b'Florida Park Operators Report Strong Traffic Despite COVIDFloridas RV parks and resorts that cater to snowbirds Torrey Trails RV Resort, in Bowling Green, Fla., along with other statement. Currently for the season, we are up 41%are doing well this winter, despite the ongoing pan- parks throughout the state, are still seeing strong traffic despite compared to last season. Our snowbird business hasdemic and the continuing Canadian border closure. the COVID crisis. changed. With the Canadian borders being confusing,Most of our members tell us they are very happy we have lost almost all of our Canadian business, butwith their business levels this winter, said Bobby Corn- we have filled that hole through targeted Facebook adswell, executive director and CEO of the Florida Associ- in particular states. We focused our resources on statesationofRVParks andCampgrounds,whichhosts that we do the most business with historically.CampFlorida.com, the travel planning website. Red Coconut RV Park in Fort Myers Beach: SinceOur season is going strong, said Amir Harpaz, a co- this pandemic hit, weve been busier than weve everowner and developer of Torrey Trails RV Resortin Bowl- been before, said Fran Myers, who co-owns the 250-ing Green, about an hour east of Tampa, which opened site Red Coconut RV Park in Fort Myers Beach with its first phase of 158 sites this winter. her husband, Tom. For this winter, we are sold outWe are in line with where we wanted to be in terms those reservations with shorter-term stays, said Darla completely.ofthenumberofleasesandguests,Harpazsaid, Sinnard, who manages both parks for Jennings Realty. Ridge Manor Campgroundin Ridge Manor: Accord-adding that Torrey Trails recently broke ground on a Demand is strong for last-minute reservations for ing to park manager and owner Brad Winteroff, We aremassive new swimming pool. Harpaz and his business guests wishing to leave the cold weather in the Mid- as busy as the last few years during our normal season:partners are planning to build another 210 sites next west and on the East Coast. Both resorts will be full for December,mostlyfull.January,full.February,full.year. February and at 90% occupancy for March, so we are March, full, and April, mostly full. Our business is up, said Mike Wood, who owns and grateful.Riptide RV Resort & Marina in Key Largo: Some ofoperates Breezy Oaks RV Parkin Bushnell, Lake Pana- Caladesi RV Park in Palm Harbor: This winter has our regular American snowbirds at Riptide did cancel,soffkee RV Park in Lake Panasoffkee, Travelers Camp- pretty much been the same compared with last year, said but we have kept busy with transient RV guests, saidground inAlachua,andWildwoodRVVillage in Christos Kappas, park manager. Despite the Canadians Julie Rohan, resort manager. Wildwood.HesaidAmericansnowbirdslargelyre- not coming, we are fine. Plenty of people are traveling to The Outpost RV Resort Park & Communityin Winterplaced the Canadians who were not able to come to Florida. We are slightly less booked because of the uncer- Haven: Although our park has a couple of open sites,Florida this winter. tainty of the baseball spring training season, but without we will be 100% full in February, resident managers JeffWhile business levels vary by park up and down the doubt, people will still be coming down to Florida.andKathie Osbornsaid in an emailed statement. Sunshine State, most RV park operators say their busi- NovaFamilyCampground inPortOrange: Our Yankee Traveler RV Park in Largo: We have beenness has been strong this winter. business was down about 5.5% for 2020 compared to able to fill our short-term sites that had been reservedSome examples: 2019, according to Michael Ho-Lung, park manager. by Canadian travelers with U.S. travelers. We might beBay Bayou RV Resort in Tampa and Sunkissed Vil- We attributed this to the effects of COVID-19. The ab- 2% to 3% down, but nothing significant, said Keith lage RV Resortin Summerfield: Although we did expe- sence of our Canadian customers hurt our bottom line.Bailey, owner, and manager of the park, adding, Sinceriencealargenumberofcancellationsanddate Ocala North RV Resort in Reddick: Our snowbird we charge more for shorter stays, we might even be a bitchanges due to COVID-19, we have been able to fill season has been huge, the park said in an emailed up money-wise.Jeff Crider WCMKOA Planning to Host In-Person Buyers Workshop April 10 & 11Kampgrounds of America Inc.(KOA) will be return- While the Virtual KOA Buyers Workshop was a re- Bankand Leavitt Recreation & Hospitality Insurance.ing to an in-person format when it hosts its next KOA sounding success, we know there is nothing like being Brownfield said camping is now the absolute star ofBuyersWorkshopApril10and11attheSan there in person, said KOAs Director of Franchise De- the outdoor industry, with millions of new North Amer-Antonio/Alamo KOA Holiday in Texas, according to velopment Larry Brownfield. Were all looking forward ican campers flocking to campgrounds and purchasingKOA officials. to personally meeting and interacting with all of our at- RVs. Before 2020, KOA hosted multiple Buyers Workshops tendees, and ensuring we provide them all of the knowl- The cost of the KOA Buyers Workshop is $250 pereach year throughout the U.S., all aimed at providing edge and experience our 59-year-old company has to person or $300 per couple and includes all materials aspotential new campground owners with the guidance offer as they begin their journey to campground own- well as one breakfast and two lunches. The San Anto-and information they need to make an informed deci- ership. nio/Alamo KOA Holiday is the host campground for thesiononfuturecampgroundownership.InOctober KOA Buyers Workshop attendees can learn about the KOA Buyers Workshop. 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, KOA took its details of campground ownership, campground man- KOAiscurrentlyacceptingregistrationsfortheBuyers Workshop virtual, hosting more than 70 atten- agement, insurance and finance from KOA experts as Buyers Workshop. Just call (800) 548-7239 or emaildees for the first-of-its-kind event. well as from the leaders of KOA partners Independence dflanagan@koa.net.WCMCamping World Sees RevenueIncrease by 11.3% in 2020CampingWorldHoldingsInc.,(CWH) the largest retailer of RVs andrelated products, noted that revenuesincreased 11.3% in 2020. Thecompanyreportedresultsforthe fourth quarter and full-year endedDec. 31, 2020, at the end of February. Full year-over-year operating high-lights: Revenue increased 11.3% to $5.4billion. Gross profit increased 32.2% to $1.7billion.Incomefromoperationswas$476.2 million, an increase of $467.4million. A net income of $344.2 million, anincrease of $464.5 million.Vehicleinventoriesdecreased$262.6 million: new vehicle inventorieswere down $275 million and used vehi-cle inventories were up $12.4 million.Products,parts,accessoriesandother inventories increased $40.9 mil-lion to $266.8 million. The number of active customers in-creased3.8%toapproximately5.31million, and the number of Good SamClub members decreased 1.7% to ap-proximately 2.09 million. WCM4 -April 2021Woodalls Campground Management'