need to upgrade your WiFi system call 866.345.9434 or email info@CheckBoxSystems.net for a no obligation layout and quote.

Built By Campground Owners For Campground Owners

Focusing on simplicity, Firefly Reservations was built by campground owners, for campground owners and brings a robust and beloved technology to the cloud with a focus on ease of use, streamlined operations, and giving busy campground owners, managers, and staff time back in their day. Firefly Reservations is poised to capitalize on its position as the best-in-class software solution for campgrounds.

What Firefly Provides

Online Reservations

Interactive Map

Ongoing Reservations

Automated Guest Emails

Custom Email Templates

Automatic Recurring Payments

Add-Ons

Cash-Based Accounting

Point-of-Sale (POS)

Our Software

“After outgrowing Spreadsheets, I began to test-drive about a dozen different software packages. Not only was Firefly Reservations the most intuitive by far, but simple to set up, and amazingly flexible in its capabilities.

Customer support is second to none. Highly recommend. 5 stars, all the way!”

Cliff Beneventi, Sawyers Rapids

Send Bulk Emails to Guests

Reservation Grid

Guest Portal

SMS Messaging to Guests

Self-Service Kiosk

Custom Reservation Fees

Reserve America Integration

RV Parky Integration