In this episode of MC Fireside Chats, glamping industry experts discussed some of the operational and logistical aspects and challenges in the glamping space and how to create a unique space that offers a unique experience to guests.

Sara Gladstone, the founder and managing director of Glamping Innovations, talked about the UK’s glamping industry, its significant growth over the years, and how glamping businesses in the UK continue to innovate amid the ever growing market. 

As we dive into this episode, experts discussed the endless possibilities in the industry, seasonality, and how glamping owners can use its weaknesses and strengths. 

Zach Stoltenberg, a glamping design leader, highlighted that glamping is not so much about the accommodation as much as it is the experience, and how glamping operators continuously look for ways that they can really deliver a positive guest experience.

Over the years, the definition of glamping has constantly evolved, and more and more businesses continue to offer unique experiences to guests.

For the glamping industry experts, there’s no one-size fits all approach to handling a business, but the versatility of the industry helps them provide a better experience to guests. 

The glamping industry is continuing to innovate, with new and unique glamping accommodations emerging to meet the demands of consumers looking for luxurious camping experiences. The industry's growth is expected to continue in the coming years, driven by increased awareness and interest in glamping as a vacation option.

In this episode of MC Fireside Chats, outdoor hospitality experts discussed various trends and provided insights regarding the sector.

The discussion kicked off on how businesses can prepare for and come back from a long break like the recently concluded holiday break and how culture can define a company for its employees.

One way to reward staff for their contributions is to give them a break they deserve. The group noted that executives chose their work when they started the business and, therefore, may have to work during the holiday break.

“So it's different. Like, and I told this to people I talked to today. It's different for me. I'm the owner. I signed up to do it. Randy's the owner; he signed up to do it. Mark's the owner; he signed up to do it,” Brian Searl said.

Randy Hendrickson, Founder & CEO of the Intrepid Group, suggested improving the company's culture, including managing staff and creating a positive work environment and customer service. 

Casey Cochran, the Vice President of Business Development at Campspot Software, emphasized the importance of setting expectations for the reality of the day-to-day job of being an executive and owning a business and how this can benefit the company. 

Randy also pointed out that people stay with a company not just for the brand but for the managers leading them and that a healthy culture and leaders who reflect that culture is key to success. 

“It's also interesting, I mean, there's a number of studies I've read over the years that people don't always stay with the company because of the company brand itself. They stay because of the relationship they have with their immediate supervisor,” he said.

“And when you think about that, kind of makes a lot of sense, right? Because they're not reporting to the brand every day, they're reporting through their immediate supervisor. So there's also kind of a top-down thing. I think the culture is paramount, absolutely paramount.”

Casey noted that money matters as employees still need to make ends meet at the end of the day, and that incentivizing staff could lead to increased revenue for the company and improved behavior among the people.

Mark Koep, Founder & CEO of CampgroundViews.com, added that incentivizing staff encourages them to work more, not just the required deliverables and tasks assigned to them. 

Randy emphasized that a company's culture is not just about its size but about its mission. Casey also mentioned the importance of finding the proper role for staff members, considering their strengths and capacity to fill a need, especially during times of change. 

The discussion then shifted to how the RV Industry would fair this year. Mark said a recent RVIA report showed data that wholesale numbers are down as 2022 ends and asked if international tourists can either save or balance the numbers to help the industry.

Brian Searl, the host of MC Fireside Chats, mentioned that RV sales might be low, but they are still higher than pre-pandemic levels, according to an RVDA representative the show had last December 21. 

“[RVDA representative] said, you know, that yes, RV sales are down, but what they're really doing is normalizing from 2019 over pre-pandemic. Right. And maybe that's a buzzword; maybe it's not. I tend to believe him based on the numbers that I'm looking at. Cause you can see they're up still over 2019, even though they're down 50% now,” he said.

Randy emphasized that RVs are not just for camping but can also be used for traveling and accommodation while traveling around the country and that this trend is driven by demographic and customer behavior changes. 

Casey mentioned the impact of the shift to remote work on many businesses and the need for companies to adapt to this change in terms of finances and logistics.

“Now, I think all of us would agree that we're big components of remote work. But if that was to change, then I think you could maybe see, okay, this could affect our midweek stays even, you know, further because there's not as many people that are able to do kind of that flexible workspace,” he said.

This year has been a rollercoaster ride for the outdoor hospitality, outdoor recreation, RV, glamping, and campground industries. While the sectors had their fair share of struggles, they also celebrated victories and accomplishments.

In this year-ender episode of MC Fireside Chats, we brought back industry experts to look back and discuss learning points from this year.

Industry experts Connor Schwab, Scott Knepp, Jeff Hoffman, Phil Ingrassia, Curtis Hemmeler, Rich Schnippel, and Mike Harrison talked about the state of the campground and outdoor hospitality industry in 2022 and what they are looking forward to in 2023.

Jeff Hoffman, Founder of JH Consulting Solutions, reflects on how the industry fared in 2022.

Phil Ingrassia, RVDA’s executive director anticipates another busy year for the industry. Ingrassia said the final numbers for 2022 aren’t done, but the data projection for RV wholesale shipments is just under 500,000–a product of the normalization of production.

Curtis Hemmeler, President of RVTI, talked about the milestone the institute achieved as they continue to produce more certified RV technicians to solve the RV industry’s shortage of trained technicians and to implement metrics to track the RV customer experience.

Hemmeler proudly announced that by December 31st, RVTI has added over 1,200 trained and certified technicians.

Rich Schnippel, founder and president of Encore RV had seen a bright 2022 and anticipates challenges in 2023 due to economic uncertainties. Schnippel is hopeful that the economy will stabilize for the benefit of the industry.

Scott Knepp, director of operations at IVEE Group shared the impact of gas prices and inflation on consumer confidence.

Knepp believes the future looks bright and is hoping for normalization and stabilization in the industry.

CRR Lifestyle’s Mike Harrison looked at the challenges of this year and the uncertainties of the coming year as an opportunity for park owners to innovate, pivot, and think outside the box.

Connor Schwab of Sage Outdoor Hospitality highlighted the importance of tracking outdoor hospitality data for future park owners.

Overall, the guests reflected on the challenges and successes of the campground, RV, and outdoor hospitality industries in 2022 and look forward to the potential for continued growth and innovation in 2023.

They touched on topics such as the popularity of glamping, the impact of the pandemic on the RV industry, and the increasing demand for outdoor travel and experiences.

In this week’s episode of MC Fireside Chats hosted by Connor Schwab, glamping industry experts discussed how owners could utilize their properties to provide a unique experience to guests. 

We are joined by Boris Ryabov of Essential Steam; Ruben Martinez, the founder of Glamping Hub and the American Glamping Association; glamping and RV resort Design Leader Zach Stoltenberg; and John and Nancy Corcoran, the owners of Whispering Springs Wilderness Retreat.

As the glamping industry becomes more competitive, Martinez highlighted the importance of having and providing unique, sustainable, and genuine experiences to guests.

“It’s not just about amenities; it’s about how you [glamping owners] differentiate yourselves.

How do you create a unique experience?” Martinez added. 

For the Corcorans, one thing they’ve learned from operating a glamping facility is not to be afraid to branch out. Nancy and John utilize Whispering Springs to generate revenue with the help of wedding events. The couple is operating a high-end glamping experience that has seen a tremendous surge in reservations in the first year. 

They also shared how their business doubled year over year and how they continuously improve and upgrade. 

Glamping and RV resort design leader Stoltenberg emphasized that glamping is an immersive guest experience and how much involvement and support it takes to provide guests with the best experience. 

Ryabov of Essential Steam–a communal steam specialist, talked about the guided steam experience that offers communal experience–a combination of guidance and healing that create experiences and creates an environment that helps people experience healing properties. 

Essential Steam, which provides resorts, retreat centers, and communities with unique and novel outdoor steam spaces, will branch out to glamping and make the outdoor regenerative experience accessible to glampers. 

In this week’s episode of MC Fireside Chats, we welcome Jenna Celmer from Basecamp as a special guest host. 

Over the years, the RV, campground, and outdoor hospitality industries have seen significant growth. From primitive sites with no cell reception to reserving sites over the phone, campers can now experience the great outdoors by booking online to different accommodations based on their needs and preferences. 

Guest experts from the industry talked about experiential hospitality and the work culture in the RV and campground industries. 

Celmer asked the experts about their fondest memory of their time in the industry, and most of the experts shared how they started and how they fell in love with the industry’s work culture. 

Randy Hendrickson, founder & CEO of The Intrepid Group, shared that the industry’s “care gene” keeps him moving forward. 

According to Scott Foos, CEO & owner of Horizon Outdoor Hospitality, it is vital to have that team-first mentality and ensure that team members are well taken care of. 

“The more that you really think about investing in your team, and the more that you truly understand that your team drives your business,” Foos added.

The conversion focused on experiential hospitality and how the industry is gearing towards providing good customer service or guest service.

For RV Industry Consultant Sandy Ellingson, it is essential to understand the meaning of experiential camping to get the guests there.

“We are moving into a season where we are competing across so many different kinds of markets now, especially with the growth of glamping and some of the things we’re seeing there, that understanding the definition of experiential Camping and understanding what that is is super important just to help get the guests there for the first time,” Ellingson said. 

Mark Koep, Founder & CEO of CampgroundViews.com, emphasized that communicating with guests is important to provide a unique experience. 

Casey Cochran, vice president of Business Development at Campspot Software, talked about how creating a culture and providing the ‘experience’ starts within the staff and team members. 

In this special episode of MC Fireside Chats, glamping and camping industry experts from all over the world joined us to talk about the challenges they faced in developing their businesses and how they overcame them. 

This week’s special guests are Olja Nicholl, owner of Serbia’s first-ever glamping resort, Stephanie Bias of Camp Aramoni in Illinois, Italian Architectural Design Manager Giacomo Sanna, and Valentina Kožarić from Croatia. 

Nicholl shared how they started Lala Vineyard Glamping Resort, Serbia’s first glamping resort. She said she was inspired by United Arab Emirates’ growing glamping industry and decided to bring glamping to Serbia. 

For Nicholl, bringing glamping to Serbia was not an easy feat. Nestled in a landlocked country, they had to be resourceful and utilize the little natural resources they had to offer unique experiences to guests. Lala Vineyard started small and is now a glamping resort based on sustainability, local experiences, and wine production.

She highlighted that developing not just a glamping business but a community that continuously explores tries local, and collaborates with local suppliers is essential.

Sanna, an architectural design manager and architecture and parametric design consultant, talked about the struggles of bureaucracy affecting the glamping industry in Italy and how they develop new solutions that can help glamping businesses in the country. 

Kožarić, a front office manager for a camping and glamping resort in Croatia offering pitches for campers and mobile homes, said the camping and glamping industry in Croatia is growing. Since the company’s inception, they had to offer something different each year. 

Bias of Camp Aramoni shared how they struggled to define their identity. From glamping to luxury camping and now boutique camping. When asked what the future holds for them, Bias said they aim to create better, unique experiences, add more accommodations, and open year-round.

In this week’s Thanksgiving edition of MC Fireside Chats (MCFC), RV experts and enthusiasts discussed the recent events held to help people in the RV industry learn more about growing their respective businesses, and they also looked back to how much the industry has grown this year.

In this episode, MCFC Host Brian Searl is joined by RV Dealers Association President Phil Ingrassia and RV Women’s Alliance President Susan Carpenter, as well as special guests, Andy and Peggy Staver, the couple from Our Downsized Life.

The discussion started with Phil Ingrassia mentioning how the RV industry, specifically the dealership, are in a good position coming into the new year, with manufacturers adjusting to the new demand with the help of dealers as they get ready to reorder for inventory.

He also said that camping and RVing have never been more popular than it is now, with camping bookings and RV rentals remaining strong.

“[C]amping is an affordable way to have a vacation… There are a lot of people taking notice of the sector, more private equity money, real estate investments, campgrounds modernizing, and states looking at potential camping areas,” Ingrassia said.

Peggy Staver, who stepped down from her corporate career in 2016, mentioned she and her husband became full-time RVers in October of 2017 since Andy was a traveling nurse and found that living in an RV is a suitable way for them to travel for work while bringing their home everywhere they go, which eventually led to the creation of their channel, Our Downsized Life.

The couple shared their experience about the time they were traveling during the peak of the lockdowns of the COVID pandemic. Andy Staver said it was incredibly challenging since most campgrounds were closed while those that were open were usually at full capacity, making it difficult for him to find a place for his profession.

He said it eventually brought them to Nebraska, where an independent campground accommodated them during the rest of the lockdown.

The discussion shifted to the respective events of RVWA and RVDA. Susan Carpenter said the Alliance always wanted to do an education symposium and recognize the people in the RV industry who have made a difference. She also elaborated on the awards that were given to the individuals and groups during the event’s awards ceremony.

She said that awards did not focus on any specific segment of the industry, rather it recognized the contributions of the RV people as a whole. The event also held sessions that educated its attendees about the industry and leadership, as well as helped them network and learn from each other.

In turn, Phil mentioned the events that took place during the RVDA Convention this year. He said their James B. Summer Award, named after one of their past CEOs, was given to Brian Wilkins of Wilkins RV Inc. who has built his dealership from the ground up and has contributed to the industry.

Phil also said that they once again held another Dealers Satisfaction Index, where they surveyed multiple dealerships around the country about the performance of manufacturers and recognized them during the event.

When talking about dealers and leaders, Peggy and Andy shared an experience they once had with a dealership that helped them every step of the way to repair a broken appliance in their RV, servicing them as much as possible.

“Most RVs need specific products made specifically for RVs, then there are some that accommodate any product, and having a dealer to help people with issues that require [this particular] expertise is an important aspect for dealers… Servicing what they sell. The most successful dealers are full-service [dealerships] with individuals helping their customers,” Phil said.

The group then shared what they are grateful for this year and what they are looking forward to in 2023. Susan said that she is looking forward to a smooth-flowing year and getting back to a form of normal after two years of challenges from the pandemic.

Phil said he plans to keep moving forward and keep focusing on things that can help the industry grow, as well as start some projects that were postponed due to the pandemic.

The Stavers shared that they have always liked meeting people in the campgrounds they stay at, keeping in touch with them even years after. They look forward to meeting and sharing with the people in the community, as well as nurturing their new careers as freelancers helping RV parks grow.

Brian Searl also shared that he is keen to learn more about the technology and practices in marketing that can help businesses in the industry grow, showing that it has more potential than people think.

This week on MC Fireside Chats, this special edition of the show takes place at this year’s KOA Convention & Expo! Podcast host, Brian Searl, is joined by KOA campground owners around the country.

KOA President & CEO Toby O’Rourke, Brigham City KOA’s James Settlemire, KCN Campgrounds’ Nate Thompson, Sandusky/Bayshore KOA’s Jeff Hoffman, and Raton, New Mexico KOA’s Grant Robertson joined today’s show, discussing KOA’s and the camping industry’s direction in the future.

The show kicked off with Toby O’Rourke telling KOA’s new direction and mentality moving forward, especially since the organization recently experienced its best year in their history.

She said it was time to look back and “think like a start-up” company once again since they have been in business for 60 years. It could help KOA learn how they can keep growing as an organization and “be mission-driven.”

She added that the companies that started at the same time as they did 60 years ago are no longer in business, so they don’t want KOA to be disrupted and go out like the others.

She believes it’s best to keep looking for ways to improve. She mentioned some future projects of the organization, like ideating new technology, data analysis, and other equipment that can help them and their franchisees go to the next level.

The discussion continued with Jeff Hoffman explaining the status of his KOA and its ongoing plans, then his recent experience in the event’s session, especially how deserving the campgrounds who won this year’s awards in the KOA awards show.

James Settlemire said KOA has always been hands-on when it comes to supporting the operations of its franchisees and their entrepreneurial spirit. And, how the conference was always about the people in the industry, giving them to keep up with change and adapt to recent times.

As a first-timer in the convention, Nate Thompson shared how impressed he was with KOA and their use of data analytics, determining their best course of action. He said he wants to keep using the organization’s support and technology to help grow and improve his campground.

As someone who’s been going to the convention for 20 years, Grant Robertson said that people are becoming increasingly interactive with each other, sharing how their respective campgrounds improved through the years.

“They dont ask franchisees to change without trying some actions first. KOA doesn't demand change [immediately]. They first suggest action plans and what could work, helping [franchisees] slowly but surely adapt to the changing times without disrupting them too much,” he said.

He said KOA has been supportive and meeting the expectations of their franchisees and customers, giving each the best experience possible. The current KOA makes them feel valued and provides value in the work they do.

Nate shared that he loved the startup mentality since he started in a few tech companies in the past, understanding the direction. He has lived the experience of trying something new then keep it if it works, then moving forward if it failed. It allows them to learn.

James. the guests coming in has changed, and they are not just staying in their RV, they want to go around the area and experience the outdoors. He likes the experience of trying something new and learning from it. He is excited about how KOA will understand the new guest demographic coming in their campgrounds.

Jeff said KOA does a great job helping their people, from the new members to the old. They provide the support they need. They are an innovative company always looking to new things to grow.

He said People in the organization are leaders not followers. All their operation systems need to keep growing and he loves the data they receive to show them what works.

One of the great things about KOA is that he gets to sit down and chat with other indutry members and discuss the technologies, amenities, and ideas that could help them grow. They share information to help them thrive.

This week on MC Fireside Chats, glamping experts joined another discussion on topics surrounding the glamping industry. Recurring guests Ruben Martinez, the founder of Glamping Hub and the American Glamping Association, and Irene Wood of Fields of Michigan joined today’s show.

They are also joined by new recurring members of the show, Zach Stoltenberg, the Glamping & RV Resort Design Leader at Clockwork, as well as Connor Schwab, the Vice President of Outdoor Hospitality at Sage Outdoor Advisory.

Irene Woods started off the show with the learnings she gained as the camping season comes to a close.

She said that they moved a few levers to see what benefits their operations the most, which considers a luxury that other campgrounds do not have.

Woods mentioned that Fields of Michigan tried two things, which she learned something from. First, she learned that it is important but difficult to meet the guest’s expectations while still providing a good experience, such as adjusting their accommodations to improve their customer experience.

Second, they tried to have an adults-only policy, then allow guests to bring their children. She realized having adult-only guests bring in more revenue compared to allowing them to bring children to the sites. She said adults pay more to maximize their experience in the campsite, while families have to go outside to entertain the kids.

Ruben Martinez agreed with woods, saying that there’s a certain category of questions that camping operators ask, such as “to be family-friendly or not?”, “What food and beverage to have at the campsite?” or “What amenities to offer?”

“As soon as you try to be everything, that’s when you become nothing,” he said. “Find what's perfect for you and stick with it. You can't always be everything, you have to choose when it becomes hard down the line.”

The show then had a special guest, Tent Masters Sales Director Steven Woodburn, who shared some perspective on the Glamping industry, as well as provided a tour of one of their latest tent models.

He said that the outdoor hospitality industry has been on the rise, and during post-covid, it has gone full throttle.

He added that older generations go on camping trips with families, but with the growing demographic, people from different backgrounds, who are wanting to experience nature, see camping as the perfect opportunity. The industry is all about experience.

When asked about the things that changed how campground owners operate this year, Zach Stoltenberg said, on the architecture side, they’ve got clients this year who are first-timers in operating campgrounds, inquiring about how they can continue operating in the winter season.

Seasonal camping season may become another option, as some campgrounds begin to accommodate guests all year round, operating even in cold weather. Zach said that they provided tips to their clients on how they can keep operating in these cold temperatures in the short run.

Connor Schwab said winter camping is something that campgrounds may see guests wanting to experience, and they would have to come up with solutions for them to accommodate them, even if not a lot of people would be doing it.

Woods said that as people continue glamping, one of the things that they did is keep the staples of their campgrounds, especially to maintain their loyal guests.

She said improving the guest experience by either leveling up or “being creative with the space” they have is essential, like readjusting, reusing, or re-invigorating it. They had constantly reuse the space in unexpectedly creative ways

Martinez said the industry’s growth will always be made by the people looking to set themselves apart from others. Winter camping, for instance, is something that would keep campsites open all year compared to seasonal camping. It is what may keep operations open moving forward.

Zach said he agreed with Irene when she said they had to meet their guests from where their expectations were. Campground owners are selling the experience, not the accommodations, and that thought is what makes good operators.

In this episode of MC Fireside Chats, outdoor hospitality experts discussed various trends and provided insights regarding the sector. 

In terms of how the season went, Casey Cochran, Vice President of Business Development at Campspot Software, said that for the overall numbers, from the reservation standpoint, they had seen less reservation and occupancy compared to 2021.

Cochran, however, noted that from a revenue standpoint, the season saw a success. 

People are willing to spend for an experience. This is what Randy Hendrickson, Founder & CEO of The Intrepid Group, said. He also discussed the difference between experiential hospitality versus traditional hospitality. Hendrickson emphasized that people are spending for experience and that the industry is more than just a place to stay. 

“It’s not just about the place to stay. It’s a whole lot more than just where to go. It’s about what you can do over and above,” Hendrickson said. 

Scott Foos, CEO & Owner of Horizon Outdoor Hospitality, highlighted that the sector had higher aspirations in 2022 than what came to be. Foos added that in order to sustain the new folks coming into the market, parks and campgrounds should allocate some operating expenses to more experience-driven amenities that will give additional value to people’s stays.

Foos gave tips on how park owners and operators can utilize the community in bringing a better guest experience, including finding a local event calendar and creating Facebook events. He also added that partnering and locating local event hosts and investing in experiences go a long way in sustaining mom-and-pop campgrounds. 

Mark Koep, Founder & CEO of CampgroundViews.com, added that post-COVID travelers travel differently and noted that markets change, so while some might prefer a traditional outdoor hospitality experience, some might want a different experience. 

“The reality is markets change,” Koep said.

RV Industry Consultant Sandy Ellingson said a significant number of parks are still not utilizing technology. She added that parks should use technology that works for them, target what their park appeals to and figure out what’s closer to them.