RV Parks, Caravan Parks, Campgrounds Industry Terminology

ADA Compliance

We redesigned two pull-throughs for ADA compliance with 2% max cross-slope. Is the new bathhouse ADA-compliant with grab bars and roll-in showers? Our site map now marks the accessible cabin and van-accessible parking.

The accessibility requirements (ramps, parking, routes, restrooms, sites) set by the Americans with Disabilities Act; many countries have equivalent standards.

ADR (Average Daily Rate)

Our ADR rose from $48 to $52 after implementing dynamic pricing. What’s ADR for premium waterfront sites versus standard back-ins? We’re bundling Wi-Fi to lift ADR without discounting.

Average site revenue per paid occupied night; excludes comps.

Ancillary Revenue

Ancillary revenue per occupied site is up 18% after adding kayak rentals. Let’s test a bundle to grow ancillary capture on shoulder dates. Concessions and retail now represent 22% of total revenue.

Non-site income streams such as propane, firewood, golf cart/kayak rentals, activities, day passes, late check-outs.

Back-in Site

Sites 14–26 are shaded back-ins with 30A service. The map clearly labels back-in angles to help with approach. Back-ins are 12% under pull-through ADR but have higher occupancy.

A site that requires reversing the RV into place; typically deeper and often cheaper than pull-throughs.

Black Water

Please flush only RV-safe toilet paper to avoid black tank clogs. The honey wagon will pump black water on Thursdays. Spills of black water must be reported to maintenance immediately.

Wastewater from toilets; must be disposed of at a sewer hookup or dump station.

Boondocking

We offer a boondocking field during festivals with potable water nearby. Our boondocking policy limits generator hours to protect quiet. Many overlanders prefer boondocking sites with star views.

Camping without hookups; also called dry camping, often on public lands or in overflow areas.

Buddy Site

The new H-loop has three buddy sites for family reunions. Buddy sites have shared fire rings but separate pedestals. We price buddy sites at a 10% premium due to higher demand.

Two or more adjacent sites oriented to face each other or share a common area, ideal for groups.

Burn Ban

Under the current burn ban, propane fire pits are allowed but wood fires are not. Add a burn ban notice to pre-arrival emails. We suspended firewood sales while the county burn ban is active.

Government or park-issued restriction on open flames due to fire risk.

Camp Host

The camp host will guide you to site C-12. Hosts monitor quiet hours and assist late arrivals. We recruit camp hosts via workamping forums each spring.

Resident or seasonal staff who greet guests, enforce rules, and handle light maintenance.

Campground PMS (Property Management System)

Our PMS integrates with a channel manager to prevent double-bookings. Use PMS rate rules to automate weekend minimum stays. The PMS dashboard shows occupancy and RevPAS in real time.

Software platform for reservations, payments, site inventory, reports, guest communications.

Cancellation Policy

Our 7-day cancellation policy includes a $25 admin fee. Consider a non-refundable rate with a 10% discount. We offer trip protection that refunds within the cancellation window.

Rules for refunds, fees, and deadlines when guests cancel or change bookings.

Channel Manager

Push shoulder-season promotions via the channel manager. Sync site types to avoid mapping errors on third parties. Close inventory on OTAs for holiday weekends in the channel manager.

Tool that syncs rates, availability, and restrictions across OTAs and your direct site.

Conditional Use Permit (CUP)

The CUP requires a 50-foot vegetative buffer along the creek. We’ll present traffic and noise studies at the CUP hearing. CUP compliance includes limits on total sites and seasonal use.

Local land-use approval allowing an RV park on a property within certain conditions.

Dispersed Camping

Our guide explains dispersed camping etiquette on adjacent public lands. Dispersed areas prohibit campfires during high risk periods. We patrol dispersed zones for LNT compliance.

Camping outside developed campgrounds; minimal services and pack-it-in/pack-it-out practices.

Dump Station

Please line up on the dump station approach to avoid blocking the road. A sewer donut is required at the dump connection. We added a rinse hose and non-potable water signage at the dump station.

Designated facility where RVers empty black and gray tanks using a sealed hose.

Dynamic Pricing

Dynamic pricing pushes waterfront sites +15% on holiday weekends. Lower rates for 4+ night stays to increase length-of-stay. We use demand thresholds to cap discounts on shoulder dates.

Adjusting rates by demand, lead time, site type, and length of stay to optimize revenue.

Electrical Pedestal

The electrician replaced corroded lugs in pedestal A-17. Label pedestals clearly for 30A and 50A service. Inspect pedestals annually per NEC Article 551.

Campsite utility post with circuit breakers and receptacles (typically 20A, 30A TT-30R, 50A 14-50R), sometimes water and cable.

FHU (Full Hookups)

Premium FHU pull-throughs carry the highest ADR. FHU sites reduce dump station queues on checkout days. We reserve two FHU sites for ADA-accessible rigs.

A site with electric, potable water, and sewer connections at the pad.

Fifth-Wheel

Sites in Loop D fit fifth-wheels up to 40 feet. Our turn radii accommodate fifth-wheel swing clearance. The fifth-wheel’s overhang requires level pads.

Towable RV with a raised front section and a hitch that mounts in the truck bed.

GFCI (Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter)

Install weather-rated GFCI on 20A outlets at pedestals. The bathhouse GFCI tripped due to moisture; maintenance reset it. NEC requires GFCI protection in wet locations.

Electrical protection device that trips when it detects ground faults, reducing shock risk.

Glamping

Our glamping tents run 30% above standard ADRs. Glamping units need hotel-like housekeeping SOPs. We market glamping as pet-friendly with private fire pits.

High-amenity camping (e.g., safari tents, yurts, tiny homes) targeting comfort-seekers.

Gray Water

No gray water discharge on the ground; use a sealed hose. The gray tank overflowed—please call maintenance. Gray water lines connect to the same sewer riser as black.

Wastewater from sinks and showers; usually must be collected and disposed via sewer or dump station.

Honey Wagon

The honey wagon makes rounds on Mondays and Fridays. Add honey-wagon bookings to the PMS as add-ons. Honey-wagon service boosts ancillary revenue in FHU-constrained parks.

Mobile pump-out service that empties RV holding tanks at the site for a fee or schedule.

Ingress/Egress

Our CUP requires separate ingress and egress for fire access. Widen egress to accommodate Class A motorhomes with tows. Post clear ingress signage to reduce wrong-way incidents.

Safe and legal access into and out of the property, including driveway design, signage, and emergency routes.

Leave No Trace (LNT)

Add LNT tips to pre-arrival messages for dispersed campers. Hosts remind guests of LNT on busy weekends. LNT signage reduced campsite litter by 40%.

Outdoor ethics that minimize human impact; includes packing out trash and respecting wildlife.

NEC Article 551

Replace noncompliant pedestals to meet NEC 551 spacing and receptacle requirements. Our electrical inspection checklist references NEC 551. Upgrades to 50A service must conform to NEC 551 conductor sizing.

Section of the National Electrical Code covering RV parks and recreational vehicle supply equipment.

Net Operating Income (NOI)

NOI margin improved after renegotiating trash hauling. Buyers underwrite based on stabilized NOI and a market cap rate. Utility sub-metering lifted NOI by reducing water expense.

Revenue minus operating expenses (excluding interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, and major capex).

Net Promoter Score (NPS)

Our NPS jumped to 68 after Wi-Fi upgrades. Trigger service recovery when NPS feedback mentions cleanliness. Incentivize reviews from Promoters to amplify referrals.

Customer loyalty metric from -100 to 100 based on the question: How likely are you to recommend us?

NFPA 1194

New phases are designed to NFPA 1194 for site separation and turning radii. Our fire pits meet NFPA setback requirements. The engineer cited NFPA 1194 for pedestal locations.

Standard for RV parks and campgrounds covering site design, spacing, roadways, and utilities.

Occupancy Rate

Midweek occupancy lags; let’s target remote workers. Occupancy hit 98% over the holiday; we should raise rates sooner. Analyze occupancy by site type to optimize mix.

Percentage of available sites occupied during a period; a key utilization metric.

OHI (Outdoor Hospitality Industry Association)

We’ll attend the OHI conference to source a new PMS. OHI benchmarking shows RevPAS growth in our region. Use OHI resources for legislative updates.

The primary U.S. trade association for RV parks and campgrounds (formerly ARVC).

OTA (Online Travel Agency)

OTAs drive shoulder-season demand but take 15% commission. Sync minimum stays across OTAs via the channel manager. We limit premium inventory on OTAs to protect direct bookings.

Third-party booking channels listing sites or rentals (e.g., Booking.com, Hipcamp, Expedia).

Park Model RV (PMRV)

PMRVs extend our season with heated interiors. Finance PMRVs as personal property, not real estate. We added PMRV decks subject to local setback rules.

A 400 sq ft (approx.) RV built to ANSI A119.5, often used as rental units in parks.

Pet Policy

Our pet policy requires leashes and proof of vaccinations. Add a pet fee as an ancillary revenue line. We installed a fenced dog park to improve pet satisfaction.

Rules governing pets on property (leash requirements, restricted areas, breed/size limits, fees).

Potable Water

Label potable spigots distinctly from rinse hoses. Annual water testing keeps our potable system compliant. Add vacuum breakers to spigots for backflow protection.

Safe drinking water supply that meets health standards; often requires backflow prevention.

Pull-Through Site

Pull-throughs rent first to big rigs and first-time RVers. Our new loop adds six 75-foot pull-throughs. We price pull-throughs at a premium over back-ins.

A site that allows entering from one end and exiting from the other without backing up.

Quiet Hours

Quiet hours are 10 pm to 7 am; generators off by 9 pm. Hosts enforce quiet hours with friendly reminders. We include quiet hours on the map and pre-arrival texts.

Designated times when noise must be minimized to maintain guest comfort.

RevPAS (Revenue per Available Site)

RevPAS rose 9% after length-of-stay pricing. Benchmark RevPAS by site type to guide capex. ADR went up, but RevPAS stalled due to lower occupancy.

Total site revenue divided by the number of available sites over a period; core performance metric.

Seasonal Site

Seasonal guests stabilize cash flow in shoulder months. Seasonal contracts clarify storage and deck rules. We cap seasonal inventory at 35% to protect transient demand.

A site rented for an extended period (e.g., monthly or the full season) often at a discounted rate.

Septic System

Pump the septic tank every 3–5 years depending on load. RV antifreeze is acceptable in small amounts but avoid harsh chemicals. Keep heavy vehicles off the drainfield to prevent damage.

On-site wastewater treatment using a tank and drainfield/leach field where municipal sewer is unavailable.

Site Pad

Regrade site pads to maintain a 2% slope for drainage. Concrete pads reduce rutting and boost guest satisfaction. Confirm pad length before assigning big rigs.

The level parking surface for the RV, typically gravel, asphalt, or concrete, with specified dimensions and load rating.

Slide-Out Clearance

Trim trees to maintain slide-out clearance on Loop B. Our site descriptions list slide clearance for each pad. A neighbor’s picnic table encroached on slide-out space; we relocated it.

The lateral space needed for RV slide-outs to deploy safely without hitting obstacles.

SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures)

Create SOPs for late arrivals and lockbox codes. Housekeeping SOPs define cabin turnaround standards. Update storm response SOPs before wildfire season.

Documented step-by-step procedures for operations, safety, maintenance, and service.

Stormwater Management

Install swales and detention basins per the civil plan. Stabilize slopes with erosion-control blankets after grading. Obtain an NPDES permit for construction stormwater.

Practices that control runoff volume/quality to prevent erosion and protect waterways.

Surge Protector

Recommend guests use a surge protector when plugging into pedestals. A miswired pedestal tripped several surge protectors; maintenance repaired it. Add whole-park surge protection in the next capex plan.

Device that protects RV electrical systems from voltage spikes and miswiring; parks may also install surge protection at pedestals.

Tow Vehicle

Count total length including the tow vehicle when assigning sites. Big tow vehicles need wider egress turning radii. We offer overflow parking for tow vehicles at full occupancy.

The vehicle used to pull a travel trailer or fifth-wheel; affects site length and turning radius needs.

Transient Site

Keep a mix of transient sites to capture weekend demand. Transient inventory feeds higher ADR and RevPAS. Set a 2-night minimum on transient sites for holiday weekends.

A short-stay site rented nightly or for a few days, as opposed to seasonal/long-term sites.

Wi-Fi Captive Portal

The captive portal offers free basic and paid premium speeds. Collect guest emails via the portal for CRM campaigns. We whitelist work apps during peak hours to manage bandwidth.

A network login page that controls access, collects emails, and can enforce bandwidth tiers.

Workamping

We filled housekeeping roles with workampers this summer. Offer a full-hookup site plus hourly pay to attract workampers. Workamping ads should outline hours, duties, and site benefits.

Hiring RVers who live on-site in exchange for wages and/or a site, often seasonal.

Zoning

The parcel is zoned Rural Recreation; RV parks are a conditional use. Rezoning will require a public hearing and site plan. Zoning sets setbacks, density, and buffer requirements.

Local land-use classification that dictates whether and how a property can be used as an RV park or campground.