In the outdoor hospitality industry, often all that’s needed after a job well done is a solid thank you and a smile. But one night every year, the best of the best in the industry receive a little more fanfare, as ARVC presents its Awards of Excellence at?the annual Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo?(OHCE). The Awards of Excellence honor the standout parks, individuals and other accomplishments, rewarding ARVC members for outstanding achievements.

(DENVER) In the outdoor hospitality industry, often all that’s needed after a job well done is a solid thank you and a smile. But one night every year, the best of the best in the industry receive a little more fanfare, as ARVC presents its Awards of Excellence at?the annual Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo?(OHCE). The Awards of Excellence honor the standout parks, individuals and other accomplishments, rewarding ARVC members for outstanding achievements.

Entering your?park?in?the Park of the Year or Plan-It Green Award?competitions gives you an excellent opportunity to tout your accomplishments and highlight your park’s commitment to excellence. Winning one of these prestigious awards will help you earn peer recognition and promote the quality of your park on a local and national basis.?

Additional Awards of Excellence are presented to recognize?other individuals and state associate standouts, including?Supplier of the Year?and?State Directory of the Year.?

In the Park of the Year category, one award is given in each of four park size categories: Small (0-100 sites), Medium (101-250 sites), Large (251-499 sites) and Mega (500 or more sites).

The awards are given to recognize each park’s commitment to excellence. Each park that submits a nomination form is evaluated by the judges based on criteria such as guest experience, customer service, marketing and industry involvement.

It’s an honor well worth pursuing. Just ask? Gary Quigley, CPO,?owner of ARVC member-park?Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park at Kozy Rest?in Harrisville, Pa. and four-time winner of the Park of the Year award:

“It has helped on many levels! It motivates our returning staff and new staff to try to continue to accomplish the goal of being the best possible campground that we can be as a team from both the service excellence side and making sure the facilities are always outstanding. They always want to try to win that award again!

“It has also been huge to be able to advertise it on both our brochures and website to generate interest in seeing what makes us a four-time winner of the most prestigious industry award. I also believe it has made some of our guests even more loyal being able to say they camp at THE four-time Park of the Year!”

Mike Gurevich, CPO, OHE,?owner of ARVC member-park?Cherry Hill Park?in College Park, Md., is a three-time winner of the Park of the Year award.

“The Park of the Year award validates our operation with our employees, with our community, with other local businesses and with our decision makers,” he says. “As an achievement it is substantial. It confirms with people that we are among the best in what we do. It is great for employee morale, retention and recruiting. It also helps with our standing in the local community.

“As owners and decision makers, we use the Park of the Year award as motivation,” he adds. “The award pushes us not just to maintain the same level of facilities, amenities and services that allowed us to achieve it in the first place, but to improve our operation wherever possible. If we succeed in that, then the business will grow.”

Parks that do their part to protect the environment are also honored, as there are two winners each year (categories Small/Medium, Large/Mega) for the Plan-It Green Park of the Year. The award is given to parks that demonstrate they have taken action to make their park eco-friendly.? Parks are evaluated on impact of changes made, commitment to environmental practices and efforts to educate guests about support of Plan-It Green practices.?

The Supplier Council Award is presented to an industry supplier that exemplifies excellence in product, customer service and support.?It honors the supplier that goes the “extra mile” for its customers and the industry.

Three State Directory of the Year awards will be presented to a partnering state association for the small (50 members or less), medium (51-150 members) and large (more than 150 members) directories of the year.?This award is judged on appearance, readability, use of graphics, artwork and ease of use, highlighting the association that does the most to help market its member parks.

Additionally, there are a slate of awards that go to individuals who have made significant commitments and contributions to the outdoor hospitality industry and to the ARVC Foundation. These awards include the Campground Partner of the Year, Chairman’s Award, Pioneer Award, Stan Martin Award, Herb Strauss Awards and more.

Nomination forms for all categories are now available on?arvc.org/awards