RV Historian Retires
Al Hesselbart, an RV historian, librarian, lecturer, and author who worked for the RV/MH Hall of Fame & Museum for 20 years, has retired.
Mr. Hesselbart started his career in the RV and manufactured housing industries in October 1994, when Carl Ehry, then-president of the RV/MH Heritage Foundation in Elkhart, Indiana, recruited him as vice president and general manager. For the first five years, Mr. Hesselbart said, he was a “one-man army,” serving as museum manager, historian, bookkeeper, and janitor, as well as Mr. Ehry’s secretary.
During that time, Mr. Hesselbart created and organized the facility’s library from a collection of boxed books and magazines. By reading those materials and talking with visiting industry pioneers, Mr. Hesselbart developed a reputation as an authority on the history of the RV and manufactured housing industries. He frequently was invited to speak at RV rallies and shows, including FMCA Family Reunions.
Monthly columns he wrote for RV News magazine about the heritage of the RV industry became the basis for his 2007 book, The Dumb Things Sold . . . Just Like That!, a history of the RV industry in America. He also wrote articles for Family Motor Coaching magazine.
In 2010, Mr. Hesselbart secured his status as an international authority on the RV industry when he spoke at the third annual Outdoor Lifestyle Hangzhou show in China. He was invited back in 2012 to be one of the keynote speakers at the first National China RV Rally.
As for his future plans, “I’ve always dreamed of having the independence and freedom to do what I want to do, when I want to do it,” he said. He noted that he still will be available to speak at RV shows and rallies. Beyond that, he said he plans to get behind the wheel of his motorhome and see where the road takes him.
Mr. Hesselbart can be contacted at ahesselbart@aol.com or via his Web site, www.rvhistoryprograms.com.
Sunland Adds Two RV Resorts
Sunland RV Resorts has completed a deal that brings Naples Motorcoach Resort in Naples, Florida, and Bay Harbor Motorcoach Resort (now known as Petoskey RV Resort) in Petoskey, Michigan, under Sunland ownership. Both resorts offer rental and ownership opportunities. Sunland RV Resorts now has 10 properties.
Naples Motorcoach Resort occupies 15 acres and includes 184 Type A motorhome sites; a clubhouse; several pools and spas; an outdoor tennis court; a boat ramp with dock and canal access to the Gulf of Mexico; 32 dry boat storage sites; a dog park; and high-speed Wi-Fi.
The 33-acre Petoskey RV Resort includes 78 Type A motorhome lots; a clubhouse; a fitness center with saunas; tennis courts; a nine-hole putting green; pet-friendly walking paths; and high-speed Wi-Fi.
For additional information, visit www.sunlandrvresorts.com.
Prevost To Host NASCAR Rally
Prevost will host its first NASCAR rally from March 5-8, 2015, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The rally will include personalized pit and garage tours, NASCAR driver and team owner meet-and-greets, and entertainment.
Prevost motorhome owners will have the option of suite or grandstand ticket packages that include on-site, private motorhome parking in a secured Prevost compound. To reserve a spot, contact Prevost at prevostnascarrally@volvo.com.
Prevost has been the Official Luxury Motorcoach of NASCAR since 2013.
Jellystone Parks Land On Tripadvisor.Com
Nearly four dozen parks in the Jellystone Park network now have business listings on www.TripAdvisor.com, an online travel rating service. Leisure Systems Inc. (LSI) franchises Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts across the United States and Canada. Forty-five of LSI’s 81 Jellystone Parks took advantage of a special promotional offer to be listed on TripAdvisor.com. Additional Jellystone Parks are expected to join the TripAdvisor network.
In addition to offering business listings, TripAdvisor recognizes top-rated campgrounds, RV parks, and resorts with Certificate of Excellence awards. Jellystone Parks in Cave City, Kentucky; Luray, Virginia; North Java, New York; and Williamsport (Hagerstown), Maryland, have received TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence awards.
For more information about Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts, visit www.campjellystone.com.
Upbeat Outlook For Outdoor Recreation
Outdoor recreation leaders report good sales and activities for 2014 and expect still stronger activity in 2015, according to a new report, “Outdoor Recreation Outlook 2015,” from the American Recreation Coalition.
Americans spend more than $650 billion annually on outdoor recreation equipment and services, supporting millions of jobs in manufacturing, sales, and service.
Report highlights include the following:
- Visitation at destinations within the U.S. National Park System is up by more than 2 percent from 2013 levels, and the National Park Service is preparing to launch a major promotion effort — Find Your Park — to help celebrate its 100th anniversary, which officially occurs on August 25, 2016.
- X-Use of public and private campgrounds is rising. Peak season business for 2014 was up substantially from 2013 levels, according to Kampgrounds of America (KOA), America’s largest network of private campgrounds. Camper nights across the United States were up 3.7 percent, contributing to strong overall revenue growth of 8.6 percent.
- Overnight stays in national park campgrounds, though, continue to decline. In some cases, campgrounds are full during peak seasons, but sites are occupied by fewer people. In other cases, a need for upgrades and a lack of promotion may be causing the slowdown.
ARC’s full report is available at http://tinyurl.com/m99kfjs.