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.