Convention Workshops
Workshop Overview
| Room/Time | TUESDAY 9:45 AM - 10:45 AM | TUESDAY 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | WEDNESDAY 10:15 AM – 11:15 AM | WEDNESDAY 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | THURSDAY 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3501 AB | Research-Driven: Elevate Your Marketing with KOA's Latest Insights | Keeping it Authentic in an AI World: How to Use AI as a Tool | Inside Great KOAs: Ideas Worth Sharing | Experience-Forward: Elevate Your Campground Through Guest-Centric Design | Multiplying Value: From a Single Campground to Portfolio Power |
| 3501 EF | Mastering the new WorkAtKOA.com | K2 Past, Present and Future | Turn Buzz into Bookings: Influencer Marketing Made Simple | Social Media for Your Campground | Content that Converts - Great Photos & Videos |
| 2502 AB | Beyond the Pad: Designing the Campsites of Tomorrow | The Psychology of Pricing | QA Best Practices from 2026 & What’s Changing for 2027 | The Greatest IMPACT We Can Make? Our People | From Dashboards to Decisions: Putting Campground Data to Work |
| 3501 C | More Support. Less Guesswork With Managed Services | Show Me the Money: Introducing New Franchisee P&L Analytics and Dashboards | Camp Store 101: Camp Store Profitability: From Buying to the Bottom Line | Camp Store 201: Camp Store Success: Ideas, Insights & Trends for 2027 | Growing Your Group Business: Tools, Marketing Resources & Success Stories |
| 3501 GH | The New KOA.com: Built for What’s Next | From Data to Dollars: Making the Most of KOA Accommodations | The Energy Edge Workshop: The Power of Leadership Alignment | Get Found. Earn Trust. Win More Bookings | The Metrics That Matter: Keeping Expenses in Line with Income |
Tuesday, November 17
Research-Driven: Elevate Your Marketing with KOA's Latest Insights
Presenter: Jenny McCullough
Unlock the power of KOA camper insights to drive real results. In this session, we'll reveal findings from KOA's Marketing Effectiveness Survey, the Camping & Outdoor Hospitality Report and other KOA research to show you exactly who your campers are, what they want, and how they decide to book. Learn the communication strategies that actually move the needle: the right channels, messaging, and timing to turn awareness into reservations. Learn about new travel trends shaping the industry in 2027 and how you can incorporate those into your operations. We'll also introduce two brand-new co-op marketing programs launching in 2027 designed to amplify your reach without breaking the bank. Walk out with actionable tactics you can implement immediately to watch your bookings climb.
Mastering the new Work@KOA.com
Presenter: Melissa Becker
Bring your laptops! This session is a hands-on workshop for the new & improved work@KOA.com. In this session we will discuss navigating your account/dashboard, posting jobs, reviewing candidates, and searching for resumes in the new site. This is a working session so 1 on 1 help will be available for any work@KOA.com question you may have. Come with questions, leave with confidence.
Beyond the Pad: Designing the Campsites of Tomorrow
Presenters: Stacey & Ryan
Let's start with what works, explore what guests want, and imagine what's next. From best-selling sites to new experiences, discover how variety, consistency, quality, and innovation can shape the future of our parks. Creating a diverse portfolio of sites today will help meet current demand while preparing for tomorrow's guest. This workshop looks at the full spectrum of campsite design—from RVs and tents to accessibility, landscape, utilities, EVs, unique stays, emerging accommodations and more.
More Support. Less Guesswork with Managed Services
Presenters: Emily Peck & Kelli Siler
Join KOA's Senior Director of Revenue Management and Director of Field Marketing to explore how Managed Services helps franchisees lighten the load and improve performance through strategic support and execution. In this session, learn how this partnership can save time, strengthen campground performance, and turn plans into progress.
The New KOA.com: Built for What's Next
Presenters: Cole Reinhardt & Jeremy Rickson
The new KOA.com is here. Join Jeremy and Cole for a look at what changed, why we rebuilt the platform, and how the new experience makes it easier for campers to discover, plan and book their stays with KOA. We'll walk through the improvements guests and campgrounds will see today, along with the new capabilities this platform creates for personalization, faster innovation and the changing ways campers discover and plan travel.
Keeping it Authentic in an AI World: How to Use AI as a Tool
Presenters: Cole Reinhardt, Jenny McCullough, Blake Sutton
AI is changing how we work, communicate, and create—but it works best as a tool, not a replacement for your expertise or your campground's authentic voice. In this session, we'll explore practical ways to use AI to save time, generate ideas, and improve everyday work while keeping KOA brand standards, accuracy, and data security front and center. You'll leave with practical ideas for how you can leverage AI in your campground while keeping your information safe and your communication authentically KOA.
K2 Past, Present and Future
Presenters: Nicole Geiger & Courtney Baker
K2 continues to grow right alongside your business. Hear highlights of feature enhancements to K2 Text Messaging and Rate Chart; get updates on integrations with Stripe, Airbnb, and Wild Energy; and see our current development roadmap. Of course, we'll leave time for KUTE (K2 User Technology Exchange) and your questions or enhancement requests. This is your opportunity to engage directly with the team leading the way forward.
The Psychology of Pricing
Presenter: Lulu Mackenzie
Why does one price feel like a great value while another feels too expensive—even when the difference in rate is small? The answer often comes down to perception. In this session, we'll explore the psychology behind how guests evaluate your pricing and how those perceptions influence booking decisions. You'll learn practical strategies for using tactics like price anchoring, Good/Better/Best options, and perceived value to make your pricing feel more compelling and easier for guests to choose to book. Through real-world examples and interactive discussion, you'll identify opportunities to reduce price friction, strengthen your value proposition, and use pricing psychology to drive more bookings and revenue.
Show Me the Money: Introducing New Franchisee P&L Analytics and Dashboards
Presenter: Gabrielle Cumber & John Elliot
Ready to see how your business stacks up? Join us for an exciting first look at the new Franchisee P&L Dashboards and discover how to turn financial data into a competitive advantage. Discover how your business compares across the franchise network and gain valuable insights from system-wide performance trends. See where you excel, identify opportunities for growth. By leveraging benchmarking and comparative analytics, you'll gain a clearer understanding of your business's strengths. This interactive session will also provide step-by-step guidance on how to upload or enter your own P&L data. You'll leave with practical tools and actionable insights to help take your business to the next level.
From Data to Dollars: Making the Most of KOA Accommodations
Presenters: Greg Dunagan & Stacey Cambell
Discover how KOA accommodations have changed over time and learn how to make the most of the latest data and trends. Using system performance metrics and guest feedback, we'll explore historical patterns, current successes, and new opportunities across KOA's diverse accommodations. Walk away with practical knowledge and actionable strategies to enhance your property's offerings, elevate guest satisfaction, and drive greater profitability.
Wednesday, November 18
Inside Great KOAs: Ideas Worth Sharing
Presenter: Eric Hoeffs
Great ideas are happening every day across the KOA system. In this session, we'll take you inside campgrounds that are finding creative ways to enhance the guest experience, improve operations, drive revenue, and make their parks stand out. You'll see real examples of what's working, hear the thinking behind the ideas, and discover practical inspiration you can take home and make your own. Come ready to learn from your Field Ops Support Team and fellow KOA owners, spark new ideas, and see what's possible when great ideas are shared.
Turn Buzz into Bookings: Influencer Marketing Made Simple
Presenters: Jenny McCullough & Kelly Self
Influencer marketing can feel complicated, but it doesn't have to be. This workshop is designed to equip campground owners and managers with the tools to build and run a simple, effective influencer program. Building on KOA's Influencer Guidelines, we'll cover how to identify and engage the right creators, measure the success of your partnerships, and use discount codes to drive reservations. We'll close with an introduction to KOA's new Influencer Co-Op Program, a cost-sharing influencer marketing support program.
QA Best Practices from 2026 & What's Changing for 2027
Presenter: KOA Brand Ambassadors
Learn what's working in the field as KOA Brand Ambassadors share some of the most effective Quality Assurance best practices and guest experience strategies from 2026. We'll spotlight real examples and photos from across the system and invite you to share your own ideas, too. Plus, get a focused preview of the key changes coming to Quality Assurance in 2027—so you can stay ahead and be prepared.
Camp Store 101: Camp Store Profitability: From Buying to the Bottom Line
Presenter: Kim Wootteon
Whether you're new to retail or a seasoned buyer, this workshop will help you maximize the resources KOA provides to make your Camp Store more profitable, successful, and a retail experience campers want to visit again and again. We'll take a practical look at the tools, resources, and strategies available to help you make more intentional decisions across the entire retail operation. From building the right product mix and coaching your team to using data and pricing strategically, you'll leave with ideas you can put into action at your campground.
The Energy Edge Workshop: The Power of Leadership Alignment
Presenter: Erin King, KOA’s Keynote Speaker
No two people on your team are powered by the exact same energy. In this interactive workshop, Erin King takes KOA leaders deeper into the five Energy Types and how they show up across the people they lead. You’ll learn how to recognize the individual Energy Types on your team and align your leadership approach to better communicate, create buy-in, navigate change, and bring out the best in each person. Building on The Energy Edge keynote, this workshop turns the framework into practical application so you can better understand your energy, their energy, and how to align the two for greater leadership impact.
Experience-Forward: Elevate Your Campground Through Guest-Centric Design
Presenter: Jenny McCullough & Panel Guests - Alyssa Kelsey, Andrew Pappas, Ryan Bergen
Guests don't just book campsites; they book experiences. But what experiences actually drive demand, and how do you turn those into more bookings? Our expert panel digs into what guests are really looking for, what works across successful campgrounds, and exactly how to operationalize and market those experiences at your property. From design features that wow to staffing strategies that create memorable moments, you'll hear real-world examples and practical playbooks. Walk away with a clear roadmap to design, staff, and promote the experiences that fill your calendar and build loyalty.
Social Media for Your Campground
Presenters: Christie Selensky & Abby Zahuranec
Discover why social media is a key marketing tool for your campground! In this session, we'll cover the basics on how to market your campground on social, how to effectively streamline your social media scheduling process, and how a combined national and local social presence creates a powerful impact for our campers.
The Greatest IMPACT We Can Make? Our People.
Presenter: Yolawnda Henry
What if the greatest IMPACT you can make on your campground doesn't start with your guests—but with your people? Finding great employees is hard. Keeping them can be even harder. Whether your team is seasonal or year-round, five people or fifty, employees want three things: to feel valued, to know their leader has their back, and to feel part of something bigger than just a job. In this interactive session, Yolawnda Henry will explore the everyday leadership moments that shape your culture—from how you welcome a new employee and respond to mistakes, to how you recognize great work and help people understand why their contribution matters. Because here's the bottom line: Your employees create your guest experience. When they feel valued, supported, and inspired, your guests can feel the difference. You'll Walk Away With: a simple framework for creating a workplace where people feel valued, supported, and inspired; everyday leadership behaviors that build trust, engagement, and stronger teams; and practical ideas you can take home and use Monday—no big budget or policy overhaul required. Great culture isn't built in one big moment. It's built one conversation, one decision, and one moment of IMPACT at a time.
Camp Store 201: Camp Store Success: Ideas, Insights & Trends for 2027
Presenter: Kim Wootteon
Some of the best ideas for improving Camp Store profitability come from fellow franchisees who have tested new approaches, learned what works, and made meaningful changes at their own campgrounds. Join us for an interactive panel discussion featuring franchisees who have successfully grown retail revenue, optimized their product mix, upgraded their Camp Stores, and transformed their retail space into an experience guests want to explore, not simply a place to purchase something they forgot at home. Our panelists will share real-world examples, lessons learned, and practical strategies you can take back to your campground. We'll explore what drove their decisions, what worked, what didn't, and how they measured success.
Get Found. Earn Trust. Win More Bookings
Presenters: Cole Reinhardt, Kelli Siler, John Elliott
Discover how reviews and local search visibility work together to influence guest decisions. This workshop will share practical strategies to help your campground stand out in your market, build credibility, and drive more bookings.
Thursday, November 19
From Dashboards to Decisions: Putting Campground Data to Work
Presenters: Jeremy Gilbert & Steve Baxter
Get hands-on with KOA's new Campground Performance Dashboards in this interactive workshop designed to help you move beyond the numbers and put your data to work. We'll walk through each dashboard, covering both how the reports function and how to interpret and apply the information they provide. You'll learn practical ways to use dashboard insights to identify trends, uncover opportunities, and make more informed operational and business decisions at your campground.
Content that Converts - Great Photos & Videos
Presenters: Micah Kvidt, Abby Zahuranec & Katie Gill
Learn practical tips for capturing photos and video that showcase your campground at its best from KOA preferred photographer, Micah Kvidt. Then see how to put that content to work across KOA.com and other marketing channels. Plus, get a walkthrough of uploading and managing your content in the new KOA.com CMS.
Multiplying Value: From a Single Campground to Portfolio Power
Presenters: Larry Brownfield & The KOA Franchise Development Team
You've built a successful KOA operation. You understand the brand, the system, the numbers. Now comes the bigger question: How much is my campground worth? … What's next? This session is designed for single-unit KOA operators ready to think bigger. We'll show you the financial case for multi-unit growth. Learn how to value your current property, understand where the real wealth gets created in multi-unit operations, and develop a realistic roadmap to your second (or third) KOA location. Whether you're exploring expansion in your territory, looking to acquire an underperforming independent property, or considering strategic growth over the next 3-5 years, this workshop reveals the financial upside and practical pathway to building a portfolio that significantly increases your personal net worth and business resilience. By the end, you'll know: How much your operation is worth, why multi-unit operators build wealth faster, and exactly what your first expansion could look like.
Growing Your Group Business: Tools, Marketing Resources & Success Stories
Presenters: Melissa Rojas & Jenn Demps
Whether you're looking to launch a group sales program or grow an existing one, this workshop will help you maximize the resources KOA provides to attract, book, and retain more group business. Join Group Sales Manager Melissa Rojas and OAK Senior Marketing Manager Jenn Demps as we take a practical look at the sales and marketing tools available through eKamp and how they can support your campground's group business goals. We'll explore the resources designed to help you streamline your sales process, improve lead generation, and create a stronger strategy for targeting group business. You'll also hear directly from a panel of successful franchisees who have developed thriving group programs at their campgrounds. Through real-world examples and open discussion, they'll share the strategies, challenges, and lessons learned that have helped them grow group revenue and build lasting relationships with group organizers.
The Metrics That Matter: Keeping Expenses in Line with Income
Presenters: Jill Currier & Chris Scheer
Revenue is only half the story — what you keep in the bank depends on how well your expenses track with it. This session breaks down the core metrics every owner and manager should watch, including payroll margin and profit margin, to understand whether your business is truly healthy or just busy. You'll walk away with practical benchmarks and a clearer way to spot when expenses are creeping out of proportion with income, before it hits your bottom line.