b'ance. With a record-breaking number of bush fires,floods, drought, and COVID-19, (not to mention in-demand, high-risk attractions, such as the popularflying fox a.k.a. zip lines), millions of Australian dol-larsingeneralandbusinessinterruptionclaimshave been paid out. A possible solution being dis-cussed is for large organizations, like Big4, to nego-tiate and offer industry insurance to their memberparks. That remains to be seen.A Bright Horizon AheadA perfect storm is brewing. Like everywhere in theworld, Australians are tired of staying home, espe-ciallywiththetemptationofsummerontheirdoorstep. Caravanning/camping is an ideal solution,allowing them to control their environment whilestillexperiencingmemory-makingadventures.Those that are already familiar with caravanning canattest to its many benefits. Those new to the industryare thrilled to discover that everything from isolatedoutdoor environments to posh resorts is available tothem, simply a road trip away.And like weve reported observing in the U.S. andEurope, the influx and interest in what we all knowto be a valuable way to recreate are, as one wouldimagine, a license (for the caravan industry) to printmoney,The Goodalls summed up the industrys forward-facing messagingespecially to non-considers. Its The wide variety of sites available to campers in Australia, along with theno surprise that get out and explore your own back- COVID crisis, is helping to fuel a push towards more outdoor recreation. yard is the new rallying cry in the land of Oz. WCMRMS North America UnveilsImproved Booking EngineRMS North America, a provider of guest and customer feedback, the newfully integrated, cloud-based reserva- booking engine combines enhancedtion and property management sys- functionalitywithtemsto6,000propertiesinthe designimprove-hospitality industry, unveiled its up- mentstodeliveradated internet booking engine (IBE) to betteruserexperi-address the needs of modern travelers enceandincreaseandhelppropertyownersincrease conversion,com-theirdirectbookings,accordingto pany officials said.RMS officials. Ournewbook-RMS IBE enables properties to ac- ing engine is native Matthew Galbraithcept direct online bookings from any to the RMS system and is a key piece ofdevice in real-time and integrates with functionality for clients to drive directall other RMS distribution and prop- bookings, said Matthew Galbraith, di-erty management features. Based on rectorofoperationsforRMSNorthAmerica. This update gives operatorsthe ability to sell at the category or roomlevel and offer curated upsells with im-ages throughout the reservation experi-ence to increase revenue per booking.InthenewRMSbookingengine,guests will see a clean layout with asnapshot display screen showing rele-vantcontent,ashoppingcartstylebooking process, the ability to view can-cellation policies, and a handy map linkfor travel directionsall guest-centricimprovements to create a better book-ing experience.Forpropertymanagers,anaddi-tional perk is the ability to make it aseamlessextensionoftheircurrentwebsite, noted officials. They can addlogos and customize colors to matchtheir brand, and enterprise users cantailor the booking engine to each indi-vidual property in their portfolio.As an important revenue driver forproperties, RMS will continue to enhancethe booking engine based on customerfeedback, Galbraith said. Our goal is al-ways to help our customers operate effi-ciently and profitably while enhancingthe guest experience.WCM28 -January 2021Woodalls Campground Management'