Next week’s very special glamping episode of Modern Campground Fireside Chats is set to take place live at the National Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds’ (ARVC) annual Outdoor Hospitality Conference and Expo (OHCE2022) on Wednesday, November 9, 2022.
Host Brian Searl will be joined by recurring guests American Glamping Association Founder Ruben Martinez, Outside Capital Founder and Managing Principal David Smith, The Fields of Michigan Founder and CEO Irene Wood, Firelight Camps Owner and CEO Bobby Frisch, Clockwork Glamping and RV Resort Design Lead Zach Stoltenberg, and Sage Outdoor Advisory Vice President for Outdoor Hospitality Connor Schwab.
The group will discuss the latest news and trending topics in the glamping industry through the perspective of their decades of combined experience in the space.
Campground owners attending ARVC’s event will also be joining to show to talk about their experiences at this year’s OHCE2022 including a few of the things they’ve picked up while attending the expo’s talks and networking events.
OHCE2022 will take place at the Rosen Centre Hotel and the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida from November 7 to 10, 2022.
The hosts and recurring guests will also be joined by special guest Kampgrounds of America (KOA) Director of Training and Events Kama Humphrey who will talk about the upcoming KOA Convention & Expo happening on November 16 and 17, 2022 also at the Orange County Convention Center.
Next week’s episode of MC Fireside Chats will be sponsored by Horizon Outdoor Hospitality, a comprehensive third-party management and consulting solutions provider for RV Resorts, RV Parks, campgrounds, glamping sites, and outdoor destinations.
From capital fund holdings to individual owners and operators, Horizon Outdoor Hospitality offers a tailored approach to each property, ensuring innovative and effective solutions to find efficiencies and increase revenue regardless of the size, location, or market of the business.
November 2 Episode Recap
In this week’s episode of MC Fireside Chats, outdoor hospitality experts discussed the previous season and what business owners in the industry can learn from it for the coming year.
Campspot Vice President of Business Development Casey Cochran said that based on their overall numbers, they had seen less reservation and occupancy compared to the previous year. However, despite this, Cochran further noted that from a revenue perspective the season was a success.
With inflation and prices for goods and services rising, The Intrepid Group CEO and Director for Southwest Operations Randy Hendrickson commented that people are still willing to spend for an experience that differentiated experiential hospitality from traditional hospitality.
“It’s not just about the place to stay. It’s a whole lot more than just where to go. It’s about what you can do over and above,” Hendrickson said.
According to Horizon Outdoor Hospitality CEO and Owner Scott Foos, the sector had higher aspirations in 2022 compared to what actually played out. Foos later supported Hendrickson’s previous statement on offering an experience to guests, stating that in order to ensure business sustainability, parks and campgrounds should allocate resources to more experience-driven amenities that will give additional value to guests.
Campground Views Founder and CEO Mark Koep highlighted that consumers in a post-COVID tourism landscape travel differently and that while some might prefer a traditional outdoor hospitality experience, some might want a different experience. “The reality is markets change,” Koep said.
Foos added that park owners and operators should more effectively utilize the community to provide a better guest experience through events, including partnering up with local event hosts and investing in these experiences.
When it came to the digital transformation of the outdoor travel industry, RV industry advisor Sandy Ellingson said that a significant number of parks are still not utilizing technology to a large extent. She added that parks should use technology to take a more focused approach to marketing. Targeting demographics that their park appeals to in locales that are closer to their parks.
About MC Fireside Chats
MC Fireside Chats is a weekly show devoted to the outdoor hospitality industry. The show is hosted by Brian Searl, the founder and CEO of Insider Perks and Modern Campground, and Cara Csizmadia, member services coordinator at the Canadian Camping & RV Council (CCRVC).
Airing live every Wednesday at 2 p.m. (ET), MC Fireside Chats features guests from the camping and RV industry who share their take on the current state of the camping, glamping, and RVing sectors as well as upcoming innovations in RV parks, campgrounds, outdoor resorts, glamping, and the RV industry.
To listen to previous episodes of MC Fireside Chats, visit: https://moderncampground.com/mc-fireside-chats/
There appears to be a misunderstanding. The original context was about MC Fireside Chats Glamping Episode, not ARVC’s OHCE2022.