Sustainability in RV Parks/Campgrounds

Running head: SUSTAINABLE TOURISM 1

Sustainable Tourism

Overview

The section will give an outline of this literature review. Secondly, this segment will

incorporate an analysis and background of sustainable tourism subject (Sustainability at RV

Parks/Campgrounds) as denoted by various studies. It will establish the scope and importance of

the topic. The phrase ‘sustainable tourism’ implies the practice of enjoying biodiversity

responsibly. Visitors are accountable of the host community present and future by being sensitive

to the ecology and culture (Brooker & Joppe, 2014). The goal of the trend is to maximize the

benefits of touring both for the local people and the natural environment. On the other hand, the

practice minimizes the costs and harming of the resources that form its backbone. The paper will

focus on the specific forms of sight-seeing that have a deeper engagement with nature.

According to Brooker et al. (2014), camping is an activity involving sleeping at least one night in

a temporary shelter. For instance, it is a traditional form of outside recreation where sojourners

enjoy spending the night in a rural environment. Various forms of shelter used include a

recreational vehicle, cabins, caravans or other structures that can offer the comfort of a home.

The practice is popular across the continents. Further, throughout the world, there are minimal

variations in the motive and involvement. For instance, tourists from some continents like

America and Australia engaged in camping for climatic reasons. Flexibility, freedom, and

interaction were the motivating factors. Then again, some researchers posited that fellowship and

RVing lifestyle patterns drove some tourists. Camping has evolved from traditional practices in

rural settings to modern luxury cabins.

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM !2

Travelers use recreational vehicles for the purpose of transportation and accommodation.

The vans allow the tourist to gain the proximity to the natural environment at a secure distance.

For instance, it protects them from dangerous animals, adverse weather besides serving other

domestic purposes. The motor vehicle, truck or trailer is normally equipped with amenities and

living space that offers a comfortable home. Different kinds of vans serve the purpose. The size

and utilities depend on the traveler’s needs and family size. Thus, it offers a unique leisure

experience serving as transport and accommodating the traveler. Various researchers have

surveyed the aspects of the vehicle and the chronology of its use. However, this study will focus

on the environmental impact of the recreational vehicles. The amenities and the structural and the

engine of the motor van have diverse impacts on nature. For instance, some RVs contain

facilities inside the coach including advanced household appliances. Some of the equipment

includes microwaves, refrigerators, and entertainment units. Furthermore, elements like the air

conditioners and furniture make the major accessories of an RV. Undertakings such as the use of

the motor’s main engine, batteries or maintenance of the generator increase the likelihood of

negative environmental impact. Also, fossil fuels like petrol, gas and diesel powers homes. For a

full comfort and leisure, the utilities like a bathroom, kitchen, heating and air conditioning

amenities. Both of these facilities impact the natural vegetation and soils negatively (Cole, 2004).

Previous studies focused on the uses, varieties, and evolution of the recreational vehicles.

However, this paper will review the impacts of the same on the ecology. It will also evaluate the

management and monitoring measures of sustainable tourism.

Growth of Camping Practices


The study will review the growth and spread of the tourism in outdoor campground

activities. It will also analyze the environmental impacts of the practices. Previous studies had a

limited focus on the development of camping in Australia and the United States. Organization of

camps in the USA increased in popularity between 1920 and 1930 (Brooker & Joppe, 2014).

More suburban populations intensified their interest to organize breaks from urban life. These

short-term escapades way from the normal city activities translated into increased demand for

outdoor shelters. Initially, temporary housing adopted the use of tents to accommodate the

travelers. However, the need for comfort created a need for recreational vehicles. Therefore,

entrepreneurs developed travel trails, motorhomes, and pop-up trailers. Later on, privately-

owned and managed campgrounds were developed by families. The federal agencies, state arms,

and forest agencies also developed some parks that are managed by public authorities.

Competition in the industry is currently stiff with both family run and state-managed facilities

seeking to achieve customer satisfaction. The trends of rivalry imply that firms have to go an

extra mile to meet the salient needs of its clientele. In the United States, the camping business is

seasonal due to the climatic conditions. Northern and southern parks operate in different months

allowing the users to experience their favorite weather. Some operators run their campgrounds as

short-term businesses. On the other hand, other entrepreneurs take it as a long-term lifestyle

practice entrenched in family life. The previous research reports failed highlight on how the

growth impacted the ecology and local communities.

A review of published work also gives a hint on the development of organized camping

in Australia. Unlike in the US, caravan parks developed on the continent at the same time from

the 1920s. The manufacturers of the caravans united with the park industry members to promote


the business locally in the wake of intense competition. Another distinguishing feature of

Australian tourism is its communal nature. The caravan parks tend to the customers’ need to

escape for holidays like Christmas, Easter and school breaks. It implies that the habitats are

utilized fully during these seasons. Both tourists and non-tourists live in the parks for the safety it

offers and the feeling the sense of community (Brooker & Joppe, 2013). Also, the tourists of an

advanced age spent a considerable time in the caravans moving about interacting with others in

search of warm weather. According to Krooper (2014), camping offers the opportunity for one to

escape and rejuvenate the mind. Furthermore, it allows travelers to spend time with family and

acquaintances as well as relax in the natural environment. However, the author did not mention

the negative impacts of caravan parking on the host habitat. For instance, most cultural sites in

Australia engraves attraction scenes. Caldecott and Scherrer (2013), posited that Aboriginal

camping sites along the coast were modernized by municipal councils to promote tourism.

However, the researchers failed to examine the impacts of such advancements on the local

community’s cultural artifacts. Metusela and Waitt (2012), attributed the regenerating and

refreshing qualities of air, water, and sunlight as the main attractions. Valenzuela (2016),

expressed concern that the aspect of sustainability is of less concern in the manufacturing and

use of the recreational vehicles by travelers. The author hypothesized that human species are

damaging the environment through clearing the green cover construction. The building of

outdoor shelters, caravans, tents and motorhomes contributes to the deterioration of the natural

settings. The study concluded that some considerations could be taken to minimize the damage.

Some of these measures include rethinking location, insulation, and orientation of the portable

shelters. Furthermore, the parts or materials of the interior and exterior, doors and windows, and


incorporation of the system should be incorporated in reducing harm to the surroundings.

However, the authors focused on analyzing the environmental impact of the RVs with a limited

design from automotive makers. It failed to review the consequences of outdoor camps on the

cultural aspect of the ecology.

Therefore, the study will proffer answers to some concerns about whether the quality of

ecology goes down following camping activities. For that purpose, the study will determine the

current sustainable practices in RV parks and campgrounds. It will also critically examine the

challenges facing efforts of managing sustainability at campgrounds, parks, and RV tourism. The

review will institute the challenges facing sustainable tourism efforts and recommend future

study areas.

Methodology

This section will examine the techniques of data collection, and analysis the researcher

employed in studying the challenges of sustainable tourism. For instance, it will draw on the

qualitative and quantitative methods used in the previous studies on hiking, camping, and

recreational vehicles. The segment will focus on examining the origins and developments in the

practice of outdoor camping and the use of recreational vehicles. It will examine the

sustainability of camping by drawing out the costs it impacts on the natural environment. The

research will then critically assess the management activities that focus on conserving the

campgrounds and parks. It will help to develop a future agenda of research in sustainable

tourism. Therefore, the researcher will conduct a content analysis of the reliable academic

literature. It will analyze findings of surveys on the sustainability of the camping practices that


use recreational vehicles. The research will examine reports that cover surveys conducted within

the past five years. Published research reports related to camping will be evaluated to achieve a

standard literature review. Under the methodology, study publications conducted for the past 20

years will be evaluated depending on their relevance and organization. The author will review

both government reports and private studies to determine the richer sources. Given that more

academic information is needed, the consultancy reports and public journals will serve as only

primary data. The researcher will search published and peer-reviewed journals in the online

academic databases. Keywords such as camping, campground, Caravan Park, recreational

vehicle, sustainable, tourism will guide the search. The academic journal banks such as Sage,

Taylor & Francis, Google Scholar, and Elsevier will be very helpful. The author also used

tourism specific articles like the Journal of Vacation Marketing, Journal of Tourism Insights,

Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism amongst other reports. A list was drawn to comprise

data-rich sources. Through chain sampling, this study selected the different references utilized to

obtain the essential data. This study examined twelve peer-reviewed articles of studies conducted

in the USA.

The authors analyzed the contents of the previous researchers systematically. Firstly, the

review examined the roots and motives of camping and use of recreational vehicles. The

examination resulted in the identification gaps in the reports on how the practices responded to

sustainability concerns. Therefore, it led to the question of evaluating the costs and challenges

posed to the natural environment by the outdoor tourism activities. A broader perspective of the

previous findings showed slim variations of the impacts of camping on the ecology in different


countries. Consequently, a critical evaluation of monitoring and parks management activities was

presented in the section of the discussion.

Discussion

The section will detail the findings regarding the practice of sustainable tourism at RV

Parks/Campgrounds. It will critically examine the trends and challenges in sustainability facing

the RV tourism industry, specifically RV parks/campgrounds, RVs, and sustainable RV

marketing. It will determine the gaps, inconsistencies and key ideas in the published journals and

academic graduate papers. Finally, the section of recommendations will outline the key areas of

focus that future studies on sustainability should encompass as seen in the journal articles and

graduate papers, and as discovered in the author’s research for this literature review. Several

authors have exploited the impacts of outdoor hospitality on the natural environment and culture.

Valenzuela (2016), presented the guidelines for renovation of a recreational vehicle in an

economical and environmentally sustainable way. The author presented design processes of the

motor that would ensure efficiency in resource utilization. Some of the suggestions included

using scrap material to reclaim old vans. Further processes presented are use of passive solar

equipments, suitable heating and cooling systems with photovoltaic options for energy

efficiency. The author insisted on renovating the interior and exterior of a shell of a worn-out

recreational vehicle due to budget constraints. Such design also entailed a water and waste

management system for environment management purposes. Valenzuela pointed out clearly that

the ecology suffers much due to construction of buildings including campgrounds and

recreational vehicle parks. Consequently, the research suggested that designing of the RVs and


the grounds should consider maximizing efficiency and harmony with nature (Valenzuela, 2016).

However, the author did not cover the impact of camping lifestyle on the social make-up of host

communities. Furthermore, the findings failed to shed light on the impact of using recreational

vehicles and campgrounds on the culture, norms and religious practices of the travelers and

hosts.

Tomasso (2010), argued that sustainability efforts are not systematic in RV parks despite

a greater level of awareness of its impacts. The study determined that only high visibility and

cost saving programs are executed for economic and environmental reasons. Various efforts by

the RV manufacturers, campgrounds/parks owners and visitors towards ecological sanity were

identified in the report. Some of the existing programs implemented in the United States include

the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds’ ‘plan-it green’ program. The owners of

the parks pledge to meet criteria of environmental compliance to earn a designation of ‘Green

Friendly Park.' However, the author states that both larger and smaller parks have missed the

point of achieving sustainability regarding establishing renewable energy. Most of the facilities

with high volumes of visitors have arrangements with local municipalities to solve the challenge

of sustainable power sources. Cole (2004) also highlighted the major challenges facing the

sustainability efforts in campgrounds. Among these is the unrestrained use of energy on the sites.

Sewage dumping and water disposal are the other key difficulties raising the costs and damaging

the natural environment in parks and camps. It is clear that the researcher only focused on the

environmental and economic aspects of RVs tourism (Tomaso, 2010). The report failed to

ascertain the social sustainability of the camping practices on the local community.


Severt and Fjestul (2013), evaluated the attributes of the campground using the

importance-performance analysis. The author investigated the perceived importance of

campground attributes and the satisfaction of the customers from the performance of the traits. A

business view was taken in the study with the clients’ concerns put at the center of the analysis.

Among the campground attributes of most importance included safety, cleanliness, ease of

access, friendliness of staff and loyalty programs. The study presented the preferences of the

visitors clearly, and the attributes considered significant in a recreational vehicle and

campground experience. However, it failed to reveal the strategies that camp owners can

implement to sustain the satisfaction of the users. Although the study focused on the customer

fulfillment, it failed to examine the motives that drive the travelers. Severt & Fjestul (2013) did

not evaluate the consequences of RVs and camping on the campgrounds\parks’ natural

environment. At the heart of fulfilling the clients’ expectations of cleanliness and safety is

designing solutions that interfere with the ecology (Severt & Fjelstul, 2015). Furthermore,

implementing strategies for superior customer experience requires a financial backing.

Therefore, the research failed to examine economic, ecological and social sustainability of

recreational vehicles tourism and campgrounds.

Brooker (2014), enlisted some of the experiences of camping where the travelers interact

with the nature. The use of RVs in campgrounds and recreational parks presents some concerns

of sustainability. For instance, some of the main issues regard how the practice is economically,

ecologically and socially sustainable. Various studies have been conducted to examine the

economic and environmental aspects. Limited academic literature exists on the social dynamics

of sustaining tourism at RV parks and campgrounds. The campers exhibit abject disorder, anti-


structure, and experimental behavior in their cooking, dressing, eating, and drinking among other

domestic norms (Brooker & Joppe, 2014). On the social context, campers enjoy the company of

many professionals and people of different status in society. The author concurred that a sense of

community is created since the people perceive themselves to be like-minded. An atmosphere of

sharing life experiences reduces personal inhibitions and facilitates bonding. For instance,

families, business groups, and acquaintances attain a sense of belonging by forging new deeper

friendships. The authors concluded that it gives opportunities for individuals to discover their

true self. However, Brooker (2014), failed to shed light on the impacts of sharing on individuals’

social standing. In the presence of on-site entertainment options, many changes are likely to

happen among the young campers. Thus, the studies did not examine some of the socio-cultural

trends that may limit camping. Brooker (2013), classified campers into their segments based on

age and motive. The Outdoor Foundation (2014), report argued that the adolescent category

ranging from 18-24 years had dropped its participation. It presents a challenge to the industry as

the youth make up the largest target market for the future tourism offerings. The author, however,

failed to clarify the magnitude of the problem. The current youthful population will be the future

aged consumers. Brooker (2013), clearly established that the aged retirees make up the largest

number of clients in the RVs lifestyle. A growth and increasing connectivity of recreational

vehicles and campgrounds is increasing the nomadic lifestyle. An increasing number of aging

retirees drawn from varied social backgrounds are abandoning the sedentary lives and joining the

RV lifestyle. The turning away from the predominantly established conventions of the urban life

is the impact. Thus, the above studies failed to focus on the impact of breaking away from the

established consumption normative codes as a social sustainability issue.


Conclusion

A vast array of studies has documented various issues on sustainable tourism

encompassing recreational vehicles, parks, and campgrounds. Based on the reviewed published

works, most authors have focused on designing the RVs and camp facilities to ensure efficiency.

Other notable academic sources have concentrated on improving the customer experience in a

cost effective way and environmental conservation. Management and monitoring the ecological

element is a concern shared by both park managers and state authorities. However, the findings

from the previous studies indicate that sustaining the economic aspect is a role of park owners.

Networks and affiliations of campgrounds, suppliers, and manufacturers of the facilities manage

the profitability and customer satisfaction aspects. However, limited sources and studies have

shed light on the sustainability of the social aspect due to outdoor hospitality lifestyle. For

instance, demographics of the campers are dominated by the aging retirees with reducing number

of adolescents. Thus, the reviewed publications gave guidelines on management of the camp

facilities and environments of operations. It highlighted challenges of establishing renewable,

water and waste disposal in cost and environmental sustainability.

Recommendations

The above review of academic literature on sustainability of RV tourism identified

various gaps in the knowledge on the topic. For instance, most of the authors focused on the

economic and environmental sustainability of the recreational vehicles and campgrounds. Little

or scanty information and research exists on the social implications of outdoor camping lifestyle.

Therefore, a study should be conducted to determine the social implications of the increasing


trends of aging retirees abandoning the urban sedentary lifestyles for the nomadic option.

Secondly, researchers need to examine the sustainability of campground business in the face of

reducing number of adolescent participants in the RVs lifestyle.

References

Brooker, E., & Joppe, M. (2013). Trends in Camping and Outdoor Hospitality- an International

Review. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism,3(4) 1-6.

Brooker, E., & Joppe, M. (2014). A Critical Review of Camping Research and Direction for

Future Studies. Journal of Vacation Marketing , 1-17.

Cole, D. (2004). Impacts of Camping and Hiking on soils and vegetation- A review.

Pennsylvannia: Pennsylvania State University.

Severt, K., & Fjelstul, J. (2015). Evaluating RV Campground Attributes Using IPA Analysis.

Journal of Tourism Insights , 6 (1), 1-20.

Tomaso. (2010). A Study of Sustainability at RV Parks. Boston: Harvard University Extension

School.

Valenzuela, J. (2016). Environmentally Responsible Nomads:A guideline for the renovation of a

recreational vehicle using sustainable principles. Alabama: Auburn University.

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