East Lansing, Mich.-based SureVista Solutions, LLC also found that loyalty to the Jellystone Park brand is significantly higher than loyalty to other branded campground or RV resort chains.
These and other findings were discovered in an email survey of 1,238 campers, which SureVista conducted between Sept. 16 and Oct. 15 last year at the request of Jellystone Parks’ franchisor, Milford, Ohio-based Leisure Systems, Inc. When asked to name words that describe Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Parks, “kids”, “family”, “fun” and “friendly” dominated the responses.
“The research confirms what we have known all along,” said Michele Wisher, vice president of marketing for Leisure Systems. “Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Parks are leaders in family camping. Our exclusive Yogi Bear license, resort-style amenities, and strong recreation programs appeal to the desires of today’s families.”
The SureVista survey found widespread awareness of the Jellystone Park brand among campers who had not camped at a Jellystone Park before. While America’s national parks scored the highest level of overall awareness, with 65 percent, Jellystone Parks came in second with 60 percent among those who had never visited a Jellystone Park before. Different survey questions produced different results, however.
When consumers were shown images of park logos, 85 percent of respondents indicated they were familiar with Jellystone Parks.
The Jellystone Park franchise also rated higher on perceptions of confidence, satisfaction and service when respondents rated brands on a scale of 1 to 5 for “I have confidence in this brand,” “This brand is committed to satisfying guests,” and “This brand provides good customer service.”
In fact, Leisure Systems conducts an annual guest survey to monitor satisfaction and also provides both in-person and online hospitality training to its franchisees for free. “The Jellystone Park franchise is committed to providing superior customer service. The bulk of our business comes from referrals and repeat guests, plus online sites make it easy for consumers to post positive or negative feedback. Through our annual survey, we can identify areas where we can make adjustments to improve our overall guest experience,” commented Jim Westover, vice president of operations for Leisure Systems.
The national branding survey also found that consumers were more concerned about the availability of WiFi than any other campground amenity. On a scale of 1 to 10, interest in WiFi service was highest, scoring 8.54 on the rating system, compared to 8.17 for outdoor pools, 6.44 for dine in family restaurants and 4.95 for horseshoes.
Of the survey’s respondents, 66 percent said they typically look for RV sites, while 18 percent look for rental units. Sixteen percent described themselves as tent campers.
The survey also found that when planning a trip, 86 percent of consumers start by choosing a location (city or region), then look at brands. Eighty percent also look at park review websites while 79 percent search campground directories and the Internet for RV parks and resorts. Seventy-three percent consider recommendations from friends, while 55 search for parks based on their preferred brand.
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