The National Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds (ARVC) said Wednesday that its 2020 Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo (OHCE) will be presented virtually this year in response to health concerns related to the COVID pandemic. The decision was announced following a vote by the ARVC Board of Directors.
“By nature, campground owners, operators and staff thrive on human contact – a major factor in the consideration when determining the option of an in-person event, but ultimately, the current and potential risks and concerns associated with the COVID pandemic, combined with member feedback from two recent surveys, led to this decision,” said Paul Bambei, president and CEO of ARVC. “Additionally, many of the features ARVC contracted with the host hotel and convention center (on) would be severely limited or unavailable, creating an in-person atmosphere that was not optimal.”
The virtual OHCE 2020 will take place Nov. 2 to 5, the same dates the in-person event was scheduled.
“The ARVC team is confident we can produce a unique virtual event that will rival any previous OHCE – an event that will be remembered for years to come as a responsible alternative in the age of COVID and a unique and positive experience for our industry,” Bambei said. “Our team has literally hit the ground running and is already planning to make this year’s event an experience that attendees will find extremely valuable.
“From listening to our members, it seems there is a wide variety of experiences with virtual events – some good, some not so good. I strongly believe that after attendees experience OHCE2020, the perception of virtual events will be forever changed.”
A virtual OHCE event will allow ARVC to deliver significant savings to attendees, reducing registration and travels costs, while still providing an equally robust experience. Increasing the accessibility of the event will create the opportunity for more members of the outdoor hospitality community to participate, allowing for new and varied viewpoints, experiences and networking connections than ever before.
“We are excited to be able to bring OHCE right into your office, living room or wherever you learn best, and focus on making this year’s event the best ever,” said Paula Horwitz, ARVC’s executive director of education and events. “One of the key hurdles to any in-person event is that folks have to travel, so now that we are making this event virtual we can reach a larger audience and allow even more interested attendees to join us in learning and networking.”
More details on the event will be announced soon, including instructions on how to register for the virtual OHCE2020 event. If you had previously registered for the in-person event, please contact the ARVC events department at 303-681-0401.
