If you’re thinking of getting into the campground business or are already in the process of buying or building a park, wouldn’t it be great to tap into the expertise of those who have done this before? Now you can, by participating in ARVC’s Prospective Owners Workshop (POW!). You have a choice of two formats for this powerful educational program—it’s being offered online on Tuesday, August 10th as well as in person on Monday, November 8 at the 2021 Outdoor Hospitality Conference and Expo (OHCE) in Raleigh, N.C.

POW! is a full-day program presented by industry experts who cover essential topics for prospective owners, including:

  • Industry insights and trends relating to RV parks, glamping and camping
  • Building a park versus purchasing an existing one
  • What to look for when buying a park
  • The national standards for construction for the health and safety of your guests
  • Insurance
  • Considerations for hiring a consultant
  • Financing—how and where to get it
  • Franchise opportunities
  • An introduction to reservation systems
  • Marketing, accounting, choosing suppliers and much more.

Plus you can get your questions answered by industry experts in the open Q&A session.

ARVC associate-member Kate Stewart is in the early stages of developing an RV park with glamping cabins, so she signed up to participate in the May POW! session.

“I’ve never done a venture like this,” she says, “and ARVC seemed like a good place to start. I treated POW! like an orientation to the industry. I don’t know what I don’t know, so everything that came my way through that workshop was a treasure. I still feel like I’m a novice, but I had questions answered that I didn’t even know that I had! Not only that, but I now have a sense of who I can reach out to if I have questions in particular areas or need assistance. I think it was the exposure to trends and to people that have a long-term history in the industry that was the biggest help to me. It really did orient me in terms of knowledge and in terms of a network that I can rely on when the time comes.”

Tuition the POW! is $599, but it drops down to just $299 if you are an ARVC member (those interested in the industry can become an associate member for only $100 and receive membership pricing on POW! immediately.

The ARVC Foundation is offering scholarships for POW! aimed at increasing opportunities and helping those looking to learn more about the outdoor hospitality industry and park ownership. Up to three scholarships will be awarded to attend any of the POW! workshops.

The POW! scholarship application for the live session in November is due no later than September 30.

Visit arvc.org/Prospective-Campground-Owners-Workshop for more information about POW! and to register. Be sure to reserve your spot soon—the two POW! sessions offered earlier this year sold out!