b'INDUSTRY NEWS CCRVC to Host Virtual OutdoorINDUSTRY NEWSIn BriefCamping World Releases its 2023 Good Sam Camping Guide Hospitality Conference & Expo Camping World Holdings Inc.s Good Sam Enterprises LLC has upped the ante this year in its traditional role as publisher of the 2023 Good Sam North American Campground Guide, The Canadian Camping & RV Coun- Were thrilled to again have a chanceaccording to information from Camping World. cilhasannouncedthereturnoftheto provide this exclusive education andIt includes directory listings of more than 12,000 campgrounds, RV parks, resorts and travel Canadian Outdoor Hospitality Confer- networking opportunity for Canadianand tourism locations in the U.S. and Canada. ence & Expo, planned Feb. 15 and 16, ac- campground owners across the coun- Along with detailed state and provincial maps and new editorial input from travel and adventure cording to a press release.try, said Shane Devenish, executive di- experts affiliated with Wildsam Field Guidesa well-known source of expert itineraries of re-Produced with the support of Unityrector of the Canadian Camping & RVgions, cities and national parks offering a more in-depth look at destinations and related accom-Event Solutions, the conference will beCouncil. After the success of our virtualmodationsthe 2023 Good Sam Guide again relied on a trusted team of trained professionals an opportunity for the entire country toconferences in 2021 and 2022, we are ex- to visit and inspect thousands of parks listed in its 1,158-page directory as part of a detailed, three-come together as one to share invaluablecited to build on our mandate to providetiered rating system. WCM education sessions and networking.the tools to help make our private camp-RVIA Notes Wholesale RV Shipments Down 15.6% Through November The 2023 Canadian Outdoor Hospi- grounds more successful and offer theirResults from the RV Industry Associations (RVIA) November 2022 survey of manufacturers talityConferencewillprovidecamp- campers a quality experience for the bet- determined that total RV shipments ended the month with 24,445 units, a decrease of -50.4% ground owners with new and excitingterment of the Canadian RV and Camp- compared to the record 49,285 units shipped in November 2021. tools to help them continue to offer pre- ing Industry.Through November, RV shipments are down -15.6% compared to the same point last year with mium camping experiences, enhanceTheCanadianOutdoorHospitality472,691 wholesale shipments. operations procedures and maintain theConference & Expo will offer two packedTowable RVs, led by conventional travel trailers, ended the month down -53.5% against last successes the industry has seen in recentdays of educational sessions, live net- November with 20,502 shipments. Motorhomes finished the month down -24.7% compared to years, the release stated.working opportunities, interactive work- the same month last year with 3,943 units. Afterfeedbackfromcampgroundshops, group discussions and keynotePark Model RVs finished November up 35.9% compared to the same month last year, with 394 owners, the conference will remain vir- speakers, as well as sponsors who hailwholesale shipments. To date, park model RVs are up 18% with 4,341 shipments. WCM tual for 2023, which has motivated a shiftfrom Canada and across North America. towards prioritizing the education con- CampgroundownersandindustryCampspot Announces Appointment of New CTO Megan Winfieldtent being delivered, given the barriersprofessionals who wish to attend the con- Campspot, an outdoor marketplace and reservation software provider, to effective virtual trade shows. CCRVCference can register on the event websitehas appointed Megan Winfield as its new Chief Technology Officer. She invites industry suppliers to participateat https://cohce.ca/. There are opportu- succeeds Al Scott, Campspots founding CTO, who is departing to pursue in the 2023 event with sponsorships thatnities for sponsorships and interactivehis planned return to hands-on software development, according to a re-support premium training content thatboothsforsupplierstopresenttheirlease. willhaveasignificanteffectontheproducts and services to campgroundMichael Scheinman, CEO at Campspot, said that while the role had camping industry in Canada. Discus- owners and industry participants.previously focused on the early growth stages of the company, the em-sions to host an in-person full confer- Formoreinformationvisitphasis moving forward will be on developing a robust technology platform enceandtradeshowin2024arehttps://cohce.ca or contact Cara Csizma- and unlocking faster delivery of the products and features most requested ongoing.dia at [email protected] WCM by Campspots customers, both campers and campgrounds alike.Megan WinifieldWe knew Megan would be the ideal fit to build on the foundation Al helped lay, said Scheinman. As a seasoned tech executive whos built property management systems and consumer products in the travel industry and an outdoor enthusiast, she brings a wealth of critical experience to our growing team. Im excited to welcome Megan to the Campspot family, as well as congratulate Al on his many contributions and new adventure. The momentum in the camping industry in recent years has highlighted the opportunity for technology to solve growth challenges for both campgrounds and campers looking for their next stay, said Winfield. I am honored to join the Campspot team and its incredible culture and am excited to further evolve the Campspot software platform to provide industry-leading software for campground operations and a marketplace that gives campers access to unparalleled inventory. Winfield, who is based out of Lexington, Ky., will join Campspots executive team and report toScheinman. WCM MECOA Planning to Host Annual Meeting and Trade Show in April The Maine Campground Owners Association (MECOA) is making plans for its 2023 Trade Show & Annual Meeting at the Norway Savings Bank Arena in Auburn, Maine, according to an email sent out Dec. 20. The trade show on April 1 will be taking place in conjunction with the 18th Annual Vacationland RV & Camping Show, in which an estimated 50-plus member campgrounds will be participating. MECOA anticipates as many as 50-70 campground owners will be present throughout the day at the trade show. This event will feature educational seminars, guest speakers, great food and company, the trade show, a silent auction and the annual spring membership meeting. To stimulate business at the trade show, MECOA asks that each vendor offer campground own-ers Special Trade Show Only Deals honored during the hours when the Trade Show is open. The majority of the day will be reserved for the trade show, which will allow campground owners to have the maximum opportunity to visit with vendors with minimal distraction, according to the email. MECOA has arranged for a continental breakfast to be located at the concessions stand adjacent to the trade show, along with a membership lunch, social hour and hors doeuvres. A silent auction will be held throughout the day, and MECOA invites all vendors and sponsors to donate an item to the auction. All proceeds of the silent auction will be donated to the MECOA Scholarship Program through the Northeast Campground Association. WCM KOA Report Shows Campers are Resolving to Camp More in 2023 The Kampgrounds of America Inc. (KOA) Monthly Research ReportDecember Edition es-timates that camping likely will see another record year in 2023, with 58 million households camping at least once. The outlook for 2023 also looks healthy as 87% of campers plan to include the activity in their New Years resolutions, most of whom say they would like to increase their trips. Looking to the new year, the report highlights what campers would like to do as they venture out in 2023. Dramatically outpacing other camping resolutions, 41% of campers hope to take more camping trips next year. Comparatively, 29% resolve to take more extended trips, regardless of the mode of travel, while a similar proportion (28%) just want to get outdoors more often. When looking at why people camp, there is a notable shift pre- and post-COVID-19. Currently, 86% of campers say they like to camp to escape the stress of everyday life, an 11-point increase from pre-pandemic responses. A similar number (85%) choose to camp to relax and not feel like they need to be somewhere, up from 76%. The most significant jump occurred among those who say camping allows them to let loose and blow off steam, up from 57% to 73%. WCM6 February 2023Woodalls Campground Magazine'