KOA standard charge now $60?!

westernrvparkowner wrote:

rockhillmanor wrote:

jplante4 wrote:
I always get a kick out these threads. People driving around in motorhomes worth tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars complaining about paying $60 for a place to park it.

Before making flipent remarks like this there are VERY 'different' ways people RV. Weekend, vacation, snowbird, full time.

IRREGARDLESS of what 'type' of RV they have it is how OFTEN they use CG's that makes a difference regarding the costs of CG's NOT the cost of what type of RV they are capable of owning. :R

$20 bucks per night here or there for a week end trip or a vacation most certainly will not break the bank for the weekend warrior or for someones once a year 10 day vacation.

FYI:
For the full time and Snowbird RV'er traveling on the road.
60.00 x 30 days = $1,800
28.00 x 30 days = $840.00

Hmmm, possible savings up to $1,000 a month? Don't care who you are a millionaire or not. It's about prudent 'smart' management of ones finances. Just saying.:W

You can play that game with most any purchase. But I don't believe those two campgrounds are comparable. The $60.00 a night place has advantages over the $28.00 place. It might be location, it might be amenities, it might be the $60 is an overnight rate and the $28.00 is the daily rate if you stay for a month. But it isn't a comparison of apples to apples.
What I find amusing about these threads is that the option is not paying $60.00 or nothing it is really about paying $60.00 versus what that person somehow feels should be the price. I have asked a few people over the years who though my price was too high, what they thought the price should be. Most don't even answer, and those that do give some insane amount like 20% of what the rate really is. If that $60.00 site was $56.00 instead, would that really make life hunky dory? It is quibbling over very small amounts of money.

Surely you must realize that pricing is as much about psychology as anything. The bigger the leading number the worse effect it has. This is like business 101.

Additionally many of the parks with those higher prices are basing them on a package of amenities, some very nebulous, like "POT LUCKS" that many people will never use or even care about. This is the equation that is being made in the buyers head.

There are some very interesting studies about Hotels with pools that is instructive here. First the pool is only used by about 10% or less of guests. The pool itself has very negligible affect on what can be charged. However it's biggest effect is that it tends to keep OCCUPANCY Rates higher than similar properties without a pool. But it's biggest effect is on the ADVERTISING. Having a pool is mentioned by about 80% of prospective guests while making reservations.

And sometimes it is about paying $60 or nothing. If all I am looking for is an overnight stop, I might very well choose the Wal Mart.