Campground Amenities vs lower prices

A golden example is that so many CG's will have elec only sites or water and elec or FHU or even dry sites and the rate structure also differentiates accordingly. Those are basic amenities and gives the RV'er some true options. Some have cable or a pseudo cable system and few even have reasonably decent WIFI while the bulk have poor to very spotty to none is various areas of the same CG but yet all pay the same for what they don't even get. Frilly dilly amenities are just that and as you'd stated yourself, all are paid for by everyone renting a site by having a standard rate structure which means they are subsidized by everyone while only a few can use/do use/or even want them but still are forced to be paying for them. How is that remotely fair. Must be in your eyes but we and many others see very differently!

Should all homes and properties by taxed the same amount regardless of what they are or have in a community? ONE size fits all is wrong and can't be defended??? How ridiculous is that line of thinking? Just as ridiculous as charging a same rate for every RV site whether frilly dilly's are wanted or not. That's a factor as to why many CG's/resorts/etc go belly up as smart people avoid them which means eventual failure.

Hint: My/our money you will never get as I/we avoid paying for something I neither want or will use and is overpriced and lack of money is far from an issue with us. We're smart enough to use our money wisely and that's why we still have plenty but are far from cheap or ever seek something for nothing. I can't speak for others but I sure can for us!

Most KOA's, BTW, have very high basic rates and then they pile on the charges from there and NO, our families CG's do not and never have operatred that way.

westernrvparkowner wrote:

travelnutz wrote:
westernrvparkowner,

You are so right in most of your post but why charge the RV'er for your added amenities when there's no chance they would ever want, use, or need them? I'm glad your parks are doing well but that's not the norm for most. No way will we or perhaps the majority of RV'ers subsidize the cost of an RV park having unwanted amenities as you can clearly see by reading this thread alone and for us being in our 51st year of RV'ing now. It's merely an income and cost shifting scheme (income re-disposition) and the smart RV'ers see right thru that and so many potential high profit RV guests/owners will stay far away from these backdoor tatics.

I sure wish you would give me an example of an unwanted and unused amenity. Every amenity at my park gets used by some of the guests, and I doubt any amenity gets used by them all. And how are you going to charge for things like using the restrooms and showers (not needed by every guest), the sewer connections, the power, the cable TV, the pool, the dog parks, the playgrounds and everything else parks add to attract customers? Amenities are like park rules, there are always one or two people don't feel they need or use, it is just different for each guest. Personally, I don't like the a la carte method of pricing. Apparently that is the system your parks choose, which is fine. But I see enough KOA = Keep on Adding posts to steer clear. And my pricing structure is exactly what you say it is, an income re-distribution scheme. I am attempting to redistribute some of your income and make it into my income. And I see nothing immoral , unethical or criminal about it.

I get that and can see how it would be a nightmare to try and administer as well. I guess one could have an"undeveloped" section of half a dozen spaces for those who are just passing through overnight but I suppose the argument of "under utilized real estate" would be an issue. I think it would depend on where the park is as well. Is there that kind of traffic on the road or highway that services the campground. Is it a destination type location etc. But maybe its on a route where there is a lot of traffic on the way south or north that are only in for half a day etc. Then of course there might be lost revenue by forcing the overnighter that requires no service to pay for amenities that they don't want or need. I don't care how much money you have, paying 50 bucks for 12 hours off the highway when you don't hook up to anything hurts, especially when you are in a salf contained rig that requires nothing for a week or more at a time. "Supporting" a campground for the sake of "supporting" it is absurd. Its either a viable business or not. We don't mind paying a 100 bucks a night for somewhere we want to be for a few days, week, etc. But overnight we are pretty stingy. And as long as casinos (etc) are free I'll take 20 bucks and have supper in the casino at the end of the day. Don't get me wrong, I think a campground owner should be able to charge whatever they want. I've been in business all my life and that should be any business man's right. It is also the customers right to shop around and get the best bang for the buck.

travelnutz wrote:
westernrvparkowner,

You are so right in most of your post but why charge the RV'er for your added amenities when there's no chance they would ever want, use, or need them? I'm glad your parks are doing well but that's not the norm for most. No way will we or perhaps the majority of RV'ers subsidize the cost of an RV park having unwanted amenities as you can clearly see by reading this thread alone and for us being in our 51st year of RV'ing now. It's merely an income and cost shifting scheme (income re-disposition) and the smart RV'ers see right thru that and so many potential high profit RV guests/owners will stay far away from these backdoor tatics.

I sure wish you would give me an example of an unwanted and unused amenity. Every amenity at my park gets used by some of the guests, and I doubt any amenity gets used by them all. And how are you going to charge for things like using the restrooms and showers (not needed by every guest), the sewer connections, the power, the cable TV, the pool, the dog parks, the playgrounds and everything else parks add to attract customers? Amenities are like park rules, there are always one or two people don't feel they need or use, it is just different for each guest. Personally, I don't like the a la carte method of pricing. Apparently that is the system your parks choose, which is fine. But I see enough KOA = Keep on Adding posts to steer clear. And my pricing structure is exactly what you say it is, an income re-distribution scheme. I am attempting to redistribute some of your income and make it into my income. And I see nothing immoral , unethical or criminal about it.

All we really want when staying at a campground for a period of time is a well kept place. Nice to have FHU, but not a necessity. We use the camp ground as a base to see the area.

Simply because IF you "travel in an RV", you usually are only looking for a place to spend the night at the end of each day. The optimum word for you is "Travel" or "Traveling" and your RV is where you normally sLeep and most use the toilet facilities. How many amenities do you want or really need to sleep in your RV other than perhaps an electric hookup in a CG in the hot parts of the country for the A/C? Most of the other so called amenity items run/operate just fine on propane and I'll just bet you have a freshwater tank too! A safe bet you never dump your holding tanks while sleeping inside your RV also!

Very little difference between "campers" and RV'ers as you see them staying side by side next to eachother in about any CG. Never have see a checkbox asking if you are just traveling, camping, or merely giving your RV/camping unit or items some exercise for a time period. All are in the SAME boat and right next to eachother!

Why is it that most COE and State Park types refuse to recognize that not all of us are "campers"?

Some of us "travel in a RV".

The less amenities (and people) the better!

travelnutz wrote:
In business to make money??? Of course or why do you think they'd invest so much of their future and finances and liability? Profit is NOT a dirty word, it's a must or the business will fail! There are smart ways and dumb ways to make a profit. Even some underhanded and/or illegal ways too. It's up to the individual consumer to be wise and get the best real bang for their buck! Overpriced IS overpriced and the best way to really kill it and further prevent it is by boycotting and not feeding the varmit your dollars. It will eventually or quickly die under it's own weight and issues. Thus, problem solved!

This is coming from owning a many decade long very successful business and being truely competitive and fair. No get rich quick scheme at all, just doing it the proper way that used to be called "The American Free Market Way"! It's the cuustomer that really counts and you always strive to have that same customer and all customers constantly return which tells volumes!

I agree 100%. My main point was/is offer a great service at a fair price. Find a nitch of customers that value what you offer. And business 101, don't get caught up in a race to the bottom trying to cater to folks who want everything for "free". All of which I am sure you and old western know well

In business to make money??? Of course or why do you think they'd invest so much of their future and finances and liability? Profit is NOT a dirty word, it's a must or the business will fail! There are smart ways and dumb ways to make a profit. Even some underhanded and/or illegal ways too. It's up to the individual consumer to be wise and get the best real bang for their buck! Overpriced IS overpriced and the best way to really kill it and further prevent it is by boycotting and not feeding the varmit your dollars. It will eventually or quickly die under it's own weight and issues. Thus, problem solved!

This is coming from owning a many decade long very successful business and being truely competitive and fair. No get rich quick scheme at all, just doing it the proper way that used to be called "The American Free Market Way"! It's the cuustomer that really counts and you always strive to have that same customer and all customers constantly return which tells volumes!

westernrvparkowner,

You are so right in most of your post but why charge the RV'er for your added amenities when there's no chance they would ever want, use, or need them? I'm glad your parks are doing well but that's not the norm for most. No way will we or perhaps the majority of RV'ers subsidize the cost of an RV park having unwanted amenities as you can clearly see by reading this thread alone and for us being in our 51st year of RV'ing now. It's merely an income and cost shifting scheme (income re-disposition) and the smart RV'ers see right thru that and so many potential high profit RV guests/owners will stay far away from these backdoor tatics.

This results in big lost annual income fees to the RV park by discouraging those who cost the CG the least to have them stay at the RV CG/park. Less amenity expense by not building/having, lower insurance premiums, less vandalism, roudiness, and irritating noise to others in the CG, far less maintenance required and far less repairs, along with less man power to police etc the facility.

As you already know, I'm very well informed as we have (not personally) 6 nice quite large and very prifitable RV Parks/CG's owned by our family and this is discussed so often. Also spent 9 years on the board of directors of a very large (over 1,000 sites) 2 unit RV park/resort and am very aware of where the costs are to operate a good CG/resort. Amenities are and can be very expensive to have and operate and the most costly annually is having a decent sized real pool that's heated with all it's associated expenses. Each CG/Resort unit had a large indoor pool and a clean sand bottom lake and beach for outdoor summer use too. $$$$$$

Most RV'ers chose a CG or Park based on location, cost, cleanliness, safety of area, surrounding venues outside the CG itself. Several other factors have influences also for the average RV'er. Notice how few high daily rate RV parks/ fancy CG's loaded to the hilt with amenities there are out in nowhere boonyville land with nothing to attract the average RV'er and/or so little for them to do or see? Golly, I wonder why??? About all many of these type CG's get is in- large city livers with several kids that are willing to pay high prices so their kids can have a virtual playland and be babysat while the parents are doing their own thing. So obvious in many of these type places and RV'ers are finally getting wise as the daily rates escalted over the last few years.