I just came across this article that covered a proposed bill in Massachusetts where the campgrounds would receive government funding to help compete with larger 5 star resorts. While the thought of additional funding to help the mom and pop campgrounds sounds appealing, I cannot help but feel that this is the wrong way to go. Just like the auto industry, congressional funding didn’t suddenly increase anyone’s desire to buy GM cars, it also won’t change the way they go camping.
My wife and I are Hyundai drivers. Combined we have owned five Hyundai’s and don’t expect to switch to another brand anytime soon. However if I look back to the mid 80s, I never would have thought that. At this point Hyundai created, for the lack of a better term, a crappy vehicle. The price was cheap and so was the quality. Their brand image was terrible and this resulted in many of their dealers abandoning the product. Now it’s 2010 and the Hyundai/Kia group recently passed Ford Motor Company as the world’s 4th largest automaker in terms of units sold. Passing General Motors may be next. Both of those companies received federal funding, but continue to languish. If this is a global recession, what did Hyundai do that makes them succeed where other fail?
Here are my thoughts:
1. They listened - They knew their brand image was tied to terrible quality, so they invested heavily into making a better product. Their creation of the 10-year/100,000 mile warranty was a brilliant move and proved that they stood behind their vehicles.
2. They stayed focused - While most car companies were going up market in attempts to compete with BMW and Mercedes Benz, Hyundai remained focused on the lower end of the price spectrum. This allowed them to steal a huge portion of this market and left the others in their wak
3. They improved - Whether it be more standard features or just overall increase reliability their product has improved. They now make cars that perform well beyond their customers expectations. In 2006, they were rated 3rd initial quality by JD Power and Associates, only behind Porsche and Lexus. That’s not bad for a car company that just 20 years before was the laughingstock of the auto industry.
Okay, let me explain how this relates to campgrounds.
I think campgrounds are at a similar crossroads as Hyundai was after their initial entry into the US marketplace. Potential campers are choosing luxury resorts instead of camping and many campgrounds suffer from lack of return business. While I do not own a campground but I understand that a campground cannot grow without a new and repeat business, just like that of a car company.
Here are 3 things that I think will help campgrounds grow their business:
1. Improve the quality by offering bigger sites- Nothing is worse than a campground that feels like a parking lot. Crowded campsites and too much noise can ruin the overall camping experience and is a leading cause for campers to never return. Campgrounds should reduce the number of overall sites while increasing the site size. I can understand that the thought of reducing campsites scares most campground owners, but if your sites are small and crowded it is very likely you aren’t given your campers a great experience.
2. Clean the bathrooms often – Don’t underestimate the power of cleaning a bathroom. A dirty bathroom or shower is a huge reason why some campers won’t return to a specific campground. Also, first-time campers often won’t camp ever again simply because they’ll forever relate camping to disgusting bathrooms. Invest the time and clean them regularly.
3. Understand your campers - If you market yourself as a family campground then you need to provide the kind of features that families want. This generally includes activities/games for the children, swimming pools and fun events. If the children are not occupied, parents are going to end up taking their children elsewhere. Also, don’t market yourself like a wilderness retreat when in fact, you’re an RV park. Tent campers want to be nuzzled next to trees, not a pair of 25 foot vehicles. To accommodate the needs of both market segments, campground owners should keep tent sections completely separate from RVs.
Thanks again for stopping by
SU2PTCHGFNUT
So last year I made the rare decision to open up my wallet an buy some new camping cookware. I went to Amazon (shameless plug, I know) and did a quick search for camping cooking sets. I found the Coleman Family Cookset. The price was about $30 so I thought I’d give it a try.
