Our team had a blast at ARVC’s 2019 Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo last week in Knoxville. It was wonderful meeting so many current customers in person and introducing Campspot’s revolutionary software to new friends.
Here are a few key learnings from the conference:
Dynamic Pricing Pays Off
The concept of dynamic pricing was a hot topic this year at OHCE. Dynamic pricing means varying the price for your products or services to reflect changing market conditions, such as charging more for a coveted campsite during peak season. This is a staple practice of the hotel industry, and more campground owners are starting to demand this feature from their reservation software. During the dynamic pricing session led by Heather Blankenship — owner of Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park™ of Pigeon Forge and Campspot customer — she told attendees that her park grew 55% in the first year using dynamic pricing. Campspot is proud to have offered dynamic pricing since day one. While it may seem like just a buzzword or a scary change in your pricing model, you only stand to gain by using this feature.
Embrace Generational Differences
Wednesday’s lunchtime keynote speaker Matt Havens taught us a lot about generational differences in the workplace. He walked us through the definitions of each generation, from Baby Boomers to Gen Z. Then, he proceeded to throw out those definitions and comically categorize everyone in the room as either a “Young Person” or an “Old Person” based on a ten-question group quiz. As more generations than ever before meld in office settings, Matt taught us to challenge our assumptions, change our attitudes, and work better together.
Business Is Booming
According to ARVC, OHCE saw a 40% increase in attendees compared to 2018 and a 22% increase in vendors — including 35% being completely new vendors. The large increase in vendor and customer attendance this year speaks to the huge growth in the camping and RV industry. We were slammed throughout the conference and happy. More options in the marketplace means consumers should be extra vigilant about the value they’re getting for their money, whether that’s purchasing software for the first time or stocking up on camp store supplies. It’s important to compare features and offerings to truly understand your best option, which as you know for campground management software is Campspot
