As the busy season fast approaches, many are preparing for increased occupancies as RVers are taking advantage of cost-saving road trips this summer.  In this edition you will find new ideas for summer marketing, industry responses to fuel increases, and considerations for those thinking of investing in an RV resort.

WIN/WIN

The political process has become mean. When I was in high school, my civics teacher said that art of politics is really the art of successful compromise. However, the attitude of the public, the regulatory and planning agencies, special interest groups, and developers is miles apart from her definition. The new politics is "win at any cost." And that cost is generally born by the developer, win or lose. That is not to say that developers are always innocent of the meanness that has crept into the process, just that they are the ones who must pay the bills (which in turn makes them mean).

A term that has been kicked around a lot in recent years is "win/win". A lot of people know the term, but few know how to practice it. What does a victory look like where the opponent or advisory also wins? How do we get what we want without devastating the opposition? That is seldom the attitude going into the process and thus, fighting for orderly, economically sound, and environmentally sensitive development never quite materializes in most cases. But I challenge, unless we begin to view all projects from this perspective, we are never again going to see quality economic development and sound responsible growth. It becomes lacking in quality because it costs too much to fight the good fight and it's not sound or smart because it kills the goose that lays the golden egg.

Recent years has spurned groups in most counties across the land called "smart growth" organizations. And this movement emerged out of an environment where a lot of growth has been really stupid. We need real honest smart growth advocates. But they must be smart in understanding that economic development is necessary to sustain lifestyles, standards of living, and growth to meet ever increasing demand for goods and services. As the population grows, if economic growth is not consistently ahead, a declining national lifestyle will result. However, unless growth is "smart" then developers may very well soil and spoil that which they hope to capitalize on. So the only real answer to smart growth is cooperation towards a win/win solution.

So exactly how does the win/win strategy of development work? It works when developers value the resources they choose to develop. It works when special interest groups recognize that profitability is a key to sound, clean, and beautiful expansion and development. It works when neighbors dismiss the NIMBY (not in my back yard) attitude in favor of, partnering with developers of a solid business plan. It works when government workers recognize they are facilitators instead of regulators. (Note: A very progressive city in Florida now has a developer's advocate on the staff of the planning commission. This person's role is to walk the developers through the public process with an eye to smart economic development. This model is working in other areas as well. This is what people are crying for when they say, "Get government off our backs.") So then, the win/win strategy is one in which the government's role is brokering solid economic growth and the special interest groups, public, neighbors, and developers move forward with the attitude of "how can we all be winners?" Determining a strategy for development in which wildlife is preserved, streams are protected, and profit is achieved can be one of the great victories of the coming era.

Many of my readers are either going through the public process, have been recently been beat up by the public process, or are afraid to enter the arena for fear of the outcome. To you, I say, sit down with all the players and try to help broker a conversation of everyone winning instead of winner takes all. Encourage your local elected officials to appoint advocates for economically sound and environmentally positive development (their future budgets and thus their futures depend on it). And for your part let your demeanor reflect a desire for everyone to be a winner.

RVIA'S OFFERING FACTS TO FUEL PRICE QUESTIONS

By RV Business

With gas prices continuing to climb through the spring, the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) has collected positive data and RV travel savings information for industry members to use in responding to media questions that may be asked in the coming months.

With the onset of the summer RV travel season, these facts are also suitable for consumer marketing communications, according to an RVIA news release.

The information will continue to be updated as RVIA conducts future research and gathers more data.

Please visit RVIA.org for the most up-to-date version or contact Kevin Broom in RVIA's Public Relations department at (703) 620-6003 (ext. 304) or kbroom@rvia.org.

·RV travel is a great value. The PKF Vacation Cost comparison study shows that a family of four can save 26-to-71% on vacation costs depending on the type of trip and type of RV used. More than 80% of RV owners say their RV vacations cost less than other forms of vacation.

·The latest Campfire Canvass survey of RV owners reveals that 53% intend to use their RVs more this spring/summer despite higher fuel prices. Another 38% say they'll use their RVs the same amount.

·Many RV owning families plan to take shorter but more frequent trips in their RVs. Sixty-three percent plan to spend five or more weekends in their RVs this spring/summer; 19% will reserve a seasonal site at a campground this summer and visit it on weekends.

·When fuel prices rise, RVers adjust by traveling to destinations closer to home, driving fewer miles, and staying longer in one place, according to surveys of RV owners conducted by RVIA and CVENT, a leading provider of online surveys and research technology.

·More than 80% of RVers say their RV vacations cost less than other forms of vacation, even when fuel prices rise.

·To save on fuel, RVers typically spend more time enjoying the campground experience and less time on the road. More than 16,000 campgrounds nationwide give RVers the flexibility to save fuel and cut costs by staying closer to home. Whether they travel five miles or 500, they can still enjoy a great outdoor experience.

·Fuel prices would need to more than double from their current level to make RVing more expensive for a family of four than other forms of travel, according to PKF Consulting. PKF's spring 2008 vacation cost comparison study shows that RV trips remain the most affordable way for a family to travel because of the significant savings on air, hotel and restaurant costs, which continue to rise.

·Fluctuating fuel prices affect the cost of all modes of travel and transportation. Airfares and hotel rates rise rapidly when fuel costs increase.

·Many RV owners surveyed take additional measures to reduce fuel consumption through simple steps like driving 55 instead of 65 mph, packing lighter to reduce weight in the RV, and turning off home utilities to save energy when traveling. RVers travel at a leisurely pace with no tight schedules for flights, hotels or restaurants.

RVs LEADING THE PACK

By RV Business

More than half of RV owners plan to use their RVs more often this spring and summer than they did last year by taking frequent weekend vacations and staying closer to home, according to a new survey by the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA), an encouraging statistic for the owners of GoodTimes Promotions, which is planning its 19th Annual Spring RV Show and Sale from May 13-22 at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, Calif.

"We know the price of gas is putting a damper on a lot of people's vacations plans, but RVing is a great way to take a trip without breaking the bank," Mike Nohr, president of GoodTimes Promotions, stated in a news release. "We're glad we will be able to help people outfit their RVs with the latest accessories to make their trips as comfortable as possible, or even get them into a whole new ride if they want to embrace the RV lifestyle."

Those who attend the spring show in Pleasanton will be able to see hundreds of new and used RVs and accessories and negotiate directly with dealers in one convenient location.

The RVIA's April Campfire Canvass survey of RV owners reveals that 53% intend to use their RV more this spring and summer despite higher fuel prices, while 38% plan to use theirs the same amount and just 9% say they'll use their RVs less. Of the respondents who plan to use their RVs more often, 65% said one of the reasons is to take more mini-vacations. According to the report, 68% said they expect fuel prices to affect their spring/summer travel plans. Of those respondents, 61% said they'll travel closer to home, 42% will travel fewer miles and 37% will stay longer in one place.

"What these figures show is that people are looking for inexpensive vacation options, and RVing leads the pack," said show manager Shawn Nohr. "RV owners love the RV lifestyle and rising gas prices won't stop them from getting away. And there are a lot of places in California that make for a great vacation close to home."

RV family vacations are, on average, 27% to 61% less expensive than other types of vacations, according to a study by international travel and tourism experts Collier's PKF Consulting USA.

ARVC PROMOTES GREAT OUTDOORS

By Woodall's Campground Management

FEDS LOOK TO DISPOSE OF 12,217 PROPERTIES

By Woodall's Campground Management

Everything from old military weapons ranges in California, to laboratories in Idaho and family housing in Glacier National Park are included in a list of items for possible disposal under federal legislation looking to cut the number of government-owned properties across the United States.

The list contains 12,217 properties.

According to Moira Mack, a spokeswoman for the Office of Management and Budget, the list was compiled from a 2009 report on excess government property. Because the list is dated, some properties have already been disposed of, while others are scheduled for demolition or are in the process of being sold, the Billings (Mont.) Gazette reported.

The idea behind publishing the list is to get people talking about the value of the idle federal properties, Mack said. Could some of them be turned over to local governments for another use, such as housing for the homeless? Or are there properties not included on the list that should be added, she said.

"The federal government manages over 1 million properties, and they cost $20 billion a year to operate and maintain," Mack said. "These are just the tip of the iceberg. We believe there are other federal properties that are underutilized."

The legislation, called the Civilian Property Realignment Act, is based on the Clinton administration's Base Realignment and Closure program. The act's main goal is to quickly dispose of "unneeded federal civilian property and realize savings."

In explaining the legislation in a May 4 White House Blog posting, Jeffrey Zients, the deputy director for management at OMB, wrote, "For too long, the American people's hard-earned tax dollars have gone to waste, funding empty buildings and holding on to valuable properties the government no longer needs. That is something that shouldn't be tolerated at any time, but especially with this challenging fiscal environment, it's unacceptable."

By proposing the entire package of properties for disposal, OMB is hoping to cut through government red tape and quickly move the project forward, Mack said. OMB estimates the legislation could save $15 billion in the first three years, if approved, she said. "We're hoping Congress will help us," she said.
There has been bipartisan interest on the hill."

"We heard kind of secondhand that it was going on," said Al Nash, Yellowstone's chief of public affairs. We don't know what buildings or bridges they are talking about. We don't think we have any excess bridges, but it is certainly possible we may have two or three small buildings, out the the thousands here, that somebody could consider excess."

The bridges along the West Fork Rock Creek Road are on the list, although they were replaced as part of road work there.

All together, the inventory includes 241 such listings in Montana and 175 in Wyoming. Many of the items listed in Montana and Wyoming were compiled by the U.S. Forest Service. But, in states like California, which lists 1,151 properties, the military is the main entity listing excess property.

Congressional approval of a seven-member oversight board is needed as part of the legislation.

ACTIVE NETWORK LAUNCHES CAMPING TRIP PLANNER

By Woodall's Campground Management

COMPLIMENTARY SITE ASSESSMENT

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