8 Questions to Ask When Considering Third-Party Management for Your RV Resort or Campground
I meet with a lot of campground owners. Some are institutional investors building a portfolio. Others are multi-property owners ready to step back from the day-to-day grind. Some are family operators looking for an intermediary step toward retirement.
What I've learned over 15 years in outdoor hospitality management is that owners are as diverse as the properties themselves. But no matter who I'm sitting across from, they all want to know the same thing:
How do you choose the right third-party RV and campground management company for your property?
Partnering with a third-party RV and campground management company can significantly impact occupancy, guest satisfaction, and long-term asset value. Every owner wants the same thing: someone they can trust to take care of their property, wow their guests, and deliver strong bottom-line performance.
Over the last five years, several third-party RV and campground management companies have burst onto the scene, meaning there are more options than ever before. The most important thing in this search is finding an operating partner you're truly aligned with in core values, strengths, and experience. But to properly vet potential partners, you need to know what specific criteria to look for.
To help owners evaluate their options, here are eight critical questions every RV park or campground owner should ask before hiring a third-party campground management company. These key differentiators are often overlooked. Yet they can mean the difference between a long-term, successful relationship and one filled with frustration and disappointment.
1. How Do You Manage Risk?
Why it matters: Not the most exciting topic, but easily the most important after qualifying the experience of any third-party operator. One poorly managed incident can wipe out years of progress.
What to look for: Best-in-class operators have strong tools and workflows around incident reporting and management. In the campground business, accidents will happen — that is a given. Having robust tools and workflows to document every incident in case of a potential claim is crucial. Don't be afraid to ask for a sample incident report and ask them to explain how those incidents are tracked and stored.
Also, ask how they manage compliance around operating permits and licenses. The best operators have systems that track expiration dates and send automated notifications to stay on top of renewals.
2. Does Your Campground Management Forecast Operational Performance?
Why it matters: Cash is king, and the only way to proactively manage it is by forecasting operating performance. As the saying goes, plans are useless, but planning is essential. Static written plans rarely survive first contact with reality. The planning process prepares you to adapt, think critically, and respond effectively to unforeseen challenges.
What to look for: Ask prospective operators to walk you through their forecasting process and how they translate that forecast into plans and decisions. A good operator makes detailed, calculated assumptions about how rates, occupancy, and ancillary revenues will behave in the coming months. Those assumptions are grounded in booking pace trends and historical performance. Then you adapt an expense strategy to manage bottom-line results. Ask about the frequency of forecasting and whether they monitor their historical forecast accuracy. Experienced operators with strong processes typically forecast monthly.
3. How Do You Leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
Why it matters: AI is changing the way the world works, and operators who don't leverage it will start falling behind. The most important thing AI does for operators is shorten the lag time between insight and action — meaning less time collecting and analyzing information, and more time taking action that impacts results. This is especially critical when analyzing marketing spend performance and rate strategies.
What to look for: AI is a powerful but also potentially dangerous tool. Make sure to ask your operator about their artificial intelligence policies and how they are keeping your data safe. If they are using public AI models without toggling the appropriate settings, your data could be used to train those models. Best-in-class operators have established strong governance around AI use to ensure it is applied appropriately and securely.
4. How Do You Manage Capital Projects?
Why it matters: Turnkey operating partners must know how to manage capital projects effectively. Campgrounds are full of capital-intensive infrastructure — sewer, electrical, water, and more. Operators must have an intimate understanding of how these systems work, how to maintain and repair them, and how to manage the contractors who service them.
What to look for: Make sure your operating partner has a proven track record with capital projects. Planning, designing, permitting, and project management are all critical steps to a successful outcome. Ask for specific examples of capital projects they have successfully managed. For projects with a defined return on investment (ROI), ask the operator to show you how they calculate that ROI so you can make informed decisions.
5. How Sophisticated Is Your Campground Financial Reporting?
Why it matters: Reliable and timely financial reporting is the bedrock of good decision-making. When you are not on the property every single day, it is harder to keep your finger on the pulse of what is happening. That makes quality financial reporting your primary window into your business.
What to look for: Does your operator use enterprise-grade accounting software? QuickBooks is great, but it is not very scalable for a multi-property operator. Do they manage properties for institutional investors? You may not need the same reporting controls as a publicly traded company. But it is a strong signal when your operating partner's financial systems are built to that standard. Ask to see a sample chart of accounts and financial reports. A proven framework like the USALI™ Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry can transform financial reporting from a history book into a true performance management tool.
6. Do You Have Experience with Crisis Management?
Why it matters: When it comes to crisis management experience, it is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. During challenging times, having an operating partner who knows how to navigate a crisis can be priceless. Keeping a cool head, communicating effectively, and documenting accurately can all help mitigate the consequences of a crisis-level incident.
What to look for: Ask your operator if they have a documented crisis management strategy that their team is trained on and can reference as needed. Ask for specific examples of how they have managed serious incidents in the past. Ask whether they have a crisis communication and public relations (PR) strategy ready to deploy at a moment's notice. Their answers will give you a very clear picture of whether your operator has the preparation and experience to manage through a crisis.
7. How Do You Manage Online Travel Agents (OTAs)?
Why it matters: While direct bookings are always preferred, OTAs present a meaningful value proposition for every RV resort and campground. They can introduce your property to new guests and fill lower-demand periods. The number of viable OTA options in the outdoor hospitality industry is growing rapidly, and campers and glampers are becoming increasingly savvy about how to leverage them.
What to look for: Best-in-class third-party operators have strong relationships and dedicated account managers with most major OTAs. Ask how they leverage those relationships to negotiate discounted OTA fees — their buying power can save you money while simultaneously growing your revenues. Ask about their experience with your specific property management system (PMS) and how it connects to the various OTAs to manage available inventory. Experienced operators know which OTA connections are working well, which are still being developed, and which OTAs perform best in specific markets or site types. This landscape is evolving rapidly, so having an operating partner who is staying on top of it is essential.
8. When Backed into a Corner, Do You Choose People or Profits?
Why it matters: As Simon Sinek explains in his book The Infinite Game, operating a business is not a zero-sum game. The goal is to keep playing and get a little bit better at it every day. Short-term, profit-focused decisions are often shortsighted in the hospitality business. A guest's perception of value is infinitely more important than the actual nightly rate they are paying. Understanding this distinction is the difference between running a campground your guests love and return to year after year — and operating a property that fosters no loyalty or repeat business.
What to look for: Ask your third-party provider about their mission, vision, and guiding principles. Are they truly guest-centric — and what does that mean to them? Why did they choose those specific core values? Ask for concrete examples of how those values show up in staff training and everyday decision-making. Ask how guest satisfaction is measured, which metrics are tracked, and how online reviews are handled — especially negative ones. Their answers will reveal whether your operating partner will treat your guests with the same level of care and accountability that you would yourself.
Choosing the right third-party RV and campground management company to take over operations is arguably one of the most important decisions you will ever make. Don't rush it. Make sure you properly vet your options, be intentional in the process, and don't be afraid to ask the hard questions. It is always better to do it up front than to deal with the consequences after the fact.
Key Takeaways
- Choosing the third-party RV and campground management company is crucial for occupancy and guest satisfaction.
- Ask critical questions about risk management, financial reporting, and AI usage before hiring a partner.
- Evaluate an operator's experience with crisis management and capital projects for successful collaboration.
- Strong relationships with OTAs can optimize bookings and increase revenue for RV parks and campgrounds.
- Understand an operator's core values to ensure they prioritize guest experience over short-term profits.
About the Author
Rafael Correa is the President & CFO of Blue Water Hospitality and a proud member of the Outdoor Hospitality Industry (OHI) Board of Directors.
With over 15 years of experience in property management, Rafael has built a reputation as one of the most forward-thinking operators in the outdoor hospitality industry. As President & CFO of Blue Water, a leading RV resort and campground investor, developer, and manager operating properties from Maine to Florida and across the U.S., he oversees a portfolio defined by operational excellence, guest-first culture, and data-driven performance management.
In 2024, Rafael was elected to the OHI Board of Directors in the organization’s first-ever at-large national election. A contested race that drew a record 37 nominations and more than double the typical voter turnout. He was sworn in at the Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo (OHCE) in Oklahoma City. He continues to advocate for member success, industry best practices, and the next generation of exceptional guest experiences.
To learn more about Blue Water Hospitality, visit bwdc.com.
Estimated reading time: 9 minutes