b'COVID-19 Crisis BY BEN QUIGGLEGO RVing Focuses on Keeping RVing in the Fore-front of Consumer Minds During COVID-19 CrisisKarenRedfern,vicepresidentof theyre on the road with their kids asbrand marketing and communications things that they could do at home forfor Go RVing, the 22-year-old marketing teachablemomentsandactivities.campaign to attract people to the RV WereworkingreallytokeepRVinglifestyle,toldWoodallsCampground andcampinginfrontofthecon-Management(WCM) sumers, but in a positive way, and notshe has been on a lot connecting it to the actual events thatofphonecallsand are going on.webinarswithpeo- Go RVing is also preparing for whenple from around the life gets back to normal and more peo-RV park and camp- ple are looking for activities to do as aground sectors over family.Karen Redfern the past few weeks. When we deem that most of theWCM caughtup country is getting back into normalcy,with her as she was listening in on a andpeoplearereturningtowork,webinar put on by the National Asso- thats when well start our big con-ciationofRVParksandCamp- sumer push. I think this is going togrounds (ARVC) that was focused on bring a lot of Americans back to want-answeringquestionscampground ing to do some of the simpler thingsowners had on a variety of subjects re- with families again, which leaves ourlated to the coronavirus (COVID-19) industry in an incredible position,crisis.Redfern said. No pun intended, butI am really just trying to figure out wearethevehicletohelpfamilieswhat is going on for everyone at the spend time together and explore themoment, Redfern explained. Go RVing is not encouraging campers to head to parks, but instead is preparing to market RVing outdoors.Usually, Go RVing would be launch- and camping as a great way to take a vacation after the COVID-19 crisis begins to fade. Redfern told WCM that RVing is aingitssecondannualKickOffto more affordable mode of vacationingCamping Season, she noted, but of and, as people start recovering fromcourse, the COVID-19 crisis has de- moment like this it to be telling people Vehicle Dealers Association(RVDA) to being out of work for a period of time,layedthelargenationalmarketing to get in their RVs and vacation, Red- keep parks open and listed as essen- they are going to be looking for a get-push to get more people out on the fern explained. tial businesses. away.road RVing and enjoying RV parks and She highlighted the efforts of the RV We do know that there are thou- Sometimes it takes a crisis to bringcampgrounds. Industry Association (RVIA) as it lob- sands of full-time RVers, and we know people together, she noted. I thinkThe last thing we want to do at a bies with ARVC and the Recreational there are a lot of snowbirds looking for people are going to be looking for op-a place to stay because it is the end of portunities to stay closer to home. Justthe winter season, she mentioned. to stay and enjoy whats around them,Also, there are a lot of traveling health but in a place, like an RV park, that isprofessionals who live in RVs full-time a little bit larger than their home orand they all need services that a park theirbackyard,wheretheymaybecan provide. We understand the im- confined to right now.portance of being able to keep those Redfern highlighted the fact thatcampgroundsopen.Iamreceiving families stuck at home right now arecalls here lately about those efforts. Its saving money because they are notnot even a state-by-state issue, it really doing the normal things like using gasis a community-by-community issue. or eating out. That extra money, even-A state can make a blanket recom- tually, could be used to help purchasemendation or guidelines, and then it an RV or take a camping trip.changes. Obviously, in order to help jump-Redfern said Go RVing is not en- start the economy, the interest ratescouraging people to head to RV parks are lower, she said. There may beandcampgroundstovacation,but more people that are enticed, oncethat the group is continuing to aim for they know that everything is stableinspirationalandaspirationalmes- with their income, and maybe think-sages that individuals will want to en- ing While the rates are low, why dontgage with on a regular basis. we do this? Weve thought about doingWere just trying to be that little it, lets do it now.glimmer of hope in peoples possibly Redfern mentioned that park own-chaotic and dreary social media feeds ers may even see more campers dur-at the moment, she explained. Were ing the fall months since the springrepurposing a lot of the activities that season is being cut short.wetellpeopletheycandowhen Ithinkalotofthefamiliesaregoingtobecenteredinto that summer sea-son, she said. Comefall, even with schoolsin session, I think fam-ilies are still going tobelookingforweek-end explorations, justto get the kids out.Everybodysbeensaying, I just want togetoutsideofthehouse and out into thefresh air, and certainlyRVing offers them allofthoseopportuni-Redfern said that Go RVing is trying to be a glimmer of hope through ties,Redfernadded.all the chaotic and dreary moments. WCM30 -May 2020Woodalls Campground Management'