Cmpgrd. Conference Sets Attendance Record in Branson – RVBusiness – Breaking RV Industry News
BRANSON, Mo. – More than 500 people representing nearly 200 campgrounds in close to 40 states and Canada attended the fourth annual Campground Owners Expo (COE) Dec. 4-7 in Branson, Mo., making it the largest and best attended COE event yet.
“I think this year, especially, the positive vibe was so strong, and powerful. That’s something you cannot get from every association, group or club you belong to. It’s a feeling that can’t be measured with a success stick,” said COE organizer Lori Severson, who also serves as executive director of the Wisconsin Association of Campground Owners (WACO)
While Larry Helms of the Missouri Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (MOARC) and Bud Styer of WACO provided the initial inspiration for having COE in Branson, Severson said the convention has gained momentum and support over the years from other state campground association executives who see value in providing education and support for parks across the country, including parks in states that do not have their own campground associations.
Held annually at the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel, this year’s COE included more than 50 educational seminars and cracker barrel discussions. The RV Women’s Alliance and the RV Technical Institute also partnered with COE to provide Level 1 RV technician training for women. The convention also included a tradeshow with 150 booths and nearly 120 vendors, as well as numerous networking and social activities.
Several first-time COE attendees said they were pleased not only with the educational content, but the contacts they made and the overall vibe of the event, including Jeff and Amanda Stoy of Double Nickel Campground in Waco, Neb., who sent Woodall’s Campground Magazine an email with their perspectives on the convention.
“This was our first time going to COE. We have been to other conferences and sometimes feel like they are geared towards new park owners or towards larger parks. This was not the case at all with COE,” the Stoys wrote, adding, “We feel like we have gotten a lot of new ideas for our park. We are a family business and it was so great that we were able to bring our two boys and have them participate and learn more about the industry. Everyone at COE was so down to earth, welcoming, and helpful. We are so glad to be part of this community now!”
Jon Thatcher, who recently acquired Shady Oaks Family Campground in Newmanstown, N.Y., near Plattsburgh, said the conference was worthwhile on multiple levels. “The sessions gave me invaluable insights into different aspects of the business and industry, and I learned a ton from other campground owners,” he said, adding, “I will definitely be back in the future and will be bringing other members of our team.”
Mychele Bisson, who is improving and expanding several parks, including Hide-A-Way Campground & RV Retreat in Branson, said this was the second year she attended COE.
“Last year when we attended, we were not park owners,” she said. “We closed our first park two weeks later. I can tell you the information and relationships we make attending COE are invaluable. We learn so much in each session that we try to bring a team to hit every class. And the information and knowledge you learn from fellow campground owners has helped us so much in installing and implementing systems, increasing business and streamlining each of our parks, making them give us higher returns and happier employees. We cannot express how much this event helps us and our team, from new ideas to helping us clear the smog of a busy year and giving us a refreshed outlook for the new year!”
Susan Norwood, manager of the Kansas City West / Lawerence KOA Holiday in Lawrence, Kan., said she enjoyed putting faces with names and building relationships with other park operators “that open dialogue with ideas to improve.”
Kat Davidson of Observer Ranch Campground and Learning Center in Penrose, Colo. said she and her team left COE “feeling energized, excited about the connections we made, and truly honored to connect with mentors in the industry.”
Steve Saint, who co-owns and operates Fort Welikeit Campground in Custer, S.D., said this was his third time attending COE, and he continues to gain insights and connections each time he attends. “The networking is phenomenal,” he said. “Over the past three years, I have made contacts and friends who have shown how outstanding the industry is. I know I can reach out to anyone for advice, and I know I will get it. What other industry does this happen in? To me, this is worth it alone. COE Is the best conference going on.”
COE’s educational sessions covered a variety of topics, including:
— 20 Creative Ways to Market Your Campground and Boost Revenue, by Craig Alsup of Askew’s Landing RV Campground in Edwards, Miss.
— Increase Your Bottom Line: Step Up Your Game on Digital Marketing; What Works, What Doesn’t? By Mark Koep of CampgroundViews.com.
— 8 Things You Can Do in an Afternoon to Improve Your Business, by Kim Seidel of Newbook.
— Understanding How to Manage Guest Removals, by Mark Hazelbaker of Kasieta Legal Group, LLC in Madison, Wis., who serves as legal counsel for the Wisconsin Association of Campground Owners (WACO).
— Adapting to Market Shifts: How You Can Attract New Generations of Travelers with Sustainable 3d Printed Tiny Homes, by Gene Eidelman of Azure Printed Homes in Gardena, Calif.
— Complaints Are Gifts: Turning Feedback into Loyalty, by Mark Maynard of Maynard Consulting.
— Recovering from Disaster, by Danielle Lee of Holiday Hills Resort in Eddyville, Ky., who talked about how her park was damaged by a tornado in 2021 and how she recovered.
COE also included cracker barrel discussions on a variety of topics, including issues affecting small parks, moderated by Mary Arlington, a former Kansas park owner who is currently executive director of Rivers and Rockies Outdoor Lodging Coalition (RROLC), which represents campgrounds in several Midwestern states. Kelly Jones, vice president of operations for Houston-based Great Escapes RV Resorts, moderated a cracker barrel discussion involving large parks, while Sarah Krause, a WACO board member who manages several Wisconsin campgrounds, moderated a discussion on park activities and events.
COE entertainment included a delicious all-you-can-eat buffet lunch at Grand Country Buffet followed by a Christmas-themed comedy show at Grand Country Music Hall. The show was immediately followed by an exclusive question and answer session for COE attendees with several Music Hall managers, who talked about their demanding show schedules and the difficulties of recruiting, hiring and retaining good employees — all of which resonated with park owners who struggle to recruit and retain talented people to help run their businesses.
COE also encouraged attendees to participate in its annual charity auction and donated proceeds from the event to a relief fund for Ben Quiggle, WCM’s managing editor, whose home was destroyed by a fire over Thanksgiving weekend. “This was the largest charity auction yet, at $9,040,” Severson said, adding,
“We donated the rest to make it an even 10K! COE donated all the fee’s and expenses, so everyone who donated was able to give that money directly to Ben’s family.”
