While owning a campground could be a very profitable endeavor (worth at least $273k a year), it can certainly come with its own share of expenses.
On average, a campground will run you between $10k and $50k (not including the cost of land); meaning that paying for an expensive booking software isn’t ideal for park owners.
But are there any free campground reservation systems? Well, the short answer is yes – there are a handful of free and relatively inexpensive reservation software solutions out there. But to give some context, here’s a list of options you can find online.
Inexpensive Campground Reservation Software
There are a handful of reservation software solutions out there, and most of them provide online booking at a free or relatively inexpensive rate.
Checkfront – $39 a month.
ResNexus – Starts at $3 – $16 a month (per room).
RoverPass – $2 per booking.
Firefly – $2 per booking.
Bonfire – $2 per booking (long-term) or $14.50+ (per month)
Campspot – $2 per booking.
CampLife – Starts at $99 a month + $3.50 per booking.
That being said, most systems are either lacking in features offered, pricing plans, or their reach of customers.
Good Sam Campground Solutions
If you’re looking for the biggest bang for your buck, Good Sam Campground Solutions offers everything park owners need to run their business in-house, at a cheaper rate with more features than anyone else.
Pricing
Pure and simple, Good Sam Campground Solutions is FREE for members and only charges guests a $1 booking fee. For non-members, it’s still only $99 a month, with guests paying a $3 booking fee.
Features Offered
Availability Calendars
When a guest can’t find their preferred reservation due to availability, we offer them the next best option. This scroll calendar allows them to easily find the next open date.
Booking Notes
Add customized notes to each camper reservation and account, easily accessible from the dashboard.
Camp Host Reports
See real-time reports that show who is currently checked into the park and who is leaving.
Cloud-Based
Accessible from anywhere, 24/7, with the ability for your guests to book and for you to earn money while you aren’t physically working.
Create Add-Ons for Online Bookings
Make campsite items like firewood or rentals available for purchase in the online booking process.
Drag-and-Drop Dashboard
Easily manage guest reservations with the drag and drop dashboard. Check-in campers, issue refunds, print parking passes, extend reservations, and add notes onto upcoming bookings—all from one grid.
Dedicated Support
Good Sam offers support across standard business hours for parks as well as weekend support when needed. We recognize that many campgrounds may need us on busy weekends so we constantly monitor email and chat. We also are in the process of implementing dedicated phone support, which will be live by September of 2021.
Dynamic Pricing
Increase revenue on popular weekends or create booking minimums during peak season. Our dynamic pricing allows you to tweak your pricing to maximize the revenue of your park.
Flexible Booking Rules
We built a platform that can handle the many nuances that define your campground. Software solutions include customizable check-in and check-out times, the number of nights that can be booked online, and guest options for choosing their site.
Interactive Site Map
You can create an interactive site map of your campground using a satellite view of your property. When a guest books online, they’ll be able to see your entire park, photos, and amenities at each campsite.
Management Reports
Over 20 customizable reports that help you track daily, weekly, and monthly revenue.
Marketing Packages
All inclusive access to our active Good Sam members assisting your Campground to reach more users more efficiently.
Mobile-responsive Booking
More than 60 percent of guests will book a site from their mobile devices. We make sure they can easily book no matter what screen they access from.
Online Reservations
Our reservation software will help you every step of the way from reservation to check-in.
Parking Passes
For every reservation, we create an automatic parking pass that you can print when your guests are checking into your park.
Point of Sale (POS)
Point of Sale (POS) system where a customer can pay for reservations online and receipts will be generated in print or electronically.
Quickbooks Integration
For campgrounds using Quickbooks Online, we have an automatic integration to sync your data in real time – making bookkeeping for your park far easier.
Web Builder
Create a professional website with our website builder. Choose a customizable template and add the features you need.
Good Sam Network
For the last 55 years, Good Sam has partnered with campground owners to grow their business through our integrated marketing strategies.
Whether it’s our circulation of 26 million annual publications, our 40 million social media engagements, or our 120 million unique online visitors, we’ll give your campground the traffic it needs to thrive.
Plus, with over 7 million active customers and Good Sam members, Campground Solutions will connect your park with more RVers than anyone else.
Finding the Right Software at the Best Price
While most online reservation systems come with decent reviews, at the end of the day, Good Sam Campground Solution is a free campground reservation system with more features and guaranteed reservations for park operators.
Want to get started?
Good Sam Campground Solutions provides several services to give campground owners like yourself the tools needed to run your business on your terms. Whether it’s marketing and advertising, online reservations, or access to a network of over 2 million RVers, Good Sam makes managing a park as easy as possible. If you’re ready to get started we can help! Request a demo today.
Well, there are about 16,000 campgrounds in the US and 40 million Americans RVing regularly. This means that even if every RVer camped for one night at a rate of $30, and we were to distribute them evenly amongst every park, campgrounds would still make $75,000 a year.
So, it’s definitely a favorable market for park operators.
But how much does a campground cost? Should you buy an existing park or build one from scratch? Where can you find parks for sale?
To get an accurate idea of what an RV park will cost, we put together a list of considerations and resources for prospective operators looking to make a purchase.
Buying an existing RV park.
In terms of upfront expenses and labor, buying an established campground will likely be an easier option, especially for first-time park owners. If you’re green to the market, here are a few things that will be helpful to understand.
Initial costs.
An established park, with infrastructure already built, costs between $100,000 to $2 million. It’s also safe to assume that some level of repairs and TLC will be required.
If you’re buying an RV park that’s already built, “the upfront costs might be higher, but your revenue might be higher as well.” Not including the cost of the property, a “campground business can cost around $10,000 to $50,000.”
Additionally, the cost of land ranges from $1,000 an acre to upwards of $10,000 for more desirable lots.
Cap rates.
A cap rate is a formula that shows you how long it will take for your campground to break even from your initial investment.
To find the cap rate, calculate the net operating income (NOI) and divide it by the property value. So, if your property is worth $2 million, and you have an NOI of $150,000, your cap rate would be 7.5 percent.
Cap rates in the campground market can range from 5 percent to 15 percent – with most parks falling between 8 percent to 11 percent.
Hospitality expert and campground owner, Heath Padgett, says that many campground owners “aren’t valuing their property based on capitalization rates,” meaning that you’ll have a decent return on investment if you can even slightly improve the process.
It’s worth noting that cap rates depend on location. For example, an 8 cap rate for a park outside of Seattle will mean something very different than an 8 percent cap rate in North Dakota. When comparing cap rates, look at parks in your area or similar regions.
Insurance.
“The average campground in America spends between $450-$1,500 per year for $1 million in general liability coverage.”
You can also find plenty of insurance resources through your local campground association.
Renovations.
Depending on the current state of the park renovation costs will certainly vary; however, it’s safe to estimate $10,000 to $50,000. That number can certainly escalate depending on whether you need to bring electricity up to code or fix any major systems within the park.
To cover your bases, make a point of hiring an inspector or contractor to examine your campground before purchasing.
Building an RV park from scratch.
While inheriting or fixing up an existing campground will likely be a less expensive way to go, you might find that existing parks don’t match your vision, and it’s still worth your while to build something from scratch.
If you’re breaking ground on a new build, make it a point to think through each of the following.
Land.
Obviously, the cost of land depends on what part of the country you’re in, however, the national average is about $3,000 an acre.
Licensing and permits.
While renewals and specific requirements vary from state to state, you’ll quickly find that with any new build comes the need for permits and licensing.
Whether it’s zoning, or support from others who have been in the weeds of constructing a park, joining a local campground association can save you from a number of headaches.
Cost per site.
We surveyed a few of our campgrounds, and on average it costs around $15,000 per site for full-hookups, gravel roads, and pads.
Slips can “range anywhere from $15,000 to $50,000 per site depending upon the amenities you plan to install.”
Electric.
Most of our campgrounds provide 15-amp, 30-amp, and 50-amp options along with outlets for 110/120 volts (which costs around $1,500 and $2,500 per site).
Water.
Drilling a 150-foot well can cost between $5,000 and $12,000 (not including the cost of piping), while city water hookups can cost around $1,200 per site.
Septic system.
You can generally expect that a site-by-site septic system requiring a tank and leach field plus piping to campsites will cost upwards of $40,000 altogether.
That being said, installing a dump station for guests will cut down your costs by 75 percent. However, you’ll be able to charge more per night if you provide full hookups.
Site development.
In addition to building out your sites, you’ll want to invest in asphalt, concrete, or gravel for leveling and paving out your roads as another big-ticket item for your park.
Number of sites.
Ten sites per acre is a general rule of thumb – not counting 5th wheels and other larger motorhomes. With that, it will cost about $15,000 per site to develop; so to get an idea of how much it will cost to build out your park, multiply your total acres by 10, and then by $15,000.
Buildings and infrastructure.
The reality is that if you’re starting from scratch, you’ll need to factor in more than just a few campsites with hookups. As you design and build out your park, think through office space, restrooms, cabins, and other permanent fixtures your guests will benefit from.
Restrooms.
Our survey results have found that a clean restroom with good water pressure is among the 10 most sought-after amenities a park could offer (according to guests), and will run you about $20,000.
Offices can range between $15,000 and $80,000, or $100 to $550 per square foot and will require a strong internet connection to manage reservations.
Also worth note, about 42 percent of professionals currently work remotely, meaning there could be an opportunity to double your office as a co-working space to attract more long-term guests.
High-speed internet.
Quality WiFi is easily one of the most worthwhile investments you could make, considering that 71 percent of RVers consider it to be an “essential” amenity.
If you’re looking at setting up WiFi at your campground, you can usually find a high-speed provider with a decent download speed for around $250 a month. Even if your campground is more rural, you shouldn’t have to pay more than $500 at the most, with an initial setup (routers, ethernet, wifi repeaters) around $3,000.
Websites for buying campgrounds.
Once you have an idea of what type of park you’re looking to invest in, make sure you go through the right channels with companies that understand the industry.
Here are four sites that can help find a park that’s right for you.
1. The Campground Connection
Based out of Grandville, Michigan, Campground Connection is a full-service, voice-to-voice consulting and marketing company based in Grandville, Michigan.
They exclusively work with campgrounds and RV parks, providing coaching and resources, along with the largest online marketplace for prospective owners.
2. RVParkStore.com
A resource for investors, owners, and travelers alike, RVParkStore also has a large list of RV parks and marinas, as well as plenty of industry insight to assist in your search.
3. Parksandplaces.com
With over 50 years of experience, the team at Parks and Places has been able to sell over 100 parks for owners and is another great option for those looking to buy.
4. Campgroundsforsale.com
Campgrounds for Sale has sold over 300 parks while providing workshops, blogs, and connections within the industry.
Procuring funding.
While campgrounds are a big investment, once you’ve found the right spot, there are plenty of ways to reasonably finance your park.
Seller financing.
This is where the seller of the RV park directly issues a loan to the buyer. The new owner will then make regular payments to the previous owner until the campground is paid off. The repayment terms and interest rates tend to be agreed-upon terms, and are recognized as a deed or mortgage.
Mortgage-backed securities and collateralized mortgage obligations.
Similar to bonds, mortgage-backed securities (MBS) allow a lender to issue a loan to multiple parties and bundle the loans together to sell to a larger bank. That bank will then sell the MBS to investors, who will then receive payments periodically.
Along the same lines, a collateralized mortgage obligation (CMO) is a variation of an MBS, where mortgages are assessed and bundled by risk and maturity dates. Investors will then fund those specific mortgages based on their level of risk-aversion.
Investors gravitate towards MBS and CMOs because it allows them to benefit financially without buying or selling a loan. Usually, MBS and CMOs are financed by banks, issuers, and hedge funds.
Conventional loan.
One of the more straightforward options, a conventional loan (or uninsured loan) can be obtained through a private lender and paid back by the new park owner. That being said, it also comes with fewer guarantees.
Credit union.
Albeit a more limited offering, credit unions offer lower interest mortgages with more personable service. Not to mention, it’s generally easier to get approved through a credit union.
Local banks.
While community banks provide a wider variety of loans, they’ll come at a steeper interest rate. Local banks, however, tend to offer more assistance and better customer service for prospective owners in the area.
Nonbank lenders.
If you’re uncomfortable going through a bank, you can also find a list of non-bank lenders with plenty of experience working with campgrounds.
Additionally, RVParkStore also provides its own mixed list of lenders.
SBA loans.
In general, SBA loans are flexible options.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) was designed to provide assistance for small businesses (including campgrounds), and offers loans with generous term lengths and capped interest rates.
You can also receive financing up to 90 percent of the park’s cost, as well as smaller options for down payments.
Helpful steps along the way.
Any park owner will tell you that no matter how simple of a process it is to buy a campground, things still come out of the woodwork. To ensure the smoothest possible process, take a few extra precautions along the way.
Review profit and loss statements for the campground.
A profit and loss (P&L) statement will show you the revenue and costs to give you an idea of how the park has performed over a fiscal year.
It’s probably in your best interest to go back through the P&Ls of the last few years to get a sense of what to expect. From there you’ll be better armed to think through how you can elevate the financial performance of the campground.
Get a land survey.
While it may not be required, it’s in your best interest to get the land surveyed.
You might find hazardous areas, restrictions, various legal elements, or levels of elevation that have gone unnoticed. Usually, a survey will last 5 to 10 years, so chances are the property could use it anyways.
Make a note to check for previous records (which should be available at the local courthouse or assessor’s office) and hire an experienced surveyor to make sure everything is copacetic.
Shadow the previous operators.
No matter how savvy you are, it’s just a good idea to understand how your predecessors ran the business. More likely than not, they’d probably be willing to show you around and give you an honest idea of what to expect.
Ask questions and consider how they managed reservations, what their obstacles are, or even just how the campground functions over a weekend. The more insight you have the better you’ll set yourself up for success.
Understand your guests.
Knowing your customers and how to best serve them will go a long way.
Take time to check reviews online and get a feel for what guests appreciate most about the park. Chat with the current owners or send out a survey to identify what demographics your park caters to. Do you have long-term guests? Do you have families? Do your guests want new amenities?
Start your relationships out on the best foot possible.
Negotiate the asking price.
Between closing costs, closings dates, and sales price, you’ll probably find there’s room for negotiation. It helps to have a real estate agent or broker involved with the process, but here are a few things to consider:
Sellers are more likely to work with you if you can get a mortgage in principle.
Research the actual market value of the campground on your own.
Market yourself as the ideal buyer (a real estate agent helps here).
Imply that you’re also looking at other campgrounds.
Start with a lower offer than what you’re willing to pay.
If they’re unwilling to budge on price, add in extra requests and see what they’re willing to match.
A campground is a great investment.
The reality is that buying a campground will serve you well.
To get an accurate estimate of how much you can expect to invest, add up the cost of the property, each and every additional site, buildings, and setup fees.
From there, evaluate your options financially and go through a website that specializes in campgrounds, while bringing in the right team to give your park a good foundation from the start.
With the right resources and financial backing, your campground is bound to thrive.
Ready to buy a campground?
If you’re in the market for a campground, Good Sam provides a number of campground services to give owners the tools they need to get their business off the ground. Whether it’s marketing and advertising, online reservations, or access to a network of over 2 million RVers, Good Sam makes managing a park as easy as possible. If you’re ready to get started we can help! Request a demo today.
From designing the park, setting up the internet, and all of the costs associated, park operators have plenty going on. The last thing an owner wants to deal with are zoning regulations slowing down your park’s build.
So, how do you go about properly zoning an RV park? What resources are there for zoning a campground? How do you get approval for your campground?
To get a better idea, we sat down with a few RV park owners and regional association members in order to put together a helpful list of best practices for zoning an RV park.
How to know if you have zoning laws.
There’s a chance your property could fall outside of any zoning laws, but it’s still best to be sure as there are many cases where businesses operating out of a physical location are required to have a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) confirming any building codes, zoning laws, and government regulations.
Here are a couple of ways to know what’s required for zoning an RV park in your area.
1. Join a campground association.
In general, it’s a good first step for new RV park owners to join their local campground association.
There are over 40 campground associations in the US and Canada, offering park owners:
Advocacy at local and national levels.
Industry expertise and discounts.
Marketing tools and resources.
Networking and support from other park owners.
Your local association has a good idea of what’s required for making sure your park is properly zoned.
2. Call your city or county office.
Laws for zoning a campground will vary from city to city. Calling the city zoning office is the simplest way to check on what’s required.
It’s also worth noting that coastal cities like San Francisco and San Diego have stringent laws. Midwestern and southern states will likely offer more flexibility.
Pulaski County in Kentucky, for example, has no zoning laws. A citizen can apply for a variance through the local planning commission to build outside the existing codes, though the IRC and local zoning regulations are in place.
If there’s a zoning commissioner in your county, they will know if there are any environmental concerns, land restrictions, or what municipal services are available. Not to mention, they’re going to get involved in your project regardless, so it’s a good idea to consult them early on and gain them as an advocate.
How to get approval for zoning verification.
More often than not, zoning an RV park is a pretty straight forward process. One of our campground owners shared that it was as “simple as submitting an online form.”
In most cases requiring verification, you can submit a request to a building inspector or zoning board, and they’ll approve or deny based on whether or not your property meets local requirements. Also, conducting a land survey and inspections on your own is a good way to hedge your bets on getting approved.
Should you be denied, you can still appeal the decision with your local zoning board. This will serve as a court of sorts, and they will deliberate as to whether or not the zoning laws are too stringent in your particular situation. In this case, neighbors and local businesses will often be asked to weigh in and help give the board a better understanding as to whether or not this will benefit the local environment and economic climate.
In some cases, park owners can change zoning for a campground.
Changes can be approved if you can show substantial proof that your land has physiological, environmental, or geological conditions that qualify for zoning classification (assuming it benefits the local city or county).
In this situation, you would likely need to pay for an application, as well as be able to show a deed, plot plan, tax information, and proof of a land survey. From here, your request would go before a zoning board (similar to an appeal), and they would likely call upon neighbors and local businesses.
You can see a similar process for reference from Logan County, in Colorado.
Zoning your campground.
While regulations differ across state and city lines, zoning doesn’t have to be a complicated process. To make zoning your RV park easier, make sure that you:
Join a local campground association.
Connect with your local city or county office.
Conducted surveys and inspections.
Submit an approval request with a local zoning board early on.
Keep all necessary documents handy (taxes, plot plan, deed, etc).
Following these steps will save you headaches and countless hours, and allow you to get back to focusing on building out your RV park.
If you’ve ever found yourself toying with the idea of starting a campground, the cards are in your favor.
As of late 2020, the campground industry reached $8.73 billion, making it one of the few industries that grew in spite of the pandemic. For RV park operators, it’s shown to be a sound investment, with campgrounds like Cypress Trail RV Resort quoting returns between 15 percent and 20 percent.
However, even though it’s a lucrative industry, knowing where to start can feel daunting. How do you design a campground? How much does it cost to operate an RV park? What are the best resources for campground owners?
Fortunately, there are a lot of places to turn for aspiring park operators, and setting yourself up for success is easier than not. So to consolidate your search, here’s how to start a campground business in four steps.
1. Research and design your campground.
Whether you’re buying an established park or building one from scratch, a well-designed campground could be an investment worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Make sure you start off on the right foot with a clear plan and a reliable team to get your park off the ground.
Visit other parks.
Take it upon yourself to visit other parks and get a sense for what they’re doing well. Jot down a few notes, take pictures, and consider their design. Think through the layout and spacing of their sites, the location of their office, or the ratio of RV slips to tent spots.
Try and build upon what you think they’re doing well, and leave space for improvements. If nothing else, ask questions of other operators and get an idea of what to anticipate.
Find your niche.
At the risk of sounding cliche, every park is unique; and since there’s no “one size fits all” formula, it’s important to identify what type of campground you want to be, and who you want to cater towards.
Are you going to focus on seasonal business, or will you cater to weekenders? Do you want to draw in more families, or would you rather not deal with kids? Should you include glamping and tenting options, or will you only cater to full-hookups?
Knowing your market will only help in knowing your design.
Make the right hires.
From idea to execution, surround yourself with the right team of people to give your park the best chance at success.
You’ll need a vetted design group in order to provide a clear path to your vision (as well as prevent costly setbacks), a reliable contractor to serve as a project manager, and a staff that can accommodate your guests and day-to-day operations.
Consider additional variables.
No matter how detailed and thoughtful your plan is, there’s almost always something that pops up along the way. Whether it’s zoning, drainage, or environmental concerns, you’ll need to get as granular as possible and have resources you can count on.
Generally a good contractor will help navigate most hiccups, but it never hurts to have more support. For additional resources, consider joining a local campground association or developing a positive relationship with your zoning board early on in the process.
2. Anticipate costs and procure funding.
Again, owning a campground can be a great investment…so long as you’ve done your homework. Here are a few considerations to ensure the biggest bang for your buck.
Costs to consider.
The cost of running an RV park can vary depending on size, location, construction, or whether or not you’re starting from scratch. That being said, there are usually a few things you can expect.
To get a ballpark of how much you can anticipate spending, add up your land costs, costs per site (factoring in the number of sites), building costs, and internet installation. From there you’ll have a pretty good idea of what you’ll need, but we also have a more comprehensive list of campground expenses to consider just in case.
Understanding financials.
Michael Elliott, aka the Campground CPA, says that a lot of new owners tend to drop the ball when it comes to properly understanding the financials behind a campground business. To give your park the best shot at success, be sure to study up on the following:
Capital expenditure budgets – to give you accurate numbers for future developments and expenses.
EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) – to find the industry-standard value of your campground.
Owner financing – a loan between the previous owner and the buyer of the campground.
Biggest expenditures for campgrounds – repairs/maintenance, and wages/salaries.
Profit and loss statements (P&L) – to see a campground’s cost and revenue during a fiscal year.
Expense ratios – total percentage of funds used for staff, marketing, and other related expenses.
Check out our conversation with Michael for more financial tips for campground owners.
Reporting and accounting.
Michael also mentioned that a lot of campgrounds fail to adequately record and track how their business is performing, and that “there are a lot of parks with no finances.”
For better forecasting, make sure you invest in a service like Quickbooks as well as a software that can tell you current occupancy, future occupancy, and prepaid deposits.
3. Create a unique campground experience.
The data is out, and 63 percent of consumers seek out experiences that they can’t find anywhere else. That same study listed “inspiration” and “meaning” as two of the most sought-out qualities a business could offer.
With that, here are a few ways your campground could go the extra mile in creating experiences not easily replicable elsewhere.
Invest in WiFi and amenities that guests want.
Before you build that new pool or add a playground, take some time to research what guests want out of their experience. We recently surveyed over 700 RVers asking them to tell us what amenities were most important to them.
Overwhelmingly, WiFi was considered “essential” (with quite a few RVers saying they’ll even pass on campgrounds that don’t provide adequate internet access), while trees, fire pits, and clean showers also made the top of the list.
The good news (based on our data), is that the most desirable amenities are generally pretty cost-effective, so you shouldn’t have to shell out too much to create a memorable experience for guests.
Provide unique accommodations.
Twenty-five percent of guests factor in a campground’s atmosphere in their decision to stay or return. Adding to that, a study found that “30 percent of North American travelers have glamped in the past two years,” and “59 percent of glampers go with their children, likely because glamping gives families the fun of the outdoors without the stress and hassle of traditional camping.”
Adding to that, it’s estimated a US market for glamping worth as much as $4.8 billion by 2025. This means that yurts, tiny homes, treehouses, or restored vintage campers could all be profitable ways to add a little pizazz to your campers’ stay.
More and more, owners are finding creative ways to utilize their property beyond just offering RV slips and or tent sites.
From breweries and distilleries like Devils Backbone and Shelter Point, wedding venues like The Hitchin’ Post, to even animal rescues like Discovery Wildlife Park (complete with bears, lions, wolves, and much more), there are a lot of ways to reimagine the use of your property.
Partner with local organizations.
In addition to joining a regional campground association, make it a point to identify local organizations and businesses in your community to bring your park more visibility.
Set up a booth at a festival, partner with a local business or non-profit, attend a trade show, facilitate local Scouts groups, or host community events (like outdoor movie nights or sports leagues).
It goes without saying, but the more your campground engages with the community, the more the community will engage with your campground.
Stay in touch.
Something as simple as collecting emails and reaching out could be one of the most profitable parts of your business.
A recent study that found email marketing is worth an average return of 4,300 percent, and that every $1 spent generates a little more than $44.
Make it a habit of creating mailing lists and collecting guest contacts whenever they book. Send them a thank you for staying, announcements for upcoming events, future discounts, and notes that let you know you’re thinking about them. Just make sure you don’t overdo it and spam them.
Give them the option to stay another day.
If you have extra spots, or the flexibility to move things around, consider giving your guests the option to stay an extra day. According to GuestReady.com, there are a lot of folks “who want to spend a week or two in a city and would prefer not to hop from Airbnb to Airbnb” or campground to campground. Maybe you could even make it a game and comp an extra night if they leave you a review or book in advance for next year.
Set a launch date.
Make the start of your campground a celebration! Just having a launch date can create a boost of revenue right out of the gate.
This past year, Athabasca County was able to take 150 reservations within the first hour, and more than 300 by day’s end. Their manager, Warren Vowel told us that “last year, it would have taken [them] more than 2 weeks and 3 staff members to call back and confirm all of the reservations that came in today.”
It’s not just them, as campgrounds like Lakeview Park are able to book most of their reservations for the year within the first 24 hours of making sites available.
4. Advertise your campground.
While there are a number of ways to market your park well, there are a few easy steps you can take to see results almost immediately.
Invest in quality photos.
We live in a digital age and we live in a visual age.
The reason? Well, there’s a few. Quality photos create trust, they make your park standout, and they tell a story.
Fifty-one percent of customers respond better to images of actual people “because they’re more authentic and trustworthy than brand-owned creative.” Guests want to be able to imagine what it’s like to stay at your campground before they actually do, so adding a few eye-catching images could go a long way.
Consider hiring professional photographers, as well as sourcing photos from guests to showcase your parks’ best qualities, and then take time to share them on your website and social channels.
Take online bookings.
If you want to grow your business and audience quickly, taking reservations online is the easiest and most effective strategy.
Phone calls and emails add up but, thanks to online reservations, our campgrounds save an average of 300 hours a year in administrative tasks, while bringing in an added 25 percent in yearly bookings.
Plus, membership programs like Good Sam grant access to features like trip planners, targeted searches, and can even account for more than half of some parks annual reservations.
Run paid ads on Google and Facebook.
The reality is that most of your (potential) guests are searching for RV parks online. Forbes says that “97 percent of consumers use the internet to find local businesses.” This means that campgrounds investing in pay-per-click advertising (PPC ads) will likely have better success than campgrounds who don’t.
Specifically, our campgrounds have gotten the most bang for their buck running ads through Google and Facebook. For context, Moz’s Brian Carter, says that, on average, it costs between $20 and $32 to reach 1,000 people in print ads, Google AdWords and Facebook can do the same for about $3.
Furthermore, there are currently at least 246 million unique Google users in the States alone, and targeted ads allow you to tailor to specific audiences to ensure the highest return possible.
Currently, about 92 percent of consumers read online reviews and make their decisions to stay accordingly. To give this some more teeth, a study found that campgrounds with 1 to 1.5 stars bring in 19 percent less revenue than other parks.
Now, it’s certainly worth stating that even great campgrounds receive unfavorable reviews, and to some extent that’s unavoidable. However, you can still mitigate damage and turn negative comments into positive interactions by making it a point to respond and (thoughtfully) engage with disgruntled guests.
By promptly connecting, empathizing, and doing what you can to make things right, 95 percent of unhappy guests will return to your campground. Even responding to happy guests has a direct impact on the bottom line, considering parks benefit from 4.6 percent more reservations for every 50 positive reviews your campground receives.
As you grow your campground be sure to keep an eye on these review sites, and make a genuine effort to kindly connect with guests regardless of their experience.
It’s a good time to start a campground.
There’s never been a better time to operate an RV park. The outdoor industry is growing faster than ever, and people are ready to create memorable experiences.
To ensure your campground’s success, be sure to take time to:
Research and design your campground.
Anticipate expenses and understand your park’s finances.
Create unique experiences for guests.
Advertise your campground.
Looking to get started?
Taking online reservations is an easy way to offload administrative work and allow you to focus on the things that make your park unique. If you’re ready to make the jump, Good Sam Campground Solutions can help. Request a demo today!
However, running a park can feel like a tall order. From managing reservations and staffing to maintenance and compliance, there are a lot of variables in this business. That being said, there are a number of campground management companies and services that can help; but how do you know whether they’re the best fit for your park?
What services do campground management companies provide? How much will it cost? What percentage of your business will you be giving up? How much control do you relinquish?
Whether you’re looking to grow your business or just take a little off of your plate, here are five questions to consider when hiring campground management companies.
1. What are your campgrounds’ goals?
Before you hire out to any other company or service, identify the goals and philosophy of your campground. From the design of your park to the type of guest experience you want to facilitate, it’s important to have a clear vision for your business.
How hands-on do you want to be with your property? Are you someone that wants to roll up your sleeves, or would you rather invest and manage from afar? Are you a mom-and-pop looking to make reservations easier on your staff, or are you a growing campground trying to keep a personable feel? Do you just want to maintain the size of your park and get out of the office a little more?
The benefit of campground management companies is that they’ll provide an all-in-one service for operating, marketing, and growing your park; and maybe bringing on an outside team would align perfectly with what you’re trying to accomplish.
If you want someone else to tackle the day-to-day and bring in business, they can be a great middleman, handling everything from staffing, training, to keeping your park compliant. Plus, if you’re eyeing retirement, a lot of management companies will even offer buyouts or gradual investment of shares, creating a natural off-ramp. However, this means fewer local hires and the risk of your park being managed by someone who doesn’t understand the culture you’re trying to create.
You might find that you only need a couple of services, or an extra hire to reach your goals. You know your business better than anyone else, and just because a full-service management company can “do it all” doesn’t mean it’s in your campground’s best interest.
2. How much are you willing to budget?
While it can be financially beneficial to operate an RV park, hiring out to a campground management company will eat into your profits.
On average, campground management companies cost around $30,000 a year (depending on the size of your park) and can take up to 30 percent of your revenue. Comparatively, campground management software, like what’s available from Good Sam, is only about $1,200 a year[1] (for non-members) and doesn’t eat into your profits.
The question really comes down to how much outsourcing your operation is worth, as bringing in a management company can still make financial sense for larger campgrounds looking to free up their plate.
3. What are the alternative solutions?
All of that being said, there are plenty of folks who successfully manage their own campgrounds. Whether you’re looking for softwares you can run in-house or teams to partner with, there are several à la carte options for park owners.
Reservations.
Reservation systems like Good Sam’s Campground Solutions take the heavy lifting out of running your park, allowing you to spend more time building out your business and connecting with your guests; from user-friendly tools and integrations for reporting and dynamic pricing to a drag-and-drop reservation grid that makes it easy to manage bookings and check-in campers.
This past year, 97 percent of Borden Bridge and Klahanie’s bookings came from online reservations, altogether eliminating the busy work of answering phone calls and emails; not to mention lowering cost considering Good Sam parks can get started for free (with guests only paying $1 per reservation).
Marketing.
There are a number of affordable ways to market your campground without having to break the bank. Consider joining a local campground association, leverage paid ads through Google and Facebook, or even teaming up with local RV dealerships.
If you really want to extend your reach, Good Sam provides marketing and advertising services for over 2,100 parks through the use of social channels, newsletters, and a network of over 2 million Good Sam club members.
Web design.
Statistically speaking, most guests are looking for your park online to decide whether or not they’ll stay.
Eighty-one percent of consumers research a business online before making a purchase. Adding a strong website could even grow your campground’s business by 15 to 50 percent, and quality photos could literally double your reservations.
The average cost of building a website is around $200, but there are plenty of free templates for you to build your own if you’re on a budget. If you’re looking for someone who understands the industry, RV Geeks and CIPR Communications have a lot of experience with park owners.
Finances.
When it comes to handling the finances of your park, Quickbooks is a great resource for small-to-medium campgrounds. With cloud-based packages for accounting, billing, and payroll, they can match your business needs; plus they have simple pricing plans ranging from $25 to $180 a month depending on the size of your park.
That being said, if you want to outsource accounting to a firm that deeply understands the RV industry, the team at Camp and Park Accounting provides focused services such as business consulting, cash flow analysis, and financial benchmarking. They’ve been in the industry for a while and can meet the needs of park owners in ways that traditional firms can’t. Understandably, their pricing structure is a bit more nuanced, however, they have customizable and affordable options based on the size of your business.
Making the right choice for your campground.
Full-scale campground management companies are able to provide the lion share of needs for campground owners, but they also come at a steeper cost. The question to ask is how much do you want to be hands-off, and how much of your profits are you willing to give up?
While handpicking individual services to help you run your campground requires more involvement, it also means more autonomy and fewer expenses. This will generally be a more attractive option for smaller and more mom-and-pop RV parks, but can also scale to larger organizations.
Regardless of where you land, make sure you have a clear understanding of your campground’s goals, how much you can afford, and what the alternatives are.
Want to get started?
As mentioned, Good Sam provides a number of services to give campground owners the tools they need to run their business without headaches. Whether it’s marketing and advertising, online reservations, or access to a network of over 2 million RVers, Good Sam makes managing a park as easy as possible. If you’re ready to get started we can help! Request a demo today.
Due to the pandemic, nearly 42 percent of the American workforce is currently working remotely. And by 2025, an estimated 22 percent of Americans will work remotely for good.
When it comes to camping, there has been a huge spike in popularity as a result of the pandemic. Some camping and glamping booking services were 400 percent busier than the same time last year.
With the rise in remote work, Americans are camping more often and staying longer—if they have decent Wi-Fi.
Which means if you don’t offer workable internet at your campground, you’re missing out on business.
The value of having campground internet.
According to outdoor internet expert Doug Rafferty, “Wi-Fi at an RV park is a MUST.”
Doug and his wife are full-time RVers and he’s been providing campgrounds like Charlie Brown with internet for years. According to him, successful campgrounds must have decent Wi-Fi and parks won’t continue to survive without it.
When it comes to bandwidth at an RV park, Doug says “the average campground just doesn’t have it right,” and that “Campgrounds will go out and spend $20k-$30k to build out a campground” but they often fail to invest in internet, and have terrible bandwidth as a result.
Our data validates Doug’s point.
In a survey of our own, 71 percent of RVers said that decent Wi-Fi was essential, and one of the most important amenities a campground could provide. We even had a few participants say that a lack of decent Wi-Fi was a dealbreaker, and reason enough for them to stay elsewhere.
Quality internet at your park is one of the most important investments you can make.
Before you decide to set up Wi-Fi.
Setting up the internet at an RV park can be daunting. Doug answered a few of our big questions on what to consider before setting up an internet provider.
How much will decent Wi-Fi at an RV park cost?
On average, you can find a high-speed provider with decent download speeds at around $250 a month. Depending on how rural your campground is, and the level of access to towers in the area, at the most you shouldn’t be paying more than $500 a month.
Should I charge for Wi-Fi at an RV park?
Doug says yes, and that “people are more open to it than before.”
A 2018 poll showed that 66 percent of guests would be willing to pay a daily rate for quality internet. There will be people who want to opt out, but as more and more millennials become full-time RVers, it is likely that paying extra for premium service will be expected.
It’s important to note that if you are charging extra for Wi-Fi that it should be high-speed access.
What if we’re a 100 percent leisure park? Do we still need good internet?
According to our survey, campers expect Wi-Fi that works at their campsite. They don’t expect blazing fast internet speeds, but they do want to be able to check email, load webpages, and share files.
Can I just offer Wi-Fi in the clubhouse instead of throughout the campground?
While working professionals would take advantage of an ethernet connection from the office, Doug found that “on average, a family will have two to three devices operating at the same time (per site).” Best practices suggest you should still have a signal strong enough to accommodate anyone throughout the park.
Best practices for Wi-Fi at an RV park.
Map out your campground.
Having a clear layout of your park will enable you to find all of the potential obstructions to a quality signal (trees, concrete, metal buildings, etc.) as well as the best and most central location for your router. A clear visual of the park will show you what to prioritize.
Invest in a quality wireless router.
When it comes to purchasing a wireless router, you’ll likely want to start with one labeled as Dual-Band, since Single-Band will be competing with bluetooth and cell phones, causing a greater amount of interference to your signal (and more campers complaining that the internet isn’t working).
If at all possible, put your wireless router or access point wherever it can have the widest and most unobstructed reach from buildings and trees, as these can all tamper with your signal.
Generally speaking, the center of your campground is probably the best place, pending any concrete or metal from nearby buildings.
When it comes to bandwidth, Doug says that campers don’t expect anything blazing fast, but that you should still have an average download speed of 5-10 mbps per site.
Doug said that even for his larger parks (100+ sites) this has been the perfect range, as there’s never a time where everyone will be online at once. A router that lists 802.11ac technology should serve you just fine. This will accommodate guests whether they need to work remotely or just stream Netflix.
To make your decision easier, PC Magazine also has a list of the best wireless routers to buy in 2021.
Strategically add a Wi-Fi range extenders throughout your park.
As mentioned earlier, even if you have a strong connection in your clubhouse or office, guests still want flexibility. One of the participants in our survey mentioned that “when [they’re] working, Wi-Fi and a place to sit down away from the rig is very important.”
Wi-Fi extenders (or repeaters) will boost your internet signal and allow it to reach more of your park. Once you’ve mapped out your park, pay attention to potential dead zones caused by obstructions and place repeaters accordingly to ensure more wireless autonomy for campers.
Business.org came out with a list of the best high-speed providers for small businesses. But if you’re looking to get started with a company that uniquely understands the campground industry, here are recommendations based on who our parks use:
If you’re looking to add value to your campground, adding quality wireless internet is the best place to start. Even if your hope is for guests to disconnect, as more and more working professionals become full or part-time RVers they’ll still need access to Wi-Fi, and won’t stay at your campground if you don’t provide it.
