Podcasts about kampgrounds

The TMG Hospitality Trailblazers welcomes the latest addition to the series, Kim Wootteon, Sr. VP of Commercial Strategy at Kampgrounds of America, Inc. to discuss the outdoor hospitality landscape and how artificial intelligence and technology are playing a key role in connecting different generations of travelers to the KOA vast portfolio of properties. Ryan Embree: Welcome to Suite Spot, where hoteliers check in and we check out what’s trending in hotel marketing. I’m your host, Ryan Embree. Hello, everyone. Welcome to another episode of The Suite Spot. This is your co-host, Ryan Embry. Cassady Quintana: And I’m your co-host, Cassady Quintana. Ryan Embree: We’re excited to have you here with us for another edition of our TMG Hospitality Trailblazers series. We’ve been running this series for quite a while, paving those management companies, individuals that are paving a way into the future for hospitality, which feels like is changing on a weekly basis. I’ve been really looking forward to this episode. A familiar face and voice with us. It’s the first time you’re joining us virtually. Kim Wootteon, Senior Vice President, Commercial Strategies at Kampgrounds of America. Kim, thank you so much for joining us back on The Suite Spot. Kim Wootteon: Yes, it’s great to see you both. Thanks for having me today. Ryan Embree: Yeah, we’re gonna have a super fun conversation. You have an incredible brand. We can’t wait to jump in. But before we start talking about Kampgrounds of America and KOA, I wanna start because we missed it when we were in Arlington at the Digital Transformation Summit of getting a little bit about your hospitality background and journey that led you to such a cool position at KOA. Kim Wootteon: My kind of career path has been quite interesting. It’s really led to the role I have today. So the first 12 years of my career was spent in retail. And for all of you millennials, I started with PacSun. I was an OG, skate and surf lifestyle fanatic. And I worked in retail for 12 years and really learned operations, marketing, and quite frankly, leadership. PacSun was a really great people-centric company. And it’s really where I got my foundation for leadership and my drive for results. And then I transitioned for retail into the more traditional hospitality sector and worked for four years with Marshall Hotels and Resorts, leading sales, marketing, and diving into revenue management. And then was recruited by a company called Bluewater Development, who was really pioneers within the outdoor hospitality industry and very traditional owners in the indoor hospitality industry. So great experience. I was introduced to KOA with them and the entire glamping and camping sector of hospitality, which was super exciting. And then also got to work with some really great brands such as Marriott and Hilton and IHG and independent properties, independent campgrounds. It was quite an eclectic mix of properties, that I got to support in sales, marketing, and revenue. And I joined KOA about five years ago, leading marketing at the local level. And in 2022, we established the commercial strategy team at KOA, and, I now oversee revenue management, local marketing or field marketing, retail, distribution, and sales across the entire KOA portfolio, both our owned assets and our franchise locations, and support for KOA, Inc. as well. Ryan Embree: So this is why I love this question so much, because we get such an eclectic melting pot of backgrounds of hospitality professionals, maybe starting in retail. I hear F&B a lot recently. And then you go from the brands, you go, outdoor hospitality, and you get this big melting pot, and it kinda defines who you are as an industry professional, but also gives you, I think, an appreciation of some of those other places that you’ve been or even properties which can span from the giant resorts that we’ve seen all the way to, maybe it is a campsite where it’s a lot more local and kinda community and, and tight-knit feeling. Kim Wootteon: Absolutely. Absolutely. I’ve enjoyed my journey. It allows me to bring perspective to the work we do every day that is unique. And we’ve done a really great job at KOA of hiring a team of leaders and a team of people, in the field with really diverse backgrounds, which I think is a great compliment to the diversity across our portfolio. Cassady Quintana: Yeah, I think it’s interesting because you talk about this new team that you guys have created at KOA and the things that you’re developing and introducing into this outdoor hospitality. But for our listeners who may not know too much about KOA, we have a lot of hotel listeners. So if you can just give us a little bit of background about the brand and how it’s found its way to becoming one of the number one outdoor hospitality leaders. Kim Wootteon: So KOA was founded in 1962 by Dave Drumm in Billings, Montana. He saw this surge of travelers heading to the world’s fair in Seattle, and he opened the Billings Campgrounds, on his property along the Yellowstone River. And today, Kampgrounds of America is the largest system of privately owned campgrounds across the US and Canada with over 500 locations. We have 50 locations that are owned and operated by KOA, and 450 plus locations that are franchised. It’s a really interesting segment or vertical within the hospitality industry. Incredibly diverse portfolio, incredibly diverse guests. And we’re really fortunate to be the leader within this segment of the industry. Ryan Embree: And we mentioned at the top of this episode, this is our TMG Hospitality Trailblazer series. Now, I don’t think there is a much more fitting brand than KOA as far as being a trailblazer when you, when you think about that term, but I’ve been surprised to learn from getting to know you and the KOA brand of the different modern way that we kind of talk about trailblazers in our industry. And so, Kim, you and your team have been doing some incredible work. We’re gonna mention it in this episode, but what do you think makes the Kampgrounds of America brand a true embodiment of trailblazers and trailblazing in our industry right now? Kim Wootteon: It starts really with our vision at KOA. And our vision is to be the world leader in defining and advancing the business and experience of outdoor hospitality. And that’s been a focus for our company for years. We have taken a really unique approach to, I’d say, the traditional hospitality industry. We understand camping, we understand hospitality, and we are really committed to being the leader within not just the outdoor hospitality space, but the overall hospitality space in general. And it really starts with knowing our guest. And we are fortunate. We have tons of first-party guest data. We have years and years of history. And we’re known in our segment of the industry for the research we do to really better understand our guest and how our guest changes and what they expect. So it’s a really unique advantage. And the research we provide is not just for KOA and our franchisees, but it’s for the entire industry. And trailblazing shows up in a variety of ways, almost every decision that we make as a brand. So from the guest experience standpoint, we’re launching a new koa.com website that’s really powered by AI and focused on personalization and trip planning and flexible cancellation policies and the guest’s ability to manage reservations. So some of the more traditional things that you would see in the hospitality industry, but with some unique features that are custom to how guests like to camp. From an organizational structure standpoint, we have a commercial strategy team, which we really are the only one in the industry that has a full commercial strategy arm. And we have an AI team. We built our AI department at the beginning of this year, and that team continues to grow and really focus both internally and externally on how we can use AI to enhance the employee experience and the guest experience. And then within outdoor hospitality, technology has kind of always been a little bit of an opportunity. We don’t necessarily follow some of the mainstream tech choices that you see in indoor hospitality. So our focus has really been how do we align with what works well within indoor hospitality? We’ve been exploring OTA integrations and an RMS integration and enhanced text messaging capabilities and housekeeping modules to help operations be more efficient. It’s about really how can we be the first in the outdoor space to align most closely with what works in indoor hospitality, and then try to address the points of friction where we can that are really unique to outdoor hospitality. Cassady Quintana: I love that you mentioned this balance of outdoor hospitality and what that means to people, but also finding those opportunities for technology because that is the trend these days, right? Is AI this, AI that, and how can we bring in that technology? And we know that KOA has built such a recognizable brand in outdoor hospitality. So how do you guys find that you’re balancing and maintaining what Dave built back in the ’60s, that trusted legacy of what KOA is with continuing to try and attract a younger generation or maybe people that have never been camping before? Kim Wootteon: It is a really fine balance that is not easy. We truly work at it every day and we’re really, really fortunate to have such a legacy brand and such a trusted brand. And so it’s really this balance of how do we stay rooted in our core values and our mission with connecting people to the outdoors and each other while meeting guest expectations for who the camper is today? And so, we see participation in camping across all generations, which is really fascinating. In 2025, participation among adults, 65 or older, reached its highest level in eight years. So we’re seeing this rebound in the boomer population. 25% of all new campers in 2025 were boomers. And at the same time, younger generations, particularly millennials, continue to make camping a really meaningful share of their leisure travel. So it’s this ongoing challenge of how do we attract and retain campers? It’s the same challenge everybody has in our industry. And then keeping existing campers and getting new ones to come back. It’s really that frequency question. We’ve seen some shifts in frequency over the past several years. Our more legacy campers used to take two, three, four trips a year. And we’re seeing that frequency diminish slightly. New campers come and experience it. And maybe don’t, maybe don’t camp again in the same year. It may take one camping trip a year. So that’s a unique challenge our industry is navigating. But we do a lot of research to understand what inspires each generation to camp, and we work really hard to deliver memorable experiences to keep them coming back. But I think the thing that is consistent across all generations and what really matters most to campers, whether they’re new or they’re legacy campers, there’s some core foundational items that we really pride ourselves in across the KOA system. So safety and security is one, cleanliness and quality. We have a really rigorous quality assurance program, and we visit every single campground every single year to ensure each campground is meeting quality assurance standards. And we’re okay to say goodbye to those campgrounds that maybe aren’t meeting our standards. Campers are looking for some self-guided recreation. So if they want to be in the outdoors and really utilize their time as they see fit, the amenities and the recreation continue to play a critical role in that decision-making process. Pet friendliness is really critical and so many people in outdoors love to camp with their pets. And so it’s vital that all of our properties be really pet-friendly. And we have pet-friendly accommodations, pet walks, and camp canine parks. Pets are, are really an extension of our guest base, truly. And then basics like clean laundry, clean restroom facilities, clean laundry facilities, all the essentials that are needed for a great camping experience. Ryan Embree: You definitely have the advantage of a memorable experience on your end, right? I think that has been the knock on the indoor hospitality space, is that sometimes it’s your hotel stay or experience there might not be the most memorable part of a trip versus camping feels like something, if done right, and the quality is there, that is a memory that’s not just gonna stick with you for a year that you might just tell a couple people about, but maybe decades. Maybe it becomes a family tradition, and I’m sure you have some incredible stories to share there. But as I mentioned at the top of this episode, Kim, we had the pleasure of meeting you in Arlington, Texas at the Digital Transformation Summit and Hospitality and Hotels. And again, from what I knew about Kampgrounds of America then and what I know now, it was like kind of one of those spaces where I was like, “Well, I wonder, I wonder what KOA is doing in this space.” And then I got to hear your keynote and I was blown away. But it was also one of the most fascinating conversations I had at that event because of the relationship with technology where some of your guests might be looking for an escape from that technology while others kind of see it as this is the baseline and maybe WiFi isn’t a tech- technology to them. Maybe that’s just a standard for them. So it’s so interesting. It’s fascinating. I’m sure it’s that balance what you’re talking about, Kim, but you also have to balance between the guest and you also have 450 franchisees out there, right? And you’re an owner yourself of 50 properties. So I wanna get into both of those kinda spectrums. One is, what are you seeing the guests, their relationship with technology when it comes to KOA? And then maybe you can speak to the owner side of it, of are you hearing owners wanting to implement more technology or are they kind of resisting that when you’re saying, “Hey, let’s start to look at these new kind of maybe fancy technological updates.” I know there’s a packed question there, so. Kim Wootteon: Yeah, no. And lots to unpack within that question. So let’s start with the guest first and really the unique expectations that come from our campers. And while historically, camping has been a way of a form of leisure travel where you can kind of disconnect from everything that’s going on in daily life and really spend time in the outdoors, nearly half of all campers, about 47% site wifi as very important. So we have learned over the years that wifi is a utility. It is not an amenity anymore. It is a price of admission expectation for campers. Technology and remote work is still shaping camping behavior. And then Gen Z is the most likely to work while camping. So, we cater our experiences to every generation. And so Wi-Fi becomes a critical, critical component. While we’ve seen a slight decline in work camping, with people going back to the office and those just individual changes, it’s still really important. And it, what’s really unique is new campers, and again, kind of new campers, 25% of all new campers last year were boomers. So when we think about new campers, they are more likely than experienced campers to prioritize connectivity. So about 50% of new campers versus 43% of experienced campers. So access to technology directly influences length of stay and the experience. So we have focused heavily on tech and not just wifi at the campground, but how technology is used throughout the guest journey. Have we made it really easy for them to book and find the campground that meets their experience expectations? What’s the communication with the guests look like pre and post, or pre-during, quite honestly, and posts say through text messaging or, or other forms of technology? How easy can they find their site? Just all of those simple things where tech is a really great way to create efficiencies in operations, still have really, really connected touchpoints, relationship-wise, because I think that is, one of the most critical pieces of outdoor hospitality is the relationship our owners build with their campers. And then can they connect while they’re on site? And for those who don’t want to connect and really wanna disconnect during their stay, have we effectively marketed those sites that are best for them to stay in? Have we created connectivity zones where if they do choose to connect, there’s a place on the campground that is best for that, and the rest of the park could be more of a disconnection zone. So really thinking about how a camper is using the space. On the flip side, our owners, this has been an interesting challenge and journey. Just like our campers, our owners are incredibly diverse as well. We’re really blessed. And I think this kind of lends to the success of our legacy brand. We have legacy owners within the KOA brand. We have franchisees that have been in the system for 50 and 60 years. They’ve been here since the beginning, and that ownership has passed down through generations, which is really rare to find across our industry today. We have a lot of individual owner operators that, they gave up their careers as nurses and as architects, and they follow their passion for the outdoors, and they built and own, decide to buy a campground and and be entrepreneurs. And then we have a lot of investors coming into our space, that are diversifying their portfolio. They have hotels, like that public storage and outdoor hospitality is just a natural transition in their portfolio diversification. So the diversity amongst our owners is a unique challenge when it comes to technology. And then across multiple, age demographics as well. So from a wifi standpoint, we make it a requirement. It is now part of our quality assurance. We incentivize our owners to deliver really great wifi. We have a wifi royalty incentive program, and they can receive reduced royalties for a select period of time if their wifi meets certain standards. We believe it’s that important to the guest experience. And then really from tech adoption, I think that’s where we see some of the larger pieces of friction as our industry evolves and we’re constantly trying to balance the expectations of the guests with the needs of our owners and operators. Things like a couple years ago, we were getting ready to launch online reservation management. Okay, I can, I can book, I can change, I can cancel my reservation all on my phone through the app or otherwise. And then was faced with quite a bit of resistance because it was different and it was new and it took some of the control out of the hands of the owner. And so different components of that have kind of made it out to the public, and then there are some key components that have not quite made it out yet. So it’s really that balance of how do we meet guest expectations and owner expectations? But at the end of the day, we do have the responsibility to ensure our brand stays profitable and our owners are profitable. And so sometimes we do have to make those decisions that may not be as favorable to our owners, but are truly the best decision for the business. And it comes down a lot to training and education and really making sure they understand. So we have a great learning and development team, great communications team, a great project team that really ensures all of these initiatives come to fruition in the way they need to be successful. Ryan Embree: Well, and you also have, like you said, 50 properties that you own and manage, which I’m sure is a great kind of sandbox that you can play before you roll something out across the entire brand. But to put this in perspective for our listeners, you just mentioned that maybe there was some resistance to the online bookings that you were talking about, all the way to the owner that you were talking to me. I had to bring this up again, that there was drones bringing firewood to campsites at your property, right? So, I mean, that is the spectrum that you’re talking about. And I think that also is on the guest side. And that’s why probably, you and your team do such a great job of keeping your ear to the ground with these guests and constantly staying. I thought it was a fascinating stat that you talked about, Kim, where you’re saying that the first time campers are expecting more tech than maybe your returning campers or campers that have done that before. And I think that is a, it’s a telling statistic of, “Hey, we’re gonna try this for the first time. We’re gonna go camping.” And they’re coming to the camping site and being like, “All right, well, where’s the plugs and where’s the, the wifi and all that stuff?” Versus the campers that have been there have been like, “Oh, you, you’re camping. What are you talking about?” So interesting. Kim Wootteon: It’s a fun challenge. Cassady Quintana: I’m glad you mentioned that because when I think about it from a marketing perspective, you’ve talked about the different types of guests. You also have diverse owners, but you have diverse guests. When you think about hotels in the hotel industry, a lot of them have their niche and what they expect their demographic to look like when they come visit them. And so they can kind of cater that marketing a little bit better. But you have people ranging from children all the way up until boomers, and so they’re all expecting something different and they all want it to be exactly what they want. So when I think about it, I’m Gen Z, and this outdoor hospitality thing has really started to become a big thing for us. Like, whether it is because we wanna fully disconnect everything is too technologically advanced now, or I want a little bit of the best of both worlds. I wanna feel like I’m in nature, but also I can check my Instagram later if I really need to. So when you guys think about that from a marketing perspective, what do you think is driving that Gen Z interest, but also how do you develop a marketing strategy so that you can connect with those new campers and that, that younger generation? Kim Wootteon: Oh, my gosh. It’s a nonstop kind of everyday challenge that our teams work through at both the national level. How do we really connect the brand to people? I mean it’s so much of the success of our brand, and really camping and outdoor hospitality in general is built off of some, like, this emotional connection to nature and this desire to be outdoors. And how do we be part of that journey? And how can we be a catalyst to creating that experience for people, whether it’s their hundredth time camping or their first time camping? And there’s so many different tactics and strategies, within the marketing space that are available to us now. And it’s constantly evaluated with AI. We are traditionally rooted in SEO, and now we’ve got GEO to adapt to. But the Gen Z population within our camper mix is about 13% of all of our campers, as of 2025, and had been up to about 25% of our camper mix in 2022. So a really significant portion of all of those people that are participating in camping are in that Gen Z demographic. And it really comes down to doing a lot of research and understanding, what motivates people to connect to a brand, what’s important to them, whether it’s sustainability or looking at the health benefits from being outdoors, whether it’s the thrill of trying something new and really adventure-seeking, whether it’s we camped with our parents as kids, and we wanna try it again as adults. And the value proposition for, especially Gen Z is not to that point in life where you’re fully invested and you have a ton of disposable income. And so camping has always been a really affordable way to travel and leisure travel and experience and see things. So it’s this balance of how do we connect with each generation on the right channel? Social media plays a really critical role in our marketing strategy, having a presence across multiple platforms, Facebook, which tends to cater to a little bit more of our Gen X and baby boomer population, TikTok, Instagram, other channels for Gen Z. So social media plays a really key role, and we’ve seen a huge insurgence of social media conversions in our marketing strategy over the past several years. And then the technology piece of some of our generations like to pick up the phone and call and ask questions about their stay. And then others really just wanna be 100% booked online, make all of their change, and make all of their choices without any human connectivity. So finding that balance. But the, the Gen Z demographic is really fascinating. And I love watching how they use campgrounds. We see a lot of Gen Zers use campgrounds as that hub for all of their outdoor adventures, really wanting to spend time in nature and are utilizing a campground to facilitate that experience. Ryan Embree: This question is certainly resonating with me. I’m a little bit older millennial. I have a two and a five-year-old. And I remember camping as a kid. I wanna take my kids, but I also do not want to just maybe stay in a tent and not have any sort of. So, I want, I want that, that nice little balance of, yes, we are camping, but we might be going into a nice air-conditioned cabin or lodge, and we might be able to still watch a little TV. But I think it’s fascinating what we’re talking about, because that’s exactly it. And Gen Z, they’re great storytellers. Let me tell you about marketing. They’ll do most of your marketing for you if you put them in the right position, especially on Instagram and TikTok. Kim Wootteon: I’m really fortunate on my team. We have a really diverse team as well. And I have, I have kind of boomers and I have a ton of Gen Zers on my team. And so it’s great just to watch those generations meld and figure out how we, how we best connect to our owners and our audience. We spend a lot of time in the outdoors just as a team, when we have meetings and stuff like that. And I just love what comes from it. And then we take those best practices and really implement them with our guests because it’s, it’s the same. We all camp. Most of us in our team, we love spending time in the outdoors. So it’s like what’s gonna be attractive to us? We are our own demographics, right? Ryan Embree: There you go. Well, I wanna shift gears and congratulate you and your team, the entire KOA team, recognized as one of the top 50 most profitable franchises by Franchisee Business Review. What do you think Kim, I mean, obviously, when we talk about franchises and we look at the ROI, but I think there’s probably a different type of reward that comes with having a KOA franchise, being obviously we look for that, that financial one, but also from kinda to build something meaningful. You talked about the legacy of some of your franchisees and that being a family business. We’ve talked about the close connection and memories that you get from camping. Well, first of all, congratulations, but what do you think you and your team did to kinda make that list? Kim Wootteon: Thank you. We’re really, really proud of this recognition. And I think it speaks to just the uniqueness of the brand. So we have a unique mix of brand standards and entrepreneurial spirit. KOA is a franchisor unlike no other, you know? And I’ve worked with a lot of the big franchisors, especially in our industry. I’ve worked with the Marriott brand and Hilton and IHG and Jellystone and Sun Outdoors. But what I think I love most about KOA, which makes it such an attractive business opportunity, is, we’re hyper-focused on quality. We’re hyper-focused on our brand position consistency. We have three brand positions within the KOA brand. We have the KOA journey, the KOA Holiday, and the KOA Resort to really help campers identify and connect with the experience they’re looking for. But what I love the most about our franchise that is different from a lot of others is that each location is truly unique to space and place, which fuels the creativity and the pride of our owners. So there are certain things that you will find very standard across the KOA portfolio, and there, there’s an expectation campers have with KOA, but every single location is unique. And that’s what makes the system of campgrounds truly special. You’re not gonna get the same overall experience at any two locations. And our owners take an immense amount of pride in understanding the market that they’re in, understanding their campers, and building an experience that drives them to come back and stay with the KOA brand and book again, and at the same time, is quite profitable. So that unique blend of uniqueness and standards is what really sets us apart. And I will say to you, I remember this, if I didn’t shout out just the incredible support that KOA offers its franchisees. Again, I’ve kind of worked with many franchisors, but the support that KOA offers is quite unique. I’m very, very proud to be part of that. We have an amazing field operations team, franchise operations team. We have a team of just passionate, dedicated franchise business coaches that are working with our owners every single day to help them truly grow their business and optimize their investment in the KOA brand and then their campground. We have a whole coaching team within commercial strategy focused on marketing and revenue, and how to maximize revenue and optimize profitability. And then multiple other departments across the organization that really, their customer is the franchisee. And so I think this is a really adequate representation of the hard work our team puts in to support our owners on a daily basis. Ryan Embree: Yeah. I mean, with a, such a complex ecosystem that we kind of talked about throughout this episode, it’s a true testament to the work you and your team are putting in to be recognized. So again, congratulations to you and your team on that. We’re gonna shift gears. This is the rapid fire portion of our episode. I love doing this and I was looking forward to your portfolio specifically. You’re no stranger to travel, Kim, you’ve already mentioned. So we’re gonna get to list a series or a series of questions to get to know you and the KOA portfolio a little bit better. So let’s start with favorite view at one of your properties. Kim Wootteon: Yeah. So, and just for the record, so I have been to well over 100, almost 200 KOAs across our systems. I’ve been really fortunate to see a lot of our portfolio with some amazing, amazing properties and experiences. But I was just recently at the campground in Fredericksburg, Texas, which is under construction. We are building it and it’ll be introduced to the KOA system this fall. But the view from The Overlook, which is sort of our main building in the back part of the campground with all of our food and beverage and our meeting space and our pool and our lazy river, the view is absolutely spectacular overlooking the entire campground. The sunsets are great, and it was just, it was a really magical moment. Cassady Quintana: Awesome. Ryan, write that down. We gotta take a look at when that one opens up. Ryan Embree: Yeah, for sure. Kim Wootteon: You’ve gotta come experience it. And, and Ryan, we do have some amazing glamping accommodations, so you’ll get all of the amenities of home and a really cool outdoor setting. Ryan Embree: Love it. Best both worlds, for sure. Cassady Quintana: All right, Kim, favorite fun fact about one of your properties? Kim Wootteon: Oh my gosh. There’s so many options because we have such a diverse portfolio. But one of the things we learned as we were prepping for America 250 and just kind of learning our history is the Mystic KOA campground in Connecticut has a house on property that wasn’t built in the United States. It actually existed before the United States existed. It was brought over as settlers have founded that area. And it’s still standing on our campground today. And there’s a lot of history with that property. Ryan Embree: So it’s one of my favorite questions to ask, just because you get to learn these, these stories that you would have no idea about. Very, very cool. What about favorite guest experience or amenities at one of your properties, Kim? Kim Wootteon: So, the Mount Rushmore KOA Resort at Palmer Gulch has a rodeo, like a full-on rodeo. So that’s a crazy thing to experience. The campground in South Padre Island is right near SpaceX, and we just built these beautiful, RV sites, along this peninsula on the water, so you can see the SpaceX launches. And then there’s simple things like blueberry picking in covert and just amazing hiking near some of our National Park properties. Cassady Quintana: Awesome. Something for everybody. There’s something for everybody at every different property. Yeah. So kind of with that in mind, what’s one of your favorite locations of your properties? Kim Wootteon: So it’s funny. So I am a camper myself and I love to spend time outdoors. And I have kind of this unique mix of properties that I love to visit because, every time I camp, I look for a different experience. So I love, like, Lake Placid, KOA, it’s just that, like, quintessential camping experience, really, really wooded and nature-driven. If I’m looking for just incredible beauty with really, really amiditized recreation, I love the Astoria KOA on the Oregon Coast. If I want a tropical resort retreat, I go to Sugarloaf KOA or Fort Myers KOA. So it’s just, it’s. I don’t know. I can’t pick one. I love too many of them, which is my problem and why I’m always on the road and traveling. . Cassady Quintana: It’s a good problem to have. Kim Wootteon: Exactly. I know, right? Ryan Embree: That’s what I was gonna say. . Well, we appreciate you playing along with us. As we wrap up today, we always have kind of a tradition to, especially, with some of our industry leaders that we get the opportunity to speak to multiple times. You teased back in March, you had working on that revamped website that we talked about you formed a new AI team. What’s the status of those projects? And then maybe just looking into the future, what’s your vision for, for KOA as we wrap. Can’t believe I’m saying this. Wrap up 2026 and go into 2027. Kim Wootteon: Oh, my gosh. Yes. We, we are really hyper-focused on 2027 right now as a leadership team, which is crazy. I’m like, we’re all happy through 2026. But yeah, we ha – we’ve had a ton of really large projects this year as a brand, and really in, in that vein of trying to modernize our brand to meet the guest expectation, the owner expectations, and stay that, brand of choice. Both of our projects, the development of our AR team and the rebuild, redesign, and launch of our new website, as well as campground landing pages and a new content management system are going incredibly well. We are on track to launch in Q4 with a slew of continued enhancements throughout 2027. A lot of really AI-focused efforts for koa.com, specifically in trip planning and just communication on a site, as well as personalization. We know that that’s so important. How does a guest land on the site and how is everything really customized and tailored to what they’re looking for and what their needs are and how they’ve came to before? So those two teams have been really, really critical in, in the rollout of this project. And selfishly for me, the AI team does a, a lot of work with our internal teams, and how do we impl – improve the employee experience? So the work they’ve been doing just, I mean, so many efficiencies for my role and so many other roles across the organization around really quick access to data within our KOA ecosystem. Like every bit of data I could ever want to access is available through our AI platform. I am able to ask questions quickly, research things quicker, and really get to an end result, which makes the analysis of our business so much easier in identifying trends and opportunities. So those two pieces are just really game changers, not only for our brand, but in the industry right now. And 2077 is stacking up to be a pretty, pretty insane year as well, with just really double down focusing on how do we continue to attract guests, retain guests, really strong focus on that short-term leisure RV camper, and kind of that mash of how do we take all of our legacy campers and all of these new campers and really just exceed expectations to grow the business next year. Ryan Embree: Wel like I said, a true embodiment, a brand that is truly trailblazing in hospitality. So wish you luck with all of those projects. We’ll have to keep a close eye on which campgrounds we’ll do an onsite. I still haven’t given up on that dream of doing – Kim Wootteon: No, we’re, we’re gonna get you outdoors, Ryan. Ryan Embree: Let’s do it. I’m, I’m looking forward to it. I can’t, I can’t wait. So, Kim, we know you’re busy. Thank you so much for taking the time to join me and Cassady here on The Suite Spot. Kim Wootteon: Yes, thank you both. It’s a pleasure. Cassady Quintana: Thanks, Kim. Ryan Embree: All right. Thanks, everyone. And thank you for listening to Suite Spot. We’ll talk to you next time. To join our loyalty program, be sure to subscribe and give us a five-star rating on iTunes. Suite Spot is produced by Travel Media Group. Our editor is Brandon Bell with cover art by Bary Gordon. I’m your host, Ryan Embree, and we hope you enjoyed your stay.

April 16, 2026: Your daily rundown of health and wellness news, in under 5 minutes. Today's top stories: Radiology study of 615 adults finds higher ultra-processed food consumption linked to more intramuscular fat regardless of calories or activity level Kampgrounds of America reports 77% of campers say nature supports wellbeing, with half booking trips specifically to improve mental health Novo Nordisk partners with OpenAI to apply AI across drug discovery and manufacturing, as Amazon launches Bio Discovery system designing drug candidates More from Fitt: Fitt Insider breaks down the convergence of fitness, wellness, and healthcare — and what it means for business, culture, and capital. Subscribe to our newsletter → insider.fitt.co/subscribe Work with our recruiting firm → https://talent.fitt.co/ Follow us on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/fittinsider/ Follow us on LinkedIn → linkedin.com/company/fittinsider Reach out → insider@fitt.co

Running a campground isn't all eating s'mores around the campfire. Zachary Crockett fans the flames. SOURCES:Mark Lemoine, owner, Coloma/St. Joseph KOA Holiday campground; sr. vice president, franchise operations at Kampgrounds of America. RESOURCES:"The Economic Impact of Parks," (National Recreation and Park Association, 2023)."Campground Industry Analysis," (CHM Government Service, 2020). EXTRAS:Coloma/St. Joseph KOA. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this week's episode of Good Morning Outdoors, Alex Burkett holds down the fort while Matt Whitermore away at a conference, and we're joined by a very special guest-host, Christine Taylor. Chrissy brings a unique perspective to the show, with a background that spans campgrounds, compliance, and now law, as she wraps up her legal career at Goldberg Segalla. We dive into the brand-new 2025 Kampgrounds of America, Inc. Report and what the data reveals about shifting consumer preferences in the outdoor space. Then, we explore a new article from the RV Industry Association, highlighting how Millennials and Gen Z are reshaping the RV industry and pushing manufacturers and operators to adapt. We also take a closer look at the Terramor Outdoor Resort brand, built by KOA, and how it's blending luxury design with legacy campground roots. Finally, we break down the latest SSI data showing a nearly 12% drop in retail RV registrations for February 2025—and what it could signal for the year ahead. This one's packed with insights for campground owners, RV pros, and anyone watching the outdoor hospitality space evolve in real-time. ---- Good Morning Hospitality is part of the Hospitality.FM Multi-Media Network and is a Hospitality.FM Original The hospitality industry is constantly growing, changing, and innovating! This podcast brings you the top news and topics from industry experts across different hospitality fields. Good Morning Hospitality publishes three thirty-minute weekly episodes: every Monday and Wednesday at 7 a.m. PST / 10 a.m. EST and every Tuesday at 8 a.m. CET for our European and UK-focused content. Make sure to tune in during our live show on our LinkedIn page or YouTube every week and join the conversation live! Explore everything Good Morning Hospitality has to offer: • Well & Good Morning Coffee: Enjoy our signature roast—order here! • Retreats: Join us at one of our exclusive retreats—learn more and register your interest here! • Episodes & More: Find all episodes and additional info at GoodMorningHospitality.com Thank you to all of the Hospitality.FM Partners that help make this show possible. If you have any press you want to be covered during the show, email us at goodmorning@hospitality.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's episode of Good Morning Outdoors, Alex Burkett holds down the fort while Matt Whitermore away at a conference, and we're joined by a very special guest-host, Christine Taylor. Chrissy brings a unique perspective to the show, with a background that spans campgrounds, compliance, and now law, as she wraps up her legal career at Goldberg Segalla. We dive into the brand-new 2025 Kampgrounds of America, Inc. Report and what the data reveals about shifting consumer preferences in the outdoor space. Then, we explore a new article from the RV Industry Association, highlighting how Millennials and Gen Z are reshaping the RV industry and pushing manufacturers and operators to adapt. We also take a closer look at the Terramor Outdoor Resort brand, built by KOA, and how it's blending luxury design with legacy campground roots. Finally, we break down the latest SSI data showing a nearly 12% drop in retail RV registrations for February 2025—and what it could signal for the year ahead. This one's packed with insights for campground owners, RV pros, and anyone watching the outdoor hospitality space evolve in real-time. ---- Good Morning Hospitality is part of the Hospitality.FM Multi-Media Network and is a Hospitality.FM Original The hospitality industry is constantly growing, changing, and innovating! This podcast brings you the top news and topics from industry experts across different hospitality fields. Good Morning Hospitality publishes three thirty-minute weekly episodes: every Monday and Wednesday at 7 a.m. PST / 10 a.m. EST and every Tuesday at 8 a.m. CET for our European and UK-focused content. Make sure to tune in during our live show on our LinkedIn page or YouTube every week and join the conversation live! Explore everything Good Morning Hospitality has to offer: • Well & Good Morning Coffee: Enjoy our signature roast—order here! • Retreats: Join us at one of our exclusive retreats—learn more and register your interest here! • Episodes & More: Find all episodes and additional info at GoodMorningHospitality.com Thank you to all of the Hospitality.FM Partners that help make this show possible. If you have any press you want to be covered during the show, email us at goodmorning@hospitality.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Hurricanes just keep coming. As recovery is still underway from Hurricane Helene a new one, Hurricane Milton is taking direct aim at millions of Florida residents and many of the favorite snowbird campgrounds in Florida.  Why are so many campgrounds adding treehouses, covered wagons and tiny homes instead of more campsites? Blame the millennials. At least, so says Kampgrounds of America. RV Prices are starting to drop. And that's good news for consumers after years of jacked-up dealer prices All this plus the RV News of the Week and your questions coming up in Episode #518 of the RV Podcast

In this interview, Kampgrounds of America President and CEO Toby O'Rourke talks about the growing popularity of camping due in large part to the growing number of options available to travelers.

Kampgrounds of America is the biggest name in camping, and one of the best-known companies in North America. After decades of experience in traditional outdoor hospitality, they decided to enter the world of glamping with the launch of Terramor in Acadia, Maine. We spoke to Whitney Scott, the mastermind behind that development, to dive into how they did it and what they learnt from the process.Wanted to invest in Posh Outdoors, our brand new glamping startup? Email nick@posh-outdoors.com for more info, or visit our deal page below.Visit the Posh Outdoors deal pageVisit Glampitect North America's websiteTake our online glamping assessmentCheck out Sage Outdoor AdvisoryVisit KOA Terramor

Ron isn't good at small talk because it's stupid... so "Have A Nice Day", even though it doesn't really matter. He also is not a fan of camping and yet, he interviews two guests on that very topic... Guests: Diane Eicher of Kampgrounds of America... Emily Kaufman about Disney's Wilderness Resort

In the latest episode of MC Fireside Chats, hosted by Brian Searl, the conversation delved into the evolving dynamics of the outdoor hospitality industry, featuring insights from a panel of seasoned experts. The episode brought together Candice McNamara from Staylist, Whitney Scott from Kampgrounds of America (KOA), Joe Duemig from App My Community, and Troy Haney, who shared the poignant story behind Kacie's Campground. Each guest brought a unique perspective to the table, discussing the integration of technology in campgrounds, the importance of adapting to seasonal changes, and the personal motivations behind campground operations. Brian Searl, the founder and CEO of Insider Perks, facilitated the discussion, focusing on how campgrounds can succeed by embracing innovation and understanding the needs of their guests. The episode highlighted the significance of campground owners focusing on creating memorable experiences for their guests, leveraging technology to enhance operational efficiency, and the growing trend of winter camping. Whitney Scott, shared her insights on the increasing interest in winter camping and how campgrounds can market their availability during the colder months. She emphasized the need for campgrounds to adapt their amenities for winter campers and discussed the trend of campers booking their spots earlier to secure their preferred camping holidays. Whitney also touched upon the importance of understanding consumer behavior and adapting marketing strategies to meet the evolving demands of campers. Candice McNamara spoke about the generational handoff of campground properties to millennials and the adoption of new technologies in campground management. She highlighted the use of intuitive software for operations and reservations, pointing out the trend towards creating memorable experiences for campers. Candice also discussed the importance of campgrounds adapting to new technologies and big conversations around marketing and automation. Joe Duemig discussed the role of mobile apps in enhancing guest engagement and communication within campgrounds. He highlighted the shift towards automation and the desire for a seamless camping experience, emphasizing the importance of technology in meeting the expectations of modern campers. Troy Haney shared a personal and touching story behind the creation of Kacie's Campground, emphasizing the importance of creating a space that honors memories while providing a unique camping experience. He discussed the challenges and rewards of developing a campground from a previously industrial site, highlighting the transformation process and the vision behind Kacie's Campground. The panel also explored the concept of resort-like campgrounds, discussing how technology, such as RFID bands and online ordering systems, can elevate the camping experience to resemble that of a resort. The conversation underscored the importance of setting and exceeding guest expectations to achieve high satisfaction ratings. The discussion touched upon the impact of weather on booking trends, the importance of flexible cancellation policies, and the potential for campgrounds to offer storage options during the off-season to generate additional revenue. The experts agreed on the need for campgrounds to continuously innovate and adapt to changing consumer expectations. Brian and the guests also delved into the significance of leveraging data and insights to make informed decisions about campground operations and marketing strategies. They discussed the balance between attracting new guests and retaining loyal customers, emphasizing the importance of understanding and catering to the diverse needs of campers. The conversation highlighted the collaborative nature of the outdoor hospitality industry, with each expert sharing their experiences and lessons learned. The panelists underscored the value of sharing knowledge and best practices to drive the industry forward. The episode of MC Fireside

The MC Fireside Chats episode on November 15th, hosted by Brian Searl, brought together a diverse group of professionals from the outdoor hospitality industry, particularly from Kampgrounds of America, Inc. (KOA). This gathering, set against the backdrop of the KOA convention & expo in Las Vegas, offered a deep dive into the world of camping and outdoor hospitality, featuring insights from several key figures.Toby O'Rourke, President and CEO of KOA, shared her perspectives on the convention and the company's direction. She highlighted the event's high attendance and the exciting kickoff with the Beatles Love Cirque du Soleil show. O'Rourke proudly announced KOA's achievement of a 70 Net Promoter Score (NPS), signifying world-class customer satisfaction and placing the brand alongside renowned companies like Costco and Starbucks. She emphasized KOA's focus on providing tools and support to their campgrounds and attracting new campers.Marc Peterson, the owner of Paris Landing/Kentucky Lake KOA Holiday in Tennessee, represented the individual franchisee perspective. His insights into operating a KOA campground in Tennessee provided a ground-level view of the challenges and opportunities within the KOA system. He discussed the importance of local marketing, revenue management, and business development in driving the success of his campground.Nate Thompson, a partner in KCN Campgrounds, brought a unique viewpoint as a multi-park owner within the KOA franchise system. His experience owning parks across the United States offered a broad perspective on the varying needs and strategies required to manage different campgrounds successfully. Thompson's insights underlined the diversity and adaptability needed in the outdoor hospitality industry.Kimberly Wootteon, Vice President of Commercial Strategy at KOA, discussed the organization's approach to business units and revenue generation. Her focus on capturing demand, attracting new campers, and growing revenue through innovative strategies like business intelligence and retail emphasized the company's forward-thinking approach. Wootteon also touched upon KOA's more hands-on approach with franchises, highlighting the importance of supporting franchisees to ensure their success.Cole Reinhardt, Executive Director of Digital Strategy & Transformation at KOA, delved into the technological advancements and digital strategies shaping the future of KOA. His role in steering KOA's digital transformation underscored the importance of staying current and innovative in an increasingly digital world. Reinhardt discussed the challenges of keeping up with rapidly evolving technology and the strategies employed to keep KOA at the forefront of the industry.Angie and David Bower, owners of the Fancy Gap/Blue Ridge Parkway KOA, provided a personal touch to the discussion. Their story as campground owners in Virginia, with a focus on creating a family-like atmosphere for their guests, highlighted the human element of the camping experience. They spoke about the changes and innovations at KOA and how these impact their business, emphasizing the importance of community and support within the KOA network.Lastly, Cam Bowen, another partner in KCN Campgrounds, shared his experiences and perspectives. Coming from a background of visiting numerous KOA campgrounds before becoming an owner, Bowen offered a unique viewpoint that bridged the gap between customer and proprietor. His enthusiasm for the franchise and its community was evident, as he spoke about the benefits of being part of the KOA system and the positive impact it has had on his business.Overall, the "MC Fireside Chats" episode was a comprehensive overview of the various facets of KOA's operations and strategy. From high-level corporate strategies to individual campground operations, the discussion illuminated the diverse components that make up the successful KOA ecosystem. Each...

Mark Johnson, CEO of Loyalty360, spoke with Diane Eichler, Senior Vice President of Marketing at KOA, about her upcoming presentation at the 2023 Loyalty Expo on collecting and leveraging customer data.

This week on “Everything Under the Sun”, we take a trip to the great outdoors as camping season kicks off! Dean DeVore is joined by Whitney Scott, SVP of Strategy from Kampgrounds of America. Whitney and Dean discuss the rise in popularity of camping in recent years, and what to expect in the coming spring and summer months. Plus, how to make the most of your outdoor vacation.Then, we take a trip back in time with Evan Myers to learn about the Chernobyl Disaster as its 37th anniversary approaches on April 26th. It's all this week on “Everything Under the Sun”!For more information about Kampgrounds of America, visit https://koa.com/. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Johnson, CEO of Loyalty360, spoke with Diane Eichler, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Kampgrounds of America, Inc., about the brand's customer loyalty efforts, how it collects and uses customer data, and how it builds emotional loyalty among travelers.

Erl Barsness moved to Montana from Minnesota nearly 60 years ago to work for the Lolo National Forest. Later as the News Director for KULR-8 Television in Billings he met Conrad Burns, and when Conrad started a state radio network known as the Northern Broadcasting System in 1975, they decided that Erl should produce a daily outdoor show for NBS that they named “The Outdoorsman”. Later, Erl was the State News Anchor for the Network, and then spent several years with KGHL Radio and the Intermountain Network, plus was a Realtor, and worked with Kampgrounds of America. In 1992 Erl Barsness began producing the daily outdoor radio show, known as “Shadow of the Rockies”, and for the next 30+ years he brought outdoor news to radio stations across Montana and Wyoming. In this interview with Taylor Brown, the two reminisce about Erl's long career in broadcasting.

How much more can you charge per night when you have ensuite bathrooms vs shared bathrooms? How much are glamping businesses that offer food and beverage able to charge compared to self-catered sites?Today, we're joined by Connor Schwab of Sage Outdoor Advisory. Connor and the team at Sage produce feasibility studies for prospective and existing glamping operators, and through this they've gathered a huge amount of data on the glamping industry.  They've also just collaborated on a massive industry report with Kampgrounds of America, and in this episode Connor talks us through the key findings and what they mean for your glamping project.Visit Glampitect's WebsiteLike Glampitect on FacebookFollow Glampitect on InstagramEmail Glampitect: contact@glampitect.comCall Glampitect: (646) 586-2330Check out Sage's websiteRead the industry report

From gems to government to camping, Whitney Scott has lived the idea that “once you learn marketing, you can adapt to almost any job in any industry.” As CMO of Kampgrounds of America (KOA) and COO of the newly opened Terramor Outdoor Resort in Maine, Whitney's marketing strategies bolster the common mission of connecting people to the outdoors and to each other. In this episode, Alan and Whitney discuss how she's using marketing to connect with the new demographic interested in camping, and how data is the key to backing up your marketing tactics. Whitney also introduces KOA's newest brand, the Terramor Outdoor Resort, now open in Bar Harbor, ME. In this episode, you'll learn: How to keep a 60-year-old brand relevant How KOA is upgrading the camping experience for a new demographic Understanding how to scale your digital presence Key Highlights [01:37] Whitney's secret talent [02:55] Whitney's path to Kampgrounds of America (KOA) [05:08] Introducing the new Terramor Outdoor Resort [09:00] KOA's history and where it is today [13:22] Maintaining a 60-year-old brand and keeping it current [15:28] How target customer data has changed over the years [19:38] Keeping up with the changing needs of KOA's customers [21:45] How technology has played a role [25:19] Big learnings as CMO of KOA and COO of Terramor Outdoor Resort [27:49] An experience that defines Whitney [29:36] Whitney's advice for her younger self [31:23] What marketers should be learning more about [35:44] Brands and causes that we should be taking notice of [38:56] The biggest opportunity or threat for marketers today Resources Mentioned: Whitney Scott Kampgrounds of America TerraMor Outdoor Resorts North America Glamping Report North America Camping Report Delta Airlines Skymiles Loyalty Program Coterie Diapers Follow the podcast: Listen in iTunes (link: http://apple.co/2dbdAhV) Listen in Google Podcasts (link: http://bit.ly/2Rc2kVa) Listen in Spotify (Link: http://spoti.fi/2mCUGnC) Connect with the Guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitney-scott-7082b116/ https://twitter.com/KOAKampgrounds https://twitter.com/terramorresort Connect with Marketing Today and Alan Hart: Twitter Alan B Hart - http://twitter.com/abhart LinkedIn Alan  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanhart Twitter Marketing Today - http://twitter.com/themktgtoday Facebook Marketing Today - https://www.facebook.com/themktgtoday/ LinkedIn Marketing Today - https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketing-today-with-alan-hart/ Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/marketingtodaySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thinking about going into commercial real estate? Tune in and discover why you should consider investing in self-storage and mobile home/RV parks.   In this episode, we welcome Gabriel “Gabe” Petersen. He joins us today to break down his experiences as an owner and operator in the space. Gabe is a commercial real estate investor who found his niche in self-storage and mobile home parks. He is also the founder of Great Northwest Home Buyers and Kaizen Properties and, most importantly, the host of The Real Estate Investing Club.  [00:01 - 02:41] From Corporate Employee to Commercial Real Estate Investor Gabe talks about how he got into real estate What he likes about self-storage   [02:42 - 07:31] Breaking Into Self Storage Their first self-storage build Lead generation strategies: what worked for them?   [07:32 - 13:00] The Pros and Cons of RV Parks The differences between RV parks vs. mobile home parks Navigating local ordinances with regard to long-term stays There is a lot of interest in RV parks How Gabe has financed his deals so far Bringing outside capital for the first time   [13:01 - 14:30] Closing Segment Gabe shares words of advice Reach out to Gabe!  Links Below Final Words Tweetable Quotes   “Any deal can work. You just gotta make it work.” - Gabe Petersen “Things always take longer, and things always go wrong. If you take those as facts that are going to happen, then everything else is okay.” - Gabe Petersen -----------------------------------------------------------------------------   Connect with Gabe! Go to The Real Estate Investing Club website or email him at gabe@therealestateinvestingclub.com. Check out his Linktr.ee page, too!   Resource Mentioned TractIQ Connect with me:   I love helping others place money outside of traditional investments that both diversify a strategy and provide solid predictable returns.     Facebook   LinkedIn   Like, subscribe, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or whatever platform you listen on.  Thank you for tuning in!   Email me → sam@brickeninvestmentgroup.com Want to read the full show notes of the episode? Check it out below: [00:00:00] Gabriel Petersen: We get a ton of inquiries for the long-term RV and, you know, in our Google listing and everything we say, this is long-term only, you have to stay a minimum of three months. And we get a ton of interest. People are like, I want to stay there. I want to stay there for a year. I want to stay there for whatever. I don't know. It's interesting.  [00:00:28] Sam Wilson: Gabe Peterson is a commercial real estate investor with a focus on self-storage and mobile home and RV parks. And he's also the host of The Real Estate Investing Club podcast. Gabe, welcome to the show. Thank you very much. I'm excited to be here.  [00:00:41] Sam Wilson: Hey man, pleasure's mine. Three questions. I ask every guest who comes to the show, in 90 seconds or less: can you tell me, where did you start? Where are you now? And how did you get there?  [00:00:49] Gabriel Petersen: Nice. 90 seconds or less. Where do I start? I started in corporate, didn't like it, decided to jump out. And then I started in wholesales and flipping What was the second one? Where am I now? I'm doing self-storage facilities, mobile home park, RV parks. [00:01:02] Gabriel Petersen: And how did I get there? It was a very up and down road. It was I mean, you know, it's never linear. And so I started with the wholesales flips. Then I did more flips and then I, man, how did they get from here to there? I think after that, I just jumped in mobile home parks. I had a partner, I met a partner who was really interested in it. [00:01:19] Gabriel Petersen: I was thinking about going down the apartment route and you know, decided to go mobile home parks with him, bought one, and loved it. And I wanted to stick in commercial. And so here I am now.  [00:01:29] Sam Wilson: Man, that's cool. That is very cool. It's a lot of moving, a lot of moving pieces. At some point, it sounds like you focused. You said, Hey, I'm going straight to mobile home parks, or are you still buying those other asset classes such as self-storage and RV parks? I mean.  [00:01:44] Gabriel Petersen: Yeah, so I bought two mobile home parks mobile home RV parks. I like them, but I really wanted to do self-storage. Before getting into mobile home parks, I knew I wanted to get into commercial. I didn't know exactly what asset class. Mobile home kind of worked out because I had met that partner. But once I did those two, I wanted to look into different asset classes and figure out what really fit. I really liked self-storage. It's more of a business than it is, you know, people live in mobile home parks, RV parks and self-storage is more of a business. And I liked that. It's very easy to manage. Very, very, you know, hands-off kind of management style there. [00:02:16] Gabriel Petersen: Build costs, I mean, they're going up now, but it's not as much as, you know, apartment buildings, stuff like that. And so I've done a lot in self-storage. And I'm focusing also on RV parks now 'cause I do like the business aspect of RV and I know we have that in common. And yeah, that's where we are. [00:02:31] Sam Wilson: That is that's really cool. So you own mobile home parks, you have been building self-storage, and also looking at RV parks and RV resorts. What was it like? And are you still building self-storage?  [00:02:44] Gabriel Petersen: We've bought up to this point. This is the first build. We're just closing on it now. It's out in Indiana. It's got 150 units that exist, and then there's an additional acreage that we're planning to double the footprint. So we're really excited about that first time going through a build and I'm learning a lot.  [00:03:01] Sam Wilson: Yeah, I'm sure. Well, let's talk about that project a little bit. What type of self-storage is it? [00:03:06] Gabriel Petersen: The current footprint is all outdoor. Just, well, it's concrete frame with, it's kind of an older self-storage. So it has a wooden, you know, a standard like house wooden roof, which is different. We want to put in steel frame, but what's there right now is concrete cinder blocks with a, you know, a wood roof, like, you know, regular shingles. But they're all outdoor, you know, we want to do a little bit of climate control when we add in right now, nothing's climate-controlled. Does have an office on-site, which is good. It's got fully fenced, including the acreage that we want to expand to, so that's. And yeah, the acreage that's there right now, we had thought originally that we just jump in, throw some gravel down 'cause right now that additional acreage is just grass. We'd planned, you know, we'd want it to jump in, throw gravel down and start having people park there, do lease out parking until we can get permits and everything for the build. But the city, for some reason, does not want people to park on lots. It's just a thing, Indianapolis. They're just not down. And so that's not going to be a part of our plan now we're just going to have to build it's not, you know, it's not a problem, but just a thing that we kind of just recently popped up. [00:04:12] Sam Wilson: How did you identify this opportunity living, 'cause you live in Washington state, right? How did you identify an opportunity and then know that it made sense all the way to Indianapolis?  [00:04:22] Gabriel Petersen: I mean the identification was just off-market marketing. We do a ton of, you know, lead generation, mostly, we used to do a lot of RVMs. [00:04:31] Gabriel Petersen: But recently it's been mostly letters and text marketing. Text marketing has been working well and letters always work well. So it came through there, got in contact with the seller, and how did we identify that it was a good deal? Obviously, numbers worked out and this one actually was not a good deal on paper. [00:04:48] Gabriel Petersen: It was a six and a half cap. Going into it, it's not a good deal. You don't want to buy, or at least I don't want to buy a six and a half cap right now. So it wasn't great, but the seller gave us, you know, we negotiated I said the price is too high. He said, let's figure this out. [00:05:01] Gabriel Petersen: He gave us great terms, seller financing, interest-only so that, you know, kind of allows us to cashflow while we're doing the build. Once we finished the build, it will be a good deal. It'll be, you know, 12 cap plus you know, So we're hoping those numbers work out, but, you know, we use a TractIQ to kind of come up with the net rentable square feet per capita, to make sure that there was enough demand there and kind of understand what we could expect to lease them out at in the future and put it all together and our spreadsheet and decided it was a thumbs up. [00:05:29] Sam Wilson: Right. I'm not familiar with TractIQ. Can you tell me about that?  [00:05:33] Gabriel Petersen: It's specific to self-storage. It's like a software program that does, you know, you could use it and due diligence. You know, you can put in an address and it'll pop back. You know, what's the per capital net rentable square feet? You know, how many self-storage facilities are within X number of miles, blah, blah, blah, blah, all the data that you want to figure out, whether this particular area is a good place to invest or not.  [00:05:54] Sam Wilson: Right. Oh, that's cool. That's very, very cool. You mentioned a word earlier. I wasn't familiar with, or an acronym. You said something to the effect of RVMs on the marketing? [00:06:03] Gabriel Petersen: Oh, yeah. Ringless voicemails.  [00:06:04] Sam Wilson: Ah, right. That's been catching a lot of, a lot of flack in the industry, I think.  [00:06:08] Gabriel Petersen: Understandably so. And that's kind of the reason why I stopped is because I didn't really feel good about it. Ringless voicemail, you're not actually calling the person, so that's good. [00:06:15] Gabriel Petersen: I feel like it's not, you know, it's not that annoying. But it is kind of annoying to see you missed a call and then see a voicemail. So that's kind of the reason we stop there.  [00:06:23] Sam Wilson: Got it. Yeah. So I'm familiar with ringless voicemail, just maybe a little slow on the a, because it's something I don't use every day or use it all. That was why I wanted some definition. Really on that. Cool. All right. So you've got this climate-controlled, or you've got this storage facility you're building currently. What does opportunity look like for you right now? Again, you know, assuming, you know, you've got a mobile home park, you're building a self-storage. [00:06:45] Sam Wilson: You've got your hands, I think, in the RV resort space. So what's an opportunity for you to say, Hey, that looks good for me.  [00:06:51] Gabriel Petersen: I mean, right now, it's just, I'm trying to hire more, an acquisitions specialists to help out with the, I've got a ton of leads coming in. [00:06:58] Gabriel Petersen: And so it's just going through, what's currently there and identifying the ones that are actual good deals. Right now I'm focusing on self-storage and RV parks. I've got, you know, an absurd amount of data for both sides. And I just need to, it's just a matter of like getting through it. So I mean, opportunity always comes down to the deal. [00:07:15] Gabriel Petersen: You know this, I'm sure everybody listening knows this. Any deal can work, you just gotta make it work. So it'll just come down to whether the seller will give us a good price or terms whether the area makes sense and all that stuff. So right now, opportunity is just getting through that lead, the pile of leads we got and finding the gems. [00:07:30] Sam Wilson: Right, right. Absolutely. Tell us about the RV park and RV resort side for you guys. You currently own in that space?  [00:07:37] Gabriel Petersen: So we have an RV park, but it's a long-term stay RV park. It doesn't operate as an, as a resort. The average tenant stay there I think is like a year and a half, something like that. [00:07:47] Gabriel Petersen: So it's really long. But it's still, you know, the rental prices are higher than you would see in a mobile home park. The, our mobile home side is, you know, we have a mobile home park that's within a half-hour of that RV park. The mobile home, they rent for 350 and the RV rents for 450, that's market for each side. [00:08:07] Gabriel Petersen: And so RV, long-term stay RV, for some reason, rents higher. And so that, you know, that's the only RV we have right now. I have more interest in the actual RV resort side than long-term stays. It's good. They cashflow well. But the resort side seems more, more interesting to me. [00:08:23] Sam Wilson: Right. Yeah. Talk to us a little bit about that long-term component. Is this outside of city limits where it's like a county only, and there's no restrictions on people living in their RVs year-round? [00:08:34] Gabriel Petersen: If it's outside city limits, it's like right on the cusp. I don't remember to be honest. [00:08:39] Sam Wilson: These people are there 12 months out of the year? [00:08:41] Gabriel Petersen: Yeah. Yep, they're there.  [00:08:43] Sam Wilson: Got it. Okay. Yeah, a lot of, a lot of what we've encountered in the RV space is that if it's inside city limits, there's usually an ordinance that prevents them from living there. Like, Hey, you know what? They can't, they can't live there 30 days in a row. They have to go somewhere else. They need to be there. [00:08:58] Sam Wilson: They can stay for a couple of weeks and they got to leave. There's some, each city and each municipality's going to have their own kind of criteria.  [00:09:04] Gabriel Petersen: The city called us on that because then you have an additional tax. I can't remember what the tax is called, but it's like a short-term state tax. [00:09:10] Gabriel Petersen: And so we just let them know that, Hey, these people stay there for longer than 30 days. And they didn't tax us on it. So, but I think we are outside of the city limits, we must be county. [00:09:19] Sam Wilson: Yeah. Well, and again, maybe the city allows it. It's again, this is on a, there's a very hyperlocal ordinance sort of thing. I just was really curious what that RV, long-term RV park is like. Why is it an RV park and is there a potential to convert it to a mobile home park? I guess if the cash flow is higher, why would you?  [00:09:40] Gabriel Petersen: There is not a potential to convert it to a mobile home park 'cause the lot size is smaller for RV versus mobile home. And so it fits RVs, does not fit a mobile home. It used to originally it was a KOA, Kampgrounds of America site. So it has at the front of the property, there's this huge structure. It used to be like, must've been like a rec room, kind of common room with an apartment on top. [00:10:04] Gabriel Petersen: And then public bathrooms. And so it looks, and it also has campsites with electrical which are, you know, are way small, but you can't put any, we don't have any use for those there. But yeah, it looks just like a KOA, but now there's just, long-term stay RVs. The structure is actually really nice. [00:10:18] Gabriel Petersen: We're glad we got that because the top unit the apartment on top, that's where our property manager lives. And then she has the full bottom to do events. She has her office down there, all that sort of stuff. We also have laundry, laundry units in the facility. It works out pretty well. [00:10:33] Sam Wilson: So if I'm hearing you right, just to talk about the metrics of the RV long-term park, the spaces are smaller. And they rent for more dollars per month. So, yeah, I mean, again, both of those are compelling metrics as to why maybe a longer-term RV park would be, maybe be something to look at versus even a mobile home park. [00:10:51] Gabriel Petersen: Yeah. And we get a ton of inquiries for the long-term RV and, you know, in our Google listing and everything we say, this is long-term only, you have to stay a minimum of three months. And we get a ton of interest. People are like, I want to stay there. I want to stay there for a year. I want to stay there for whatever. [00:11:07] Gabriel Petersen: I dunno, it's interesting. It could be due to the price of housing out here in Washington state but yeah. [00:11:13] Sam Wilson: That's really, really cool. Are you actively looking for more RV parks?  [00:11:16] Gabriel Petersen: So I have a national database. Long-term, short-term, doesn't matter to me. [00:11:22] Gabriel Petersen: I'm just, you know, I just kinda jump on opportunities as they, as they present themselves. I would prefer, I'd like to go into the actual, you know, resort side. I think that would be fun. If, you know, if the long-term stay RV part popped up, I'm not going to, I'm not going to turn my nose to it.  [00:11:35] Sam Wilson: Right. Deals and money. I say it over and over on this show. Those are the two things that we need for this business go around. Sound like you're solving the deal side of it. You're an excellent marketer and you sell, like you said, you've got more leads coming in and really, you know, really how to filter through and figure out which ones are the ones you want to chase. Talk to us about the financing side of these opportunities though. What does that look like for you?  [00:11:56] Gabriel Petersen: Yeah. So, I'm actually just doing the first one, all the properties that are bought so far, I've done it with my own money, money from wholesales that I've done or money from, you know, very close family members. [00:12:07] Gabriel Petersen: Like my parents, my sister, you know, close friends, stuff like that. But just recently, this, deal that I'm doing in Indianapolis, I'm actually it's going to be partnering with a guest that I had on my podcast. So this is the first one that I will be bringing outside capital for. And I'm pretty excited that, you know, it's it kind of capital can be kind of the barrier that a lot of investors run into, and I know I did at, at many points in my career. [00:12:28] Gabriel Petersen: And it's kind of seeing the potential of just, you know, if you can find a deal and you can run the deal, there's capital out there. There's plenty of people who are willing to, you know, support you in the, in the capital side. [00:12:38] Sam Wilson: Yeah, no, that's, that's, that's very cool. I love the idea that some people ask me all the time. They're like, why do you podcast? Why do you run a daily show? I was like, well, it's because I meet amazing other investors in the space and the number of deals that we've put together just from running the show, it's pretty astounding. [00:12:54] Sam Wilson: So I love, I love that you're partnering with one of your previous guests on this opportunity in Indianapolis. Before we'd go into the last question of how our investors can get in touch with you and learn more about you. Tell me, I mean, is there anything else that you'd love to share with our guests, lessons you've learned on the way things you feel like people should be paying attention to or doing right now that would directly impact the real estate investing career? [00:13:16] Gabriel Petersen: I mean, one lesson that I kind of take from my own experience is that it always takes longer than you think it's going to take. Even today, I need to, I always try to remember those two facts, that things always take longer and things always go wrong. [00:13:29] Gabriel Petersen: And if you take those as facts that are going to happen, then everything else is okay. And so if you're out there and you're just getting started or you've got maybe one or two properties under your belt and you're feeling the pressure, just know that you, if you just keep going it'll it'll work out. [00:13:43] Sam Wilson: Absolutely. That's sound advice. Gabe, certainly appreciate that. If our listeners want to get in touch with you or learn more about you, what is the best way to do that?  [00:13:50] Gabriel Petersen: Best way is through the podcast website. That is therealestateinvestingclub.com. And that's it. therealestateinvestingclub.com. My email is gabe@therealestateinvestingclub.com as well.  [00:14:01] Sam Wilson: Awesome, Gabe, thanks for your time today. I do appreciate it. [00:14:04] Gabriel Petersen: Sam. Thanks a bunch.

Planning a safe family vacation has been challenging for many of us as we cope with the global pandemic. For Travel Expert Joe Yogerst, a camping holiday is the perfect solution as it is an extremely safe way to travel during a pandemic. With your own living and sleeping unit and the ability to cook your own meals; it's ideal for solo or couple or family travel. Last year, in the U.S., 48 million households camped at least once and 10.1 million camped for the first time, according to Kampgrounds of America. And this trend is not expected to slow down anytime soon with many families discovering the benefits of getting outside and enjoying nature in a safe environment. Perfect for those traveling near or far — staying in a modest pop-up tent or luxurious glamping destination — 50 States, 500 Campgrounds is a beautifully illustrated resource guide that has something for everyone looking for an outdoor adventure, particularly as many continue to seek out safe and socially distanced activities.

Planning a safe family vacation has been challenging for many of us as we cope with the global pandemic. For Travel Expert Joe Yogerst, a camping holiday is the perfect solution as it is an extremely safe way to travel during a pandemic. With your own living and sleeping unit and the ability to cook your own meals; it's ideal for solo or couple or family travel. Last year, in the U.S., 48 million households camped at least once and 10.1 million camped for the first time, according to Kampgrounds of America. And this trend is not expected to slow down anytime soon with many families discovering the benefits of getting outside and enjoying nature in a safe environment. Perfect for those traveling near or far — staying in a modest pop-up tent or luxurious glamping destination — 50 States, 500 Campgrounds is a beautifully illustrated resource guide that has something for everyone looking for an outdoor adventure, particularly as many continue to seek out safe and socially distanced activities.

Planning a safe family vacation has been challenging for many of us as we cope with the global pandemic. For Travel Expert Joe Yogerst, a camping holiday is the perfect solution as it is an extremely safe way to travel during a pandemic. With your own living and sleeping unit and the ability to cook your own meals; it's ideal for solo or couple or family travel. Last year, in the U.S., 48 million households camped at least once and 10.1 million camped for the first time, according to Kampgrounds of America. And this trend is not expected to slow down anytime soon with many families discovering the benefits of getting outside and enjoying nature in a safe environment. Perfect for those traveling near or far — staying in a modest pop-up tent or luxurious glamping destination — 50 States, 500 Campgrounds is a beautifully illustrated resource guide that has something for everyone looking for an outdoor adventure, particularly as many continue to seek out safe and socially distanced activities.

Frankie's guests include radio host, bank branch manager, and reverse mortgage expert Charles Bachmann, Sharon Brecher author of Miserable Mom: The Do's and Don'ts of Sending Your Kid to College, and Whitney Scott highlighting the joys of camping with KOA.comCharles Bachmannradio show at radio 1400AM, email: cbachmann@afncorp.com Charles Bachmann is a Licensed Mortgage Banker and Branch Manager with AFN American Financial Network. Charles Bachmann is "Your Mortgage Guy" and host of his own radio show and podcast in Connecticut at www.radio1400.am. He uses his time on air to change perception about Reverse Mortgages or "HECM" Home Equity Conversion Mortgages and explains how a Reverse Mortgage can help seniors age in place rather than end up in a nursing home. https://www.afncorp.com/web/charlesbachmann/licenseSharon L. Brecherhttps://miserablemoms.com/Sharon L. Brecher is a mom-blogger, writer, illustrator, wife, and Miserable Mom. Her first book, Miserable Mom: The Do's and Don'ts of Sending Your Kid to College, calls out the absurdities of this stage of motherhood with a wry sense of humor and a self-deprecating wink to her own place in the emotional merry-go-round. Sharon was the Educational Director of Futurekids and spent several years working as a consultant for companies like Disney Interactive and Disney Online, where she created educational content for kids and guides for parents. https://miserablemoms.com/Whitney Scottkoa.comWhitney Scott is KOA's Vice President of Marketing. Kampgrounds of America (KOA) is the world's largest system of open-to-the-public campgrounds. There are more than 520 KOA campgrounds between nearly every U.S. state and in select Canadian providences. As the industry leader in outdoor hospitality, the KOA Family of Campgrounds – KOA Journey®, KOA Holiday®, and KOA Resort® – offer sites and amenities designed for every type of camping experience. https://koa.com/

KOA campgrounds is a popular name in the world of camping. In this episode we are pleased to welcome Saskia Boogman, Director of Public Relations for Kampgrounds of America. Listen in as Saskia explains why KOA is the place to be when planning your next camping vacation or weekend getaway. 

This week on "Everything Under the Sun", host Dean DeVore welcomes back AccuWeather Senior Long Range Forecaster Paul Pastelok to chat about the 2021 Summer Forecast and where we stand midway through July and a look ahead to Fall 2021. Then, we take a look back at some of our favorite interview segments over the last few months. First, we revisit our talk with Dr. Steven Cliff of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about preventing vehicular heat stroke. Then we speak with Chris Vagasky, meteorologist and lightning applications manager at Vaisala to discuss which state has overtaken the Sunshine State with more lightning bolts. Finally, we wrap up with a trip to the campground with Toby O'Rourke, CEO and President of Kampgrounds of America to learn about the rise and resurgence of camping in America. It's all this week on "Everything Under the Sun"! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

TOBY O’ROURKE, CEO and President of Kampgrounds of America, who have 33 campground locations across Canada

Inside Edition reports…A recent report by Kampgrounds of America found a quarter of all campers took their first outdoor vacation recently during the pandemic…but experts warn that the lack of experience can sometimes lead to disaster. What started as a relaxing day on the golf course ended with a swan going on the attack. A nine-year-old sang the national anthem at his school and now he's a star. And a Marine comes home after being gone for months on a pre-deployment exercise and the reaction from his little girl is priceless.Privacy Policy and California Privacy Notice.

Inside Edition reports…A recent report by Kampgrounds of America found a quarter of all campers took their first outdoor vacation recently during the pandemic…but experts warn that the lack of experience can sometimes lead to disaster. What started as a relaxing day on the golf course ended with a swan going on the attack. A nine-year-old sang the national anthem at his school and now he's a star. And a Marine comes home after being gone for months on a pre-deployment exercise and the reaction from his little girl is priceless.Privacy Policy and California Privacy Notice.

It's the time of year when many folks go camping...so why not we take a look at interesting facts from Statista on camping in the U.S. Just a reminder... Statista is an amazing online resource that gives you access to statistics and demographics on market and consumer data from around the world. It's available to all MCPL cardholders as well as our Miller Business Center members. For more information, visit http://www.statista.com Here are some resources for you if you are interested in going camping this summer: Kampgrounds of America https://koa.com/ Good Sam https://www.goodsam.com/ Reserve America https://www.reserveamerica.com/ NYS Parks https://parks.ny.gov/camping/ Home to the Largest NYS Park https://enchantedmountains.com/facts/home-largest-new-york-state-park-11 Want to find a book or eBook on camping? Click here.

Camping has surged during the pandemic, and according to Kampgrounds of America, the 2021 outlook proves it will continue to be a go-to travel option. This week, Dean DeVore discusses this vacation trend with Toby O'Rourke, CEO and President of KOA, the world's largest system of private campgrounds. Then Dean gets an update on the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season forecast with AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist and hurricane expert, Dan Kottlowski. AccuWeather's Hurricane TV Special It's all this week on 'Everything Under the Sun'! Have an idea for a future show email us: Accuweather.Podcast@accuweather.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are nearly 2,000 fires in recreational vehicles per year, according to a recent report from the Fire Protection Research Foundation; meanwhile, RV use in North America hit an all-time high in 2020 due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic. On this episode, we talk to Doug Mulvaney, a director at Kampgrounds of America, and the chair of NFPA 1192, Standard for Recreational Vehicles, about what these trends mean, what the new Foundation report reveals, and how RV users can help prevent fire incidents (1:37). Then, we offer a primer on how to inspect your grill for gas leaks to ensure it’s safe and ready to go for the summer season (26:57). Links: View the NFPA Journal article and the Foundation report: nfpa.org/rvs nfpa.org/1192

IDeaS’ chief evangelist Klaus Kohlmayr speaks with Darin Uselman, VP of franchise services for Kampgrounds of America, Inc. (KOA). Darin and Klaus talk about recovery in the drive-to leisure market this summer, data-based decision-making and the research confirming a changed consumer landscape.

RV sales are booming these days like we haven’t seen in years.  But knowing the ins and outs RV financing and RV loans can be a daunting task. With the economy taking a big hit because of COVID-19, you may have heard interest rates are at an all-time low. That may be true for home mortgages but it sure isn’t for RV financing rates for RV loans. So, this week in our interview of the week segment (scroll down), we talk to an expert on getting  RV loans and RV financing. We’ll talk about what’s involved in getting new RV loans and how existing RV loans can be refinanced to save you big money. Plus, we have lots of RV news, tips, questions, and an off the beaten path report for you… all coming up in Episode 295 of the RV Podcast. Click the play button below to hear this episode of the RV Podcast. The interview about RV Financing and RV loans is about 20:25 into the podcast.   Here's the RV Podcast Show Notes for Episode #295, released on  May 20, 2020  WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK There’s lots of news this week about the different parts of the country opening up. Many states are now well into phased reopenings, with non-essential travel being allowed again and state and national parks and campgrounds once again being opened. One piece of bad news, though, has to do with RV travel to and from the US and Canada. The border remains closed. Officials announced yesterday that it will stay shut to all no essential travel at least until June 21. That is a long time. It’s been shut since March and a lot of RVers on both sides of the border are naturally very disappointed. Down here along the panhandle of Florida, the area known as the Emerald Coast because of the blue-green color of the water, things are very close to the normal we had back in early March. Most businesses are open, limited to 50% of their capacity. And while social distancing is the new norm, people are acting responsibly. The private RV parks are open. Hotels are open and busy and short-term rentals of condos for vacations are once again allowed We plan to stay down here for another few weeks. And yes, we will continue our Friday night virtual campfire and Happy Hour at 7 PM Friday nights on our RV Lifestyle YouTube Channel. These are in addition to our Sunday night Ask Us Anything live streams as well. RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK KOA campgrounds see reservations rise and expect the trend to continue Interesting story out of Forbes last week with Kampgrounds of America. The network of privately owned campgrounds in the United States and Canada reports that bookings started to outpace cancellations in mid-April so much that today reservations for July and August are only 15 percent below last year's numbers. KOA conducted its own research and found 4 in 10 campers are still planning to take their planned trips this summer, and leisure travelers who camp, and had plans canceled, are planning to replace original plans with a camping trip.As crowds soon return to national parks, rangers concerned about the impact on wildlife Rangers preparing to reopen parts of the national parks are expressing concern about the safety of wildlife when people return. Animals throughout the national park system have relaxed as people have vanished, venturing into places they wouldn't normally dare go. At Joshua Tree National Park a ranger discovered an endangered tortoise sunning himself in the middle of what is normally the park's busiest road. Yellowstone's elk - which can get quite testy after their babies are born - are able to not worry about people getting too close. And at Yosemite, bear have been spotted in meadows near California’s Yosemite Valley Visitor Center - not to mention the many parks spotting coyotes and other animals in their parking lots.  Americans expected to stay home for kick-off of summer, AAA not issuing travel report This Friday is Memorial Day weekend, what many consider the official kick-off for summer.

In this week’s program, we talk with Toby O’Rourke, the president and CEO of Kampgrounds of America, about a study KOA commissioned to gauge Americans’ interests in returning to campgrounds on and near public lands as the fight with the coronavirus pandemic continues. The findings are quite interesting and point to renewed interest in camping as a recreational pursuit. After that conversation, we tempt you to explore the dark side of the National Park System. No, not the night skies overhead, but rather the subterranean world of Jewel Cave National Monument and Wind Cave National Park, two parks in South Dakota separated by fewer than 20 miles as the crow flies.

Darin Uselman is the vice president of franchise services for Kampgrounds of America, or KOA as the company is often referred. He helps campground owners by educating them on quality standards and KOA's brand positioning. His team helps integrate new owners into the system, and provides education and training for KOA staff, which includes Workampers who attend KOA University Online. Almost every one of the 525 KOA campgrounds employ Workampers. For some campgrounds, Workampers are the only help they hire to help run the park. Campground owners make their own hiring decisions. What Darin's team does is create a platform for conversations between the owners and prospective Workampers. Darin describes that platform as being similar to a dating service where campground owners and managers can post their jobs so that thousands of prospective Workampers can learn about the positions and apply for those that sound like a good fit. There are almost 1,000 job postings listed every year at www.workatkoa.com. Some of the jobs are seasonal in nature while others are short-term for a few months and others can be year-round. There are full- or part-time jobs available. All of the jobs are paid positions, and some campgrounds provide discounts on campsites for Workampers staying there. KOA uses its own software at all of its locations, and Workampers will need to learn how to use it. Fortunately, KOA offers training courses online that can be accessed as soon as a Workamper is hired. With its bright yellow signs and staff dressed in yellow shirts, KOA has been an iconic brand in the outdoor recreation industry for almost 60 years. It has some of the highest brand recognition of any company in America. KOA has three types of campgrounds within its brand. They include: KOA Journeys, which are generally overnight spots in convenient locations near major highways. KOA Holidays often serve as basecamps for people coming to a popular area with a lot of local attractions. These campgrounds usually offer upgraded features as well. KOA Resorts are top-of-the-line destination campgrounds themselves where people stay, play and often eat right on site. The resorts are focused heavily on recreation. Some of the campgrounds specifically serve families with kids while others are targeting seasoned citizens. Some cater primarily to RV owners, while others have lots of cabins and tent sites, too. The campgrounds offer a variety of jobs for Workampers from checking guests in and out, cleaning sites or cabins, maintaining features like the pool, leading activities like hayrides, staffing campstores and even providing food service. The company offers some nice perks to Workampers, too, like significant discounts to stay at other KOAs while on their way to a new job. If a Workamper has enjoyed a successful experience working at one KOA, it's often easy for them to move from one campground to another. For years, I have said that if I wasn't doing what I am right now, I would go work at a campground to help people have fun, and KOA would be near the top of the list of places I'd consider working. For more information about jobs at a KOA, visit their website at www.workatkoa.com. You can also find a whole bunch of Workamping jobs at Workamper News, a magazine and online publication that connects RVers to full- and part-time jobs around the country. Whether it is running a business from your RV or working short-term jobs for a variety of employers, Workamper News can give you information to help plan a course to live your own dream and get you on the road faster than you thought possible. For more information about opportunities to live, work and play in your RV, visit www.workampernews.com.

Darin Uselman is the vice president of franchise services for Kampgrounds of America. He oversees the workamping program for KOA, which hires more than 1,000 workampers each year to help staff 525 campgrounds throughout North America. Some of the jobs are seasonal in nature while others are short-term for a few months and others can be year-round. There are full- or part-time jobs available. All of the jobs are paid positions.

This week we interview the newly named CEO of Kampgrounds of America about the changing demographics of camping in America. Toby O’Rourke shares with us highlights of the company’s latest study and reveals that millennials now make up 35% of all the active campers in the U.S. She also talks about how her company is continuing to grow and thrive in an increasingly digital world. Plus an update from Mike and Jen on their new RV, their travel schedule for the next month and an off the beaten path report from the Burketts. Show Notes for Episode #234 March 20, 2019 of The RV Podcast: Mike and Jennifer talk about their recent activities and whereabouts This is a photo of us taken Monday, after signing on the dotted line and buying a 2019 Leisure Travel Vans Unity FX. We're giving it a shakedown trip now. RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK Two Canadian national parks install country's first electric vehicle charging stations Two Canadian national parks in British Columbia are the first in the country to install electric vehicle charging stations. Glacier National Park and Yoho National Park are both along the Trans-Canada Highway and are part of a national goal of improving electric travel.  Improvements to cell coverage debated at Grand Teton National Park: Would it take away from wilderness experience? The debate about whether to improve cell service at Grand Teton National Park was in the news last week. Proponents argue it would help retain workers and assist in emergencies, while those against say excellent cell service takes something away from the wilderness experience. Great whale watching opportunities along Oregon coast in upcoming week If you're planning to be anywhere near the Oregon coast between March 23-31, you might want to check out some of the many whale watching sites. The gray whales are making their way from Mexico to Alaska, and will be swimming by, and many special view sites are set up to see the giant mammals that week. Fire at Forest River factory in Elkhart, Indiana, leaves production of some towables in question A fire last week completely destroyed the factory in Elkhart, IN, where the Forest River Vibe and Vibe Extreme are built. Officials were still trying to determine what caused the blaze as of this writing, along with what will become of the towable trailers and jobs of those who built them.  This part of the podcast is brought to you by RadPower Bikes,an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping  RV INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK  This week we interview with Tony O’Rourke, the new CEO of Kampgrounds of America: Mike Wendland:           Well first of all, congratulations. Toby O'Rourke:             Thank you. Mike Wendland:           I think we first started interviewing you when you were doing marketing, digital marketing, and then of course President and now CEO President and the Chief everything of Kampgrounds of America. So congratulations Toby. Toby O'Rourke:             Thank you, I appreciate that. Mike Wendland:           You know one of the things that you do [inaudible 00:00:20] is you do the annual camping report every year. Toby O'Rourke:             We do. Mike Wendland:           And I know it's a little early, it hasn't been completed yet, but can you give us any sneak peaks of what the data is showing for 2019 compared to previous years? Toby O'Rourke:             Yeah, so now we've been doing the North American Camping Report for five years, which is great to look at it as a body of work that shows the trends over the past five years. And there's several key trends, things we've talked about before, but we definitely are seeing a lot of people camp, and people are camping more frequently. That's my favorite part of the data, is we're seeing 72% increase over these past five years in the amount of people that are camping at least 3 times a year,

This week we dig into the 2018 North American Camping Report, an exhaustive study done each year by researchers into every aspect of camping and RV use. Our guest is Toby O'Rourke, president of Kampgrounds of America, which underwrites the study, and she will help unpack this report which is followed by the RV industry as the Bible of where camping is headed and what needs to be done. Plus we have lots more for you this week, including a bunch of RV news, listener questions and comments, traveling technology tips and a wonderful off-the-beaten-path report. Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK [spp-timestamp time="2:00"] We've been on the road to western Michigan these past several days, taking advantage of the first really nice spring weather and the reopening of state and RV parks. This early in the season, we've had our pick of really great sites along the awe-inspiring shoreline of Lake Michigan. Some of these parks we stayed at are so in demand that to get in during peak season, you need to make reservations months and months in advance. We started out at a Yogi Bear Camp Jellystone RV resort on Grand Rapids, MI. Yup. You heard that right. Now usually, it's just me and Mike and Bo so those family parks with all those kid activities are something usually bypass. But this time, we were there because our son, Jeff, and his wife, Aimee, just bought a new travel trailer and this was their very first outing in it. So we invited ourselves to come along and had an absolute ball watching our grandchildren, Jovie, 3, and Jax, 8 months. We had a ball We'll have a video in a few days about the experience and Jeff will give us a tour of their new bunk house trailer. After Jeff, Aimee and the kids headed back for to their home Sunday and a new work week, we decided that RVing was our work so we started exploring the coastline towns of South Haven, Holland, Saugatuck, Grand Haven, Muskegon and Silver lake. You can follow our adventures on our blog at Roadtreking.com, where we shared lots of photos. Lake Michigan is part of what is called the Third Coast. Now sometimes, those along the Gulf Coast argue for that title but considering its Great Lakes coasts, Michigan has more miles of shoreline than does any other of the lower 48 states and more fresh water shoreline than any other state. In fact, a couple years ago, we decided to drive and camo our way across the US shoreline of all five Great Lakes. The mileage totaled 3,000-plus miles! In case you are interested, just click the link to the Great Lakes shoreline videos we did on that trip. Meanwhile, here's what's making RV news this week: Too many tourists using drones to illegally take video at Oregon's Crater Lake National Park As prices drop, and technology continually improves, drone use is becoming an increasing problem at some national parks, such as Oregon's Crater Lake National Park. While drone use at all national parks has been outlawed since 2014, some may find getting an aerial view at some of America's most breath-taking scenarios too hard to resist. According to a story published last week, flying the unmanned aircraft has been an increasing problem at Crater Lake National Park, with some of the illegal camera activity showing up in places like You Tube. Drones can bother wildlife and visitors seeking a pristine natural environment. To read more, click here. New York wants more residents to go camping, so is providing it for free  New York's first time camper program was so popular last year, the state has decided to do it again. New York's Department of Environmental Conservation and Office of Parks and Recreation is taking applications for 65 families to try out camping at various state campgrounds. Winners will have all their camping gear provided,

Have you a story to tell, a book to write, a blog to do? This week, we are going to meet an on-the-road author, an RVer who likes to say she tells lies for a living. Writer Judy Howard will be our guest. Judy teaches creative writing to RVers at gatherings and rallies and workshops all across the country, at the same time writing her own novels while fulltiming on the road. You will enjoy our discussion. Plus we have lots of RV news this week, including a big political controversy involving Camping World that is resulting in calls for a boycott of the nation's biggest RV retailer, tips on how to get more from your RV and next outing and a great off the beaten path report that belongs on your bucket list. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #154 Aug. 23, 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK We sure had a lot of fun with the Eclipse. Over on our RV Lifestyle Channel on YouTube you can see a one hour Live Video special we did on RV gatherings from across the country formed to witness the event. We had video check ins from 10 different RV gatherings from Oregon to the Carolinas. It was a ball and we believe the largest single RV Travel weekend in history. Labor Day Weekend is right around the corner. And finding a spot in a campground may be harder than ever. Advanced reservations for the Labor Day Weekend at more than 500 Kampgrounds of America locations in North America are running more than 10 percent higher than those for the same period last year. The Labor Day numbers look to continue a string of record results for holiday weekends at KOA this year. In fact, the world's largest system of family-friendly campgrounds is on track to set yet another annual record for camping in 2017. KOA has set a new record for camping each of the past five years. October is also an amazingly busy month because of fall color, cooler weather and Halloween celebrations that go on every weekend at hundreds of campgrounds across the country. We're still in Georgia, to catch a couple of grandsons playing football this week. For the weekend, we'll scoot down to the Emerald Coast on Florida's panhandle, and then, for Labor Day, head on up to Michigan to catch up on some chores around the house before we set off on another very ambitious fall travel schedule that will have us in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida again and Mississippi. This portion of the Podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the RVer's trusted resource for over 50 years, the nation's largest family-operated RV dealership with 16 locations and growing  JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK Last minute reminder: The price of the America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Senior Pass increased for the first time since 1994. On Aug.28 it will go from $10 to $80. Those with current passes are lifetime passes and will remain valid. Jennifer US citizens or permanent residents 62 years or older are eligible for the Senior Pass. Annual and lifetime Senior Passes provide access to more than 2,000 recreation sites managed by six federal agencies: National Park Service US Fish & Wildlife Service Bureau of Land Management Bureau of Reclamation US Forest Service US Army Corps of Engineers The passes cover entrance and standard amenity (day-use) recreation fees and provide discounts on some expanded amenity recreation fees. Traveling companions can also enter for free. The Senior Passes admit pass owner/s and passengers in a noncommercial vehicle at per-vehicle fee areas, not to exceed four adults, where per-person fees are charged. (Children under 16 are always admitted free.) Also, at many sites, the Senior Passes provide the pass owner (only) a discount on Expanded Amenity Fees (such as camping, swimming, boat launching, and guided tours). Senior Passes can be purchased at any federal recreation site, including national parks, that charges an entrance or standard amenity (day-use) fee.

Camping in North America is changing rapidly. In this episode of the podcast, we'll learn in our interview segment from the most comprehensive camping study ever done, from the industry's most influential camping organization. Toby O'Rourke, the Chief Franchise Operations Offer for Kampgrounds of America, shares the results with us, telling us how its changing, who is driving that change and what it means to every RVer out there. Plus your listener questions and answers about RVing, RV tips, the RV news of the week and a great off-the beaten-path report, all coming up on Episode 149 of the RV Podcast, being released July 19,2017. Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] MIKE AND JENNIFER'S RV ACTIVITIES AND INSIGHTS FOR THE WEEK About the photo at the top - We took this at a great boondocking spot we found in northeastern Montana a couple of weeks ago. Only neighbors were some distant coyotes. You should have seen the stars at night. Mike and Jennifer's Update [spp-timestamp time="2:10"] Mike and Jennifer are just back from FMCA gathering in Indianapolis. The big news is the governing board has announced approval to bring to a full membership vote a change in membership requirements that would let those with non-motorized vehicles – like towable trailers and fifth wheels… to be members of what up until now has been a 50-plus year organization made up exclusively of motorhome owners. Ballots will be in the next three editions of Family Motor Coaching Magazine, with the results know in November. The best deal in the RV and camping world is coming to an end. The $10 for a lifetime of free entry into the nation's national parks and public recreation lands. bout to change, the result of Congressional legislation approved last December. The price of the Senior Pass, the card that gives free entrance to those 62 years and older (as well as three accompanying adults) at all public lands and recreation areas operated by six different federal agencies, is increasing a whopping 700 percent, to $80 for the lifetime pass. The price increase takes effect on Aug. 28. But even at $80, it's still a great deal. With the pass, you can visit roughly 2,000 public lands or recreation areas operated by the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, Board of Reclamation, Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service. The pass can also give its holders up to 50 percent discounts on other fees, such as camping fees, at some of the sites. We're a little over a week away now from our big Traveling Tech Live Demo in Grand Rapids, MI on July 28. We'll be joined by Verizon's Steve VanDinter, who regularly contributes to our Traveling Tech segment on the podcast. We will be in person from 3PM to 7PM Thursday, July 27 at American RV in Grand Rapids, MI. We'll be showing many of the cool gadgets and gismos we talk about every week here on the podcast for all those who show up. And if you can't attend in person, we'll also have a Facebook Live report that can be watched online, in real time. Mike and Jennifer remind everyone the importance of having a weather radio, to be alerted to weather emergencies. The importance of that was made clear last weekend in Arizona when a heavy thunderstorm led to a flash flood that filled a number of children and adults at a popular Arizona swimming hole. Mike refers listeners to his master list of products, services and gadgets at http://kit.com/rvpodcast to see the weather apps and the weather radio he uses and recommends. This portion of the Podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the RVer's trusted resource for over 50 years, the nation's largest family-operated RV dealership with 16 locations and growing  JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK Jennifer One problem those of us who travel with dogs regularl...

Timeline: 00:57 – How do you travel inexpensively? 14:23 – Win a $50 Visa Gift Card Resources & Links: Boy Scouts of America National Park Service – America’s National Parks Yosemite National Park Yellowstone National Park Mammoth Cave National Park Colorado River White Water Rafting New River, WV White Water Rafting USCampgrounds.info Kampgrounds of America (KOA)... The post Vacationing on a Budget appeared first on Financial Freedom Community.

On this weeks episode Mike Harlan of Haydocy Airstream will talk about the partnership between GMC, AAA, Kampgrounds of America and a group of RV manufacturers aimed at making it possible for anyone to take that all American vacation; The Road Trip. Mike discusses the details of the partnerships and all the benefits to participants […] The post Girl Camper: Episode 11 – The Great American Road Trip appeared first on Girl Camper.

http://www.nesa.org/rogers.html Jim Rogers started at KOA 34 years ago as a trainee and climbed to the top as Chairman and CEO. Each day, he says, he loves his work so much that he "runs to this job." Camping lets you explore little known out-of-the-way places, meander down scenic roads and discover natural wonders you never knew existed. It opens up a whole new world you wouldn’t be able to visit any other way. Outdoor recreation is an economic powerhouse in the United States. In Nevada we can attribute $14.9 billion dollars in consumer spending: 147,600 in direct Nevada jobs which equates to $4.8 billion dollars in wages and salaries and about $1 billion dollars in state and local tax revenue. In January 2013, Jim Rogers was featured in an episode of the award-winning CBS reality show “Undercover Boss.” The one-hour episode featured Jim going “undercover” on four different KOA properties. He interacted with employees and KOA owners using the fictional persona of Tim Bickford, an out-of-work accountant from San Francisco who was competing for an investor’s support of his new campground business. www.CheriHillShow.com www.SageIntl.com www.CBEnv.com

Though Jim Rogers spent a couple of decades in the casino business, it’s no surprise that this Eagle Scout would return to the company where he had his very first post-grad job, Kampgrounds of America, a.k.a. KOA. In conversation with host Jeffrey Hayzlett, Rogers tells how he brought casino-grade customer service into the great outdoors, what it was like to go incognito on “Undercover Boss,” why campers are opting for “soft rugged,” and explains how to make s’mores with a KOA Rolla Roaster. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

http://www.nesa.org/rogers.html Jim Rogers, Immediate Past Council President of the Nevada Area Council of Boy Scouts of America talks with Cheri Hill about the importance of scouting and it's role in developing young boys into friendly, courteous and industrious men. His day job is serving as the President and CEO of Kampgrounds of America (KOA) which with nearly 475 campgrounds is the largest network of franchised family campgrounds in the world. The mission of the Boy Scouts is "to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law." The Scouts, leaders and volunteers accomplish this mission through a combination of citizenship education, career training, character development, outdoor activities and an advancement system that encourages Scouts to embrace the mission, earn achievement awards and develop interpersonal and leadership skills. www.CheriHillShow.com www.SageIntl.com