Donna Bordeaux makes the case for online reservation systems at campgrounds and RV parks. About 40% of reservations move online within six months of launch. KOA saw online bookings jump from 37% to 48% between 2014 and 2018, and one client park hit 53% online bookings within 18 months.
Do you have an online reservation system in place? By online reservation system, I mean start to finish. I can book a site at your park, not just a request form where you have to call somebody back or an email form. That doesn't count as an online reservation. I want to be able to book a site and pull into your park when it's time and be ready to go. If you don't have this already, I want you to make it your top priority to have an online reservation system within the next six months. I've got to give you some statistics to back this up. I will not reveal whose statistics these are, but I can tell you that I've worked with campground owners who have not had any reservation system in place for online reservations. And within six months, about 40% of all of their reservations were coming in online. When we look at the time that the reservation is booked, we're seeing over 25% of reservations booked after 6pm and that's generally an early time. A lot of these are coming in at midnight when you should be asleep and resting for the next day. Here are two other statistics. One from KOA, over 48% of their reservations came in online in 2018. Now, I don't have up to date numbers for you now, but I will tell you, I know that increased especially during the COVID crisis. Most people are making reservations in front of where they're traveling. Places are booked up. They want to do it contactlessly. Let me pay online as well. Secondly, on that KOA number, that 48% was up 11% over the four years prior to that. I'd be willing to bet that they are in the 60% area right now with their reservations, if not higher. Another park that we've worked with in their first 12 months using a reservation system, 35% of their reservations came in online. Do you realize how much relief on the phones that gives people? It's also better data gathering as well. You don't have to translate how somebody spells their name or get something wrong because of a typo while you're in a hurry and people are coming into the office. So in the first 12 months, 35%. In the following six months, 53% of their reservations came in online. This is not something that's an option anymore, folks. You have to take online reservations. There's some great systems out there. I'd be happy to share some details with you if you would like to look into this further. But do yourself a favor, do your park a favor. Get an online reservation system asap. I'M Donna Bordeaux with Campground Accounting Time.
