PRIVATE CAMPGROUNDS ARE PREPARED FOR HURRICANE EVACUEES

Many campgrounds and RV resorts from Georgia to eastern Texas
can readily accommodate Gulf Coast evacuees

      
        HOUSTON, Texas, Aug. 31, 2008 – Many private campgrounds and RV resorts from eastern Texas to the northern areas of Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama and Georgia can readily accommodate people who have evacuated their homes as Hurricane Gustav advances toward the Gulf Coast, according to campground industry officials.
        “Quite a few private parks have both campsites and cabin rentals available this weekend, so it makes sense for evacuees to consider staying in campgrounds as they wait out the storm,” said Brian Schaeffer, executive director and CEO of the Texas Association of Campground Owners.
Schaeffer urges Gulf Coast evacuees to log on to TexasCampgrounds.com and GoCampingAmerica.com to make their campground reservations or to gather the phone numbers of campgrounds and RV resorts where they’d like to wait out the storm.
        “When Hurricane Katrina hit three years ago, Texas campgrounds close to the Louisiana border filled up quickly, but we still had campgrounds with plenty of availability further to the west. In fact, we had some refugees staying in parks as far north as Dallas and west to Austin, and even along the I-10 Corridor into San Antonio,” Schaeffer recalled.
Texas alone has nearly 400 private campgrounds, many of which also offer cabin rentals.
        Reporters seeking information on how private campgrounds are accommodating Gulf Coast hurricane evacuees should contact the following campground industry officials:
n       Brian Schaeffer, Texas Association of Campground Owners: (817) 307-0129.
n       Sharon Vennen, Louisiana Association of Campground Owners: (225) 590-3084
n       Brendan Sullivan, Georgia Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds: (770) 427-6853
n       Bobby Cornwell, Alabama Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds: (850) 544-4472