ARVC Blog Categories: Advocacy

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, vaccines are approved and distributed and the government begins distribution, you will undoubtedly continue to face ongoing challenges and have questions surrounding safety for your campers and employees, the survival of your business and more.

The 2020 Industry Trends and Insights Report, released Tuesday by the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds, includes data that shows that the COVID-19 pandemic affected parks (some more than others) in a variety of ways in 2020, including impacting shoulder seasons and causing a wide swing in occupancy rates and profits.

The Virginia Campground Association (VCA) has received $10,000 from the Virginia Tourism Corporation’s (VTC) Recovery Marketing Leverage Program (RMLP), designed to help local and regional tourism entities attract more visitors by leveraging limited local marketing dollars through a local match of the state grants funds.

The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) is proud to announce that Rebecca Maguire, association’s senior manager of membership and marketing, was recently named to the RV PRO 2020 U40 list, designed to recognize up-and-coming leaders younger than 40 from across the industry.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) today released its latest data from 2019 showing the overall value of the outdoor recreation industry and, more specifically the RV and camping sector, which contributes an estimated $18.6 billion to the US economy, according to the research. 

It could be safely said that this year’s camping season was unlike any other in recent memory. Having to endure so many challenges presented by this year’s public health crisis required the owners and managers of ARVC member-parks to be prepared to turn on a dime to implement changes to policies and procedures as conditions warranted. If there are lessons to be learned from meeting these challenges, one of them is the power of being flexible.

One of the many benefits of ARVC membership is having the opportunity to make your voice heard on industry issues that are important to you. One way to do this is by sharing your thoughts and concerns with your area representative, and you now have an opportunity to vote to elect a representative for your area for the next term. The individuals elected will serve on the ARVC Board of Directors for three years beginning on November 5, 2020. Voting opened on August 6 and will continue through November 4 at Noon MT.

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 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.

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.

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. 

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.    

The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) continues to work with a coalition of industry partners that represent 25 million RVers to preserve the provision of copyright law that allows DIRECTV and DISH Network to provide Distant Network Signals to RVers and long-haul truckers, among others. 

Yesterday, five groups representing manufacturers, dealers and owners of Recreational Vehicles (RVs), as well as the RV campgrounds, sent a letter to the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee urging them to vote to preserve the provision of copyright law that allows DIRECTV and DISH Network to provide Distant Network Signals to RVers and long-haul truckers, among others.    

The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) wrapped up its participation in RVs Move America Week on Wednesday having successfully met with 34 different legislators about the value of RV parks and campgrounds and the RV industry.

The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) continued advocacy efforts at RVs Move America: Advocacy Week in Washington D.C. this week, with the association’s president and CEO Paul Bambei telling an audience of more than 150 members of Congress, congressional staff and members of the RV industry about the growth and economic impact of our nation’s RV parks and campgrounds.

The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) will be sending a strong delegation to Washington, D.C. to participate in this year’s RVs Move America (Advocacy Week) as part of the organization’s partnership with the RV Industry Association (RVIA).

In a newly finalized rule, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) redefines the RV exemption from manufactured housing standards and provides a critical solution to the regulatory uncertainty that has plagued RV parks and campgrounds, RV manufacturers and RV dealers for decades. RV park and campground owners, RV manufacturers, dealers, and RV owners now have regulatory certainty that the RV lifestyle will remain the most attractive way to recreate in America.

Accidents happen at campgrounds all the time. Someone trips on a log while on a hike or burns themselves around the campfire. It happens. These are just some of the inherent risks of camping.

It’s what happens after an accident that can be a body blow to you and the future of your campground.