Members of the campground industry are gathering today, November 7 in Orlando, Florida for the Outdoor Hospitality Convention and Expo 2022 (OHCE2022) organized by the National Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds (ARVC).
Poised to be bigger than ever, this year’s OHCE offers greater learning opportunities, networking, and entertainment for attendees participating in the industry event.
Throughout the week, conference attendees have access to various opportunities that will enrich their knowledge of running their businesses. Education opportunities are available through workshops, cracker barrels, panel discussions, and more.
Also part of OHCE2022’s kickoff is touring four ARVC member parks during Takeaway Tours, an add-on experience during the event. The hands-on tour provides a closer look at how successful parks operate.
This year, parks to tour include Camp Margaritaville RV Resort & Cabana Cabins, Sanlan RV and Gold Resort, Stage Stop RV Campground, and Wekiva Falls RV Resort.
Education
When running a business, one must know what to do, and books can only help so much. One way for park owners and operators to ensure they are equipped with knowledge on how to improve their parks is through attending conferences.
At OHCE2022, discussions include exploring campground marketing, handling shortages in staffing, how to prepare for the EVs at campgrounds, generating incremental revenue, and more.
Sessions will be held at The Rosen Centre Hotel and spearheaded by industry experts, so attendees will surely pick up more than one tip during any session.
Today, an add-on Prospective Owners Workshop is welcoming aspiring park owners and helping address their questions about park ownership. Meanwhile, breakout sessions begin on Wednesday, November 9.
Networking
Attendees this year, aside from being able to interact with each other in between sessions, can form connections with experts and suppliers through the Hosted Buyer Program.
Qualifying attendees will have access to all educational sessions, scheduling in-person meetings with exhibitors, and networking opportunities for free. According to the Hosted Buyer webpage, those qualified to be a Hosted Buyer will receive a refund on registration fees ($495) once they complete six face-to-face meetings with exhibitors.
In addition are VIP perks such as VIP check-in and access to the VIP Hosted Buyer Lounge where guests can enjoy complimentary food and entertainment.
Expo
For years now, the Expo has been an avenue for introducing the latest innovations in the outdoor hospitality industry. This year, OHCE2022 attendees can visit the Orange County Convention Center where the expo is set to take place to check out the latest rigs (eight different park models, e-bikes, and vehicles), software, services, and products.
This year’s expo will also see over 120 exhibitors, its biggest on record, ARVC noted in a press release in September.
Outdoor hospitality industry businesses to showcase their offerings include App My Community, Assisted TV Solutions, Beyonder Camp, BookOutdoors, Campspot, Cold River Mining, Electrical Works, Firefly Reservations, IVEE Management Group, and more.
Tomorrow, November 8, Judi Holler is set to deliver a keynote session titled “EVERYDAY IMPROVISER: Think like a CEO & Take More Confident Action” that will take a deep dive into how to have a CEO mindset that will elevate performance and get results, better collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, stay agile in the ever-changing world and work environment, and more.
In the evening will be a 1980s-themed welcome reception at Margaritaville at Universal City Walk.
A campground industry staple, OHCE helps park owners work towards improving their campground.
The event is underway at The Rosen Centre Hotel & Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, and is scheduled to run until November 10.
To view the conference agenda, visit https://arvc.org/ohce2022agenda.