b'The Virtual Glamping Show USA Exceeds ExpectationsThe Glamping Show USA held virtually this year due tothe COVID crisiswrapped up on Oct. 15 with a final total of1,852 users logging into the system over the shows thee-dayrun. David Korse, the organizer of the show, said it exceededexpectations. Our biggest concern was if everything would work prop-erly, and for the most part everythingdid,KorsetoldWoodallsCamp-ground Management(WCM) after thefinal session was completed. We ac-commodated everybody. People couldget their work done, they could con-sume content, they could interact withcolleagues. So, mechanically or digi-tally, I guess from our point of view, itwas a home run.David Korse Theshowattractedindividualsfrom 88 different countries and 49 states, noted Korse. Therewas a total of 62 vendors that took part in the shows expo. Korse noted that the site took in more than 76,000 pageviews. Final registration totals before the event started showedthat over 1,600 attendees had registered, not including thevendor numbers. Admission to just the expo was free, but recap report to each vendor that includes the numbers on all built and they need insurance.more than 350 had paid to take part in the shows 11 educa- of the people that reached out to them. The show ran on-demand through Oct. 31, allowing atten-tional sessions.People seem to feel that there were really well qualified, dees to peruse the expo hall at their own pace and paid at-Korse pointed out that the shows educational sessions interested people, Korse continued. And in some cases, they tendees were able to take in recordings of the 11 educationalwere well attended on all three days, with nearly 100 people were making appointments for phone calls and video calls and sessions.observing the shows final session.they were conducting business and that was what we were Korse said that he has received positive feedback from at-It was great to see that kind of audience for the last ses- hoping for and it happened. tendees who were not able to visit last years in-person eventsion of a three-day conference, Korse highlighted. The at- Kimberly Wootteon, from Right Coast Creatives, a market- in Colorado, mainly due to costs or the shows timing. tendees of the sessions has told us that they liked the quality ing firm, said that the company received 11 leads during the They liked that they were able to participate and take inof the speakers and that the variety of content was outstand- show, while Jim Ganley, from CheckBoxSystems, a Wi-Fi sys- the educational sessions, he explained. ing. On average, each session had around 100 people that at- tems provider, said that the show didnt match the bar set dur- It has also spurred Korse to look at ways of hosting a hybridtended.ing last years in-person event.conference next year that will feature an in-person portion asAnecdotally, Korse noted that the vendors he had spoken As a virtual show I took time to post a lot of info regularly well as a virtual component. with were all very pleased with the show as well.and worked to engage others, said Irene Jones, with Mar- Maybe we will try to livestream the educational sessionsI think 12 to 13 leads at the end of the second day was the shall & Sterlings Campground Insuranceprogram. We met and provide a digital footprint for vendors as well, he said. Ilowest any vendor had told me they had seen, he said. Other a lot of people just getting startedso lots of growth to come. think we will try some type of hybrid event next year.people had told me that they had way more than that. We are We met a few prospects who really came to the show to shop The Glamping Show USA is set to take place from Oct. 6-7,going to go over the numbers more in-depth and provide a because their glamping operation is about to take off or get 2021, in Aurora, Colo.Ben Quiggle WCMBeverly Gruber Retires as Executive Director of PCOA After 37 YearsForgoing the traditional ing to develop a website for the associationretirement party this year and incorporate more digital marketing intodue to the current COVID the mix. crisis, Beverly Gruber, the TheassociationpurchasedtheYorkRVlongtime executive direc- Show to help pay for a lobbyist, which Gruber Skylines Sales Dip intor of the Pennsylvania Campground Owners said was one of the smartest things PCOA hadAssociation (PCOA) passed the baton to her done during her tenure.Second Quarter, Backlogsuccessor, Jason Vaughan, in mid-October. This last bill that we got passed, that treatsPCOA was set to recognize her 37 years of campgroundsthesameashotelswhenit Continues to Growservice to the association during its annual comes to unruly guests and abandoned prop- Skyline Champion Corporation, a manufactured home andconference in December, but that was can- erty, is going to be a blessing, said Gruber.park model RV builder, saw a net sales decrease of 9.1% duringceled. Gruber did receive recognition during She said the association also forms strategic the fiscal second quarter, which ended on Sept. 26, accordingan in-person board meeting earlier this Fall.plans and sticks with them to ensure that the to financial results released in late October. In 1983 Gruber was approached by camp- association accomplishes its goals.Second Quarter Fiscal 2021 Highlights(compared to secondground owners she had worked with through One of the largest challenges she has faced quarter fiscal 2020)her role at a county tourist promotion agency besides COVID was during the insurance crisisNet sales decreased 9.1% to $322.4 million. On a sequentialto see if she had any interest in helping to di- a number of years ago when a large insurance basis compared to first-quarter 2021, net sales increased 18%.rect the association, which at the time had 143 group pulled out of the industry. U.S. factory-built homes sold decreased by 6.7% to 4,689.membersandwasbeingoperatedbythe That was when Evergreen was started, On a sequential basis compared to first quarter 2021, U.S. fac-board of directors.she noted. We sold a lot of memberships dur- tory-built homes increased 16.4%.Itwasjustbecomingtoolargeforthe ing that crisis. We sold a bunch this year, too.Total backlog increased 126.8% to $390.1 million. On a se-board to operate themselves, noted Gruber.Campgroundownersrealizedduringboth quential basis compared to first-quarter 2021, backlog increasedIt started as a part-time gig, as Gruber still crisesthattheyneededsomethingbeyond 103%.worked at the promotion agency and she fo- themselves. Gross profit as a percent of sales declined by 140 basiscused mainly on collecting member dues.Gruber plans to spend more time with her points to 19.5%.We certainly didnt do any marketing pro- family during her retirement and is still serv-Net income decreased by 1.3% to $17.5 million.grams, although theyve always had a direc- ing as president of The Great Allentown Fair.Earnings per share (EPS) remained flat at $0.31.torysincedayone,sheexplained.I,of She said all of the campgrounds she worked Excludingnon-recurringexpenses,AdjustedEPSde-course, got the job of putting the directory to- with throughout the years became like family.creased to $0.31 from $0.34.gether. Campground owners were always my fa-Adjusted EBITDA decreased 10.9% to $28.9 million.I have always been blessed with the skill of vorite group because they were such down toAdjusted EBITDA margin decreased by 20 basis points toorganization, she continued. I love putting earth people, and they were reliable, honest 9.0%.stuff together and making things work. and dependable and all that kind of stuff, sheNet cash provided by operating activities improved by 24.7%Technology has transformed tremendously explained. If they tell you theyre going to do to $31.6 million.WCMover the years and Gruber found herself help- something, they do it.Ben Quiggle WCMWOODALLSCM.com December 2020-3'