Campground and RV associations in the United States, such as the Carolinas Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (CARVC), enhanced their efforts to help out their members when the onslaught of COVID-19 during the early stage of the pandemic affected both campgrounds and the tourism industry.
As the Delta and emerging variants threaten the industry, the association saw it fit to protect its members from the virus and the looming legal battles.
In an interview with Modern Campground, CARVC Executive Director Dee Witting said that while they successfully overcame a legal battle, there is still a need for representation for the local camping sector when it comes to government issues.
“We got through it, we were able to deem our North Carolina campgrounds as being essential, but I feel [like] we could have been more effective when it comes to government issues. You need representation there,” she said.
With COVID closing campgrounds and the need for representation persists, CARVC concluded that it was time to team up with lobbyists that would represent North and South Carolina.
“I spent a lot of time listening to webinars with ARVC and anywhere I could listen and learn and educate myself just to help our membership, you know, with questions they had, and I think probably the biggest thing that came out of that is the need for a lobbyist,” Witting shared.
“That’s why we immediately jumped on board and said, ‘you know, we need some help when things like this happen.’ We need help,” she added.
Recently, pending legislation regarding the expedited ejectment of certain tenants was turned down in North Carolina. Witting promptly informed all of the North Carolina campgrounds, telling them, “we’re not giving up.”
She said that they would see what their lobbyists, among others, can do to override the veto.
“We’re disappointed, but we’re not giving up at this point, so we just move forward,” said the Executive Director.
“We’re gonna keep doing our best,” she added.
In South Carolina, the same Ejectment Bill was able to move on to the senate subcommittee.
“There just was no vote at that time, so what we’re going to do is just in our bringing back our lobbyists in South Carolina in October to start working towards getting this passed when they come back in session in January.”
The Executive Director of the association also said that they are eyeing the immunity law. The legislation seeks to provide campground owners with immunity from liability for the unavoidable risks of camping.
“We’re actually going to go one step further once we pass these bills were going to approach the immunity law that’s some other states have started working on, and I know that ARVC will help us with that,” she said.
The Carolinas Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds will continue to grind its gears in helping out its members and has lobbyists waiting to be brought back on next year; members have much to look forward to.
“We’re not stopping with these bills; we’re already looking into the future,” Witting said.