Location: College Park, Maryland

Industry: Hospitality Resorts

Property: The closest RV park and campground to Washington D.C., Cherry Hill Park is a family owned and operated RV resort with traditional values and modern amenities.

“We have to give our current and future guests what they want in order for them to return and recommend us.” – Mike Gurevich, Owner

Premium WiFi

Occupancy rates and business is consistently good at Mike Gurevich’s Washington, D.C.-area campground, which his family has owned and operated for five generations. The property has earned a reputation for convenience, exceptional service, and amenities. But according to Gurevich, a recent upgrade has measurably increased guest satisfaction with the WiFi service. The investment in a premium guest experience includes two 100-Mps fiber lines from a local internet provider, plus a new, state-of-the-art Ruckus network and turnkey services from TengoInternet.

In addition to largely eliminating WiFi complaints from visiting families, the WiFi upgrade has helped the many professionals working from their RVs. Guests now include those who consider fast and reliable WiFi access not just a convenient amenity, but as essential as electricity and water.

“If the internet goes down, businesspeople are the first to call because they have a meeting or they have to do something else online,” Gurevich said. Across the country and in Canada, RV resorts and campgrounds like Cherry Hill Park are finding they can strengthen and diversify their businesses by improving WiFi service, according to TengoInternet CEO Eric Stumberg.

“WiFi is one of the fastest ways to positively affect occupancy and overall profitability,” Stumberg noted. But he cautioned there is no permanent WiFi solution for RV resort and campground operators because consumer expectations and technology constantly evolve.

“It takes three essential components—a suitable circuit, a current WiFi network and responsive monitoring and support—for WiFi to work. Like any utility or amenity, updates are necessary every few years to keep up with the consumer demand,” he said.

It’s a reality they understand at Cherry Hill Park.“We are really trying to give people what they want,” Gurevich said. “We’re not ahead of it, but we’re not so far behind. What we’re offering in terms of WiFi service is pretty close to what people need.”

Even after significant investment in his guest WiFi service, Gurevich knows he will have to make upgrades again in the not-so-distant future.“I don’t think every park needs quite the system we installed due to our type of traffic. But we’re in this business for the long haul. We have to give our current and future guests what they want in order for them to return and recommend us.” he said.