b'Hosted Program to Connect Buyers, Vendors, ARVCs OHCE2021 is Planned for 9-11 nBY ARVC OFFICIALS and we have either purchased from or scheduled to use many of the suppliers Thesedays,timeisaninvaluablewe met with at the Expo. commodity. Weallneedmoreofit.ARVC introduced the Hosted Buyer About the only thing you probably needProgram concept to the industry at last morethantime,ismoney,sowhatyears virtual OHCE2020 and is certain would you say if we told you theres athis year the in-person experience is way to save time and money at thisgoing to be even better. Hosted Buyers years National Association of RV Parkswill enjoy an experience at OHCE2021 andCampgrounds(ARVC)Outdoorlike never before in our industrywith Hospitality Conference and Expo 2021?VIP skip-the-line registration at check-Just register for the conference andin,theopportunitytorelaxand apply to be a Hosted Buyer betweenrecharge in a dedicated lounge with re-now and Oct. 1. As a Hosted Buyer,freshments, entertainment and device youll be eligible for a full refund of yourchargingstationsandquietmeeting OHCE2021 registration fee. The event isspace to meet and network with ex-scheduled for Nov. 9-11.hibitors and other hosted buyers. ARVCs Hosted Buyer Program con- The ARVC Hosted Buyer Program is nects a parks qualified decision-makerstill new to many in the industry soARVCs Hosted Buyer Program allows OHCE attendees to focus in on the vendors they want to (usually owners, operators and/or man- there are bound to be lots of questions.talk with and ensure they have a dedicated time to talk. agers at RV parks/resorts, campgroundsHere are answers to some of the most or glamping businesses) with partici- frequently asked questions:hibitors you want to meet. After beingOHCE2021registration,asaHosted pating OHCE2021 exhibitors. Based onQ: When are the appointments?approved as a Hosted Buyer, youll beBuyer, youll also receive other exclusive yourneeds,youscheduleyourownA: All appointments will take placegivenearlyaccesstotheOHCE2021perks including: Hosted Buyer appointments with par- during OHCE2021 on Tuesday, Wednes- mobile event app (sponsored by Astra) VIP check-in, so you can skip the ticipating exhibitors on days and timesday and Thursday, Nov. 9-11.on Oct. 1 so you can begin to scheduleline at registration; and that work for both of you. Q: Will the appointments conflictyour time. Youll be able to see when Exclusive VIP access to the Hosted The goal is to save you time becausewith education sessions?participatingexhibitorsareavailableBuyer Lounge inside the Raleigh Con-youre meeting with exhibitors at a pre- A: No. Hosted Buyer appointmentsand set up the time to meet. Exhibitorsvention Center, including refreshments, scheduled appointment. You know yourwill take place during times when nowill also be able to request to meet withrecharging stations and entertainment. schedule, choose your exhibitors to meeteducation sessions are happening, soyou and you can choose to accept or de- Q: How do I apply? with and youre getting paid to do it.you wont miss a thing by participating.cline the requests.Getting started is easy. Just register It takes the guesswork out of gettingQ: How long is each appointment?Q: Who is eligible to participate?forOHCE2021,thenapplytobea business done. Theres no obligation toA: Each appointment slot is 20 min- A: Only active campground membersHosted Buyer by taking a very short, 2-buy products or services at the event,utes and is intended to be an opportu- of ARVC are eligible to participate. Theminute survey. Links to both can be but youll certainly want to, based onnityforyoutomeetwiththeprogram is not open to associate mem- found at www.arvc.org/hosted-buyer. the savings, solutions and products of- participating exhibitor, get to know eachbers or non-ARVC members.Youllreceiveapprovalconfirmation fered by our participating exhibitors.other, ask a few questions and then setQ: What do I get as a Hosted Buyer?from ARVC and on Oct. 1 youll be set up I appreciated the opportunity to at- up the next steps if the fit is right.As a Hosted Buyer, you will gain ac- tostartschedulingyourone-on-one tend last years OHCE2020 as a hostedQ:Howwillappointmentsbecess to all education sessions, network- meetings with businesses that fit your buyer,explainedJoyBrady,ofRedscheduled?ingwiththeindustrysbest,andneeds during OHCE. Coach Resort, an ARVC-member parkA: Unlike last year, where ARVC staffschedule at least six face-to-face meet- Q: How many appointments does in Toney, Ala. I met with all the ex- scheduled all the appointments, thisings with any participating exhibitorseach Hosted Buyer have to complete? hibitors on my schedule and others asyear you get to select your own appoint- that fit your everyday needsall at noA: To receive your full refund, you will well. Thiswaspricelessinformation,mentsandwhichparticipatingex- cost to you. Besides a full refund on yourneed to complete at least six pre-sched-uled appointments with participating exhibitors. Q: When will I receive my refund if I complete all my Hosted Buyer appoint-ments? A: Once the ARVC staff has confirmed youcompletedatleastsixappoint-ments with participating exhibitor, a full refund of the registration cost (travel, hotel and other costs are excluded) will be provided within 30 days of the close of the conference. If you dont see an answer to a ques-tion you have, reach out to us at mem-bership@arvc.org. To learn even more and to apply to be a Hosted Buyer at OHCE2021 in Raleigh, N.C., check out www.arvc.org/hosted-buyer. Are you a supplier interested in get-tingconnectedwiththesedecision-makers? ARVC campground members have an annual buying power of more than $175 million and participating in ARVCs Hosted Buyer Program as an ex-hibitor is the best way for you to make the connections with these decision-makers so you can get more business done. For more information on how to getsignedupasaparticipatingex-hibitor,contactGaryHeadrickat gary.headrick@arvc.org.This column was written by officials at the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds. WCM14 October 2021Woodalls Campground Magazine'