BILLINGS, MT – Kampgrounds of America, the first choice of North American families when it comes to camping and the largest system of open-to-the-public campgrounds in the world, has been ranked 21st in the list of Top 50 Franchises by Franchise Business Review. Each year, Franchise

Business Review interviews franchisees from the top 500 franchising companies in North America. There are more than 75,000 different franchises in the U.S. and Canada. Last year, KOA was 24th on the list. “It’s gratifying to see that we’ve moved up a few spots,” said Pat Hittmeier, president of Continued Page 2

Kampgrounds of America Inc. “It’s great to be at the top with some of the best brands in the world.” “Franchisee satisfaction is the most critical factor for any prospective franchisee to consider before investing in any franchise opportunity,” said Eric Stites, president of Franchise Business

Continued from Page 1

Review. “Even during challenging economic times, the very best franchise businesses maintain high franchisee satisfaction.

This year’s award-winning franchises are in that elite group and represent the very best franchise opportunity investments in the marketplace today.” Now in its fifth year, the Franchise Business Review awards begin with in depth research on more than 500 franchises that include more than 100,000 franchisees. Other award winners include FastSigns International, Heaven’s Best, Auntie Annie’s Pretzels, Paul Mitchell, Home Instead Senior Care and Computer Troubleshooters.

Franchise Business Review surveys thousands of franchisees to measure satisfaction levels related to their franchise ownership experience. Survey questions cover everything from training and support, system quality issues, franchisor relationship, financial opportunity to overall satisfaction. “We are confident that we do a good job for our franchisees in all of the measured areas, and then some,” said KOA’s Hittmeier. “It’s gratifying to see that confirmed by an outside source.”

At the time of publication a little over 44 million emails have been sent to consumers promoting the new magazine GetawayUSA.

By being pro active and sending information to your guests can only keep your campground "top of mind" and possibly encourage repeat reservations.

We have also created a Facebook page: Please go on and register as a friend and help us promote YOUR industry. Dennis Macready

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sevierville-TN/GetawayUSA/131915323513658?ref=ts

Maine State parks posted information about the new magazine promoting camping on their facebook page recently.

The Maine Department of Conservation page is extremely popular with campers wanting to know more about parks in their state.

GetawayUSA, Issue No. 1, a new online magazine has been sent to 66 million public email addresses and to 10,500 campground managers and owners.

CHICAGO, Jul 19, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc. (NYSE: ELS) (the "Company") today announced results for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2010.

a) Financial Results

For the second quarter 2010, Funds From Operations ("FFO") were $27.1 million, or $0.76 per share on a fully-diluted basis, compared to $23.7 million, or $0.77 per share on a fully-diluted basis for the same period in 2009. For the six months ended June 30, 2010, FFO was $64.6 million, or $1.82 per share on a fully-diluted basis, compared to $61.6 million, or $2.01 per share on a fully-diluted basis for the same period in 2009.

Net income available to common stockholders totaled $6.0 million, or $0.20 per share on a fully-diluted basis for the quarter ended June 30, 2010. This compares to net income available to common stockholders of $2.9 million, or $0.11 per share on a fully-diluted basis for the same period in 2009. Net income available to common stockholders totaled $21.1 million, or $0.69 per share on a fully-

diluted basis for the six months ended June 30, 2010. This compares to net income available to common stockholders of $16.5 million, or $0.65 per share on a fully-diluted basis for the same period in 2009. See the attachment to this press release for a reconciliation of FFO and FFO per share to net income available to common shares and net income per common share, respectively, the most directly comparable GAAP measure.

b) Portfolio Performance

Second quarter 2010 property operating revenues were $119.0 million, compared to $116.1 million in the second quarter of 2009. Our property operating revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2010 were $246.5 million, compared to $240.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2009.

For the quarter ended June 30, 2010, our Core property operating revenues increased approximately 1.8 percent and Core property operating expenses increased approximately 2.0 percent, resulting in an increase of approximately 1.5 percent to income from Core property operations over

the quarter ended June 30, 2009. For the six months ended June 30, 2010, our Core property operating revenues increased approximately 1.5 percent and Core property operating expenses increased approximately 2.1 percent, resulting in an increase of approximately 0.9 percent to income from Core property operations over the six months ended June 30, 2009. See the attachment to this press release for a reconciliation of income from property operations.

For the quarter ended June 30, 2010, the Company had 22 new home sales (including two third-party dealer sales), which represents a 4.8 percent increase as compared to the quarter ended June 30,

2009. Gross revenues from home sales were $1.9 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2010, compared to $1.7 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2009. For the six months ended June 30, 2010, the Company had 40 new home sales (including nine third-party dealer sales), which represents a 2.4 percent decrease as compared to the six months ended June 30, 2009. Gross revenues from home sales were $3.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2010, compared to $2.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2009.

Full Report click here:http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=105322&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1449246&highlight=

When open, please click the full screen button on the left for best viewing. Maine starts on pges. 32-33; Maine state parks is on page 38.

The publishers encourage all organizations to get behind this "push" to get more people camping.

OAKHAM, Mass., July 13, 2010 – In the past half century, Randy Packard has seen many changes in Worcester County.

Not just growth, of course, but the disappearance of numerous independently owned and operated restaurants, hardware stores, clothing stores, pharmacies and other businesses.

Mirroring a trend that has taken place in cities across America, most of the independently owned and operated businesses in central Massachusetts

have been either bought up or replaced by corporate chains.

But not Pine Acres Resort. The 350-site campground in Oakham, which Packard bought from his parents in 1989, celebrates its 50th anniversary on Aug. 7th, with a reception and a weekend full of special activities for three generations of guests, local dignitaries and campground industry officials.

Prospective buyers keep calling him, however. “We get offers all the time to sell out to these large investment groups,” said Packard, 58. “But, to be honest with you, I’m not interested. The campground business is a calling for those who are serious about it.”

This may partly explain why most of America’s private campground owners have resisted the urge to sell out to investment groups or join national campground or RV resort chains.

Indeed, while there are roughly 8,000 privately owned campgrounds in the United States, the largest campground chain, Kampgrounds of America (KOA), with 475 parks, accounts for less than

1/16th of the campground business, while the Jellystone Park Camp-Resort chain has only 70 parks.

“Our members are fiercely independent,” said Linda Profaizer, president and CEO of the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds in Larkspur, Colo. “In many respects, the campground industry is one of America’s last frontiers for husband

Continued

and wife teams and families who want to work together in the Great Outdoors. Farming is now largely controlled by corporate interests. But in the campground business, it’s still common to see husband and wife teams and even several generations of family members working together to run the business.”

Packard, for his part, runs Pine Acres as a family business with his wife, Denise, and assistance from his daughters, Tessa and Jaclyn, son, Corey, and son-in-law, Ben. And they continue to nourish their business year after by year by making constant improvements to their park.

Packard traces Pine Acres’ roots to 1957, when his parents, Frank and Grace Packard, purchased 200 acres of undeveloped, forested land next to Lake Dean. Frank was a contractor who had his own bulldozer and would build roads for people in the backcountry. He initially planned to sell lakefront

lots, and sold a few for that purpose.

“Then my parents went camping one weekend and their friends said, ‘Why don’t you make a campground instead of selling house lots?’”

The idea took hold, and the elder Packard bought back the lots he had sold and opened the campground with seven sites in 1960. He operated the campground as a side business for several years while he continued to do bulldozing work for developers, but the family spent their summers at the campground.

Randy Packard has fond memories of that period. “My friends were going to Maine or New Hampshire,” he recalled. “But I realized that where I lived in the summer was where most people were going. I realized I had the best of both worlds.”

For a few years in the late 60s, his parents even operated a ski resort at the campground, taking

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advantage of a nearby hill. “We put up three rope tows and hired a ski instructor. People would come and ski all day and snowmobile and have a campfire at night,” he said.

He also remembers how careful his dad was about preserving the trees, rocks and natural setting along Lake Dean, which is popular for bass and perch fishing. “I remember how my mother and dad went in with chain saws and cut trees and brush to make the campsites. But my dad had a vision. He tried to take out as few trees as possible and he left the bigger rocks alone. So when you come into our park, it looks very natural.”

He added that his dad was very protective of the trees, which include pines, hemlocks, white oaks, birches and maples. “When I was in my early twenties, we used to joke that my dad would come back whenever he was away from the park for a while and count the trees.”

After attending college, Randy Packard operated

his own building contracting business, but he kept his hand in the family campground business. “I would work at night to help my dad and mom. Then I’d travel all day, constructing homes, checking on carpenters,” he said.

About the time his parents decided to retire in 1989, they held a family meeting to discuss the future of the campground. Packard and his wife, Denise, who was an elementary school teacher, decided to purchase the business.

Packard said he immediately set about making improvements.

“When I took over, the park was more of a seasonal park. Many of the roads were gravel. The utilities were strung through the trees. That’s how utilities were done in the 60s.”

But Packard gradually started paving the roads and moving utilities underground. He also improved the campsites and has invested in rental RVs, cabins and park models, which he rents out to people

Continued

who don’t have their own RV.

Packard’s Keys to Success

Hard work and commitment are essential to making Pine Acres Resort a success. But it also helps to provide personal service to his guests.

“One of the biggest problems in American business is corporations that take away the personal touch,” Packard said. “Some retailers have greeters, yet there’s nobody to help you once you get past them.”

In addition to having a personal touch and having family members available to assist park guests, Packard said Pine Acres has been successful because his family reinvests their net profits into the park each year, so their guests always have something to look forward

to. Their latest improvements include a new swimming pool complex and a spraypad. Their next project involves adding a water slide. After that, the Packards plan to build a 12,000-square foot, two-story lodge with a theatre room upstairs and a restaurant overlooking the pool.

“We want to create a ‘wow’ factor,” Randy Packard said, adding that it’s better for campgrounds to make their improvements little by little rather than all at once. This also enables campgrounds to avoid taking out loans or having to rely on banks for financing. This is precisely why many campgrounds across the country continue to make improvements to their businesses each year, even though available bank financing is virtually non-existent.

The Packards have also built a 42- by 60-foot

maintenance building, which enables his maintenance crew to continue working through the winter, regardless of weather conditions.

Another factor in the Packards’ favor is the resiliency of the campground business itself.

“The camping industry goes the opposite direction in tough economic times,” he said. “People are going to take a vacation. They want family time. They want to get away. It may not be a Disney trip or a cruise. But if you can offer amenities and affordable accommodations, they’ll

come. We saw it in the last recession and we see it this time. Our business is actually up.”

Looking to the future, Randy Packard sees himself continuing to work as long as he is able and keeping the business in the family. “I want to pass this on to my family and continue to protect the property as the natural asset that it is,” he said, adding, “I would also like to see this lake preserved forever, so that people can bike and fish and camp here forever.”

Continued

A new manager has been selected to lead the day-to-day operations for the Arkansas State Parks system.

Jon Brown replaces Mac Balkman, who is retiring July 31 after a 39-year career with Arkansas State Parks, the last 15 years as operations manager for Arkansas State Park.

Brown, who has served as

the Region I supervisor in the parks system since 2002, will oversee four regional supervisors, support staff and employees providing services, programs and hospitality to the nearly 8 million people who visit state annually.

He will manage the 52 parks that make up the Arkansas State Park system. The parks system includes 552 full-time and 760 part-time employees.

“Jon Brown is the right choice to take over management of operations for Arkansas State Parks,” said Arkansas State Parks

Director Greg Butts. “He is a knowledgeable park professional with over 32 years experience in Arkansas State Park management. Jon’s outstanding leadership, problem solving abilities, communications and management skills, along with his accomplishments and awards are why he was selected for the position.”

Butts added that Brown’s seven years as regional supervisor and 25 years as park superintendent of Lake Dardanelle and Mt. Nebo State Parks have prepared him for his new position.Article: www.arkansasonline.com

The new Aakansas state parks operations manager John Brown

Rory Matheny has always had his eyes on the Willamette Valley.

His dream was to build a recreational vehicle park on the Interstate 5 corridor. He already owns and operates two parks on the Oregon Coast but the Eugene native knew the potential of a park on I-5.

“Visibility is a driving factor. It’s the root of property development. Traffic along the freeway creates a lot of opportunity,” said Matheny, who finally got his wish and opened Emerald Valley RV Park near Jefferson earlier this year.

Right off the North Jefferson exit, the park covers just under 5 acres and has 52 RV sites, more than half of those designated for overnight stay.

“At the coast parks, most rentals are month-to-month. This one is tailored to the overnighter,” Matheny said.

About halfway between Albany and Salem, Emerald Valley has been nearly two years in the making. Matheny bought the property in 2008 and opened it to RVs on May 1 of this year.

“We were trying to do this right in the middle of the financial meltdown,” Matheny said. “But we didn’t see a drop at our other parks so we stayed with it.”

Matheny’s decision on the Jefferson site was influenced by a theme he is promoting to lure campers.

“I liked the appeal of the countryside and it’s in the middle of wine country,” he said. “That’s something we wanted to take advantage of.”

Matheny has built relationships with several wineries in the vicinity and is conducting wine tours from his park. He is also planning to sponsor a regular harvest festival starting next month featuring local produce, wines, and arts and crafts.

“We sell propane to a lot of farmers and they’ve seen us grow. Something like this shows just what farm and wine country is all about,” Matheny said.Full Article: www.democratherald.com

A Flint man is in critical condition because of an accident in Shiawassee County, this one involving a golf cart. It happened Friday at the Holiday Shores Campground and Resort, that's off Goodall Road in Venice Township.The Shiawassee County Sheriffs Office says four people were riding in a golf cart.The driver, a 41-year-

old man from Flint, turned the cart, throwing 40-year-old David Webster off.Webster hit his head on the pavement.He was taken to Mclaren Medical Center where he remains in critical condition.Alcohol was believed to be a factor in the crash.Update: Sunday, the Argus-Press reported that Webster had died at a local hospital.

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas, July 14, 2010 – Hill Country campgrounds, RV parks and other businesses that depend on river rafting and kayaking enthusiasts had a tough time last summer as a severe drought lowered the Guadalupe, Medina and Frio rivers to their lowest levels in years.

“Last year, when the rivers were dry, the tubing places couldn’t open up and they lost business. But now that the rivers are up, everybody’s coming in to tube,” said Lloyd Randall, co-

manager of Pioneer River Resort in Bandera.

It’s a different story this summer, however, thanks to heavy winter, spring and early summer rains that have ended the drought and replenished lakes and rivers throughout the area.This is by far the best summer we’ve ever had,” said Doug Shearer, who owns the 100-site Parkview Riverside RV Park in Concan and serves as president of the Texas Association of Campground Owners. “We’ve been 100 percent booked since the second week of June and we’re booked solid through the second week of August.”

Other park operators are having a similar experience.

“This is one of the best years I’ve seen. Business is great!” exclaimed Dodi Patterson, team captain at Rio Raft and Resort in New Braunfels. “We’re booked

every single weekend as if it were a holiday. Every single blade of grass, every cottage, every RV site, every tent site.”

Patterson added that water levels are running so high that Hill Country parks are drawing river tubing and kayaking enthusiasts not only from San Antonio, Austin and Houston, but from more distant locations, including Tennessee and Oklahoma.

Ashley Middleton, manager of By the River RV Park and Campground in

Kerrville has seen a similar increase in business. “This summer, even on the non-holiday weekends, it’s been nice and steady,” she said. “Last summer, business was down, probably 70 to 80 percent.”

In addition to its scenic setting, many visitors to Hill Country enjoy river tubing and kayaking because of equipment rentals and convenient shuttle services that campgrounds and RV parks provide, either on their own or in conjunction with local river outfitters.

“We all have to work together out here,” said Patterson of Rio Raft and Resort.

But while businesses are enjoying significant increases in visitors, some parks are also encouraging their guests to do their part to keep the rivers clean. Pecan Park Campground in San Marcos, for example, now offers discounts on river equipment rentals to guests who fill up small sacks with trash they have picked up along the river.

Parkview Riverside RV Park

Tubing at Rio Raft and Resort

At Pioneer River Resort

BILLINGS, MT (June 23, 2010) – Jim Rogers, CEO and Chairman of Kampgrounds of America Inc., was recently presented with the prestigious Silver Antelope Award by the National Court of Honor of the Boy Scouts of America.

Rogers, who has led Kampgrounds of America Inc. since 2000, is an Eagle Scout who has remained active in Scouting his entire adult life. He currently serves as the President for the Western Region of the Boy Scouts of America. There are 10 Eagle Scouts within two generations of the Rogers family, including all three of Rogers’ sons.

The Silver Antelope Award is presented by the Boy Scouts of America to a registered adult member for outstanding service to youth within one of the four regions of the Boy Scouts of America organization.

The award is presented to those who make a significant contribution to

the Scouting program at a regional level.

In the Western Region of Boy Scouts of America, Rogers has served as regional president, vice president of Finance and was a member of the Nominating Committee. He has also served on the National Executive Committee, National Council Solutions Group Committee and the National Brand Management Support Committee. Rogers received the Silver Antelope Award May 28th at the Boy Scouts of America National Annual Meeting in Dallas, Texas.

"Our country and our young people need examples of great leaders and community servants like Jim Rogers," said Tom Fitzgibbon, Western Region Director of the Boy Scouts of

America. "Service to others is at the core of what it means to be a Scout, and this award is our way of honoring individuals like Jim who live this principle every day." Kampgrounds of America, which sponsored the USA Olympic Bobsled Team during the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, also sponsored Men's Bobsled Team Captain and Eagle Scout Stephen Holcomb to attend the Dallas meeting. Holcomb spoke to the group prior to the awards ceremony.

In 2002, Rogers was also honored with the Distinguished Eagle Award by the Boy Scouts of America.

He and his wife, Sandy, live in Reno, Nevada. Rogers and his wife will also attend the Boy Scouts of America 100th Anniversary Jamboree in Washington, D.C., where Rogers will serve as a camp leader.

KOA’s CEO Jim Rogers

KOA's Jim Rogers, left, admires the gold medal of USA Men's Bobsled Captain Stephen Holcomb.

Jim Rogers, left, with Chief Boy Scout Executive Bob Mazzuca.

In a recent article on Mashable.com, they have given 5 iPhone Apps people should know about. Number four on the list is Hike, by the American Hiking Society.

The article says for the past 30 years, American Hiking Society (AHS) has focused on ensuring hiking trails and natural places are cherished and preserved so people can enjoy their beauty for years to come.

From advocacy efforts to coalitions, AHS ensures trails are kept up, wildlife is protected, significant landscapes are preserved and much much more. Given that a large portion of their supporters are outdoorsmen on-the-go, the AHS saw an opportunity to leverage mobile technology, smart phones and location-based services.

Their iPhone app allows you to find maps of parks, forests, trailheads, campgrounds, and much more.

Once you’ve found a location

you can then record what they call “adventures.” Each adventure you create will track your progress along the map via GPS while providing you stats related to your hike.

Any pictures you take with your phone will be plotted on the map via geo-tagging so that from start to finish you’ll be able to go back and replay your adventure to see where you walked and the pictures you took along the way in the exact location you took them.

You can share these memories via social networks like Facebook or Twitter.

Four years ago, Mike Browder's biggest fear was that the Grass Lake All Seasons Resort was going to be scooped up by some developer with big plans.

His suspicions were dead on, but what the co-manager of the Holiday RV Campground at 9625 Knight Road didn't consider was that those plans involved reviving the campground through major renovations and an entirely new business model.

Yearly upgrades at Holiday have become the norm, it has switched from a membership campground to a public campground, and more than 1,500 reservations have been made.

Local businessmen Ed Machnik and Phil Willis bought the campground for $825,000 in 2006. The campground had gone bankrupt and owed hundreds of thousands of dollars to Jackson County in back taxes.

Machnik said he inherited a campground that needed a major cleanup and upgrades to become competitive again, and the proprietors of Holiday are annually investing in its future.

Fresh concrete has replaced overgrown

wildflowers at the pool entrance, air-conditioning systems have been installed in several buildings and a free wireless Internet connection is available camp-wide.

Holiday is now home to 14 "50-amp" sites to accommodate the most powerful, modern RVs. Its septic system has undergone an overhaul, and everything from picnic tables to the country store to the community center have fresh coats of paint.

"There was a whole lot of painting and touching up right away around here," said Browder, whose wife Robin and son Larry also help manage the campground. "Paint wasn't peeling off when (Holiday Campground LLC) took over. It was falling off."

What has transformed Holiday was the ownership's decision to open the entire 150-acre facility to the public.

Browder, who has been managing the camp since 2002, said the California-based owners of Grass Lake All Seasons let him open 20 sites to the public in 2004, but making the entire campground public has driven new reservations and created a better sense of community.

"There's more people than ever before around here, and it's great. I remember when you could probably take a 12-gauge and take a shot and the bullet wouldn't graze anything important," he said. "Things have changed, and we have a lot more seasonal campers than a few years ago."

Seasonal campers pay $1,200, plus electric, for rights to a site May 1 to Oct. 1, and Machnik said the new blueprint of the business has brought in much different patrons.

"It's improved, and the clientele is more upscale," he said. "(Seasonal guests) can put decks on and they have little storage sheds, and it's more of a permanent cottage kind of thing, so to say."

Machnik made it clear he is interested in customers who see Holiday's sign on

the freeway and need a place to camp for a night or two (at $16 to 26 per night), but it is the seasonal campers who have a special fraternity.

Robby Loomis sold his lake house four years ago after his wife died and his kids headed to college. Now, he spends half the year at Holiday and the other half with family members or at his cottage in Everett.

Loomis was born in Jackson but lived all over the state and as far away as Arizona before returning for a job as a machinist in Dexter. In 2007, he decided Holiday would be a good place to check out. He commuted to work until he was laid off last year.

His first RV site was toward the park's entrance and he said he loved "the secluded living and waking up with a bunch of wild turkeys

Continued next page

Roger Hayward, 46, listens to the Detroit Tigers game on a radio at Holiday RV Campground. Hayward has been a seasonal resident for six years.

running around," but he has since traded that in for a location right in the middle of everything.

He said it is great to be part of an "open-gate" community where visitors don't have to sign in and out all the time or pay to visit, and the Browders treat him like family.

Mary Himich, a secretary for the University of Michigan's epidemiology department who is in her second year as a seasonal guest, echoed Loomis' sentiments.

She has been an avid camper much of her life and said some campgrounds might have more luxuries available and activities planned, but Holiday is a good value for the money.

"I just love it. It's a very nice community, everyone is friendly. It's like a small family out here," she said. "Some nights, if it's too hot at home this summer, it's only 20 minutes (from my house), so if I want to come out and go swimming, I can."

The management team approaches guests like Himich on a first-name basis, and Robin Browder said a genial attitude comes naturally.

"There was this older, single guy who was living here a few years ago," she said. "And we would help him with stuff, we would take him to doctor's appointment and we would contact people, all the way up until he died.

"You treat them like family and that's because they are family to you."

Machnik said business has steadily been rising 10 to 20 percent per season since he and Willis bought the camp, but there is plenty of work to still be done.

"We're working to fill it up," he said. "We have 144 sites there, and we want it full all summer long. That's our goal."Articles and photo:www.mlive.com

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The RV/MH Hall of Fame had some special visitors Saturday.Approximately 100 RVers — 50 couples — descended on the museum and conference center as part of the Centennial Caraventure, a four-day RV caravan in honor of the RV industry’s 100th anniversary leading up to The Rally 2010 in Louisville, Ky.

The rally is the largest RV rally in the country, and is expected to draw 12,000 RVers this year.Centennial Caraventure participants toured the Newmar factory in Nappanee Friday before attending a lunch and tour at the hall of fame Saturday.

The luncheon was followed by a presentation on the industry’s history and a technology and lifestyle seminar with Bob Livingston, senior vice president of Affinity Group Inc., and leader of the Caraventure."What it is, is really an enthusiast’s rally where people become immersed in the history all the way up to present time RVs," Livingston said. "We talk about the lifestyle, we talk about technical aspects of RVs, we’ll talk about any topic at all. Basically, we’re talking about RVs until we don’t want to talk about RVs anymore."Full article: www.goshennews.com

New Berlin, PA – The Virtual Outdoor Hospitality Expo has been filling its Exhibit Hall with several businesses that are easily recognizable to people familiar with the outdoor hospitality industry.

Dozens of marketing calls are now being made every day by Campground Expositions, the Expo’s Producer, due to the efforts of two new marketing representatives.

Producers Art Lieberman and Deanne Bower have been fortunate to recruit two young energetic people to solicit sponsors and exhibitors. Their efforts have begun to pay off. Jenelle Park, a 28-year old experienced salesperson with a bubbly personality has been quickly successful in acquiring several new exhibitors for the Expo. Due to her efforts well-known supplier of weatherproof electrical equipment and services, Midwest Electrical Products, Inc. has joined the expo as a Silver Sponsor. Jenelle was also instrumental to enlisting Best Holiday Trav-L Park Association as an Exhibitor.

Also joining the staff of Campground Expositions is Artem (Art) Shevchenko, a bright young man originally from Kazakhstan, south of Russia, bordering with China. He has been in the US eight years of his 23 years of life. “Although he’s

new with us, he ‘gets it’”, says Expo Producer Art Lieberman.

Both Lieberman and Co-Producer Deanne Bower were extremely happy this week when long-time friends and respected businessmen Chuck Gerber and Brian Legler informed them that their business, Gerber Manufacturing would be exhibiting at the Expo. “We meet Brian at several live trade shows every year and couldn’t imagine producing this Expo without his exhibit being there”, said Bower. “This time”, she said smiling, “he won’t have to ship his picnic table to the show.”

The group is excited about the prospects of having some of the displays which appear to be Expo-bound. Huge water-rides, giant motion picture screens and projection units and several other unique exhibits have basically said OK to the Expo staff.

As a final note of celebration, the Producers learned that they could

import an Excel file into the registration portion of the Expo’s software and mass-register thousands of outdoor hospitality businesses at one time.

Then the software itself would send out an e-mail to those businesses that are registered giving them an ID number and a password, which they could change when they logged in to the show.

The Expo’s URL is already prepared and is being customized by Producers at this writing. Tom Chiarello of AGS and Tracie Fisher of Campground Manager Today have both volunteered to assist Exhibitors in booth setup

“but,” says Lieberman, “having actually viewed the software now, there is a minimal amount of computer skills computer skills necessary to set up a successful and informative booth. “

The Expo is approaching the half-way mark for booth sales. “We only want 80 of them” says Bower, “and then we’ll turn all of our attention to attendees.” In the meantime, Deb Kohls of Leisure Interactive is building the roster of speakers, webinars and open forums for the Expo.Advertisements that will emphasize the ease in attending the Expo are also being readied.

Campground Expo cast: L-R; Jenelle Park, Deanne Bower, Artem Shevchenko & Art Lieberman

Studying the printed instructions for the software that runs the Expo inside their yurt/office.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Denali National Park and some other hot tourist destinations around Alaska this summer, cruise-ship visitors have dwindled. But a small rise of independent travelers is providing some new hope for the state's tourism industry.

The gloom about Alaska tourism has been palpable over the past couple years.

The global recession prompted travelers to spend less money last summer; cruise lines announced plans to remove ships from the state's ports this summer; and tourism industry officials threatened steeper cutbacks if the state didn't reduce cruise-industry taxes and environmental regulations.

So far, the apparent small increase in the number of people traveling independently in some parts of Alaska this summer is a

nice surprise for tourism businesses.

Among those reporting a boost in independent-visitor traffic are lodges, tour operators and campgrounds, according to the Alaska Travel Industry Association.

"No one knew what to expect this year," explained Mark Eliason, who heads USTravel, an Anchorage travel agency and tourism company. He and some other tour business owners said they budgeted for a poor summer but are beating their expectations.

For others, sales are flat. In the Interior, some companies say their sales are still sliding. Some are up a few percentage points. But some Southcentral tour operators are rejoicing because their bookings have picked up by 20 to 30 percent.

"People are feeling upbeat," said Julie Saupe, president of the Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Even though fewer tourists are traveling to Anchorage this year, they are spending more on a per-person basis than the tourists who came last year, Saupe said.

The city also collects taxes on rental cars, and those collections are down nearly

3 percent so far this year, said Lucinda Mahoney, the city's chief financial officer.

Exact counts aren't available, but bus traffic indicates that independent travel to Denali National Park has improved somewhat while cruise-ship visits have declined, according to park spokeswoman Kris Fister.

Some tourism businesses are doing much better this summer than they did last year, when the recession kept many Alaska visitors from spending money on expensive tours.

"The campground industry is on a slow upswing," said Shannon Miller, who runs the Alaska Campground Owners Association.

In recent years, campgrounds around the state have struggled due to high gasoline prices and the global economic recession.

Miller said the reports she's received from around the state show that bookings by campers are up this year, and some campgrounds are having their best year since 2005 or 2006.

She said she hasn't heard from any campground that is doing worse than it did last year.

Some tour operators are reporting major sales improvements over last year.Full article:www.adn.com

Denali State Park, Alaska

HARKER'S ISLAND, N.C.—It is best known as the gateway to Cape Lookout, and now there's a new RV park in Harker's Island.

The Cape Point RV Park opened its doors last weekend with more than 100 lots.

People can rent or buy the lots. The property

manager said the RV park is a great place to go get away.

“To relax and that's one of the selling points. That's one of the selling points, that it's not crowded and you can come down here and have you own private beach,” said Ashley Surfass, property manager.The lots are walking distance to the beach.

MARTINSVILLE, Ind. (WISH) - The director of the Bradford Woods Campground in Martinsville said a child and three adults were released from the hospital Friday after muriatic acid fumes made them ill Thursday .

Director Shay Dawson says a member of the facility's maintenance staff mistakenly introduced muriatic acid into the pool's filtering system thinking it was chlorine.

While the combination did not get into the pool water, fumes created by the reaction escaped into the pool area where 18 campers with physical disabilities were in the pool with 13 adult counselors.

One camper needed help breathing and was taken to

Riley Hospital for Children as a precaution.

In light of the accident, the camp director is installing additional safeguards to prevent it from happening again. The maintenance staff will receive pool operator certification because, on occasion, like on Thursday, they fill in for the pool maintenance staff, Dawson said.

The director added that muriatic acid and chlorine will now be stored in separate, locked rooms and labeling and signage will be improved on the chemical bottles and pool filtration equipment to indicate where the specific chemicals should be injected.

Dawson said the camp ended Friday.

By LarryNature is both beautiful and deadly. We marvel at the beauty of the Grand Canyon, the oceans, Niagara Falls, mountains, forests and wild flowers. Then we turn on the evening news and watch volcanic eruptions closing down air travel, earthquakes destroying cities, wildfires, floods, winds and devastating storms. The beauty of nature is what your campers and RVers come to enjoy. The ugly, dangerous side is what you must worry about and protect against. We already this year have been given three grim reminders that watching and protecting never end: the Arkansas campground flood, the Gulf oil spill and the first hurricane of what is forecast to be a rough season.

Environmental care often enhances beauty while at the same time reducing the fury of natural forces. For example, picking up trash avoids the danger of igniting wildfires in the dry season. Building ponds and restoring wetlands strategically increases wildlife habitat while also reducing runoff. Using rain barrels for watering helps decorative flowers and

shrubs without adding a burden to water usage. Trimming branches over power lines protects human life and lessens storms damage while also helping the trees. Stocking ponds with game fish provides enjoyment for your anglers, a great attraction for children, while also enhancing the ponds.

There is no winning in direct combat with nature. Better to take nature by the hand, go with the grain where possible and enhance what you have. Then also know when to fold them: be prepared to warn and evacuate when and if the time comes. In the meantime, the two-for- one strategy is a time efficient approach: attend to safety measures in ways that also enhance your environment.

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