Industry Release - October 31, 2017

 

BC LODGING AND CAMPGROUNDS ASSOCIATION’S PRESIDENT SPEAKS OUT ON

SUSTAINABILITY OF PRIVATE SECTOR RV PARKS AND CAMPGROUNDS

 

Patrick Gramiak, General Manager of Wood Lake RV Park & Marina, Lake Country was recently elected for a second term as President of the BC Lodging and Campgrounds Association (BCLCA).

 

Gramiak told members gathered at the annual meeting: “I am committed to reversing the trend of private campgrounds being purchased for redevelopment. I strongly believe there is a good business case for renting sites to RVers as demand is greater than supply. My long term goal is to encourage campgrounds to exchange hands as going concerns not investment or redevelopment opportunities. To do this we need to solicit the help of not only the provincial government but mayors, councils and regional districts who need to recognize that 15% of the voting electorate camp or RV and so they have a requirement to encourage and maintain overnight camping in their jurisdictions.”

 

Over the past couple of years BCLCA has learned that some RV parks are planning not to be operating as overnight campgrounds and that collectively they total some 800 campsites. In our BCLCA membership we represent a little over 20,000 overnight campsites, so this represents a significant decline. The problem we are facing is that customer demand for RV sites is increasing at a time that supply is decreasing.

 

To address the decline of overnight campsites and make campgrounds revenue sustainable the BCLCA members discussed the following tactics at the 74th Annual General Meeting, held on October 12, 2017 in Richmond.

 

Gramiak has already begun working on the concern by writing to, and alerting provincial Ministers about the disappearance of overnight campsites and seeking their assistance in reversing the trend. Gramiak also sits on the Camping and RVing BC Coalition an agency that is marketing the shoulder and winter camping seasons as well as pushing campers to underutilized campground in the peak summer months.

 

The BC Lodging and Campgrounds Association is a trade association representing over 400 motels, motor inns, resorts, lodges, campgrounds and RV park properties in British Columbia. It assists members through marketing, advocacy, best practices and group cost saving benefits, all designed to help its members succeed and prosper.

30

Contacts:

Patrick Gramiak, President 250-864-4858

Joss Penny, Executive Director 778-383-1036

 

Other directors elected or completing the second year of their term: