Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Summer Rally
 Summer Rally [message #143633] |
Sat, 17 September 2011 08:22  |
jhb1
Messages: 303
Registered: February 2004
Karma:
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Senior Member |
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Byron this is your post it got buried in the Goshen thread
"Not wanting to hijack a thread, I decided to start a new one in response
to what has been said.
First, I've heard it said that finding a place large enough for the
quantity of coaches would be difficult because it is the summer season. I
believe this to be old information from one or two individuals. I believe
the reality is that a venue would be glad to get anyone's money regardless
of the time of year -- travel season or not. To a facility, business is
business and booked business preferred business. For instance, other
motorhome clubs, as I recall, have secured space for up to 500 coaches
during July. The real issue is planning far enough in advance to secure
such a venue.
Second, the question is how many people of what type would come to a
motorhome convention/rally in July? Would regularly employed people
actually take their vacation time to go to a convention/rally or would
they rather go somewhere else for vacation? It's like building a business
case. GMCMI would need to know how many would go to a convention in July
versus the number that is attending in April or September. If it turns out
to be the same, retired crowd, then trying to schedule for a younger set
who won't commit is futile.
Camping facility charges -- so what if they're higher during the summer
season. Anyone going anywhere in the summer season is going to pay more.
This is a moot topic. Of course, if you don't go anywhere during the
summer then I suppose your point is valid. Yes, a summer even may cost
more but those who would attend would expect to pay more wherever they
plan to go.
The primary issue is anticipated attendance preference. That is, how many
people would plan to attend a summer rally? There are two ways to find
out. One way is to plan an event and see. The other way is to put in a
concerted effort to poll the membership for feedback. Polling the
membership at one of the existing conventions isn't valid. Only a poll
taken via random calling or via the newsletter would reach the variety of
members.
The Rally, largely sponsored by Camping World, Good Sam and Preferred, is
always in the summer and draws as big a crowd as FMCA. I went to the one
in Louisville last year. That it was held in July didn't detract from the
thousands in attendance. It involved dry camping and expensive power
unless you wanted to run your A/C during daylight hours only. It was
expensive but it was an opportunity for RVers to get together.
One more thing. We just discussed this yesterday in a meeting of officers
for GMCES. We came up with no conclusive decision because we have no valid
data on which to make a decision. Hunch or hearsay isn't valid data.
Byron Songer
Louisville, KY
Eastern States - http://www.gmceast.com
+++++
Ken Burton wrote:
Here is the problem with scheduling in the summer.
1. Finding a site that will accommodate 150 to 300 coaches. Most do not
want to block out that amount of space in the summer.
2. Convincing GMCers to give up their vacation time to attend a convention.
3. Camping facilities charges are much higher between Memorial day and
Labor day.
I understand your complaint but because of the above three inhibitors that
time frame just doesn't work. They try to schedule the fall rally as
close to summer as possible without actually getting into the US Memorial
day to Labor day dates.
They tried a new thing this time. They started the convention on a Friday
and ended on a Thursday. This allowed some people to come on the weekend
or an extended weekend.
I saw quite a quite a few Ontario and one Nova Scotia plates. We needed a
Quebec one there to fill in the gap between those two.
+++++
John H. Bell wrote:
Hi the conventions are great but as this group attracts younger members we
are going to have to have conventions that allow younger working GMCers to
attend like in the summer when their kids are not in school and when us
working folk usually take vacation as most are limited to onea year. Just
my thoughts I have owned and driven my coach for 7 years now although a
member of GMCMI I have yet to attend a convention.
+++++
Roger Black wrote:
What a convention! Lots and lots of coaches and great GMC folks. A
really great time. Thanks, Kim, for putting together another great one.
For those of you who missed it, start planning now on Shawnee in the
Spring.
Roger
Burns, TN
77 Birchaven
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Byron
Your idea of a poll is a sound one it could be conducted by GMCMI on there website and announce thru GMCnet both email and forum over a period of about one month or so as to get the widest possible exposure. As I said in my original post somewhere in the middle of the country is probably ideal being able to attract people from all corners. I could probably find a campground around Montreal that would love to host a rally towards the end of summer end of August as all the summer festivals are over and the campgrounds have thinned out. I do not know if the US contingent would be willing to drive up in sufficient numbers! Passports no guns etc...
John H. Bell
77 Royale
Montreal Qc.
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John H. Bell
77 Royale; QuadBag,Manny OneTon,Honda EV4010, FITech
Montreal Qc.
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