WCM's Park Update

On this week's episode of Supplier Showcase, WCM highlights Colortime , a company that provides t-shirts, canvas bags and other products that campers can color. Michael and Gail Plotnick, the owners of the company, chat about the products they offer park owners, including customized merchandise. They also dive into how park owners can sell these items in their stores and even host events at th...

WCM's Park Update, sponsored by Spot2Nite, chats with Dawn Watanabe, RV Life's new Director of Campground Partnerships, about her extensive background in the industry and how park owners can benefit from the exposure they receive on the RV Life platform.  Watanabe talks about the growth of the RV Life platform, some of the unique tools it offers, why platforms like this are important for p...

WCM's Park Update, sponsored by Spot2Nite, chats with Cathy Reinard, an associate broker with Danielle Windus Cooke Properties and a park owner, about tips she has for aspiring and new park owners in the outdoor hospitality industry. With experience as both a Jellystone and KOA park operator, Reinard is well-known in the industry and is a go-to source for advice on how to effectively operate a...

This week’s guest on WCM’s Supplier Showcase is  Campground Support , a company that offers call center reservation support for RV parks and campgrounds. WCM chats with Steven Kramer, Campground Support’s CEO, about the services it provides to park owner/operators, including a chance for parks to see an increase in reservations by providing “exceptional customer service.” Kramer notes that the ser...

WCM's Park Update, sponsored by Spot2Nite, chats with Joey Locker, a developer who is building a new luxury motorcoach resort near Nashville, Tenn.  This episode explores why Locker decided to build the resort and the growing demand for luxury motorcoach resorts that sell lots, while also offering sites to transient campers. Locker explores the upscale amenities the resort will offer and also...

This week's guest is Irene Wood, owner of The Fields in South Haven, Mich. Irene has created a beautiful glamping site that offers unrivaled guest service. Unlike many of our guests, her hospitality policy is for her and her staff to meet their guests several times throughout their stay. She talks us through the process of implementing this model, among many other discussion points. Visit The...

WCM's Park Update, sponsored by Spot2Nite, chats with David Balser, the chief strategy officer at OHI (formerly the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds) and Jaqueline Gloria, OHI's vice president of operations, about the association's recent rebranding and the change to its membership options. Basler and Gloria speak on the reasoning behind the rebranding, how OHI is going...

WCM’s Park Update, sponsored by  Spot2Nite , chats with Adam Lendi, the founder of Beyonder Holdings and Beyonder Camp, about the growth of its portfolio and the recent announcement of its Campground Catalyst platform. Lendi explores how Campground Catalyst will offer park owners a supportive network, along with offering them access to expert tips and advice. Along with Campground Catalyst, Beyond...

This week's guests are Carolyn and Rob Sourek from Columbia Gorge Getaways. They talk us through how they developed their 400-plus acre property, how they create a five-star experience without charging five-star prices, and the things they would do differently if they could do it all over again. Visit Columbia Gorge Getaways: https://www.columbiagorgegetaways.com/ Visit Glampitect’s website at...

WCM's Park Update, sponsored by Spot2Nite, chats with Michael Moore, general manager of Texas Advertising, assistant executive director of the Texas Association of Campground Owners (TACO) and the Supplier Representative on the OHI Board of Directors. Moore shares details about the upcoming TACO conference that will run from April 25-26, which is set to include a large tradeshow and numerous e...

WCM’s Park Update, sponsored by Spot2Nite, chats with Greg Emmert, a founder and partner of Camp Strategy, a consulting firm focused on the outdoor hospitality industry. Emmert, a former park owner, partnered with Jeff Hoffman, an OHI board member and park owner, to create Camp Strategy as a way to help others realize their dream of operating a park.  During this show, WCM discusses Emmert's p...

This week's episode is a winter glamping special! Our guests are Josh Turner and Jane Rushbridge, owners of Blackstrap Glamping Resort in Saskatoon, Canada. Temperatures reach minus 50 Celsius (minus 58 Fahrenheit) in that part of the world, so we dig deep into what it takes to operate a successful glamping business in the extreme winter. Other topics of conversation include working with gover...

WCM’s Park Update, sponsored by Book Outdoors, tackles the RV industry with Rick Kessler, a well-respected RV industry journalist and publisher of both RVBusiness and Woodall's Campground Magazine. While the show has previously hosted individuals from the RV Industry Association, the RV Dealers Association and more, Kessler offers a unique perspective on the RV industry and gives insights into...

This week's guest is Paul Bosley, CEO of Business Finance Depot. Paul is an expert in all things glampground financing, and he walks us through the process of SBA loans, USDA loans and equipment financing. Check out Business Finance Depot: https://businessfinancedepot.com/. Visit Glampitect’s website at https://glampitect.com/us and take the “Do You Have What it Takes to Start a Glamping Busin...

It’s tax time and WCM’s Park Update, sponsored by Book Outdoors, takes a look at effective accounting strategies with Donna Bordeaux, CPA and founder of Campground Accounting. Bordeaux has years of experience working with park owners of all types of parks — big and small. During the show, she explores what park owners need to focus on as they keep track of their financial records, she discusses so...

Today's guest is Blake Smith, founder of Walden Retreats in Texas. We spoke to him about how he raised the capital for his glamping project, the details of Walden Retreats' backend operations, and the partnership with Matthew McConaughey's bourbon brand that had a huge impact on his business. Check out Walden Retreats: https://waldenretreats.com/. Visit Glampitect’s website at https://...

WCM’s Park Update, sponsored by Book Outdoors, chats with Tim Rout, founder of AccessParks, and takes a look at how the company continues to grow since its inception in 2016. From a military career to advancements in broadband technology, Rout shares why he created AccessParks and how the company aims to help campers get better connectivity as they camp. Rout also explores what is coming down the...

This week's guest is Irene Jones from Marshall Sterling Insurance. Irene specializes in ADA compliance, and she walks us through what the ADA is, what happens if your business doesn't comply and what you can do to ensure compliance. Check out Marshall Sterling: https://www.marshallsterling.com/specialties/campgrounds-rv-parks Visit Glampitect’s website at https://glampitect.com/us and take...

WCM’s Park Update, sponsored by Book Outdoors, chats with Joann DelVescio, the executive director of the New Jersey Campground Owners and Outdoor Lodging Association and organizer of the Mid-Atlantic Conference this upcoming Tuesday (Feb. 6). DelVescio chats about the upcoming conference (Feb. 19-21) being hosted in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. She highlights some of the key educational sessions, notes...

WCM’s Park Update, sponsored by Book Outdoors, chats with John Tuyo, Skyline Champion's newly-minted director of park models and cabins, about the health of the PMRV industry and the growth of the company's PMRV lines. He tells WCM that the company is bullish on its future as it continues to find ways to build more units, with new developments and expansion projects a big piece of the puzz...

Today's guest is Jeroen van Rootselar, from AfriCamps. AfriCamps partners with South African landowners and provides them with tents and marketing support in return for a share of the glamping revenue. We talked to Jeroen about the Africamps experience, the pros and cons of the revenue share model and the mistakes he'd avoid making if he were to start again today. Visit AfriCamps: https://...

WCM’s Park Update, sponsored by Book Outdoors, chats with Maris Brennan, membership director for the Michigan Association of RVs and Campgrounds (MARVAC), about the association’s upcoming Campground Vendor Showcase, which takes place a day before the kick-off to the 58th Annual Detroit RV and Camping Show on Jan. 30 from 2-6:30 p.m. at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi. The event will incl...

This week's guest is Bygnal Duston, founder of Open Sky in Zion. Open Sky is now a beautiful, successful glamping resort, but it wasn't always that way. Bygnal came across an incredible amount of obstacles on his journey, and he joins us to talk about how he navigated them. Visit Open Sky: https://www.stayopensky.com/ Take the "Do You Have What it Takes to Start a Glamping Business?&q...

This week, we interview Travis Berube of SomaBuild. He takes us through SomaBuild's five-step process to starting a glamping business, with a particular focus on choosing contractors and managing construction. Visit SomaBuild's website: https://www.somabuild.com/ Take the "Do You Have What it Takes to Start a Glamping Business?" assessment: https://glampitect-na.scoreapp.com/ Vis...

WCM’s Park Update, sponsored by  Book Outdoors , takes a look at  Sunland RV Resorts  with James Lim, senior vice president, and Olivia Devlin, corporate director of marketing, as WCM explores the growth of the company, the unique experiences it offers to campers and more. With a robust pickleball program at some of its parks — including national tournaments, Sunland RV Resorts also connects its c...