Several vendors attending the Texas Association of Campground Owners’ (TACO) Spring Meeting reported strong sales leads and higher sales figures than last year, which they said could signal a strengthening economy, according to a news release.
“It was a good show. There was more buying activity than last year,” said Wade Elliott of Utility Supply Group, a Kingston, Wash.-based supplier of electrical pedestals and related products who regularly attends campground industry trade shows across the country.
“We got a lot of sales leads today,” said Allison Huthmacher, a sales representative from Alba, Texas-based Diamond Park Homes.
Champion Homes’ Athens Park Homes subsidiary also experienced strong sales activity.
Bryan J. Tolli, an account executive with Lewiston, Maine-based Evergreen USA, said the trade show also provided an excellent opportunity for him to interact with some of his company’s existing insurance customers and to alert them of the need to re-assess their insurance coverage whenever they add new amenities, such as jumping pillows, golf cart rentals, inflatable water slides and liquid propane service.
This year’s trade show featured 37 vendors, more than half a dozen of which had never exhibited in a TACO trade show before. New vendors included S.A.F.E. Archery, Bishop Distributing, Diamond Park Homes, Free Style Slides, Gattuso Distributing, Kramer Kreations and Severson & Associates.
TACO also provided a member resource booth at the trade show, which gave park operators a chance to pose various tax questions to Don Brown, an Enrolled Agent. Casey Erick, TACO’s attorney, was also on hand to answer park operators’ legal questions.
Erick noted that many parks are receiving phone calls from organizations wanting to verify their compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Erick said park operators should instruct their staffs to ensure that those calls get referred to park management for a response.
TACO’s annual Spring Meeting concludes today with educational seminars being held throughout the day.
