New KOA Campground Slates Grand Opening

The Murphy/Peace Valley KOA Campground in Marble, N.C., the newest addition to the 475-park Kampgrounds of America system, will be hosting its grand June 17-19.

The grand opening weekend will begin with a ribbon cutting at 11 a.m. on June 10. Saturday’s events include arts and crafts, numerous giveaways, face painting, a fishing tournament, games for dads and kids, an ice cream social, an outdoor movie and pancake breakfast.

On June 19, campers can take part in a church service featuring Pastor Jeff of the Mountainview Community Church.

Campers will enjoy shaded RV and tent sites along the Valley River, as well as four luxurious lodges. At the campground, guests can wade into the water to cast their lines for trout in the stocked river or rent a tube and go on a lazy river float. They can also take a dip in the pool, visit the game room, pitch horseshoes or play volleyball. Pets are welcome, and there is even a one-acre fenced pet play area.

The campground is just a short drive from exciting whitewater rafting on the Ocoee River (Class III and IV rapids) or the mild, family-friendly Nantahala River. Guests can take a scenic ride on the Cherohala Skyway, visit Fields of the Wood Bible Park or join in a class at the famous John C. Campbell Folk School.

Fayetteville/Wade, N.C., KOA to Host RV Show

The Fayetteville/Wade KOA Campground and Bill Plemmons RV World are teaming up for a special RV show May 13-15 at the campground at 6250 Wade-Stedman Road in Wade, N.C.

More than 15 new travel trailers, fifth-wheel units and motorhomes will be available for inspection during the three-day event, according to a news release.

The event will also serve as a celebration for the completion of nearly seven months of renovations and improvements at the Fayetteville/Wade KOA, according to manager Tom Dreyer.

“We’re happy to announce that we’ve doubled the size of the KOA,” Dreyer said. “We now have 160 full-service sites available for our local, regional, national and international travelers.” Other improvements at the spacious campground include a second swimming pool with bathhouse, laundry facility and pavilion.

The Fayetteville/Wade KOA Campground is an award-winning campground in the North American KOA system, which now totals 475 locations. The KOA is a favorite spot for campers traveling along Interstate 95, and its proximity to Fort Bragg makes it popular with military personnel and those working in the Fayetteville area.

The RV Show will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. Campers are urged to make their reservations for this special event as soon as possible by calling (800) 562-5350 or visiting www.KOA.com.

The Fayetteville/Wade KOA is managed by Tom Dreyer, and operated by RV Management Services Group, which also operates the Richmond North/Americamps, Virginia KOA and the Pine Grove/Twin Grove Park KOA in Pennsylvania.

KOA Exec to Campgrounds: Market to Minorities

Park operators aren’t doing enough to attract a diverse business base that reflects America’s changing demographics, said Larry Brownfield, a senior business development consultant for Kampgrounds of America Inc. (KOA).

“Do we want to survive?” Brownfield asked Tuesday (May 3) during an educational workshop at the spring meeting of the Texas Association of Campground Owners (TACO). “We’ve got to be aggressively targeting ethnic diversity.”

According to a news release, Brownfield shared a KOA handout that included 2010 Census data showing that white Caucasians account for only 66% of the U.S. population, while African Americans and Hispanics make up 17% and 12% of the population, respectively. Five percent of the U.S. population is Asian.

White Caucasians represent 87% of American campers, however, according to a 2009 Outdoor Foundation survey, while Hispanics, African Americans and Asians represent a mere 6%, 3% and 4%, respectively.

And if you fast forward to 2050, the U.S. Census estimates that white Caucasians will account for only 46% of the population, while Hispanics, African Americans and Asians will account for 30%, 15% and 9%, respectively. “It’s a wakeup call for us,” Brownfield said.

Addressing other topics, Brownfield noted that today’s consumers are increasingly demanding and more informed than ever, thanks in part to the Internet. We are living in an “experience economy” and park operators need to pay attention to the type and quality of experiences they offer their guests. “It’s the value that the experience holds for the individual that determines the worth of the offering,” he said.

Brownfield added that KOA owners or managers who meet with their guests receive much higher guest satisfaction scores than those who do not, according to KOA’s Kamper Satisfaction Surveys.

Park operators also need to pay attention to their pet friendliness. Brownfield noted that families account for 26% of KOA’s Texas campers, while campers traveling with pets account for 41%. Nationally, families account for 34% of KOA’s guests, while people traveling with pets represent 35%.

Brownfield was one of several campground industry experts who gave educational presentations at TACO’s Spring Convention Tuesday at Guadalupe River RV Resort in Kerrville.

In addition to providing a keynote address, Lori Severson of Severson & Associates and the Wisconsin Association of Campground Owners led a class on maximizing employee potential, while Casey Erick of McKamie Krueger LLP held a session titled, “Facing Legal Challenges.”

Wade Elliott of Utility Supply Group talked about strategies park operators can use to provide recharge services for travelers with electric cars and Bob MacKinnon provided updates on the GuestReviews online survey program as well as a session on how to deal with a negative review. Michael Moore and Matt Taylor from Texas Advertising also led a marketing session titled “Playing the Google Game.”

KOA Sponsor ‘American Backyard Campout’

Kampgrounds of America Inc., the world’s largest system of family friendly campgrounds, is now an official sponsor of the National Wildlife Federation’s (NWF) annual “Great America Backyard Campout” event.

The Great American Backyard Campout, planned for Saturday, June 25, will bring thousands of people across the nation out into their backyards, neighborhoods, communities, parks and area campgrounds to take part in a one-night event that will provide an experience for all generations to connect with nature, according to a news release.

“The solution for many of society’s current challenges, including obesity and stress, can be found outdoors,” said Kampgrounds of America CEO Jim Rogers. “We’re thrilled to be able to help National Wildlife Federation in their efforts with the Great American Backyard Campout.”

No prior camping experience is required to take part in the June 25 event. Campers are encouraged to go to www.backyardcampout.org to register their campout and receive creative ideas and simple cooking recipes to enhance their Great American Campout experience.

Campers taking part in the event are also encouraged to take pledges to raise donations for National Wildlife Federation programs that address the problem of America’s “indoor childhood’ and the health risks associated with a lack of outdoor activities. The National Wildlife Federation uses 80 cents of every dollar raised during the Great American Backyard Campout to support children’s outdoor programs.

The Great American Backyard Campout is part of the special event series from National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There movement. National Wildlife Federation is celebrating its 75th anniversary as America’s largest conservation organization. National Wildlife Federation works with more than 4 million members, partners and supporters in communities across the country to protect wildlife and reconnect people with nature. Today, 75 years and many successes later, NWF continues to be the nation’s leading advocate for wildlife and wild places.

A second co-sponsor of the event is REI (Recreational Equipment Inc.) the world leader in retail recreational equipment sales and service. Both REI and KOA are committed to the success of the Great American Backyard Campground event, and National Wildlife Federation’s mission regarding youth-oriented programs.

KOA’s Lodging Up 90% Over Easter Weekend

The latest Easter Weekend in 68 years, coupled with rough weather in several parts of North America, led to mixed camping results during the holiday weekend, according to Kampgrounds of America Inc. (KOA)

But KOA Lodge camping was a sure bright spot, with an increase of 90% in lodge camping nights compared to the same calendar weekend in 2010, according to a KOA news release.

“This year, Easter was three weeks later than in 2010,” said KOA CEO Jim Rogers. “That makes an ‘apples-to-apples’ Easter holiday week comparison very difficult.”

In 2010, the earlier Easter weekend was just at the end of the traditional “snowbird” winter camping season in the South. The earlier Easter in 2010 led many “snowbird” winter campers to stay around for the 2010 Easter holiday.

This year, with Easter falling during the fourth weekend in April, most snowbird campers had already headed north. That resulted in Easter Week 2011 numbers falling below camping totals for Easter Week 2010.

“But, when we compare the 2011 Easter week to the same one-week calendar period in 2010, we see an increase of 9% in overall short-term camper nights, a 30% increase in KOA Cabin nights, and a 90% increase in KOA Lodge nights,” Rogers said.

KOA Lodges are luxury camping accommodation units now available on nearly half of KOA’s 475 locations that include full bathrooms and kitchens. KOA Kabin and Lodge units open the camping experience to new segment of campers who may not own a recreational vehicle or traditional tenting equipment.

Staying in an accommodation such as a KOA Cabin or Lodge also saves on fuel costs, since campers can drive their smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles to their area KOA, where they still receive a traditional camping experience with all of the comforts of home.

Another factor affecting Easter holiday camping results was a pattern of severe weather that spawned thunderstorms and some tornadoes from the Texas gulf coast to New England. But, that didn’t slow things down in KOA campgrounds such as the Williamsport South/Nittany Mountain KOA in Pennsylvania, owned by Michelle Strock.

”We had more than 30 kids for our Easter Egg hunt,” Strock said. “Luckily, we have a huge indoor recreation hall, so the rain really wasn’t a factor.”

At the sunny San Diego Metro KOA in California, all of the campgrounds Cabin and Lodge units and tent sites were rented, and a plethora of events kept campers – and the Easter Bunny – hopping.

“We started the weekend with Easter arts and crafts, then our hay ride, then an outdoor movie, a pancake breakfast on Saturday, and a massive Easter egg hunt with 750 eggs,” said owner Clint Bell. “Easter was very, very good.”

“The bottom line is that 9% more camping families stayed with us last week than during the same week in 2010,” Rogers said. “That bodes very well for the rest of the 2011 summer camping season.”

The next “big event” at Kampgrounds of America is the annual KOA Come Kamp & Care With Us Weekend event May 13-14 at participating KOAs across North America. Campers who stay as paying guests on Friday, May 13, will receive a free night of camping on Saturday, May 14. The event also serves as a fundraiser for KOA Care Camps for children with cancer. KOA campers will have a chance to help raise donations on May 13-14 to help send children with cancer to one of 44 specialized summer camps in North America.

KOA’s ‘Kamp & Care’ Weekend Set May 13-14

Thousands of North American camping families will head to their favorite Kampgrounds of America locations again in May for the 8th Annual KOA Come Kamp & Care With Us Weekend, set for May 13-14.

Last year, more than 25,000 camping families stayed at nearly 400 participating KOA campgrounds in the U.S. and Canada, according to a news release. The event, created in 2004, provides a free night of camping on Saturday, May 14, to all campers who stay as paying guests on Friday, May 13.

KOA campgrounds have several fun events planned that are designed to both entertain campers and help raise funds to support KOA Care Camps, a system of 43 specialized summer camps around North America that provide a true summer camp experience for children with cancer and their siblings. Last year, more than $370,000 was raised during the Come Kamp & Care With Us event to benefit KOA Care Camps.

“This event is a wonderful way for our campers to start their summer camping seasons, and at the same time help raise money to send these very special kids to great summer camps,” said KOA CEO Jim Rogers. “This event has proven to be extremely popular with both our KOA franchise owners and their campers, and we’re happy to offer it again this year.”

Campers can to go www.KOA.com to see a list of participating campgrounds and make their reservations. Some campgrounds will be offering their kabins and luxury lodges for the event, so campers are encouraged not to wait to make their reservations.

Keystone RV/KOA Launch 2011 RV Giveaway

North America’s largest producer of recreational vehicles is partnering with the continent’s largest camping company for the 2011 “Kamping in Style” RV Giveaway.

The contest, sponsored by Keystone RV Co. and Kampgrounds of America Inc. (KOA), will present one lucky winner with a fully equipped 28-foot Keystone Springdale camping trailer. The winner will also receive 10 free nights of KOA camping at any KOA location in North America, according to a news release.

“This is a great opportunity to reach out to millions of active camping families,” says Bob Martin, president of Keystone RV. “Keystone offers a tremendous variety of travel trailers, fifth-wheel trailers and toy haulers ideally suited to the KOA lifestyle. We anticipate qualified sales leads to surge and sales to increase as we actively reach out to the vast KOA audience through different media including web sites, KOA social media, and KOA Kampground displays. The KOA camper, our dealers and Keystone will all benefit from this promotion.”

Consumers can enter to win the Springdale RV and the KOA camping package by visiting the web site: www.Keystone-KOA-Giveaway.com. Contest rules and limitations are listed on the online contest entry page.

Keystone RV is the nation’s largest producer of travel trailers and fifth-wheels, with manufacturing facilities at its headquarters in Goshen, Ind., as well as Pendleton, Ore. Keystone is a subsidiary of Thor Industries Inc., Jackson Center, Ohio, the world’s largest manufacturer of recreation vehicles and a major builder of commercial buses. For additional company information, visit www.Keystonerv.com.

KOA, founded on the banks of the Yellowstone River in Billings, Mont., 1962, is now the world’s largest system of open-to-the-public family campgrounds. KOA has 475 locations in the United States and Canada. You can follow KOA on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/KOAKampgrounds.

Bedbugs: Old Problem Resurfaces in RV Parks

Who could have believed a few years ago that one of the better attended seminars at Kampground of America Inc.’s (KOA) International Convention in Savannah in November would have addressed the squeamish topic of bedbugs?

It’s a problem that had receded along with the World War II generation, but has again reared its ugly little head in a wide variety of places – restaurants, insurance companies, churches, office buildings and, yes, RV parks and campgrounds as more of them cater to park models, cabins and a variety of new lodging concepts.

A study conducted in July by the National Pest Management Association and the University of Kentucky found almost 20% of exterminators had been to workplaces for bedbugs vs. 1% three years ago.

“We are dealing with bedbugs one case at a time,” explained Mike Atkinson, director of lodging for Kampgrounds of America. “The campground industry in the United States is not heavily infested as a general rule. KOA in particular has had only minor issues.”

But that doesn’t rule out the need for campground owners to become educated about what Atkinson refers to as very industrious little bugs, samples of which, floating in vials of formaldehyde, were passed around to the seminar attendees.

“We need to be on top of this issue and handle it properly so we can be a bedbug-free industry,” he said. “The lack of education is the source of our fear. Once you have a little bit of knowledge about them you don’t fear them.”

Bedbugs, which dine on human blood, were previously eradicated in the United States, but have slowly come back over the last 30 years mainly due to overseas travel and the ban of the chemical DDT.

“Bedbugs are a fascinating little creature, actually,” Atkinson said. “They will only live within about five feet of a meal – in close proximity to beds. They sense the carbon dioxide people exhale so that is why they come out at night. We emit carbon dioxide continuously while we sleep. They inject a little anesthetic before they bite and that is why victims don’t wake up to the biting.”

These hardy insects can go without a meal if they have to for up to 18 months.

“What we were trying to figure out is the eradication technique that would work the best at campgrounds,” Atkinson said.

When Atkinson began reading articles about the issue he came across a common denominator – Wayne Walker, senior pest controller at the University of Florida, who wound up as the presenter of KOA’s bedbug seminar.

At the University of Florida, where there has been a bedbug issue within married housing, Walker developed and openly endorsed a unique process utilizing Nuvan ProStrips for dorm room size, which is also ideal for cabins at campgrounds.

Nuvan ProStrips, made by Amvac Chemical Corp., Axis, Ala., are hung up and vapor off bedbugs and other pests. The active ingredient is dichlorvos (DDVP).

“There is a specific technique for use in a small area, like a cabin or a lodge,” Atkinson said. “It kills them in all life stages. It is not harmful to humans. It takes about 48 hours and campground owners can re-rent the cabin. There is no danger, no residual in the air. We have seen it be 100% effective so far.”

Atkinson said campgrounds can use it freely, although it’s not available for use in New York or Connecticut because of restricted use on pesticides.

Visit www.amvac-chemical.com/nuvan_prostrips_labels.html for more information on Nuvan ProStrips. Visit www.bedbugregistry.com to see a listing by state of lodging where bedbugs have been found.

New KOA Directory Features Microsoft Tags

Campers flipping through the pages of the all new printed edition of the 2011 Kampgrounds of America Directory will now be able to use Microsoft Tag technology and their smart phones to access enriched content such as photographs and special deals on the Internet, according to a news release.

“Adding nearly 500 Microsoft Tags to our new directory gives our campers a way to directly access more information about our campgrounds than we would ever be able to print,” said Mike Gast, vice president of communications for Kampgrounds of America Inc. (KOA). “Our directory includes more Microsoft Tags than any other publication, and we’re very proud of that fact.”

Microsoft Tag is a kind of customizable 2D barcode that can be displayed anywhere and connects almost anything in the real world to information, entertainment and interactive experiences on a mobile phone. They can be black and white or color. Tags are scanned using the free downloadable Microsoft Tag Reader on a smart phone (available at www.gettag.mobi).

“We’re excited that Kampgrounds of America is using Tag to extend their directory beyond the printed page,” said Bill McQuain, director of Tag product management at Microsoft Corp. “Microsoft Tag makes the world around you clickable, and now with the scan of Tag in KOA’s directory, campers will unlock even more information and a rich interactive experience.”

The new KOA directory, which also includes more than 20 popular camping recipes from the test kitchens of Better Homes & Gardens, is currently available at any open KOA location in North America. Directories have also been shipped directly to the homes of campers who are members of the KOA Value Kard Rewards program.

The directory includes complete descriptions of all 474 KOA locations in North America, as well as detailed driving directions and locator maps. Each campground listing includes a Microsoft Tag that will take campers directly online to view additional content about each campground, such as photographs, videos and up-to-date “Hot Deals” at each park.

“We chose the Microsoft Tag technology because we are quickly able to change a Tag’s destination on the Internet, if need be,” Gast said. “Tags allow us to keep the experience fresh for our campers. This is just the beginning of the blending of our printed Directory and our online content.”

In the next few weeks, KOA will be adding a digital, downloadable edition of the directory to its KOA.com website.

“This will give our campers a paperless alternative to the printed Directory,” Gast said. “They will be able to download all 250 pages of the Directory right to their computers or mobile devices, and take it with them on their travels.”

You can follow KOA on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/KOAKampgrounds.

More information about how Microsoft Tag can power digital marketing is available at http://tag.microsoft.com. People can follow the Tag community on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/microsofttag or on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/microsofttag.

33 KOAs Named to Woodall Top Park Listing

Woodall Publications Corp has included 39 Kampgrounds of America Inc. (KOA) parks in North America on its annual list of top-rated campgrounds and RV parks, according to a KOA news release.

That total is more than any other camping company in the U.S. or Canada placed on the list, according to officials at Woodall’s.

The 5W/5W top rating from Woodall’s allows recreational vehicle owners and campers to search and find the top-rated RV parks and campgrounds that meet their travel needs, according to Joe Daquino, senior vice president and publisher for Affinity Group Inc.’s (AGI) Affinity Media Division, the parent company for Woodall Publications.

“Privately owned campgrounds and RV parks covet the 5W Woodall’s rating,” Daquino said. “It’s valued as the industry’s longest running standard, and most respected rating system.”

A total of 333 campgrounds in North America received the 5W/5W rating for 2011 and are listed in the 2011 Woodall’s North American Campground Directory.

“It’s gratifying to have an outside authority such as Woodall’s Publications verify what our campers already know,” said Pat Hittmeier, KOA president. “We pride ourselves on the fact that our KOA owners know what their campers want because we tirelessly survey our campers and ask that very question. Our KOA owners have become experts in analyzing the camping data we provide, and working hard to ensure that they deliver just the sort of experience our campers want and expect.”

In order to rate campgrounds across North America, Woodall’s field teams conduct their own on-site inspections of every park. The final ratings are a composite of several different areas of interest, including a campground’s physical grounds, restrooms, site and road developments, surrounding recreation and the superior maintenance of its facilities.

The KOA campgrounds receiving a 5W/5W Woodall’s rating for 2011 are:

• Hot Springs National Park KOA located in Hot Springs, Ark.
• San Diego Metro KOA located in Chula Vista, Calif.
• San Francisco N/Petaluma KOA located in Petaluma, Calif.
• Pueblo South/Colorado City KOA located in Pueblo, Colo.
• Grand Junction KOA located in Grand Junction, Colo.
• Starke/Gainesville NE KOA located in Starke, Fla.
• Lafayette KOA located in Scott, La.
• Port Huron KOA located in Kimball, Mich.
• Petoskey KOA located in Petoskey, Mich.
• Branson KOA located in Branson Mo.
• Polson/Flathead Lake KOA located in Polson, Mont.
• Chocorua KOA located in Chocorua, N.H.
• Carlsbad KOA located in Carlsbad, N.M.
• Newburgh/New York City North KOA located in Plattekill, N.Y.
• Watkins Glen/Corning KOA located in Watkins Glen, N.Y.
• Chautauqua Lake KOA located in Dewittville, N.Y.
• Buckeye Lake/Columbus East KOA located in Buckeye Lake, Ohio.
• Dayton KOA located in Brookville, Ohio.
• Shelby/Mansfield KOA located in Shelby, Ohio.
• Sandusky/Bayshore KOA located in Sandusky, Ohio.
• Checotah/Lake Eufaula West KOA located in Checotah, Okla.
• Allentown KOA located in New Tripoli, Pa.
• Erie KOA located in McKean, Pa.
• Gettysburg/Battlefield KOA located in Gettysburg, Pa.
• Bellefonte/State College KOA located in Bellefonte, Pa.
• Pine Grove/Twin Grove Park KOA located in Pine Grove, Pa.
• Rapid City KOA located in Rapid City, S.D.
• Badlands/White River KOA located in Interior, S.D.
• Mount Rushmore KOA located in Hill City, S.D.
• Manchester KOA located in Manchester, Tenn.
• Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg KOA located in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
• Rusk KOA located in Rusk, Texas.
• South Padre Island KOA located in South Padre Island Texas.
• Lake Conroe/Houston North KOA located in Montgomery, Texas
• Williamsburg KOA located in Williamsburg, Va.
• Harpers Ferry/Civil War Battlefield KOA located in Harpers Ferry, W.Va.
• Barrie KOA located in Barrie, Ontario.
• Thunder Bay KOA located in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
• Toronto North/Cookstown KOA located in Cookstown, Ontario.

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