Wednesday August 3, 2022 | CalOHA.org

CalOHA membership dues for 2023 were mailed out on Monday, so please keep an eye out for your renewal packets. You can make payments now through the online member portal. You may also send in a check or give us a call at the office to make payments by phone.

Dues must be paid in full by October 1st  in order for your park to be included in the 2023 edition of the “Camper’s Guide to California.” We are working with a new design team on this year’s guide and therefore will not have the ability to be as lenient with late additions as we have in previous years.

Want more visibility? No problem! Listing upgrades and advertising space are available for both the 2023 Camper’s Guide, and Camp-Califronia.com. Complete and submit the advertising order form or contact CalOHA to secure your upgrade today!

A huge “Thank You” to Marin Park for being so on the ball and being the first member to make their payment through the member portal prior to even receiving notice! We greatly appreciate your continued support!

We all know how awesome jobs in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries can be, but the next generation of our workforce may not. That’s why CalTravel is launching the “Where Can Travel Take You?” campaign to showcase travel, tourism, and hospitality workers across a variety of disciplines, positions, and regions—and how their careers help them lead their best lives. We want to hear from people just starting their careers, all the way to those who have made it to the top.

Cal Travel will be creating a video montage of jobs to show off to universities across the state. Let’s make sure outdoor hospitality is included.

Help us help you by creating a short video showing the benefits of being an outdoor hospitality professional. Get creative and show off all the reasons why a career in outdoor hospitality is a great option — the work, the perks, and the unique experiences.

We are looking for the format to be quick, fun, personal, and authentic, in the style of TikTok and Instagram Reels.

Participating is easy. Simply:

• Grab your phone and start recording (vertically)
• Begin the video by saying “Where Can Travel Take You? It takes me…”
• Record 1-3 examples of where your career has taken you (about 30 seconds total)
• End the video with “Where can Travel Take YOU?”
• Try to film your videos in interesting locations that illustrate your point
• Send us the raw footage (no background music or other edits)
• Include your name, organization, and location

Let’s get filming! Call the CalOHA office for more information. 

In recent years we have been thrilled to welcome swarms of new campers into the culture who bring us new business, new stories, and a wider community, however this influx hasn’t been all rainbows and butterflies. This influx of camping households alongside post-pandemic traveling trends has also contributed to overbooked campgrounds and newcomers who aren’t always well versed in the rules or just not willing to follow them. When campgrounds fill up, rather than finding a new location or changing dates, too many campers have chosen to proceed with their plans and find a spot to illegally set up camp for the night.

Big Sur has been a great example of how illegal camping can quickly get out of hand. According to Butch Kronlund executive director of the Community Association of Big Sur, you can find at least 200 roadside campers pulled off along highway 101 on any given night. The area has long been designated as a “no camping zone”, holding up to a $200 fine for perpetrators, though the heavy crowds of offenders don’t seem concerned.

On July 26th the Monterey County Board of Supervisors passed an emergency ordinance raising the fines for illegal campers by 5 times, bring the penalty up to $1000 per violation. Their hopes are that the increased fine, now greatly exceeding the fees campers would be paying for a legal camping space, are enough to discourage this “trend” and preserve the natural beauty of Big Sur’s coastline.

Those who choose to camp illegally pose many threats not just to permitted camping facilities but also to the community, the environment and others just trying to enjoy their own vacations. Elements such as a lack of restroom facilities, unpermitted campfires, pollution, and littering cause irreversible environmental damage to area not approved or adapted for such use, and lead to an uptick in wildfire risks.

It is our hope that more counties will follow suit and move to adopt similar ordinances taking tough action against those who pose a threat to our state and our industry. If similar issues are happening in your area, speak up! Let’s keep campground open and safe for all! 

Sugar Barge RV Resort & Marina, located in Bethel Island, was named after a legendary cargo vessel of the same name which was once anchored where the resort currently stands. While the ship is long gone, what remains has been converted into a history rich RV resort and Marina which includes 114 full hook-up campsites, a clubhouse, general store, and a waterfront bar & grill. Guest can enjoy live music every Saturday night throughout the summer, check out the future line up here.