Gorin Makes Pitch for Tennessee Resort Project

Editor’s Note: Following is an e-mail sent out this week by David Gorin.

The last few years have been very exciting for David Gorin & Associates. As the recession rolled across the landscape, I’ve been fortunate to be associated with several successful ventures.

Best Parks in America Inc. has expanded to 80 highly rated RV resorts across the U.S. This marketing group has made a deep impression on RVers and outdoor enthusiasts who seek superior RV resorts and campgrounds. Our business building programs and tools for affiliated resorts are being increasingly embraced by park owners and I anticipate that the network will expand to over 100 resorts within the next 12 months. For information about Best Parks in America, please visit www.bestparks.com (the consumer website) or www.bestparks.net (the business to business website). If you’ve got a park that is at the highly rated level, please consider becoming affiliated with Best Parks. It is the brand for the higher end of the park industry.

Holiday Cove RV Resort in Cortez, Fla., has been wonderful project. David Gorin & Associates initially became associated with this park when the former owner engaged our services to evaluate strategies for growth and re-development. As a result of the consulting work, I was fortunate to team up with an investor partner and together we purchased the park and implemented a total redevelopment plan. The park today has 97 beautiful sites and approximately 50% of the sites have been sold. Sale prices were initially established in 2008 and the prices continue to escalate as the number of sold sites continues to grow. Rental rates are at the top end of the scale, occupancy is strong year round and the resort receives the highest ratings from all those who evaluate and review parks.

I was especially pleased that my participation in Holiday Cove gave me an opportunity to gain additional and current experience directly in the day to day development and operational challenges associated with park ownership and management.

In recent years, David Gorin & Associates as served as an expert in several cases involving RV resorts and campgrounds and we now work directly with attorneys and through TASA, the technical assistance service for attorneys. Each opportunity to work on issues that come up through these contacts, further expands my ability to serve the operational needs of park owners and managers.

There is great interest in the RV park industry on many levels. We continue to receive a steady (actually an increasing) flow of calls from developers and investors. We continue to monitor carefully trends and developments in the industry. Every effort is made to share some of these trends through a new website that was put in place several months ago. Please visit www.DavidGorinAssociates.com to stay abreast of many of the industry issues, challenges and opportunities.

Exceptionally Unique RV Resort Opportunity

If you’re reading this e-mail, I surely don’t need to take your time to rehash what has transpired in the real estate world since 2007. As a result of the devastation in values that has taken place, everyone is touting the unique, never before available investment opportunities that now exist. David Gorin & Associates receives inquiries almost daily from distressed land owners looking for RV resort operators who might be interested in joint venturing in the development of their land as another RV resort.

Here’s a brief presentation on an opportunity that I believe is truly exceptional and provides an astute investor with an opportunity to gain a foothold in what is unquestionably one of America’s top tourist and recreation destinations where land has been exceptionally expensive and heretofore unavailable and uneconomical for RV resort development. And of course to achieve higher than typical returns on a reasonable investment.

A highly qualified, experienced and financially sound investor group based in the Knoxville, Tenn., area has 84 acres about ½ mile from the center of the Sevierville/Pigeon Forge commercial tourist area that serves as both a tourist destination in its own right, as well as the gateway to the Great Smokey Mountain National Park, America’s third most visited national park. The land is approved for outdoor hospitality use – an RV resort, cabins, hotel, folk school, corn maze, river tubing/canoeing and kayaking, and a variety of other related recreational uses. There is about ¾ mile of river frontage along the Little Pigeon River. The location is within walking or golf cart distance of numerous attractions including the new Titanic Museum Attraction, Wonder Works, restaurants, including the very popular Apple Barn restaurant and country shopping complex, and is very near a new $100 million Water Magic attraction that will be constructed soon. The Tanger Outlets are just 0.7 of a mile from the location.

The Sevierville/Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg market hosts over 12 million visitors a year and has a solid, long-term track record as a destination for families, empty nesters and generation Xers seeking active outdoor recreational experiences.

A video showing the property and some of its uses can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lSiKmbg3kl.

Financing for the project is in place. The owners are seeking a financial partner who also may be an experienced RV resort operator to join the group as the RV resort development and operational expert or to team with David Gorin and David Gorin & Associates to lead the RV resort development.

An investment of $1 million will bring a 1/3 interest in the RV resort project. Interest in other aspects of the development is available.

The outdoor hospitality and RV resort industry has weathered the recession in very strong shape. The affordability of this vacation, travel and tourism market makes it very attractive to mainstream America. And this particular location is exceptionally strong since it is located within a day’s drive of about 50% of the American population.

Please give me a call at (703) 448 6863 or drop an e-mail to david@davidgorinassociates.com if you would like further information about this opportunity.

Best Parks in America Raises Affiliation Bar

Best Parks in America has announced that it has stepped up it qualifications for park eligibility in the Best Parks system.

Effective immediately, parks must have a 5 Woodall rating for facilities with a minimum of a 9 overall Woodall rating or a 27 Trailer Life rating, according to a news release.

Prior to this change a park was eligible for Best Parks affiliation with a total Woodall rating of 9 or higher with either a 4/5, 5/4, or 5/5. Under the new requirements, the first number must be a 5. Also prior to the change, parks were eligible with a 26.5 Trailer Life rating; that rating has now moved up a notch to a 27 total.

“As we hear from more and more RVers and campers, we’re learning that they expect a higher level of facilities from Best Parks in America affiliates and we want to be sure we are meeting their expectations. Pushing the rating bar a bit higher is one step in that direction,” said Best Parks President David Gorin. “We want to continue to strive to make the RVer experience at Best Parks consistent across the brand this is one way to accomplish that.”

Parks currently participating in the Best Parks system will need to meet the higher rating on the date of their next affiliation renewal. Best Parks has introduced several new programs to assist parks that want to raise ratings to meet or exceed the new standard.

Parks that receive an A Guest Review rating with at least 50 reviews remain eligible for Best Parks affiliation. That standard remains unchanged at this time.

“If 50 or more consumers review and rate the park at an A level, we’re confident that the park qualifies for Best Parks in America,” Gorin said. “Consumer acceptance and consistently high ratings is hard to argue with when it comes to park quality.”

Best Parks in America is a national marketing group comprised of highly rated, independent RV parks and campgrounds. There are currently 80 affiliated parks across the U.S. For information on Best Parks in America, visit www.bestparksinamerica.com.

Best Parks in America Adds Four Affiliates

Best Parks in America (BPA) has announced the addition of four new affiliated RV resorts bringing the total number of parks carrying the Best Parks flag to 80. The new parks are located in Maryland, Virginia and Maine.

The new parks are: Point Sebago Resort, Casco, Maine; Holiday Trav-L-Park, Virginia Beach, Va.; Frontier Town Campground, Ocean City, Md., and Fort Whaley Campground, Whaleyville, Md.

“These new Best Parks affiliates are very welcome additions to the Best Parks family,” BPA President David Gorin stated in a news release. “Each of these parks has a long and successful track record of providing the highest quality facilities, amenities and services to their guests and the owners of these parks have been industry leaders for many years,” said Gorin.

Frontier Town Campground is located on the Atlantic Ocean in West Ocean City. The resort offers 584 sites serving tenting up to 45-foot motorhomes. In addition to typical park amenities Frontier Town has great crabbing and fishing, a 75-slip marina with boat ramp, restaurant and ice cream parlor, free beach shuttle and free admission to a full scale Water Park. The park also offers a Frontier Town Wild West Show during the summer season. The park is owned by Mitch Parker, a veteran park owner who also owns Fort Whaley Campground in Whaleyville, Md.

Fort Whaley Campground is located in Whaleyville, approximately 10 minutes from Ocean City. Park amenities include complimentary unlimited miniature golf, planned activities, swimming pool, fully stocked camp store, a fresh water fishing lake, paddle boats, and free admission to the water park at cousin Frontier Town Campground in Ocean City.

Best Holiday Trav-L-Park in Virginia Beach is an 850-site vacation mecca and the closest campground to the Virginia Beach resort area. The park offers its own satellite parking area one block from the famous Virginia Beach boardwalk and beaches. In addition to the beach, there is the Virginia Aquarium, Ocean Breeze Festival Park with water slides, mini-Indy race track and mini-golf course are nearby. The parks is also close to Norfolk, Williamsburg and the southern Chesapeake Bay.

Point Sebago is a 775-acre campground resort on Sebago Lake in Southern Maine. The resort offers a mile of sandy beach, its own on-site 18-hole championship golf course, marina, restaurant and award-winning daily activities and entertainment for every age. The resort features RV sites, cottage rentals and a variety of ownership options. The resort is owned by industry pioneer Larry Gould and the general manager is Don Toms, a longtime active leader in the Maine Campground Owners Association and National ARVCNational Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC).

“We’re delighted to welcome this group of incredibly wonderful examples of the RV park business in the 21st Century,” said Gorin. “The addition of these resorts is a strong indication of how the Best Parks brand is creating a collection of the nation’s top independent parks.”

Best Parks in America is an association of unique and highly rated RV parks and campgrounds. Each park is independently owned and operated and each features unique characteristics that appeal to a wide range of campers and RVers from young families to empty-nesters, full timers and retirees. For a complete list of affiliated parks, visit www.bestparksinamerica.com.

Best Parks in America Holds First Advisory Meeting

The first meeting of the newly created Best Parks in America RVer Advisory Board was held on March 10. Four active RVers from diverse backgrounds have been named to the board and will be both offering ideas and advice for better serving RVer needs and experiences, and critiques of the parks they visit and the communications from Best Parks to RV consumers, according to a news release.

The board members and brief bios follow:

• Stan Fleming of Maine–”My wife and I purchased our first RV/motorhome (23 foot) in 2006 as we were getting close to retirement. We have become true believers in the value and pleasure of traveling in our RV. While not full-timers, we are close, and the freedom and flexibility our RV has provided has made traveling to visit family and friends a real pleasure. We are now planning extensive travel throughout the U.S. in the comfort of our own ‘home.’”
• Pamela Wright of Florida–Pamela has been a full-time RVer for the past eight years. She has been a Workamper, a park manager and now has her own company and website, www.FocusedWords.com, where she puts her marketing experience to work for the park owner.
• Jerry Batt of Michigan–Jerry is currently vice president and CIO at Pulte Homes, a residential home builder headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. “My wife, Christine, and I have three grown children who are married and live in different Midwest cities. We have two dogs with whom we travel to see our kids and between two homes in Rochester Hills, Mich.. and Mesa, Ariz. We have been RVers for 30 years, starting with a pickup camper and now a 40-foot 2009 Itasca Ellipse. We have camped in 38 states over the years and plan to visit Alaska summer of 2012.”
• Bob Gorden of Arizona–”I have been a tent camper and RVer for more than 50 years. Have owned and driven more than 50 RVs of various types. Owned and operated an RV rental business for several years. Constructed my own RVs in the 1970s. My academic background includes a Ph.D. in aquatic microbial ecology with experience teaching and conducting research at Texas Tech University, University of Southern Colorado and the University of Illinois. I have RVed in every state in the continental U.S., Canada and Mexico plus camping in RV parks in Australia. I have written more than 200 articles online as the Phoenix RV Travel Examiner.

” We are delighted at the response to the Best Parks announcement of the advisory board and the quality of the folks appointed to serve reflects the wide diversity of RVers,” said BPA President David Gorin.  ”This is a truly quality group of knowledgeable RVers who will help Best Parks continue to grow and develop into the leading national brand of RV parks in the U.S.”

The board will meet quarterly to review Best Parks’ programs and initiatives, suggest ways to improve outreach and top-of-mind awareness among RVers and to help craft the outstanding experiences that Best Parks offers to its guests.

Best Parks in America is the only national network of parks that sponsors an RVer Advisory Board to provide consumer input into the national group of parks that make up Best Parks in America.

Best Parks in America is a group of independently owned and operated RV parks and campgrounds that are highly rated by Woodalls and/or Trailer Life campground directories. There are currently 78 affiliated parks in 32 states and provinces. Each park offers a quality facilities and amenities and unique guest experiences. For a free directory of Best Parks affiliates, visit www.BestParksinAmerica.com.

Gorin Details Best Parks in America Model

Best Parks in America is on a fast track to reaching its near-term goal of 100 to 125 affiliated parks. And part of the reason why Best Parks seems to be turning a corner is that its founder and president, David Gorin, modified its business plan this past year to better appeal to the top-performing parks with whom it seeks to do business.

Indeed, just two years ago, says Gorin, the Best Parks network of highly rated, non-franchise “independent unique parks” – none of whom pay royalties or sign long-term contracts — was stuck in the middle, its membership on hold in the 20-park range. “The mistake we made along the way was that we were going after a super-premium park as the affiliate,” he said. “Frankly, in the industry, there are not enough parks at that highest level to make a national network work. So, we’ve re-evaluated.”

After easing up a bit on its strict membership requirements and establishing more attainable criteria, it reached 40 parks by February of 2010, 61 by last May and 76 by WCM’s deadline, having added eight new companies over the winter, says Gorin, a veteran RV park and campground consultant, lobbyist, WCM columnist and former head of the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC).

Gorin stresses that the major strength of the network, which was founded in 2004 and drew good crowds at its annual meeting in December in Las Vegas during the ARVC InSites Convention, is that it has continued to focus on parks with high standards. Each park meets at least one of the following standards: a combined rating of 9 by Woodall’s North American Campground Directory and/or a combined rating of 26.5 in the Trailer Life Directory of RV Parks & Campgrounds and/or an overall GuestRated score of “A” based upon RVer and camper reviews.

Gorin, himself a Florida park owner, shared his thoughts on where Best Parks in America is headed in the following interview with WCM.

WCM: Give us a brief overview of the startup phase of Best Parks in America (BPA).

Gorin: I had always expected that the campground industry would segment itself similar to the way the hotel industry has segmented itself. There would be brands that would develop over time with consumers, and consumers would decide where they want to go based on brand, and the brand would speak to the quality and type of facility it is. I expected by the end of the 1990s, this industry would start to do the same thing.

Instead it went the other way. Best Holiday Travel Parks, Thousand Trails, Outdoor World, Outdoor Resorts, some of those by the beginning of the 21st century started to disappear. I looked around and said there is something missing.

It looked to me like the upper end of the market was not being segmented the right way. You had KOA, which for the most part had nailed down the mid-range of parks. Yogi Bear (Leisure Systems Inc.), which was the other one growing, had staked out part of the family market serving families with young kids. Encore (ELS) was primarily a Florida-based brand catering to an older demographic. There was nobody who was targeting the upper end of the market.

WCM: So that’s why you set your sights on the high end?

Gorin: Yes, that’s why Best Parks in America decided to stake out a brand that speaks to the highly rated parks. The idea was that it would not be a franchise; starting a new franchise is a hugely expensive and difficult undertaking. I decided to create a national marketing group. Let me explain.

Back in the ’90s on a couple of occasions I had the opportunity to attend the Pow Wow, the International Travel Show sponsored by the U.S. Travel Association (formerly the Travel Industry Association).

The Pow Wow attracts travel buyers who are bringing visitors to the U.S. I went to those shows and there were several tour operators who were bringing over international campers and sending them in buses to go camping around the U.S. The RV rental companies, like Cruise America and El Monte RV, were booking rentals for overseas operators. Their clients were staying mostly at KOAs because they were the only name in the market and KOA at the time was really going after the international business.

I thought it would be good to create a marketing group to cater to that market. That (reaching the international camper) hasn’t materialized as a goal of Best Parks in America as of now. It may grow as an objective, to get the international business. KOA had a solid program for years to get international travelers. They pulled it back about 10 years ago because there wasn’t enough business…

WCM: What, in the beginning, did it cost to join Best Parks?

Gorin: The first parks paid a one-time $3,000 fee plus a commitment of $3,000 a year for advertising and marketing plus a $1,000 management fee per year, so it was a $7,000 buy-in. We had 23 parks in the system, but it wasn’t gaining traction at those rates. That’s when we decided to roll way back and look for another way of funding.

Originally it was for very high-end parks, for the 10/10/10, the cream of the cream. I looked around and there weren’t enough of those parks, so we had to roll the fees back and come up with a more objective way to rate the parks and bring them in and make it more affordable to a larger number of parks

WCM: What have you been promoting as the advantages of membership in Best Parks in America?

GORIN: From the beginning, we’ve been promoting a national marketing program, the license to use the Best Parks in America name and logo in park signage and participation in national group advertising. The package includes exterior signs for the entrance and park interior. We have a directory and a rack card and a website.

We also created Best Guests in America, a complimentary camping club that originally included a rewards program for frequent campers. We started with a rack card and then went to a small directory format, which is a precursor to the directory we put out this year.

WCM: Did you start out as an East Coast-oriented network?

Gorin: Not really. Arizona had two parks at the beginning, and some in California came in early. We had 23 parks in 11 states but it was hard to get any traction. We had to go much bigger than that. We’re looking for 100 to 125 parks.

WCM: Do you have representation among KOA or Leisure Systems parks?

Gorin: We now have one Yogi Bear park; we do not have any KOAs. We’ve had inquiries from KOAs. I’d be more than happy to welcome them. They have their own restrictions on branding. I understand that. For that reason, we probably won’t focus on those parks. If they come to us, they will have to take it up with their franchise company first.

WCM: What pitfalls did you encounter along the way?

Gorin: Generally, we encountered what any new venture encounters: skepticism. Will this work? Are they going to stick around? A lot of the parks that joined us early on, I’m proud to say, had confidence that I could do it. All the parks that joined initially are still in the system. We haven’t lost any of them. We rarely lose any of the parks that come in.

WCM: You mentioned that you had to roll back the fees to further grow the Best Parks network. What can you tell us about that?

Gorin: As of March 1, 2011, the base membership is $750 for the standard benefit package. We have added two additional tiers of membership, for $4,000 and $5,000 a year. These include a variety of marketing-related programs, research, custom-designed action plans based on a particular park’s customer breakdown and target marketing, and some excellent staff training programs. We are now able to work with each park to craft a unique marketing program to take advantage of their affiliation with Best Parks in America.

This is not a cookie-cutter approach. They (affiliates) don’t pay us royalties. We don’t dictate color schemes or uniforms. We focus on the uniqueness of each property and are seeking to create a consistent guest experience at a high level throughout the system that will drive repeat business, recommendations and referrals.

WCM: So, is your business model fashioned after any other?

Gorin: Best Parks is modeled most closely after Leading Hotels of the World and Leading Hotels of the U.S. Their primary benefit to their affiliates is a central worldwide reservation system. We can’t do that with Best Parks unless the affiliated park has its own online reservation system. We don’t have at this time a central reservation system but it’s under consideration.

The industry has divided itself up among several different reservation systems, and I’m not ready to take on the challenge of trying to get Best Parks affiliates to link into one reservation system. However, if we are going to achieve our objective of providing a high quality and consistent guest experience, eventually there will need to be a national or international reservation system.

You see, Best Parks doesn’t have a lot of requirements. We’re just telling parks you have to have a sign outside identifying it as a Best Parks in America member. Parks do not have to include our logo in their marketing. Some don’t do that. They may think their listing in a directory will be sufficient. But Best Parks in America is more than a website and a print directory. If we can succeed in getting the properties to work in unison in promoting the brand and each other, it will bring great benefits to all.

WCM: Tell us about your Strategic Partner Program.

Gorin: BPA Strategic Partners are an important part of the Best Parks in America family. We have 13 now. These special companies have been nominated by BPA-affiliated RV parks, have a long track record of serving the park industry and provide a unique level of quality service and outstanding pricing for BPA affiliates.

Every one has to be able to provide a value to the affiliates. We also ask that Strategic Partners help us grow by recommending that their customers who qualify consider affiliating with Best Parks. To be a Strategic Partner you also have to agree, if asked, to share your expertise with the group.

WCM: Tell us, if you would, about your new RVer Advisory Council and how that’s working out.

GORIN: In looking at some of the RVer forms online, I saw there were some misunderstandings among RVers. So I decided I needed to get some feedback and help from RVers as to how they view brands and Best Parks in America and what we need to do to be more available to consumers, to bring top-of-the-mind awareness of the brand and have a group that periodically could advise me and provide counsel and advice from a consumer point of view.

We had a very nice response. We’ve selected the people who will be invited and the invitations went out the first week of March. The first meeting will be in the next couple of weeks. In the spirit of transparency, we put out a special message on Best Parks’ website to RVers, explaining to them what Best Parks is all about and how it works and tried to remove the myths and gossip that goes out. The message is on the front page of www.bestparks.com. The consumer is ultimately the key to the success of BPA.

WCM: Are you profitable?

Gorin: As a for-profit company, it’s there to make a profit. But this business has not yet turned the corner to profitability. I think there’s quite a ways to go to become profitable. I’ve funded the company up until now, but we’ve got to take some steps to continue the progress and that’s going to require some additional capital that may require finding a partner or investor to help fund future growth.

WCM: David, you wear many hats in the RV park and campground sector. How do you keep it all straight and stay sane?

Gorin: Fortunately, the campground I’ve been working on for the last few years now doesn’t require my time and direct involvement. The other work I do for consulting clients, for the Virginia Campground Association, government affairs work for ARVC, writing and teaching, is just great and exciting.

I’m about to open an office in Longboat Key, Fla., and I have a part-time assistant who helps in what will remain my primary office in McLean, Va. I think that keeping very busy is a key to my sanity. I’ve always believed that if you ever slow down, you don’t get up again. So, I just keep moving,

Best Parks in America Continues Growth Spurt

”Parks that have been thinking about affiliating with Best Parks in America may want to move forward quickly to affiliate in the next couple of weeks,” David Gorin, president of Best Parks in America, stated in a news release. “The 2011-2012 print directory will close on April 15th and only parks that are affiliated as of that date can be listed in the next directory.”

In addition to the closing deadline for the directory, Gorin also noted that parks that affiliate with Best Parks in America between now and the end of 2011 will be considered as Best Parks “Founders” and will be entitled to special perks and benefits into the future.

“While Best Parks has experienced significant growth in 2010 and through the first quarter of 2011, building a national brand takes time and patience and the rewards are not always as fast or as great as one would expect,” Gorin continued. “We know we are absolutely on the right track of establishing an RV park and campground industry brand that says ‘highly rated parks’ to the consumer. To encourage parks to join the Best Parks brand now and work cooperatively to help build that brand, we are planning on a range of special ongoing benefits for these early adaptors. The benefits we’re working on will be of considerable value to the affiliates who join and stay with us as we go through the growing period.”

Qualifying RV parks and campgrounds can become a Best Parks affiliate in less than five minutes by going to www.Bestpark.net. All affiliation benefits and programs, qualifications and enrollment information are found on the website. Basic Best Parks in America affiliation is as low as $450 annually. A new tiered affiliation with many new business intelligence information, research, training and marketing benefits is also now available and is described on the site.

Best Parks in America is a national marketing network promoting and marketing America’s highly rated RV parks and campgrounds. Currently with 78 parks in 30 states, Best Parks is increasingly building consumer top-of-mind awareness of the quickest and easiest way to find the Best Parks in America.

For information, contact Best Parks in America at (703) 448-6863 or david@bestparksinamerica.com.

Four RVC Resorts Join Best Parks in America

Best Parks in America has announced a partnership with RVC Outdoor Destinations, a Memphis, Tenn.-based based company that has developed a unique brand of upscale RV and cottage resort properties in the Southeastern United States.

Four of RVC’s properties will carry the Best Parks in America brand designation and will be part of a national family of superior resorts that now numbers 76 and growing, according to a news release.

The four RVC Outdoor Destinations are:

• Pine Mountain, near Atlanta, Ga.
• Catherine’s Landing, which is opening April 1 and is located in Hot Springs, Ark.
• Carrabelle Beach, located on the Gulf of Mexico in Carrabelle, Fla.
• Live Oak Landing, which is located on Choctawhatchee Bay near Destin, Fla.

“We are excited about this new partnership with RVC,” said David Gorin, president of Best Parks of America. “RVC’s outdoor destinations embody the objectives of Best Parks by offering RVers and cottage vacation guests a high quality, unique vacation experience in superb surroundings. The company is staking out a new and different business model, featuring appealing natural environments, hotel-like services and upscale amenities, and all are located within minutes of great recreational activities and attractions that are unique to each location and the community.”

Best Parks in America is a leading national brand for highly rated RV parks and campgrounds. Through the partnership, the company will provide RVC with a wide range of marketing, branding, training, research and business intelligence and information.

“We are proud to be affiliated with Best Parks in America, as we share the same values and goals of delivering a great experience to our guests. Partnerships such as this, with an established and admirable brand, allow our company to grow and become better known,” said Yale Spina, vice president of RVC Outdoor Destinations. “We have motivated teams in place and great properties that include excellent amenities that will now be recognized with Best Parks in America. I can’t wait to get the word out.”

RVC Outdoor Destinations has been actively seeking to develop or acquire RV properties in highly desirable vacation areas. The company anticipates that the new “Outdoor Destination” concept will have great appeal across a wide range of RVers, as well as the offering of the increasingly popular RVC Resort Cottages, yurts and cabins to not exclude those who may not own an RV.

“I’m sure RVers, campers and others who’ve visited Best Parks in America resorts across the U.S. will applaud the partnership with RVC Outdoor Destinations,” said Gorin. “For Best Parks, the partnership marks a new opportunity for us to work with multiple park companies in providing a national brand presence that identifies superior resorts to vacationers.”

For more information on Best Parks of America, visit http://www.bestparksinamerica.com.

For more information on RVC Outdoor Destinations, visit www.rvcoutdoors.com. Also visit them on Facebook and Twitter: @RVCoutdoors.

Ashdown Appearing at NCA Conference

Best Parks in America (BPA) is sponsoring a seminar and the keynote address at the upcoming Northeast Campground Association (NCA) Conference on Camping March 28 in Sturbridge, Mass.

Blake Ashdown, a key BPA strategic partner, will present his seminar on March 27 at 1 p.m. on the topic “Marketing in the NEW Experience Economy.”

Ashdown  will also present the keynote address that evening starting at 8.  Ashdown will also be joining Best Parks for the Monday morning meeting of Best Parks in America affiliates and invited New England park owners who qualify for affiliation, according to a news release.

On Monday morning, the NCA buffet breakfast will take place in the hotel courtyard. The meeting room is right off the courtyard and very convenient to where breakfast will be. Guests are encouraged to pick up their breakfast and  bring it to the Dudley Room where the meeting will be held. Park staff attending the NCA conference are cordially invited to join in.

“If you have a campground owner colleague who you feel would qualify and be a good addition to the Best Parks in America family, please invite them to attend the meeting with you,” David Gorin, BPA president, stated. “If you can assist us in enrolling a new BPA affiliate, we will gladly send you a $100 Visa Gift Card to thank you for your assistance.”

For more information contact Gorin at (703) 448-6863.

Best Parks in America Forming RVer Advisory Group

David Gorin, president of Best Parks in America (www.BestParksinAmerica.com), has announced the creation of the Best Parks RVer Advisory Group to provide advice and counsel on how to best meet the needs of today’s RVers and campers who visit Best Parks affiliates. Best Parks is seeking RVing consumer volunteers who wish to be part of the new Advisory Group, according to a news release.

“We are embarking upon a nationwide search to find three to five experienced RVers who represent the diversity of the RVing consumer to serve on the group,” said Gorin. “The Advisory Group will be comprised of RVers of different ages and experience levels from different geographic regions. They’ll meet twice a year most likely by conference call or through an online web conference with Best Parks in America management and a corresponding group of Best Parks in America park owners. This group is very important to helping shape the direction of Best Parks and the consumer experiences at affiliated parks.”

Gorin and Best Parks cordially invites RVers who are interested in serving on the Best Parks RVer Advisory Group to contact him at David@BestParksinAmerica.com. Interested RVers responding should include background information on their RV experience, a brief statement on why they are interested in serving on the Best Parks RVer Advisory Group, and contact information. There is no financial compensation for serving on the Advisory Group and there will be no expenses incurred if selected to serve.

Addressing Myths About Best Parks Part of Advisory Group Outreach

Gorin noted that he has seen a variety of comments on online blogs and RV forums indicating that there is some misunderstanding about the Best Parks in America brand. “It is important that consumers have a clear idea of what Best Parks is all about. The Advisory Group is one way we hope to reach out to consumers and demonstrate our commitment to serving the needs of all RVers who enjoy visiting the highly rated parks in the Best Parks system,” he remarked.

Best Parks in America recently posted a special message to RVers and campers on their homepage at www.BestParksinAmerica.com. The message addresses some of the myths and misinformation about the Best Parks network. The message delivers facts about Best Parks in America including its ownership, states that it is not a membership park or system and that parks do pay an annual fee to be a part of Best Parks in America. The message also clarifies the qualifications used to measure RV parks and campgrounds suitability to be part of the national Best Parks system.

About Best Parks in America

Best Parks in America is a nationwide network of highly-rated RV parks and campgrounds. With 75 affiliated parks in 29 states, the Best Parks brand is rapidly gaining RVer recognition as the place to go when they are looking for the best RVing and camping experiences. To obtain a comprehensive directory of all Best Parks in America or to become a Best Guest in America visit the website.

Florida/Alabama Best Parks Affiliates Invest $8M

Florida and Alabama RV resorts that are affiliated with the Best Parks in America network are collectively investing more than $8 million in improvements this year in an effort to provide enhanced experiences and service to their guests.

“Park operators that continually re-invest in their facilities, amenities and services to keep up with the times, have greater success than those that do not, and that’s clearly the case with our affiliates in Florida and Alabama, which are upgrading, enlarging and adding sites and other amenities this year,” David Gorin, president of Best Parks in America, stated in a news release.

New facilities include everything from new big-rig friendly RV sites to waterfront sites with park model cottage rentals, new boat docks and clubhouse facilities. Consider these examples:

• Bella Terra of Gulf Shores, Ala.: This premier Class A ownership resort is adding another 23 sites this year at a cost of roughly $525,000, bringing the total number of lots at the resort to 110. The 40-acre Best Parks in America affiliated resort, roughly 25 miles west of Pensacola, Fla., includes customized outdoor kitchens and barbecues and a zero entry infinity edge swimming pool. In addition to selling its RV sites, Bella Terra also offers RV sites for rent.
• Belle Parc RV Resort in Brooksville, Fla.: This 101-site property is midway through an extensive $1 million improvement and expansion effort that will more than triple its size to 325 sites over the next year, said park owner John Hurtado Jr. “We just renovated all of our buildings, installed a pool and spa pavilion and just finished a spacious dock on our waterfront,” he said.
• Emerald Coast RV Beach Resort in Panama City, Fla.: This 138-site park is spending more than $1 million to install 10 more premium lakeside RV sites as well as 23 new park model cottages, eight of which will have RV pads facing a pond. The new sites will also have access to a new swimming pool, a new bathhouse with two private shower and bathroom facilities, an exercise room and a game room. The resort is also expanding its clubhouse by 625 square feet, which will add more seating capacity while also creating more space to expand the kitchen. These improvements come on the heels of another $150,000 in improvements during the past two years, which include the installation of a dog run and pet wash facility, new playground equipment and restroom upgrades. “Our expansion efforts are being driven by rising demand,” said Jerry Broch, the resort’s general manager. “We have a lot of snowbirds in winter. And in summer people from Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee come to the beach.
• Flamingo Lake RV Resort in Jacksonville, Fla.: This 288-site resort, which sits on the only certified swimming lake in northeast Florida, is in the midst of a $1 million improvement effort that will include providing new water and sewer connections to 100 RV sites, which are also being paved. Park manager Bob Little said the improvements are needed to help the park continue to expand its business base, which already includes snowbirds as well as swimming and fishing enthusiasts and medical travelers who receive specialized treatment at Shands Jacksonville, Nemours Clinic, Wolfsons Children’s Hospital, University of Florida Proton Therapy, the Cyber Knife and the Mayo Clinic.
• Florida Grande Motor Coach Resort in Webster, Fla.: This exclusive Class A motorcoach resort, located 45 miles west of Orlando, has begun extensive capital improvements including landscaping, a new fitness center and various furnishing upgrades and plans to begin construction this year on 119 additional RV sites for a combined cost exceeding $500,000, said Tripp Keber, COO of Bella Terra Resort Management, LLC, which recently took over management of the property. Florida Grande Motor Coach Resort features a 20,000-square foot clubhouse that includes multiple recreation and meeting rooms, a library and exercise room, a full kitchen and a 2,500-square foot heated all season swimming pool.
• Quail Run RV Resort in Wesley Chapel, Fla.: This 292-site resort, which is more than half through a $4 million expansion effort, has recently doubled in size, and further stepped up its focus on accommodating RVers with big rigs, who are often hard pressed to find big sites in Florida’s older RV parks and resorts. “That’s why we build them the way we do. Our motto is ‘No rig is too big,’ ” said park co-owner Frank Gilmore. The park has added140 sites in the past two years, all of which are 40 by 70 feet, with the exception of pull through sites, which are 85 feet long and 40 feet wide. Even the park’s older section includes 35 by 50-foot sites with 35- by 70-foot pull through sites. RV sites feature 50-amp electrical service, free cable and free Wi-Fi service at each site. “We just poured 5,000 yards of concrete,” Gilmore said, adding his next improvements will include a new state-of-the-art laundry facility and a new 4,500 square foot clubhouse. “We hope to have both completed by the end of summer,” he said.
• Vacation Inn Resort in West Palm Beach, Fla.: This 400-site park offers sites for rent and for sale, and has spent $150,000 in improvements during the past two years and plans to spend about $80,000 in improvements this year and next year, said Del Highfield, the resort’s manager. Recent improvements include repaving the park entrance, repainting the park’s buildings and installing new landscaping. “We will be rejuvenating about four miles of roads inside the park this year,” Highland said.

Based in McLean, Va., Best Parks in America is the only nationwide RV park brand comprised entirely of highly rated RV parks and campgrounds. With 75 affiliated parks in 29 states, the Best Parks brand is rapidly gaining RVer recognition as the place to go when you are looking for the best RVing and camping experiences. There are currently 12 Best Parks affiliates in Florida and Alabama and others are expected to affiliate in the next few months. For a directory of all parks, visit www.BestParksinAmerica.com.

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