Glamping Business Americas | April 2023

TODD WYNNE-PARRY ON INTERIOR DESIGN

MIKE GAST ON SUCCESSION PLANNING

Also inside:

SOCIAL MEDIA MASTERCLASS WITH HONEYTREK

CASH-FLOW, CHOOSING YOUR TECH PARTNER & INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS

Glamping Business Americas is published by The Glamping Show USA and Upgrade Publishing

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Thank you to all our readers who gave such positive feedback for our last issue. We hope you will find our April issue as useful and informative. We have a wealth of expertise to call upon and cover a variety of topics.

Mike Gast writes this month about succession planning – a topic which is definitely worth thinking about sooner rather than later. Our Honeytrek friends are sharing some of their extensive experience on how to use social media effectively. We also have a really inspiring feature on interior design from Todd Wynne-Parry.

In addition, we thank this month’s contributors - Kaelyn Beckman from RMS North America on Choosing Your Tech Partners, Tyler Otto - President and Owner of Glamping Bookkeepers has some excellent advice on maintaining a healthy cashflow, which is essential for all businesses. We also have Christine

Taylor, who is a Partner at The Towne Law Firm, P.C. brings us an insightful article on independent contractors vs employees and how you can ensure you don’t get the two mixed up and find yourself in a legal quagmire.

Happy reading! David

GLAMPING AMERICAS LAUNCHES A PODCAST WITH SARAH RILEY

We are proud to announce that we have created an informative monthly podcast alongside respected podcast broadcaster and industry consultant Sarah Riley.

The podcast is already live on iTunes and Spotify and will eventually be available on all major platforms. The first three episodes are ready to stream, download and enjoy and further monthly instalments will appear from June 1.

Sarah has been involved in the hospitality industry for over 20 years. She is the Founder of The Glamping Academy, hosted by Inspired Courses, and previously jointly managed a 5-star boutique hospitality business. Sarah will also be speaking at this year’s Glamping Show Americas.

Sarah says, “I am thrilled to be working with David and the team to produce this podcast for Glamping Americas. There are so many exciting

projects and companies involved in the Glamping Sphere in this region and we have no shortage of fascinating people to speak to.”

David Korse, our co-publisher and CEO of the Glamping Show Americas says, “The new podcast is part of our mission to provide education and actionable information to our community either starting out or already in the glamping business. We have a show once a year with an extensive seminar program, an informative magazine 5 times a year and now a monthly podcast to complement our offer.”

Story provided by Woodall’s Campground Magazine, woodallscm.com

‘SPACIOUS SKIES’ RECEIVES ‘UNITY BLAZE CERTIFICATION’

Black Folks Camp Too is proud to announce its latest partnership with Spacious Skies Campgrounds, a fast-growing and culturally conscious collection of exciting, modern and beautiful campgrounds in the eastern United States, according to a press release.

Spacious Skies Campgrounds is now Unity Blaze Certified which confirms that all 14 of these private campgrounds and their management teams are committed to “Treating Everyone, Everywhere, Equally” — which is the Unity Blaze motto. While Spacious Skies has always firmly held this belief, their leadership wanted to go one step further in partnering with BFCT to make sure all campground staff completed the Unity Blaze training program.

“Unity Blaze training is a comprehensive education platform that illuminates “why” many Black folks are not accessing the great outdoors,” states the release. “Specifically, the generational fears and knowledge gaps of the outdoor lifestyle that Black folks and communities of color face and have experienced, as well as the overall lack of invitation.”

“Certified Unity Blaze campgrounds understand the importance of cultural awareness in regard to creating an intentionally welcoming space for campers of all experiences and backgrounds,” said

Earl B. Hunter, Jr., founder of Black Folks Camp Too. “We are proud of Spacious Skies for taking the lead to help build more unity in the outdoor community and beyond.”

“The real power of Unity Blaze Certification lies in its symbolism. When folks of all races, ages and genders see the Unity Blaze symbol they know they are invited and welcomed,” notes the release. “To that end, Spacious Skies Campground will feature the Unity Blaze Certification on its website and other marketing literature — as well as onsite at all campgrounds.

“At Spacious Skies, our mission is to offer fun,

relaxing, and authentic campground experiences in beautiful natural settings. That mission was written with everyone in mind, regardless of one’s race, age, or gender. However, we have recognized a distinct lack of diversity on our campgrounds,” said Ali Rasmussen, co-founder of Spacious Skies Campgrounds.

“In meeting Black Folks Camp Too, they have helped us understand the reason why that is. We are proud to partner with BFCT so we can extend an intentional invitation to welcome Black campers and all campers of color to join the outdoor fun here in the Spacious Skies universe. Our entire team, spanning both our campgrounds and headquarters, is committed to offering safe, comfortable spaces to recreate outdoors, where everyone, everywhere, is treated equally.”

While Spacious Skies Campgrounds is the first campground collection to become Unity Blaze Certified, progress is underway with state parks and other campgrounds as well. Black Folks Camp Too has already established the Unity Blaze symbol across the RV industry and outdoor retailer ecosystem as part of an overall plan to inform our communities that there is work being done in the industry to make sure everyone is sincerely and authentically welcomed to enjoy the outdoors.

AGA AND INSIDER PERKS PARTNER TO PROVIDE FREE WEBSITES TO GLAMPING SITES

The American Glamping Association (AGA) has announced an exciting new partnership with Insider Perks that provides free one-page websites to all current members of the AGA.

This program is the first of its kind in the United States and is designed to help glamping resort owners improve their online presence and reach new customers.

Through this partnership, AGA members who are glamping resort owners will receive a free one-page website that features a modern design, photos of their business, their logo, information about their amenities, ways to stay, photos of glamping accommodations, a map, contact form, and testimonials. These websites will also be optimized for search engines, load quickly, and include Google Analytics and revenue tracking for those who have this functionality in their reservation system.

“The AGA is proud to partner with Insider Perks

to offer this innovative new member benefit,” said Ruben Martinez, Founder of the American Glamping Association. “We understand that glamping resort owners face unique challenges in terms of marketing and online visibility. By providing free one-page websites to our members, we hope to help them succeed in the competitive glamping industry.”

Brian Searl, Founder and CEO of Insider Perks, echoed Martinez’s enthusiasm for the partnership. “At Insider Perks, we’re committed to helping glamping resort owners succeed through our marketing and technology expertise,” said Searl. “We believe that these websites will be a valuable tool for AGA members to improve their online presence and reach new customers. We’re excited to partner with the AGA to provide this unique and innovative benefit.”

The AGA and Insider Perks partnership represents an exciting step forward for the

glamping industry. By providing its members with this valuable benefit, the AGA is demonstrating its commitment to supporting its members and advancing the industry.

The one-page websites that glamping resort owners will receive through this program are designed to attract new customers and improve the guest experience. By providing important information about amenities, ways to stay, and photos of glamping accommodations, these websites will help to showcase each resort’s unique offerings and provide potential guests with a clear picture of what they can expect. The websites will also be optimized for search engines and include Google Analytics and revenue tracking for those who have this functionality in their reservation system.

Current members of the AGA can sign up for their free one-page website in the member resources section, where other member benefits and discounts are available.

For more information, contact the American Glamping Association by email at  info@americanglampingassociation.net

RMS NORTH AMERICA HOST “THE GREAT OUTDOORS TECH UPGRADE” CONTEST

Eligible campground and RV park owners and operators to win a complete reservation management system, website design, WiFi credit and booking recovery solution.

RMS North America, a provider of reservation and property management systems to the outdoor hospitality industry, has partnered with TengoInternet, Spot2Nite, and RezRecover to award one U.S-based RV park or campground with a suite of operational technology and services. Named “The Great Outdoors Tech Upgrade,” the contest will accept nominations from April 1, 2023, through April 30, 2023.

“At RMS, we strive to be a valuable partner to outdoor property owners and operators, and part of being a valuable partner is solving challenges creatively,” stated Fred Dominioni, Chief Revenue Officer at RMS North America.

“With this contest, we want to help a campground or RV park run their business more efficiently and provide memorable experiences for their guests. For many of these properties, it’s time for a tech upgrade, and we’re happy to facilitate that change.”

According to RMS North America’s latest State of the Industry Report, 85% of Millennial and Gen

Z campers want to see more technology integrated into campgrounds and RV parks. To help meet these expectations and equip outdoor properties with the tools to cater to new generations of campers, RMS, TengoInternet, Spot2Nite, and RezRecover are joining forces to provide the following prize package worth over $27,000:

• 1 RMS reservation management system, including setup/training, SaaS fees, IBE fees, and core integrations

• 1 RMS custom website design

• 1 RMS SEO package

• 1 year of RezRecover, including free email design

• $5,000 credit for a Tengo WiFi Solution

• Access to Spot2Nite OTA services

“We’re beyond thrilled to partner with RMS on this contest,” stated Brett Thoreson, Founder at RezRecover. “Our software combined make for a powerful solution for outdoor hospitality brands looking to grow their direct bookings, and we’re happy to join RMS in giving away a year of free service to a deserving property.”

The contest is only open to verifiable employees

of campgrounds or RV parks. Eligible participants can enter by visiting the official contest landing page.

“We’re excited to introduce the contest winner to industry-best platforms from reservation management to unparalleled internet support and services,” stated Eric Stumberg, CEO at TengoInternet. “Alongside RMS, Spot2Nite, and RezRecover, Tengo’s award-winning WiFi Solutions featuring Ruckus technology will help one lucky property meet the needs of modern travelers and set their property up for lasting success.”

“Our goal at Spot2Nite is to help travelers get outdoors and camp more often, and we are excited to spread the word by partnering with RMS with this contest,” said Sam Bruner, COO of Spot2Nite. “Directly integrating with RMS as a commissionfree OTA provides campgrounds and RV parks the opportunity to expand their market exposure and increase reservation revenue.”

Judging will begin shortly after the entry deadline, and the winner will be announced on June 1, 2023. To nominate a campground or RV park, or learn more about eligibility, contest rules and prizes, visit americas.rmscloud.com/lp-ultimatetech-upgrade-contest.

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KOA’S FEBRUARY CAMPING REPORT SHOWS SIGNIFICANT GROWTH

The Kampgrounds of America (KOA) Monthly Research Report February 2023 Edition continues to predict a strong camping season.

In January alone, active camping households increased by more than two million year over year — an increase of 43%. Combined with 26% of campers having booked some or all of their camping trips and 86% who are deliberating or have chosen their 2023 destinations, the latest edition of the monthly report points to most campers eagerly anticipating new adventures this year.

According to the report, most campers are well into the planning or booking phases, with only 16% having yet to plan any camping trips. As campers plan, new experiences are fueling their upcoming travels. Nearly 4-in-10 campers want to try something truly unique that they have never done before.

Campers are also interested in increasing their travel. In the February survey, 36% indicate they

want to venture farther from home and explore new areas on camping trips this year. Looking to spring, 15 million households plan to camp during the season. Spring camping plans for U.S. camping households include 31% who intend to camp for spring break and 19% who would like to spend the Easter holiday camping.

“It can be easy to think of camping as a summer activity, but, in reality, more and more campers are eager to explore no matter the time of year,” said Whitney Scott, senior vice president of strategy at KOA. “We’re seeing this increased desire for new adventures bringing campers out year-round.”

Also examined in the report was how external impacts, including paid time off (PTO), affect camping. Overall, 7-in-10 U.S.-based employed campers say that issues with PTO are impacting their travel planning. Half (51%) say they are saving PTO in case of an emergency, potential layoffs, COVID use or to remain in good standing at their jobs. One-third of campers shared that

they plan to use all or a portion of their tax refund for camping, showing the strength of camping intent.

“We need to understand and acknowledge that external factors are having psychological impacts on consumers, which, in turn, affects leisure travel,” Scott said. “The good news is that camping is an easy way to get away without a large commitment and our data points to its resiliency during downturns.”

Additional findings in the February report examine camping travel trends, including U.S. and Canadian border travel. While some Americans need more information before finalizing their plans, 54% indicate they may cross the border for travel this year. Canadians are more enthusiastic, with 77% saying the same. It is also notable that popular TV appears to affect travel decisions. As many as 4/10 campers admit that shows like Yellowstone and White Lotus impact their travel behavior.

FDOMES BECOMING MORE VISIBLE ON THE US MARKET

FDomes has been present on the American and Canadian market since 2015, delivering their geodesic domes to the most remote locations. In 2022, 40% of the brand’s total sale was to the USA and Canada, showing how fast-growing is the business in this part of the world.

After attending the Glamping Show USA in Colorado, October 2022, FDomes decided to extend their visibility in the USA, observing the growing potential of the glamping industry.

“We have gathered feedbacks from our American and Canadian Clients, we have checked what they were missing when starting the glamping business, what were their biggest

struggles and what help would they need,” says Joanna Reimann, FDomes Sales Director. “And we decided to make the process as seamless as possible. Not only do we support the Clients with detailed static calculations and drawings, but we have also decided to cooperate with the best in their fields: The American Glamping Association and Glampitect North America.”

FDomes has established the cooperation with the American Glamping Association to help their Clients at the first stages of the glamping business journey. Moreover, thanks to this business relationship, FDomes can now support the US Clients with financing, managed directly by the

AGA. It is definitely a milestone in the industry.

The cooperation with Glampitect North America was just a matter of time after the long-lasting cooperation with Glampitect UK. “Our Clients can now receive the support with feasibility studies, but also with permission processes which as we all know, have become more and more a thing nowadays,” comments Joanna.

FDomes has already started off their year with several projects in the US and is working over a surprising cooperation which will be extremely beneficial for the US Clients. Learn more at fdomes.com.

BaseGlamp, Montana, US

The Disco Domes, Texas, US

The Domes at Moab, Utah, US

Letter from AGA founder:

BY RUBEN MARTINEZ

At the American Glamping Association we are often asked questions around what the future of the glamping industry holds, what we are particularly excited about as the industry continues to move forward and what advice we have for those that are just starting out. We will continue to answer those questions, but we also wanted to share the thoughts of some of our members as well since our members are the backbone of the glamping industry. At the AGA, we are a member based organization and our members serve as our North Star and the guiding light of the entire industry.

Here is how some of our members answered those same questions:

WHITNEY SCOTT, KOA AND TERRAMOR

“The industry is still very green. There is a lot of potential for market expansion and customers are hungry for it. What I love is the robust interest from families and groups. Nearly 75% of leisure travelers interested in glamping have children in the households. Even more impressive, 40% of families who have glamped plan to make glamping a part of their regular travel plans. We are also seeing a rise in group travel and glamping is primed to provide group travelers with what they are looking for. Our thoughtful accommodations provide more opportunity for collective lodging and private group experiences, like campfires!

My personal excitement is that our industry is based in providing outdoor access. Over the past few years, more people are realizing the importance of getting outdoors, regardless of being “outdoorsy.” Glamping can be an entry point or an easy way for people to get outdoors in a comfortable fashion. As long as our industry consistently can provide access and elevate the outdoors within our locations, I don’t see this trending out.”

DENNIS STEINMAN, PLAINSCRAFT

“My advice to anyone entering the industry is to make sure it is your passion. Focus on your customer by providing great products and experiences and have fun doing it. No business is easy and there will be ups and downs in the market, the economy and our lives in general. Take the attitude that failure is not an option and be willing to change along the way. Keep your priorities straight.”

JOE DUEMIG, APP MY COMMUNITY

“Create a road map and goals. It’s okay to divert as opportunities present themselves, and don’t forget to celebrate all of the wins. This will give you the encouragement to keep going. Also, there are so many great resources amongst others in the industry. Utilize their knowledge and experiences to help you grow and learn.”

MARK KOEP, CAMPGROUND VIEWS

“Glamping is a gateway drug to the outdoors. It gets people hooked on the experience and seeking more + alternatives. The industry is also forcing more traditional outdoor hospitality businesses to up their game. This is resulting in an overall improved experience for all campers.”

ALEX BURKETT, OUTDOOR ALLIANCES

“The exciting part about joining the glamping industry right now is the amount of innovation and new players entering the space. We’re very happy to be a part of that growth. Overall, it’s great to get in on the ground floor and build something successful. There are plenty of opportunities as consumers grow more sophisticated and expect more.”

For more info please contact:

https://americanglampingassociation.net/ info@americanglampingassociation.net

How to Create SOCIAL MEDIA LIKE A PRO

BY MIKE & ANNE HOWARD @HONEYTREK

To build your brand in this social-media driven world, you need to know how to create quality content. According to CNBC and Arrivia’s recent study, nearly one in three travelers turn to social media for holiday inspiration. And when it comes to the younger generations, 40% of millennials and 60% of Gen Z use social media for travel research. This means that if you want to get noticed by potential glampers and stay on the radar of past guests, you need to create compelling content (photography, video, and text) across the various social media platforms. If you don’t have a background in these areas, that might sound overwhelming, but we’re here to help! As full-time content creators for 11 years, who have grown @HoneyTrek’s audience to 375,000 social media followers, we’ve learned a few things about creating quality posts and how you can do the same.

KNOW YOUR PLATFORMS

Today’s major platforms are Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram (the biggest social media player in the glamping world.) While you can re-post your content across these platforms, each one has a different style and it’s best to tailor accordingly. Generally, your Instagram wall is meant for dreamy pictures and videos so people can quickly assess your offering. Instagram Stories can be more casual, giving a look into a day in the life of your brand, and since those posts disappear in 24 hours, it’s a great place to experiment. Facebook, albeit still highly visual, is conducive to a wider range of

content types (promoting events, sharing personal stories, posting articles, creating expansive photo galleries, and including links that are clickable!). Twitter’s short and text-driven format is good for quickly posting news items, be it yours or other outlets. TikTok, while known for silly dance moves, is a great place for one-take videos, funny moments, mini guides, and their clever photo templates (all of which resonate with millennials). Pinterest is all about creating beautiful graphics and driving traffic to your website. Ideally, you’d post at least once a week on a few of these platforms, but at the bare minimum you should make a good-looking profile with your business overview and a handful of quality posts on each, so people can discover your brand, send inquiries, or shout you out.

WRITING BETTER TEXT

Even though each platform has its own style, the goal across the board is to add value to your readers. Be helpful, inspiring, creative, funny, and unique. Many times brands are too sterile and salesy. Promotional posts are fine (offering deals and availability updates actually make for great content), but try to do them in a fun way and not more than every third or fourth post. Mix up your subject manner to stay fresh and relevant to more people.

To generate ideas, make a granular list of your camp and region’s most interesting attributes, keep up with relevant news in your community, dig through your photo archive for potential talking points, and don’t be afraid to share other people’s

content that might be of interest to glampers. Make yourself an editorial calendar that sketches out the year, months, and weeks to make sure you’re covering a range of topics and capitalize on seasonal happenings. This will help you be more strategic in your messaging and avoid big gaps in your timeline.

IMPROVING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

While you should certainly pay for a professional photographer for your website and marketing materials, your team needs to be taking plenty of good photos to feed the social media beast. You don’t need to know how to use a DSLR camera to take a good picture these days; a top-of-the-line phone can do the trick. The latest Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, and iPhone are all good options, with

Take photos that set the tone of your camp and add text to further your point

Your Instagram wall should show a balanced mix of photography, videos, galleries and images with graphics

All photos and graphics by @HoneyTrek

wide-angle lenses, sharp focus, high megapixel images, 4K video, a variety of modes (macro, portrait, food, etc), and tons of tools to improve your work. One of our best tips as National Geographic photographers is the most basic… clean your lens with every shot! Too often an errant fingerprint is making images look hazy and can be easily fixed with swipe of a T-shirt. Then there is lighting—the heart of all great images. Try to shoot in the soft glow of morning and evening, and in the abundant sunshine of blue-sky days. When shooting interiors, make sure the room is evenly lit to avoid heavy shadows. When setting up your shots, think about your audience of vacationers. You want to set the stage for fun, romance, and adventure. Help tell that story with a few props and a bit of styling. (i.e. If you are shooting the dining area, set the table with food and drinks!) To add more life to your photos, invite your cutest friends (across ages and backgrounds) over for a free stay in return for a bit of casual modeling. Whether people are in the shot or not, your photography should feel like guests are at camp enjoying themselves or you are expecting their arrival.

create quick tours of your rooms, grounds, and daily happenings, giving people a three-dimensional view into your world. Don’t shy away from talking to the camera and showing your personality and life behind the scenes. Start creating 15-60 second video clips for Instagram Stories and enhance them with their easy-to-use tools (see below).

ADDING FONTS, GRAPHICS & MUSIC

After you’ve created imagery and text, your social media post needs a little flair. Users are scrolling through crazy volumes of content and you need a way to catch their eye and get them to quickly understand the message you want to send. Cut to the chase with a heading in a pleasing font. Add some pizzazz with gifs that move ever so slightly. (Browse the “gifs” section of Instagram Stories— they’ve got every graphic imaginable.) Pick music to match your content’s vibe; it will entice people to stay longer on your post. Utilize Instagram and Facebook’s interactive features like Polls, Questions, Quizzes, Countdowns, etc. to mix up your posts and encourage engagement.

HELPFUL SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS

While many of the platforms have basic editing tools and enhancement features, below are our favorite apps that will help you elevate your content and stand out from the crowd.

Canva: This online graphic design tool has a huge array of easy-to-use templates made for each social media platform, plus posters, invitations, presentations, and artwork for any occasion. It’s free but worth the nominal fee to unlock all the features.

SHOOTING VIDEOS

Video is becoming more and more important as a way to communicate on social media. We’d highly recommend paying a professional to make a video about your camp and request a tightly edited 1-2 minute version for your homepage and a long version for you to edit into smaller clips for your various platforms. That said, you also need to hone your skills. Videos can be casual, quick moments captured on your phone, but they can’t be sloppy. Be conscious of wind and background noise messing with your audio and reduce it by recording through headphones or adding a wind screen (even your sleeve will do in a pinch). Be slow and steady as you move (and if you really want your walk-throughs to look pro, get a gimbal to take the bounce out of your step. We swear by the DJI Osmo Mobile). When the light is right,

PicCollage: We use this photo and video collage maker to quickly showcase multiple pieces of footage at a glance and in an artful way.

InShot: We’ve tried lots of video editing apps and this one is the most user-friendly, for anything from enhancing a single clip to combining dozens into a short film, right from your phone.

Adobe Lightroom: Nearly every photo can be improved by adjusting the warmth, contrast, shadow, haziness, and saturation. While some of these mods can can be done in your phone’s built-in editor, Adobe Lightroom is the gold standard in photo editing and free on mobile.

YOU CAN DO IT!

Creating regular social media posts can feel like a ton of work, but once you get in the rhythm of storytelling, sharing, and engaging with your audience, it can be a lot of fun and a great lead generator for your business. Don’t worry if every post doesn’t get gobs of engagement. The more you publish, the more you improve your content creation and chance to be seen by potential customers and the people that love your brand!

About Mike & Anne Howard

Traveling for the last 11 years across 73 countries, Mike & Anne are travel experts with a glamping speciality. They launched HoneyTrek.com to chronicle their journey, and have since written National Geographic’s bestselling book Ultimate Journeys for Two and the first guide on glamping in North America, Comfortably Wild. Earning a Lowell Thomas Journalism Award for their book and a seat on the American Glamping Association Board of Advisors, they are committed to the success of the glamping industry. Businesses from budding glampgrounds to established tent manufacturers have partnered with the Howards for their skills as photographers, writers, influencers and consultants to improve their guest experience and share it with the world.

VISIT: HoneyTrek.com/GlampingExperts

Models having fun on a HoneyTrek glamping photoshoot. In lifestyle photography, the less staged, the better

A simple photo with nicely designed text sends a clearer message on social media

Modifying a Canva template for the cover image of HoneyTrek’s 4000th Day Celebration

PLANNING TO SELL ON THE DAY YOU BUY

BY MIKE GAST

It may sound counterintuitive, but the best time to start planning your exit from the glamping business may be the day you first open your resort.

That’s the advice of Amy Wirtz, Senior Consultant with The Family Business Consulting Group. Her company, based in North America, has worked globally for the past 25 years with family-owned businesses.

Wirtz has helped a plethora of family businesses including campgrounds, resorts, and other outdoor-related facilities. She says anyone coming into the glamping business faces the same exit planning issues she’s seen in other industries.

“Everyone knows that you need a solid business plan in order to succeed, but the first thing you should do is design your plan with an end in mind,” she said.

THE FIVE ‘DS’

Glamping owners – even those brand new to the business – need to be prepared from the start for circumstances beyond their control that could threaten the future of their facility.

“When you are setting up your plans and processes, you always should be thinking about ‘If something were to happen to me, who and how

would someone take over what I’m doing?’”

Wirtz said glamping owners need to consider succession planning right from the start, and that includes a disaster plan for sudden, unforeseen challenges.

“There are five D’s that threaten any small business’s future,” she said. “They are death, disability, divorce, disagreement, and disasters. I’d also add an ‘R’ for retirement to that list.”

KNOW WHY YOU’RE IN BUSINESS

Wirtz said most family-owned businesses fall into two categories – those designed to provide owners with a steady paycheck from the start and possibly pass the business to the next generation; and those designed to rapidly grow, add value, and eventually allow owners to harvest wealth through a sale.

“Inside those categories are more questions,” Wirtz said. “If you are in the business to afford you a steady paycheck and a lifestyle, are you also planning for the next generation to take over? In that case there may not be enough value or steady cash flow to be attractive to an outside buyer if things change. If you are building your business to eventually sell it outside the family, then it’s all about value acceleration and creating the right

systems and practices that could be taken over by a third party.”

Wirtz suggests glamping owners ask themselves the tough questions to determine precisely what they plan to do with their facility when their time with the business is over. “Families that initially plan to have the next generation take over shouldn’t assume those plans won’t change,” she said.

“I suggest families ask those succession questions right at the outset, and then revisit those plans every three to five years because people change their minds,” she said.

“If you are looking to build a company with value that you can sell someday – be it to your kids, your manager or on the open market – you still should be asking questions about how fast to grow, why to grow, and the ‘pain in the butts’ created if you grow too fast,” Wirtz said. “Growing too fast could break your systems regarding employees, capital

“Owners should begin their glamping ownership experience with the end in mind.”

use, and reservation systems. You have to grow at a pace that can be tolerated by the ownership, your cash flow, your people, and your systems.”

WHEN IT’S TIME TO SELL

After more than a decade in the outdoor hospitality business, park owner Mari Garland was tired.

Her husband Tom had stepped back from the daily operation of their Grand Junction, Colorado park a few years earlier and by 2018, Mari was looking for her own exit.

“As we got into our last few years of ownership, our lives were in transition,” Garland said. Her two daughters were graduating from high school, her parents were aging and needed more help, and Tom was showing signs of burnout.

“We needed help evaluating where we were at, and how we were running our business,” Garland said. When she attended a seminar and heard Wirtz address the Five D’s mentioned above, Garland got moving.

“I didn’t want to be caught in an unplanned transition without duplicatable practices and systems in place,” she said. “You don’t want everything stored only in your head.”

Although the Garlands had originally purchased the park with a possible succession plan for their daughters in mind, their children had little interest in taking over. “We then knew that this was something that we needed to build up and eventually sell.”

Garland said the glide path to selling her park would have been much simpler if they had planned for the eventual sale from the first day they purchased their facility in 2007.

After Tom stepped away from the park, Mari successfully ran the park for another two years. But that success came at a price.

“It was a different dynamic and I became very tired,” she said. “I knew enough about selling a business to know that it would take from one to three years to complete. I didn’t want to wait until I was flat on my back. I knew that soon I would be overwhelmed and done. I wanted to sell the park while I was still on top.”

Garland said she worked with Wirtz for a year before the sale, documenting processes and procedures, finalizing financial records, and preparing her park. “Every dollar I spent with Amy was paid back with dividends when I was under the stress of a sale.”

BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND

Garland said every glamping owner should not only start preparing for the eventual sale or succession of their facility from the start, but

they should also start envisioning their life after the sale.

“Your identity is in owning that business,” she said. “You have poured everything into it, and you’ve made sacrifices. It has become your identity and now you have to revise who you are.”

“Owners should begin their glamping ownership experience with the end in mind,” she said. “I probably could have done it without help, but not as well.”

THE FAMILY DYNAMIC

For Mike Guervich, owner of the 100-year-old Cherry Hill Park camping and glamping facility near Washington, D.C, the issue wasn’t selling the park. It was navigating the pitfalls and conflicts that come from having several family members sharing duties in the business.

“My wife and I are the fourth generation on this park, and the fifth generation is already in place here, so we won’t be selling,” Guervich said. Two of Guervich’s three daughters – along with their husbands – had joined the campground operation and things were getting complicated.

“It was certainly getting tougher to operate,” Guervich said. The family’s first ownership generation had started welcoming a few campers to stay behind their general store in the 1920s. Now, there are 400 sites with 28 glamping accommodations units to operate.

“The business had grown so much, and now we had the next generation coming in,” Guervich said. “It was a matter of helping everyone find their place here.”

Guervich said he found a consultant’s help invaluable in sorting out everyone’s roles.

“There was lots of overlap and opportunities for conflict,” he said. “Amy (Wirtz) helped us out with communication and having those sometimesdifficult conversations.”

For Guervich, the primary issue was finding ways to work better together with family, and eventually designing the right way to pass it along smoothly to the next generation.

“I just wanted to keep it all moving forward,” he said. “We found that we needed help in having the right conversations. The process gave us the space we needed to talk freely about how we were all feeling.”

Guervich said his family members now have a clear understanding of each of their roles and are able to work “on the business and not just in the business.”

GROWING THE NEXT GENERATION OF OWNERSHIP

Wirtz said she tells owners not to assume the next

generation will be interested in taking over. Once owners have established that their children are interested in succession, they should develop an education plan to ensure their eventual success.

“If a glamping owner sees that their children have an interest in taking over, they should take them to consumer shows and trade shows, conventions, and any other potential learning opportunities,” she said. “Show them the industry and be prepared for them to change their minds a few times about taking over.”

Wirtz said the best family business transitions usually include some level of “buy-in.”

“It isn’t all a monetary buy-in,” Wirtz said. “If you are starting out in glamping at age 50 or 55 and your children are 18 or 19, you might want them to go get some experience somewhere else for a while with the understanding that you’ll need them back at your park at least part time by the time you are 65.”

She said it’s also important to make family members earn their positions.

“If it’s family, don’t assume everyone is going to just get along,” Wirtz said. “If family members are contributing, document it. Do a shareholder agreement so people know how to get I and how to get out. Make sure you meet annually to ask if they still want to be here, define what they are putting back into the business, ensure that they are paid what they are worth, and have a five-year plan for every family member.”

She also suggests glamping owners separate the meetings regarding family working now in the business from meetings regarding eventual ownership plans. “Those are two very different things. Don’t mix them up or you’ll end up fighting. Discussions about family relationships have to be separate from the business talks.”

Wirtz said she realizes glamping is still a somewhat “new” phenomenon compared to traditional camping, but the succession planning basics are the same.

“There is some heavy lifting involved when you are about three to five years away from actually selling or transferring the ownership of your park,” she said. “Family businesses include an emotional side that traditional businesses don’t have to face. There are strategies to make it all work. It just takes creativity and lots of conversations that families often don’t know how to have.”

Mike Gast was the Vice President of Communications for Kampgrounds of America, Inc. for the past 20 years. Now, he’s on to new adventures, helping others tell their stories through his freelance company, ‘Imi Ola Group. You can reach Mike at mike.imiolagroup@gmail.com

INTERIOR DESIGN OUTDOORS

BY TODD

Whether a glamping operation is small or large, the importance of high-quality interior design cannot be understated. Of course, not all operations can afford a professional hospitality interior design consultant, but all should be able to apply the key principals these firms use to create amazing indoor and outdoor spaces. Interior design firms dedicated to this sector such as Workshop APD (AutoCamp) or ROY (Yonder Escalante) focus on a consistent property wide aesthetic or design theme that works in harmony with the architecture to tell the story of the destination. They then look to match the caliber of the design to room rate expectations, while balancing the need for commercial (as opposed to residential) durability and the sustainability of the design and its elements. These perspectives start to provide the framework for the overall interior design package that will both enhance guest experience and overall profitability.

One of the key elements to a glamping destination is the guests’ experience with and connection to nature or the outdoors. This constant in the outdoor hospitality sector writ large, creates a unique challenge of providing the guest all the creature comforts of home, while

experiencing the otherwise uncomfortable natural outside world. In fact, the challenge is often seen as bringing the inside to the outdoors (or vice versa) without negatively impacting the naturecentric experience. However, it is not enough to just provide a knotty pine king size bed in the bedroom, an Adirondack chair on the deck and a farmhouse table with benches to the communal lounge/workspace. As Jonah Kaplan, Director of Business Development of Workshop APD states;

“These things need to be provided in the context of the story of the property, the local or regional environment and with a sense of continuity of design across the property”.

The design aesthetic for a glamping destination should be the physical reflection of the destination’s story or its mission as a business.

Presumably the story will relate to the local area or region’s history, whether that is its natural environment or its short- or long-term societal past. In most cases there is a blend of the two. That is, in some parts of the world a region’s natural resources history becomes the reason humans interact with that area. For instance, an area’s propensity to grow crops, yield precious ore, or fulfill specific recreational interests can all drive a societal demand. Wine country, gold rush areas and skiing destinations all provide obvious fodder for a design theme. The key is to determine this aesthetic or its design principles and then have these principals guide all architectural and design elements in the built form. Like a high-end resort, the design theme needs to be felt upon entry and held consistent throughout the grounds, the public spaces, and the guest rooms. Too many times I have seen properties with a variety of design themes and inconsistent design application. This confuses the guests and creates an uncontrolled delivery of the message through social media and other sales and marketing channels. The design’s consistent support of the property’s story will enhance the guest experience, your ability to clearly market the property and ultimately your ability to demand stronger room rates.

In addition to setting the design theme early in

WYNNE-PARRY

“These things need to be provided in the context of the story of the property, the local or regional environment and with a sense of continuity of design across the property”.

Collective Retreats

the property’s evolution, the on-going purposeful selection of both interior and exterior furniture, fixtures, and equipment (“FF&E”) is important for the longevity of the asset and capital expenses (“CapEx”) budgets. It is easy to identify some piece of FF&E that may be particularly trendy in the residential market, but glamping is a commercial use and typically requires a commercial grade application of most FF&E items. While there may be some argument to get that Ikea bench or a Costco item for the short-term due to financial constraints, if you are serious about the property and its long-term value it Is better to spend more in the short-term term to have the guest feel the solid and stable items they are sitting or sleeping on. These little touches increase the aspirational value proposition of the room rate. The guests want to feel justified in paying the high room rate for their stay. So being able to experience living for a short time in and on top quality furnishings and bedding adds the “glamorous” to the glamping. Using high quality FF&E, preferably locally or at least regionally manufactured, also reduces the expense of and space needed to keep a par stock of items that constantly breakdown. Furthermore, regardless of the climate, FF&E left outdoors for any extended period will weather, deteriorate, and require replacement or repair on a faster cycle than its interior counterparts. While the durability factor may or may not directly impact revenue generation, it will provide for a longer replacement schedule for FF&E and therefore a stronger bottom line over time and in turn a higher valuation.

The sustainability of materials in the construction and fit-out of glamping destinations is a consideration most developers and brands specify as a key pillar of their mission. This is because in the glamping world guests are very in tune to this concept and sometimes even demand the property and staff be responsible custodians of the environment. So “green washing” your property or feigning a truly sustainable

approach to development and operations, may get called out on social media or booking channel reviews accordingly. The commitment to making thoughtful design choices that are in harmony with this ethos should remain on the list of considerations throughout the design development process. To that end, Cassie Novick, Chief Creative Officer of Collective Retreats, looks to local artisans and antique sources to repurpose FF&E that will match their brand’s aesthetic. This has a positive impact on the local or regional communities, saves on waste and adds authenticity to each of their projects.

Interior design is both literally and figuratively the element of glamping that “ties the room together”. It is the common thread of a property’s vibe that connects the indoors to the outdoors and the public spaces to the guestrooms. This is the part guests are excited about. It’s the part that delivers on the promise of soft adventure – the part they mention when confessing to not being a camper but could be a glamper. Whether they are staying in a safari tent, cabin or trailer, it’s the ambiance thoughtful interior design creates that provides the connection to the comfort of home while in the midst of the untamed wilds of nature.

About Todd G. Wynne-Parry

A seasoned leader in the hospitality industry, Todd has over 30 years of hotel development experience, having held senior leadership positions at several major hotel brands and most recently AutoCamp and Two Roads Hospitality. A dual-citizen of the US and Australia, Wynne-Parry has lived and worked in the U.S., Asia, Australia and the United Kingdom. He was instrumental in the development efforts for IHG, Starwood and Marriott in the Asia Pacific region and for Two Roads Hospitality globally. He began his career as a hotel consultant in the San Diego office of Laventhol & Horwath, the predecessor to Horwath HTL. He is now Managing Director of Horwath HTL and leads the Outdoor Hospitality practice for North America. Horwath HTL is the largest independent hospitality consultancy with 52 offices worldwide.

Todd earned an MBA from Thunderbird Graduate School of International Management and sits on the advisory council of the American Glamping Association. In his spare time, Todd enjoys fly fishing and exploring the western US in his 1953 Airstream.

“Interior design is both literally and figuratively the element of glamping that ‘ties the room together’. ”

ROY Interior Design of Yonder Escalante

Above and below, Collective Retreats

ESCAPE INTO THE WILD

Wilding Collective is a unique wilderness hotel offering premium comfort in naturally beautiful and remote locations across the country. With a desire to offer the space necessary to reset, reflect and truly leave behind the stress of day-to-today life, we invite our guests to escape into the wild for an experience that is designed to be anything but mundane.

What is your background and how did you come to launch this brand?

I began my career as a social worker, incorporating animals and nature into mental health services for individuals recovering from trauma. Early on in that journey, I found a need for more funding, policy change and public education to be able to better help those I served. This led to me pivoting from direct services and into advocacy and fundraising. Since then, I’ve spent the last 10+ years producing large scale campaigns and events for various social impact causes. I’ve had the honor of working with global corporations, A-list celebrities, large family offices and incredible change makers.

After a decade of driving macro-level changes, I found myself being drawn back to working directly with both people and nature. For my own mental well-being, I set out to create a business that

would help me be more present and connected to myself and my family, while still making a positive impact on the lives of others. I always found that when I took time in nature to play, meditate and recharge, my life would begin to change for the positive. This is exactly what we seek to gift to others through a Wilding experience – the space for what our busy everyday life simply does not offer.

The original plan was to open a glamping location on a beautiful piece of forest that my family owns. While searching for suitable units, I discovered the need for higher quality accommodation options that could provide year round comfort, even in cold climates. This propelled me into the world of modular and eventually to our manufacturing partners, Ethos Modular, in Mexico. Together we have developed an affordable luxury unit that is permitted as Park Model RV in 48 states. Through this hands-on experience, I began realized the tremendous opportunity ahead of me, something that was going to be so much bigger than opening any one location. I can still feel the excitement this realization brought to me.

What is the meaning behind the name? Wilding is a verb. For us, it means to lose yourself, or find yourself, or perhaps both, all within the surroundings of awe-inspiring wilderness. Our

Wilding locations inspire deep appreciation and connection with nature by harmoniously blending untamed environments with uncompromising comfort. We enable guests to disconnect from the demands of daily life, find a deep appreciation for the beauty and wonder of the natural world and leave rejuvenated.

My ultimate goal for Wilding Hotels extends beyond a traditional hotel. I envision wilderness spaces, where individuals can come as they are and allow nature to facilitate their own unique transformation - from stressed to grounded, exhausted to rejuvenated, disconnected to connected.

What makes your offer unique in the market?

Easy, our four core pillars! We measure everything we offer against them. A Wilding experience is guaranteed to have four incomparable aspects:

1. Immersive nature: Simply put, one can expect to feel completely immersed in nature, even while inside their unit. Whether you are out exploring or inside gazing out the window, you will have a front row seat to undisturbed wilderness.

2. Awe-inspiring views: There is something healing and transformative about a view that makes your jaw drop. We offer that experience from the comfort of your bed each and every

Interview with Jacque Baumer of new brand Wilding Hotels

morning. Our units are designed with more than 30 ft of floor-to-ceiling windows intentionally designed to bring the outside in.

3. Uncompromising comfort: Being so far off the beaten path has never felt so good. From digital concierge and quality customer service, to waterfall shower heads and built-in projectors with drop down screens, we are providing all of the comforts that can be expected from any premium accommodation. Guests never have to choose between comfort and experience.

4. Ultimate privacy: With intentionally fewer units than the industry standard, Wilding Hotels are designed and carefully placed to deliver a sense of privacy and seclusion. It wouldn’t be a Wilding experience if you weren’t next door to nowhere.

What opportunity do you see specifically in the US?

The United States is poised for extreme growth in this market. Given its vast open spaces, national parks, beautiful scenery, and areas yet to be explored, the opportunities are endless for creating unique and immersive wilderness hotel experiences. The US has a large population of affluent travelers who value high-quality and sustainable accommodations, making it the perfect market for Wilding Hotels.

In terms of glamping, we see a lot of competition and saturation in the entry level of the markettents and domes with ADRs of 200-$350/ night. On the other end of the spectrum, there are some incredible resort-like options where one will spend thousands of dollars for a weekend. In between, there are a handful of boutique brands that offer higher quality accommodations and services successfully pulling ADRs between $500-800 a night.

We aim to make Wilding a ‘flagship’ brand in this segment of the market, with dozens of locations opening across the country in the near future.

What kind of operating models do you offer?

We have three focuses right now. The first and most simple is selling our units to glamping operators who want to provide a higher quality accommodation option while maintaining their own brand. This year we have only 20 more units available for purchase. Next year we expect to have 60 units available.

For the hotel brand, we have two partnership structures. The first is for land developers or land owners who have access to incredible land, love the brand and vision of Wilding but don’t want to be involved in the day-to-day operations,

marketing, booking and customer service. In this case, we work out a revenue share with the land owners then we take it from there.

For our second structure, we partner with like-minded entrepreneurs who have access to land and can run operations themselves, but who do not have the capital for vertical development. Wilding Hotels provides high-quality modular units, expert marketing, and a unified brand to deliver a luxury experience to our customers. Our partners provide the land and operations and together we work out a revenue share.

Who is your customer for the structures and who is your guest in the hotel?

Our main customers for the structures are essentially our competitors for the hotelglamping operators who want to provide higher quality accommodations in search of higher ADRs. That doesn’t bother us though, we believe there is an abundance of opportunity in this space and there is nothing like a little competition to push you to do your best!

We believe our guests for Wilding Hotels are those who want to slow down a bit. They are high achievers who run 100 MPH for weeks or

months on end early mornings, late nights, long meetings, and stressful demands. They feel the pressure, regardless of how successful they’ve been. They want a place for that pressure to fade into the background, if not disappear. A place and space where they can just be.

Where can we see the first Wilding Hotels?

Well, you’ll have to stay tuned for an official announcement in May, but our first locations will be found in Utah, Alaska, Texas and Montana. Right now, our backdrops span from red rocks to glaciers and we are on track for hosting our first guests this summer. Who knows, maybe a new location will come about from someone reading this article.

How could someone get in contact with you?

I’d love to connect! Feel free to shoot me an email or text and let’s find a time to talk.

Jacqueline Baumer (801) 599-4144 jacque@wildinghotels.com

THE FIVE KEYS TO STRESS-FREE CASHFLOW

Business owners often find themselves in a cash pinch near the end of a glamping season, and we want to change your “End of Season Panic” into a “Successful Season Celebration” with some strategies to proactively manage your cash.

With any business, it comes down to that old adage, “cash is king”. Cash allows you to seize opportunities, like taking advantage of bulk order discounts. Cash helps you maintain healthy relationships with your vendors by paying them on time. Cash can save you money by avoiding penalties and interest. Perhaps most importantly, cash lets you, the business owner, sleep at night. The number one killer of small businesses we see is when a company runs into a

cash pinch, where several unexpected (or worse.... expected) bills all pile up at once. This begins a downward spiral of late fees and interest that make it harder and harder for a business to dig itself out of that hole.

But it doesn’t have to be that way! By implementing an effective cash management strategy, any business can set itself up to have funds on hand for whatever is thrown its way, without the need for a complicated budget.

Here are our five tips to ensure your upcoming season is stress-free.

1. COLLECT AN ADVANCED DEPOSIT

Advanced deposits are easy wins in the cashflow game. They ensure you have the funds needed to cover the expenses of that guest’s stay. Collecting even a small deposit, like one night’s stay, gets them invested in staying at your property. A deposit creates an emotional and psychological commitment that guests are unlikely to revert on. By creating this commitment, you are rewarded with a loan from the customer ahead of their stay to cover their expenses.

Our recommendations for advanced deposits:

• Make deposits refundable up to a certain point. People often want time to mull over their travel options. If the deposit is non-refundable at the time of booking, they may hesitate to immediately commit or decide against completing their reservation.

• Make deposits non-refundable up to a reasonable amount of time before their reservation. Know your ideal booking window, such as 14 to 30 days prior to their arrival date, and don’t grant refunds after that window ends.

2. SEGREGATE FUNDS FOR TAXES

Business owners get in trouble when they look at their operating account and see a big, exciting number, forgetting that they’ve yet to pay off the credit card, issue payroll, or pay the final installment on those beds that were just delivered. And just when they’ve paid the bills and think everything left is profit, they realize they must pay last month’s sales tax and the upcoming property tax, plus save money for income tax due at the end of the year. Tax time is one of the most stressful (yet predictable) cash crunches that business owners face.

By segregating the funds for sales tax, occupancy tax, and income tax right when it comes into your bank account, you keep yourself honest by not spending money that isn’t yours and will need to be remitted in the next 30, 90, or 365 days. Keeping that money set aside puts you in a scarcity mindset and doesn’t let you overspend funds that aren’t actual profit. If you think it’s expensive getting a loan to cover debt, just wait until you get a sales tax audit. The state charges a much higher “interest rate” than you would have been paying on a line of credit. Speaking of lines of credit…

3. SECURE A LINE OF CREDIT BEFORE YOU EVER NEED IT

A line of credit gives a business owner flexibility to cover a very short cash pinch. Maybe you need to cover payroll and you have a large group coming in the following week, or you need to pay for an order of food for a big event that will settle the bill next weekend. A line of credit is perfect for weathering those small gaps. But [spoiler alert!], banks don’t grant lines of credit to businesses that have cash problems. They want to lend to businesses that are successfully producing cash hand-over-fist. So, when your business is doing well, you have a healthy bank balance, and you have great financials to show your lender, that is the time to get the line of credit. It’s much like the Tickle Me Elmo supply crisis of 1996: you needed

to purchase him well in advance to avoid tears on Christmas morning. Likewise, if you wait until you need a line of credit, you will not be able to secure it.

Our recommendation on a line of credit:

• Once you have your line of credit and decide to use it, know when you’re going to pay it back! It costs money to use other people’s money, and too often business owners think a line of credit is the solution to their problems, when they’re just racking up more debt. Have a plan for how you’re going to pay it back within the next month or, worst case, two months. If you carry it for any longer than that, you’d better have a solid reason why that cash is going to produce more income in the immediate future. If you need a line of credit to cover normal operating costs, it’s time to ruthlessly prioritize your expenses.

4. KNOW YOUR METRICS

Hotels and glamping operations are often difficult to budget for because a traditional budget is ineffective to manage your business. Your budget could have the same expenses for room supplies as the prior year, but if room sales have increased 100% this year, thus doubling occupancy, understandably your guest supplies should double as well. Metrics can give you key indicators of how your business is running which will enable you to more effectively plan and manage your cash.

• We highly recommend that every glamping owner know their key metrics like Cost per Occupied Room, Average Daily Rate, Working Capital, Labor Margin, Discount Margin, and Occupancy.

• You don’t need to stop there! You should identify those key metrics that will help you plan for the future, such as the average lifespan of each bed or the average number of days in advance a guest books a reservation.

• And lastly, don’t be afraid to track metrics that may be unique or important to you: average complimentary food and beverage per guest, average days off per owner, or average value of property damage per child on site (if you’ve had destructive kids on site, you know what I’m talking about). You get to choose what is important to you.

5. DON’T BE AFRAID TO USE MULTIPLE BANK ACCOUNTS

We business owners are scrappy, but we tend to

use all the resources available to us. If you tell us we have $80,000 to do the job, we’ll utilize that full amount. If you tell us we have $20,000, we’ll figure it out with only $20,000. That’s why we should be setting up separate bank accounts to hold the funds designated for future remodels, taxes, projects, and even bonuses. We need to get those dollars out of sight and therefore out of mind.

By keeping the amount in your normal operating fund lower, you’ll trick yourself into a scarcity mindset. You’ll still find a way to get the job done while saving for those other items that are really going to move your business forward.

While we know you didn’t start a glamping business because you love accounting, following these suggestions will help reduce your cashflow stress. Together with keeping clean financials, these steps will empower you to focus on sustainable and profitable growth. Now that you’ve mastered cash flow, you can pop that champagne and look forward to your successful season celebration!

About Tyler Otto

Tyler is the President and Owner of Glamping Bookkeepers, a remote accounting and tax firm dedicated to helping glamping operations drive profit and build wealth. Tyler has served as a Finance Director in the hospitality industry for everything from 2-star to 5-star accommodations and loves helping business owners perfect their financial performance.

www.glampingbookkeepers.com

Tyler@GlampBK.com

INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR VS. EMPLOYEE

Just because you call something a cat doesn’t mean it is. If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, then you can bet the state and federal government are going to call it a duck –regardless of whether or not you have paperwork stating it’s a cat.

Misclassifying employees is one of the easiest ways to find yourself in trouble. If the worker you deemed an independent contractor was actually an employee, then you can be hit with failure to withhold taxes, interest and penalties including even criminal penalties.

Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as whether or not they are a 1099 independent contractor versus an employee you give a w-2 to at the end of the year. There are a series of tests at both state and federal agency level that are part of the determination. One branch’s determination does not affect or influence the result of another’s.

The easiest way to distill the tests down is one word: control. The more you control the

individual the more likely they are an employee. Is the worker allowed to determine how the job is done? Are you controlling the rate of pay and whether they are profitable? Is there a contract? Are they responsible for their own equipment? If you have little or no control over the way workers do the work, they generally are considered to be independent contractors.

Conversely if the worker is required to be in an office for specific hours every day, uses your equipment and supplies to complete assignments and generally is reimbursed for you for expenses, they would most likely be considered an employee. It would be advisable to run questionable worker situations by your tax advisor or attorney.

But what if you already did it wrong? Are you in trouble is there any way to fix it? Short Answer: there might be! Consult

your tax advisor. Long Version there might be relief available under Section 530 of the Internal Revenue Code.

When does it apply? It applies to periods under audit and all future periods as long as specific requirements are met. It provides what is known as a permanent cure for an employer’s tax liabilities relating to a particular group(s) of workers. It is not necessary for the business to claim Section 530 relief for it to be applicable. An examiner looking into the possible misclassification must first explore the applicability of Section 530 even if the taxpayer does not raise the issue. What requirements need to be met to obtain relief?

SECTION 530 RELIEF MAY BE AVAILABLE

Fortunately, there may be another way to avoid trouble associated

with worker misclassification: the Section 530 safe-harbor rule. This provision, which is from a largely forgotten 1978 law, may possibly be used if the IRS assesses back taxes and penalties on your company for misclassifying workers as independent contractors.

You must meet three requirements to obtain Section 530 relief: reporting consistency; 2) substantive consistency; and 3) reasonable basis. Reporting consistency: Refers to having filed all your federal tax returns consistent with your treatment of the workers as independent contractors. For instance, you must have provided them with Form 1099s, not W-2s, in the past. You cannot have changed midway through their multiyear employment.

Substantive Consistency: This can also be referred to as Employment status consistency. Your business must have consistently treated these workers and all workers of the same type— as independent contractors. There’s no exception to this rule.

Reasonable basis: Your company needs a “reasonable basis” for treating workers as independent contractors, not employees. This basis might, for example, be established by a

relevant court case, IRS ruling or prior audit.

So, in short, determine what your workers are up front, pay them according to the law and make sure you classify them correctly. But don’t be alarmed currently if you recognize you may have been doing something incorrectly and look to remedy things now.

About Christine Taylor

Christine Taylor is a Partner at The Towne Law Firm, P.C. (headquartered in Albany, NY) who focuses her practice in the areas of Hospitality, Business, Labor and Employment, Real Estate Law, Estate Planning, and Litigation. Ms. Taylor grew up within the outdoor hospitality industry as her parents have owned three campgrounds, her experience within the industry gives her insight from both the legal and camping perspectives. Ms. Taylor has spoken at various outdoor hospitality conferences including the Glamping Show USA, KOA, CONY, NCA, ARVC, PCOA, as well as the Mid-Atlantic conference. She additionally authors a column that appears in Woodall’s Campground Management

Our mission is to drive growth opportunities for new and existing glamping businesses by leveraging our strong network, providing tools and resources and presenting custom solutions to your one of a kind business.

The association serves those that are thinking of starting their first glamping business all the way up to the industry leaders. We provide access to a strong network that becomes the key foundational element to all organizations.

Built by industry leaders to help elevate each and every new business to reach their full potential. Membership takes two minutes to complete and become a member today to gain access to member benefits such as:

F Weekly member meet up calls with industry leading guest speakers

F Industry discounts and exclusive events

F Members only internal communication channel

F Industry advisors

F Networking

F Advocacy

F Consulting

e: info@americanglampingassociation.net

WWW.AMERICANGLAMPINGASSOCIATION.NET

PICKING A TECH PARTNER THAT GROWS WITH YOU: 6 THINGS TO LOOK FOR

BY KAELYN BECKMAN, MARKETING MANAGER, RMS NORTH AMERICA

Glamping has long piqued the interest of campers and non-campers alike with its ability to simultaneously provide the great escape of camping and the comfort of hotel-level amenities. This interest has translated into significant growth, and the industry has no plans to slow down. According to one survey, the global glamping market is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 10.2% from 2023 to 2023. Substantial numbers of consumers are being drawn to the industry who want to enjoy the great outdoors but in a more luxurious way.

As a glampground owner or operator, you might wonder how to capitalize on this impending industry growth and ensure your property is best equipped for new and returning guests. While

there are several ways to set your property up for ongoing growth and success, picking a reservation management technology partner that can scale with you should be at the top of the list.

Here are six things to consider when picking the right technology vendor for your glampground.

1. HOLISTIC PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

The first core functionality your reservation management system should have is the ability to streamline your operations from one centralized location. Whether operating one glampground or many, look for a technology partner with customizable features that help you focus on providing the best guest experience possible. Since every property is different, list the non-negotiable features you need in your software. If you’re

Kaelyn Beckman

starting from ground zero, think about what you need from a software security standpoint, your core OTAs, necessary integrations, and the types of data and reports you need to run and grow your business.

2. DIRECT BOOKING PROCESS

The next element to look for in your reservation management system provider is the ability to capture direct bookings for your glampground. This is key to providing an enhanced booking experience for your guests. Look for technology allowing guests to see rooms and sites from a calendar or interactive map, view room and site photos, purchase add-ons, access flexible rates and promotions, and complete secure payments online.

3. STRONG GUEST MARKETING CAPABILITIES

Guest marketing is a vital puzzle piece in driving sustainable business growth. In order to stay engaged with guests throughout their stay, you need a technology partner with robust marketing

tools like a mobile-friendly guest portal, targeted email capabilities, and loyalty programs. Not only can these tools drive repeat visits and encourage loyalty to your glampground, but they also ensure your team is communicating with guests clearly and seamlessly.

4. DYNAMIC PRICING FUNCTIONALITY

Next, look for a technology partner that offers dynamic rate management in response to supply and demand. With fixed pricing, your rates are locked in and do not reflect important variables like current occupancy, seasonality, or holidays. Integrated into your property management system, dynamic pricing enables smart rate changes, simplifying the price adjustment process during busy times and maximizing occupancy during quiet times. For example, with dynamic pricing, you can make the most of the offseason because your prices will automatically reduce to predetermined lower rates to attract more glampers.

5. CUSTOM REPORTS

Your technology partner should have reporting tools to help you easily nurture your bestperforming channels and assess where your business could benefit from specific optimizations. By having the reporting functionality integrated

in your property management system, you gain access to all your business data in one place. From there, you can create customized reports to examine all that data – from channel performance, YoY revenue numbers, occupation reports, and more. This level of data transparency is essential to growing your business.

6. ONGOING SUPPORT

An intuitive reservation management system is the key to a great guest experience and ongoing property growth, but 24/7, reliable customer service is equally important. Before making the final call on your technology partner, ensure they can provide the support you need to easily onboard your business, train your staff, and answer any questions that will inevitably come up down the road.

SCALING TODAY

The key to successful glampground growth is having the right team of supportive partners surrounding you, propelling you forward. Ultimately, your technology partner should act as an extension of your internal team, supplementing with the tools and support you need to reach growth and revenue goals. There are many vendors in the space that can help your property, but just remember to evaluate based on your specific vision, priorities, and needs.

“The key to successful glampground growth is having the right team of supportive partners surrounding you, propelling you forward.”