ARVC Blog Categories: What's Happening

The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC), working alongside industry partners, has successfully fought for seasonal businesses owners to have even more flexibility to use Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds.

To help parks navigate the challenges of getting back to business, ARVC collaborated with Kampgrounds of America (KOA), the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR), the Canadian RV Association (CVA), Marshall & Sterling Insurance, state associations and other industry partners to create a comprehensive Re-Opening Toolkit. The kit is a natural extension of the eight-week webinar series ARVC launched in March which helped more than 1,000 campgrounds across the U.S. and Canada navigate the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Are you looking for a way to get more involved in the outdoor hospitality industry so you can have an even greater impact? Here’s your chance! Nominations are being accepted from May 23 through July 7 to fill six open positions on the ARVC Board of Directors, one for each of the six ARVC voting areas indicated on the map below:

The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) has launched a comprehensive toolkit that gives owners and operators in the United States and Canada all the tools they need to re-open their RV park or campground while focusing on the safety of their guests and employees and a smooth return to business. 

The NFPA 1194 Completion Certificate program is designed to ensure that park owners and operators have in-depth knowledge of the current standards for the design and construction of RV parks and campgrounds as outlined by the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA). The course also examines the elements of the NFPA 1194 standard that cover public safety, electrical, facilities, fire protection and water and sanitation.

Now, for the first time, the course is available in an online format to enable learners to complete the course on their own schedule and at their own pace at any time. The NFPA 1194 Completion Certificate course was previously offered only in person each year at the Outdoor Hospitality Conference and Expo (OHCE) in November.

The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) and the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable have successfully led an effort to get Paycheck Payment Program (PPP) loans extended to accommodate seasonal businesses.

This latest rule, issued by the U.S. Treasury, is big news for seasonal RV parks and campgrounds which may not have had active payroll during the base period stipulated by the original PPP loan criteria, which required the business to have been in operation by February 15, 2020.

The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) has announced a partnership with RVs 4 MDs, a Facebook-based organization that matches medical personnel with donated recreational vehicles and accommodations while they help combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

ARVC member-parks with available sites can sign up to offer free RV sites or other accommodations for doctors, nurses and other health care personnel who are seeking a place to stay during the crisis.

The industry-leading webinar series launched by the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) in mid-March came to a close on Thursday, but the opportunity to get questions answered by subject matter experts continues.

Almost 1,000 campground owners attended the eight-episode webinar series and the webinar recordings were viewed more than 3,000 times in the past month.

Are you thinking of buying or building your own campground? Or are you already in the process of building one? Then you won’t want to miss ARVC’s Prospective Park Owners Workshop (POW). And now, it will be even more convenient for you to attend!

To eliminate the time and expense of travel for attendees, this information-packed workshop will now be offered in a one-day online format on Thursday, June 4. (This will replace the in-person workshop originally scheduled in May in Colorado Springs.) That means you’ll be able to tap into the knowledge of industry experts on a wide range of topics, including financing, purchasing, marketing, insurance and much more – all from the comfort of your home.

It’s impossible to predict when a crisis will occur that can disrupt the operation of your park, whether that crisis involves a public health emergency, a major weather event or other serious situation. So it’s a good idea to have a plan in place for marketing your park and communicating with campers during challenging times so you’ll be well prepared to take action.

US House leaders from both sides of the aisle expressed optimism Thursday afternoon about what will hopefully be swift passage of the emergency $2.2 trillion relief bill aimed at mitigating the financial crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The last remaining hurdle is a possible procedural issue that could delay sending the measure to President Trump.

A coalition of the RV park and campground industry’s leading organizations, led by the National Association of RV Parks and Campground’s (ARVC) Business Forum, announced today their collective efforts to advance advocacy in Washington for RV parks and campgrounds across the United States during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

ARVC announces a series of interactive webinars focused on helping RV park and campground owners and operators deal with the current health emergency. The series will provide resources, tools and strategies from experts to safely and effectively manage a campground through this situation.

The webinars will take place every Monday and Thursday at 11 a.m. ET, beginning this Thursday, March 19 with “Planning and Marketing During an Emergency.” The webinar series is open to everyone in the industry and registration is free. To register, visit https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_jVgxAPMiQZOhgwIRasb5UQ.

March is National Women’s History Month, so we thought this would be the perfect time to honor all of the smart, talented, hard-working women who have helped make the outdoor hospitality industry the success that it is today. We wish we had the space to recognize each one of them individually (that would be one seriously long blog post), but since we don’t, here’s a sampling of the many amazing women who contribute so much to our industry.

Are you thinking of buying or building your own campground? If so, your timing is great —you’re choosing to enter an industry that’s growing at a rapid rate. According to the 2019 State of the Industry Report published by the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC), the outdoor recreation industry contributes over $25.6 BILLION dollars to the GDP annually!  

The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) has announced the launch of the ARVC Career Center, a first-in-the-industry online tool designed to help businesses find and recruit qualified employees and allow job seekers to view new opportunities in the outdoor hospitality industry.

Are you interested in getting involved in ARVC’s advocacy efforts to help ensure a strong future for our industry? Here’s your chance.

An advocacy effort led by the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) that took more than eight months finally secured a vital victory in late December as the National Fire Protection Agency Standards Council approved a Tentative Interim Amendment (TIA) to the 2020 National Electric Code (NEC) regarding the use of GFCI protection on 30- and 50-amp receptacles on RV park site equipment. 

The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) announces its NFPA 1194® Completion Certification class will be available on Monday, Feb. 10, making it the first class available as part of the new ARVC Online Education Portal.

Are you considering getting into the campground business or are you in the process of building or buying a park? There’s a lot to learn, and as the saying goes, “you don’t know what you don’t know.” But now, there’s an easy way to tap into the knowledge and experience of industry experts to get answers to your questions. For the first time, the National Association of RV Parks and Campground (ARVC) is offering a workshop exclusively for prospective campground owners.

The three-day workshop will be held on May 4-6 in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The 2019 Industry Trends and Insights Report, released Monday by the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds, includes numerical data to support anecdotal evidence of the campground industry expanding rapidly in the past five years and an expectation of even greater growth in the next 12 months.

The ARVC Foundation announces six scholarship recipients for the National School of RV Park & Campground Management in Myrtle Beach, S.C. National School is a high-quality educational program that focuses on business management principles and practices as applied to the RV park and campground industry. The program brings leading industry experts into the classroom to provide attendees with the skills and expertise they need to make a positive impact on their campground and in the industry.

As we make plans for another great year in the hospitality industry, we thought it would be fun to take a look back at some of our most popular posts from 2019. As you scroll through them, you’ll meet some of your fellow ARVC members, learn about what makes their parks so unique and maybe even pick up a few ideas for your own park!

Recently, requirements set in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) related to access to buildings and physical locations have begun to be applied to websites. Companies working to comply with these requirements must often navigate a frustrating maze of conflicting information and confusing terminology.

The following information, while not legal guidance, is intended to assist our members in making sure your website is accessible to everyone.

Giving Tuesday is a global giving movement that has brought millions of people together to support and champion the causes they believe in and the communities in which they live. The ARVC Foundation is a proud participant in Giving Tuesday, which will take place this year on Tuesday, December 3.

Record attendance at the Outdoor Hospitality Conference and Expo (OHCE) translated directly to the Expo floor, with vendors at 140 booths able to share their products and services to almost 1,000 visitors.

A special thanks to everyone who joined us in beautiful Knoxville, Tenn. on November 4-7 for our annual Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo (OHCE).  It was great to see so many familiar faces and to welcome so many new friends who are now in the process of building or opening new parks. We set an all-time attendance record this year, which shows just how much our industry is growing and thriving!

The 2019 Outdoor Hospitality Conference and Expo (OHCE) shattered modern attendance records, drawing large crowds to Knoxville, Tenn. for the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds’ (ARVC) annual conference. 

The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) named this year’s best parks at the 2019 Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo (OHCE), held November 4-7 in Knoxville, Tenn. 

You have a lot to gain by getting more involved in our great industry. Not only will you have an opportunity to learn from your peers and share your own ideas and expertise, you’ll be able to tap into networking opportunities that could easily lead to lifelong friendships!

Need another reason to get doggone excited for the Outdoor Hospitality Conference and Expo? The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) and Jamestown Advanced Products have united to bring an interactive dog run into the Knoxville Convention Center, promising to give attendees at OHCE the chance to “Paws for a Break” and cuddle with dogs from local no-kill animal shelters. 

The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) is pleased to announce Staylist as the latest industry supplier to join the ARVC Integrated Partnership Program. Staylist has signed on as a Select Partner for the next 12 months beginning November 1.

The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) and builder of fine Lakeside Luxury Park Models, Clayton Home Building Group, have officially entered into a Select Partnership. These two companies will be working together to increase the Lakeside Luxury Park Models brand visibility throughout the year within the outdoor hospitality industry.      

As a philosopher once said, "Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without." So that begs the question: Are your guests “doing without” musical entertainment that could enhance their enjoyment of your park and boost your business at the same time? If the answer is “yes,” you just may want to change your tune.

The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) is announcing the opening of a new store featuring ARVC and GoCampingAmerica.com branded items. These items will make their debut at the Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo (OHCE), allowing attendees the first chance to get their hands on merchandise at special OHCE pricing, before it’s available for purchase online. 

Advocacy efforts led by the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) continue following the latest decision by the National Electric Code (NEC) regarding the use of GFCI protection on 30- and 50-amp receptacles on RV park site equipment.    

Thank you to all the following parks, suppliers and state associations who took the time to participate in the ARVC Awards of Excellence. Winners of the 2019 Awards of Excellence will be announced at the 2019 Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo during the Awards of Excellence dinner on Thursday, November 7.

If you operate a seasonal park that closes down for the winter, a few of the things you need to do to get ready are to shut off the water supply, then drain or blow out the pipes to prevent freezing. But your electrical system needs attention, too, so we asked Wade Elliott, president of Utility Supply Group in Kingston, Wash., and ARVC’s 2018 Supplier of the Year award winner for his advice.

In response to member needs, the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) has announced a new and improved education session and speaker lineup for the 2019 Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo (OHCE). The association’s annual conference will be highlighted by five new educational learning tracks taught in innovative formats by new expert voices.