Thriving Through Adversity in Outdoor Hospitality

One of the advantages of having been in this industry for so long is it has given me perspective during times of national panic.

I started in Outdoor Hospitality back in 2003. In 2005 real estate started taking a hit, and by 2007 we were in a full blown recession.

A few years later, in the middle of peak season, we were hit with an early hurricane and evacuated a park at almost peak capacity. Almost $100,000 in refunds were processed in one day. I was sick every time I had to hit the credit button.

Then, gas prices skyrocketed and we were terrified it would put a complete halt to our upcoming season. We strategized and worked very hard to stay ahead of that issue. It was a time when travelers were having to choose between groceries and gasoline-not a good time to be driving a rig that gets 10 MPG.

This brings us to today, and COVID. Again, we face a national crisis and once again, our parks are weathering the storm. Getting creative in our approach has assisted our parks in not only maintaining, but in many cases, thriving.

In all states to date, we have been considered "Essential Services," and have been able to continue to take care of our guests and their needs. If you have ever wondered about your state ARVC's and what they do-you know now. They have been at the forefront of keeping parks open and making sure our residents are able to access our services. We owe them a debt of gratitude.

They say, "Tough times don't last, tough people do." We have seen this over and over again and know this too shall pass. Until then, let us know your needs and how we can help. We are all in this together.