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CALTRAVEL / MEMBER SPOTLIGHT / MARCH 2022
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An Interview with Dyana Kelley, President & CEO of CampCalNOW
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BY SHANNON BROOKS, PRINCIPAL AT FORWØRD
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If you have had the pleasure of attending recent CalTravel Board meetings, then you have likely heard informative updates from Dyana Kelley, President & CEO of CampCalNOW. Previously known as the California Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds, CampCalNOW supports California's thriving outdoor hospitality sector through promotion, resources, education, legislative advocacy, and more. The industry saw a massive surge in demand during the pandemic and, as Dyana explains in this interview, interest among travelers is expected to continue growing. While opportunities abound, some complex challenges and barriers to entry need to be addressed in order to protect business owners, guests, and the environment.
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A lifelong lover of the outdoors, Dyana’s current role is her first professional “adventure” in the travel and tourism sector. Her decades in business development, management, and marketing combined with her years as an entrepreneur in the fitness and wellness industry primed her for the post she took on in June 2018. Fiercely determined and incredibly knowledgeable, Dyana is a highly effective champion of the Golden State’s outdoor experience providers and a leader to watch. In Oceanside, she described herself as a cross between [the TV show] Yellowstone’s Beth Dutton and the environmental activist Beth butt heads with during the most recent season. Translation: Dyana’s the good kind of watch dog, and we are very lucky she’s on tourism’s side!
How did you get into the outdoor recreation industry?
I have always had a love of the outdoors but fell into this position quite by accident. I answered an ad for some contract work, and it turned into me accepting the position of President & CEO.
What does the “outdoor hospitality” category encompass for those who might not be familiar with the space?
Outdoor Hospitality encompasses any sector providing hospitality services for the purposes of outdoor recreation. This could be camping, glamping, restaurants, activities or tours. Outdoor hospitality isn’t limited to just camping, yet we know that RV parks, campgrounds, and “glampgrounds” play a huge role in the outdoor hospitality economy.
What does the role of hospitality look like in the camping space? And/or how does it differ from hotel-based lodging and what are the parallels?
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The role of hospitality in the outdoor space is really based on “experience” versus service. Many hospitality businesses can provide good service, but it takes a different approach to provide an experience. A hotel may provide great service and nice accommodations, but a resort may provide more of an “experience.” People come to the outdoor space for a great experience which may include their lodging. How we deliver that service may include the type of accommodations they select, the amenities onsite, the recreation in the area, and so on.
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For example, one of our members has a park in the center of the city of Orange. The owner is 102 and still lives onsite. Her park is filled with citrus trees that she planted when they opened 50 years ago. She planted the trees so her guests could pick fresh fruit while they were visiting, and guests continue to rave about that part of the experience. This illustrates that we don’t have to be in a spectacular destination if we can offer the guests a special experience that extends beyond good service.
What gives California’s outdoor hospitality sector an edge over competing destinations?
California is a mecca of outdoor recreation—the climate, the destinations, the scenery—California truly has it all. People come to our state for the purpose of basking in all its glory.
The Outdoor Industry Association typically conducts their economic impact study every three years; however, due to the pandemic, the last one was in 2017. At that time, the annual spend for outdoor recreation in California was over $86 billion dollars. Camping alone had a spend of over $16 billion, with gear representing only a fraction of the spend. So, the majority of spend is trip related. We know that number has skyrocketed and are anxiously awaiting a new report for the latest data.
How did the industry deal with the surge in demand during the pandemic?
It has been a rough couple of years. One of the greatest differences between hotels and RV parks/campgrounds is that the owner/operator of a campground is onsite doing the work. They are knee-deep in the 24/7 grind of keeping the park operating smoothly. The pandemic and subsequent employment crisis put more pressure on the parks than ever before. Many guests were new to the outdoor space and still don’t understand basic etiquette. They spent a lot of time educating the public, which was time consuming and often frustrating. They were also challenged with celebrities who suddenly decided on an RV trip but wanted half a campground and one pool shut down for their private use.
Another challenge was the near 100% occupancy nonstop. There has not been a slow time to catch up on infrastructure projects that keep the parks in pristine condition. This usually occurs during the fall and winter, but so far, we have not seen a significant slowdown. That said, we are incredibly grateful to have been an industry that thrived during the shutdowns.
How do you anticipate the significant uptick in interest in camping during the pandemic will transform the outdoor recreation industry moving forward?
We anticipate a 40% increase in outdoor hospitality going forward. People realized that “camping” doesn’t have to be a cheap tent in the dirt. There are all kinds of ways to get your camp on now. Some great such as glamping and some not so great such as unpermitted campgrounds. Glamping gives those who “don’t camp” an opportunity to have an outdoor experience with the comforts of home. Glampgrounds are popping up all over the state and offer excellent amenities and experiences.
At the same time, we are also challenged with an explosion of unpermitted campgrounds. Landowners are being solicited to rent out their land for the purpose of incidental camping. The idea sounds great in theory: extra land = extra money. However, a campground is described as the rental on more than one space for the purpose of incidental camping. Once a landowner has two spaces, they become a campground and are now under the jurisdiction of the state agency of Housing and Community Development. The process of opening a permitted campground is long and arduous and can take as much as six years or more. So, many are circumventing the system. This creates an unfair playing field for those who are legally permitted and a huge health and safety issue for the communities where these unpermitted properties are located.
What excites you most about the potential of what CalCampNOW can accomplish on behalf of your stakeholders?
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Outdoor hospitality is a hugely underserved segment of travel and tourism. The goal I have for my industry is to ensure that we are a recognized, valued, and understood segment of travel and tourism, and to always have a seat at the table. I think the pandemic has shown the power of our industry. Now it is important that we are recognized moving forward.
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What advice would you give young hospitality professionals considering a career in tourism or just starting out on their journey?
There is an enormous amount of opportunity in the outdoor hospitality and recreation space. The transition from an entry level to a management position can be rapid and is open to all education levels and backgrounds. Many who start out in this industry go on to owning their own campgrounds or management business. Job opportunities include everything from entry level operations to design build, to real estate, to owner/operator to management company professionals. There are no barriers to entry, and it can provide an excellent career path. Not to mention it is a pretty cool industry and you get to meet great people!
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Have a suggestion for a future Member Spotlight? Submit it to bnewton@caltravel.org
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By Shannon Brooks, Principal at FORWØRD
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