During the OHCE2023, the chief growth officer of Newbook, Blake Collins, showcased a presentation that unveiled key industry megatrends and a change management blueprint geared towards the outdoor hospitality sector.
The presentation took place during the 2023 Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo (OHCE2023), hosted by the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC), which kicked off on Monday, November 6, in Kansas City, Missouri.
In this engaging session, Collins, with two decades of expertise in the tech and SaaS industry, articulated the necessity for continuous transformation within the outdoor hospitality industry. With a focus on four megatrends, he laid out the landscape that businesses will navigate in the coming years.
Collins emphasized the industry’s current “transformation deficit,” a gap highlighted by staggering statistics: 82% of people feel like they’re just a number within an organization, and a mere 43% feel engaged in company changes, while over half report the volume of change has adversely affected their well-being.
“And the reality is that 70% of projects fail or don’t meet the specific objectives that you set out to deliver… That’s not a business issue, it’s actually a human issue,” he explained. “So 43% in this study, and think about it from your business perspective, said they support company change.”
With an eye on the horizon, Collins presented the four megatrends that are shaping the outdoor hospitality industry: the traveler of the future, tech innovation, big data, and market consolidation.
Dubbing the new generation as the traveler of the future, Collins emphasized the growing expectations for personalized and flexible experiences – the drive for sustainable practices, and how businesses can adapt to these emerging demands.
Moving to technology, Collins discussed the transformative power of tech innovation in enhancing guest experiences and operational efficiencies. From mobile integration to artificial intelligence, he underscored the need for the industry to embrace cutting-edge solutions to stay competitive.
The importance of big data was a cornerstone of Collins’ address, highlighting how data analytics can unlock insights into customer behavior, optimize revenue management, and tailor services to changing market dynamics.
Collins rounded out the megatrends with a discourse on market consolidation, pointing to the increased mergers and acquisitions in the sector, which could signal new opportunities for scaling operations and accessing broader customer bases.
Throughout his talk, Collins wove in the significance of the ADKAR change management model, stressing that awareness, desire, knowledge, ability, and reinforcement are critical to navigating the industry’s fast-paced evolution.
He painted a picture of a sector on the cusp of significant transformation, driven by these megatrends and the need for a structured approach to change.
Collins’ forward-thinking strategies for engaging with the traveler of the future, leveraging tech advances, making informed decisions with big data, and understanding the implications of market consolidation set the stage for spirited discussions and strategic planning.
Addressing the assembled innovators and change-makers, Collins raised a pressing question: how could businesses move beyond viewing employees as numbers to fostering a culture of sustainable transformation?
He pointed to telling statistics – only 43% of employees in one study supported company change efforts. And over half said the sheer volume of change negatively impacted their health and morale.
“What we want to help you with today is sustainable transformation,” Collins emphasized.
To that end, he mentioned a six-step organizational change management plan to be unveiled later in the summit. This strategic blueprint aims to elevate the success rate of transformation projects, countering the industry norm where 70% of initiatives fail to meet objectives.
“It’s going to be six steps which you can take away from today and implement into your business, help you think about how you take your troops, your people on that change and transformation journey,” Collins explained.
The plan offers leaders specific guidance on engaging employees through turbulent change so they become energized partners in building the future, rather than overwhelmed victims of it.
The summit, heralded for bringing together visionaries from the outdoor hospitality community, provided fertile ground for discussing new strategies to enhance guest experiences and operational efficiency.
The presentation titled Outdoor Hospitality Innovators Summit remains a pivotal event for leaders poised at the edge of the industry’s evolution, driving discussions that are expected to shape the future of outdoor hospitality.
For more news and updates on the 2023 Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo, stay tuned with Modern Campground for real-time coverage and insights.