TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums Nude Resorts, Beaches and Cruises Why are c/o resort failing and what can be done?

He's right!

We frequently ask people at Hidden Beach if they are nudists. One lady, reclining totally naked on a lounge chair with a cocktail, replied, "Hell no! I don't even get out of shower without a towel!"

So, changes in latitude...

There is truth to this, my partner will do AN at Jamaican resorts (usually Couples), went to Haulover, Gunnison and Lighthouse (when it was CO) beaches, really liked Haulover and to a lesser extent enjoyed Gunnison and Lighthouse. She has no issue with nude sunbathing but she is extremely reluctant to go to a domestic nudist club or resort and would never consider herself a nudist.

Great topic but not as simple what can be done. Its a complex issue.

1: I think more then ever there is a 'normalization' of nudity. With all the media outlets to choose from and the saturation of the internet there is tons of simple nudity presentations. Young people today are bombarded by nudity in all facets of social media. Plus the popular rise of TV shows like naked and afraid, dating naked and buying naked simple non sexual nudity is being viewed by more people then we can count. This is a good thing. The more people disassociate nudity with sex the more potential people will be open to the idea of nude recreation.

2: Price is important, but not a show stopper. I think this really depends on your situation. I think younger people will tend to be more price sensitive and will be more interested in value. Discounts I think will help here

3: Not interested in memberships, if we were to visit often, then maybe we might be interested if I would save money. Most people we meet are not card carrying nudists and have no desire to be a member. I would venture a guess the same is true for young people as well.

4: Facilities are critical. If no pool, immediately crossed off the list, show stopper for us. A pool is typically the biggest draw so if not on a beach a pool is a must. The quality of the facilities is also very important.
If you are offering up cheap accommodations (weather over priced or not) I am not interested. Agree with what others posters have said, if the rooms/facilities are poor, not up to modern standards, I am not paying/staying. There seems to be a distinction between camp vs resort. Nudist camps have a negative connotation in the sense that they are thought to be in the deep woods away from society at large. They also tend to be older facilities. Nude resorts that also offer camping options seem to be more popular. I think how a nude establishment is marketed plays a huge role in its perception and how successful it will be.

5: Free wi-fi a must, especially if the resort not in an area with good cellular coverage. Without this you have no chance getting younger guests in the door. The younger people live on their device and they are not going away.
Common sense device polices can deal with any issues other people may have. The biggest fear is having your picture taken. Simply tape a business card over the camera or something others can see that the camera is covered and problem goes away. At least a resort this can be controlled. In a public nude environment like a public beach there is no chance of dealing with camera issue.

6: Clothing optional vs nude: Its fine to market a resort as clothing optional(to entice newbies), but at a minimum the pool deck should be nude required. We are trying to sell a nude resort but if people are not going nude then why go. I get the first time jitters. Everybody has been there, but the best way is to just do it and in 5 minutes(if it takes that long) you forget you are naked. If we want more nude resorts, then they should be nude resorts with the expectation guests are nude, that's why we are going.

7: Nudist ownership vs non nudist ownership. Not really sure why someone who is not a nudist would own a nude resort but the resorts we have been to are far better under a nudist owner(preferably, an active owner). Many nude resorts that fail or close are under non nudist ownership and they don't know or understand their clients.

8: Social...Social...Social If a resort does not have an active presence in social media(Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, Tumblr, Pinterest, etc, etc, etc)its doomed. If you are not on 1 or more major social networks you are dead to the younger generation. You have no chance of marketing to them unless they seek you out. Nude resorts are typically run by less tech savvy people and some make the critical error of not even having a website, critical error. If you lack the skill, hire someone. Get a presence and maintain it, keep it current. This is your first impression. If it sucks or does not exist, you blew your first impression and your initial sale is now that much harder.

9: Online reviews are also critical and is related to item 8. If the resort does not read/take seriously online reviews...another critical error. Forget the nude part for a second, We wont stay anywhere with poor reviews and we check reviews vigorously before any stay. Nude resorts are competing with every textile resort weather they like it or not. Nude resorts need to be on point with any type of resort. All things being equal, the ability to use the resort in the nude is the main draw/selling point. Don't try to be something else, otherwise I will find another nude resort that is interested in letting its guests roam free of clothing.

Our 2 cents.
We have been nudists for over 25 years starting out when we were 18 and have been to many nude establishments overs the years and we have seen things that work and things that don't. Hopefully, we will see more nude options in the coming years.
Cheers

Insightful comments, thank you!

nude resorts cost to much money...Go to sandy hook,they have to close the whole park so many people go there...

If you are lucky enough to live close enough, want to fight the traffic, and limit your visits to about 90 days each summer then Sandy Hook is a very popular option for enjoying naturism for very little money. But remember, the costs of operating the public beach there is spread out over millions of taxpayers because it is a State Park.

For the rest of the country, enjoying the freedom of being nude means either a once or twice a year week (or two) in the Caribbean (with all the associated costs), or finding a local naturist venue within a few hours' drive from home that has the facilities which they find inviting and people they find welcoming and then paying a fair price that allows the facility to stay in business, operate, maintain, and improve those facilities, pay the electric, gas, and water bills, pay the staff a living wage, and provide the owners with some return on their large investment...with no funding from the taxpayers!

You get what you pay for...

As far as "normalization of nudity" goes, I don't think that is the case. The TV shows you mention blur out breasts and the pubic area. This would not be the case in many other parts of the would. Also it is done now on nature shows that would have showed them in the past. I can't think of one off hand, but a little while a go I saw an old documentary that had them covered over while I remembered seeing the same show years ago without the cover up.
This post is directed to "ncouple".

I agree it would be better if there was no censorship. But the fact that there are shows on TV where nudity is major part of the show is progress. Lets face it, 15, 20, 25, etc years ago they would not even do a pilot for a show where the cast was completely nude. These shows are a step in the right direction for "normalization of nudity" that is the point I was trying to make. These shows get people talking about being nude. Dont believe me, watch twitter feeds when these shows are on. Tons of people talking about the shows and trying being nude in public for the first time. Its better then nothing.
Cheers

Economics 101, supply and demand. Simply not enough demand and, most nudist are cheap and want things for nothing. If you want something out of the ordinary YOU better be willing to pay for it. So, stop the belly aching...

N resort was a perfect example.

We have met the enemy and it is us.

At cypress ove in Kissimmee at the moment and all I can say is follow their business model where you can and you will have a higher chance of success. Obviously they are blessed with good weather but they are doing better than the land of lakes crowd so that tells you something. I think cold weather sites would maximize if they emulated and had a lodge bldg with indoor pool restaurante to visit in the winter. Cypress cove - the Gold standard.

We spend winters at Cypress and love it for many reasons (e.g. beautiful grounds and lake, activities, facilities, mix of nice residences, RV park and very nice accommodations for short stays). Just curious, what do you think is in their biz model that is an advantage over the "Land O' Lakes crowd", given similar weather? Maybe proximity to attractions like Disney,etc?

We make three trips to N resort and really liked it. One of the attractive elements for us was that it was really cheap. We never paid more than $200 a night, one time even travelling in March. Meanwhile, we have yet to go to Hidden Beach because it is so expensive. N failed dismally. We were there once with an occupancy of 4 including us. Yet Hidden Beach seems to be thriving.

I think there is a lot more to it than just simple economics. N had probably the worst marketing in the world. And, they really did a poor job of maintaining the place and making it attractive. If it has not been so cheap we would not have been back.

CC holds to a family friendly business model which they enforce. Multiple generations of owners have really dedicated themselves to running the Cove. I think those two factors are a major part of their success!

There in lies the rub. Family oriented vs adult only. I won't vacation at any property that allows children. I think that there is a big division in nudism pertaining to some people's comfort level. The same goes with resorts or beaches with mandatory nudity compared to those that are clothing optional. I prefer resorts or beaches where nudism is mandatory.

I don't view "family friendly" as being necessarily "family oriented". And I feel most comfortable, even as a single male, at venues where people bring their children because I know that people are there to enjoy the freedom of nudity and not to swing or play "adult games". Similarly with optional nudity vs. mandatory nudity - it's because I equate "optional" with freedom and "mandatory" with coercion. I think Club Orient hits just the right note on both counts.

~Reggie~

Anonymous, you are certainly entitled to your personal preferences and choice of venues...and to patronize only clubs that meet your preferences.

On the other hand I agree wholeheartedly with DenitaLC that a major factor in the success of resorts like Cypress Cove and Avalon is their welcoming and inclusive policies that include accepting reluctant spouses/partners and families with children as well. IMHO that is a key attitude in being successful rather than failing due to a declining membership.

Cypress Cove is family friendly, playground and all. Having said that, in the month we were there saw three well behaved children. People on waiting list to reserve campsite at the Cove months and years in advance during winter months. Not a bad business to have....

Reggie, family orientated may be a better word to use but which ever a person prefers...Cypress Cove IS a place I am totally comfortable taking children. I did so back in 2008! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />

Point taken, but the fact is that most resorts that are considered nudist resorts or focus primarily on nudism with families collectively fail. Resorts that cater to textiles, but have mandatory nude designated areas flourish. For example, the Couples resorts in Jamaica. These resorts are very popular and prices for these resorts continue to rise.

Why? (IMHO) They are adult Disney worlds and cater to people on vacation that will throw caution to the wind if tempted. (And, I'm NOT TALKING ABOUT ANYTHING SEXUAL. Couples Resorts are classy places that won't tolerate PDI'S.) These are the same people that will disrobe in Jamaica on vacation with their significant other, but would'nt think of getting naked in the states, much less taking their entire family on a naked vacation to Cypress Cove.

Couples resorts in Jamaica have been successful. N resort failed miserably as have other resorts that focus on nudism as a total concept rather then an inclusion. Seems to be a concept failure that leads to a business failure...just my opinion.

I'm not really sure we have the evidence to support this as fact. Couples resorts are doing well, but nude designated areas are an add-on at those resorts, not the focus. Those resorts are probably doing well due to the quality of the resort and effective marketing. I imagine if they dropped the nude areas it would not massively impact their business. It might even be a wash. My son went to Swept Away because it did not have a nude area. (Young people today are such prudes). Beyond Couples, there's not a lot of other examples of textile records with mandatory nude areas. I would appreciate more of what you consider part of that list. Braco would seem to be exactly what you are talking about, a traditional adult only resort with mandatory nude areas, and it failed.

N Resort failed because they were not a very good resort and had no comprehension of what marketing is. It certainly was not a family resort (it was adult only). Meanwhile, Hidden Beach appears to be thriving with basically an identical structure and market, so what conclusion can we draw there? Club Orient seems to be doing very well and it accepts and even encourages families. Traditional nudist resorts in the US are very mixed in terms of success, but some have been around for nearly 100 years. Most of the traditional resorts (family resorts) that I've seen closing have been due to the owners retiring.

There is a segment of the Couples Resort clientele that goes there strictly due to the fact that they have AN facilities and a lot of these visitors are repeaters, at least that is what I have heard from some of their managers. If they were to stop offering AN it would be felt at least in the short-term. The typical Couples AN visitor enjoys the AN beach experience but does not consider themselves nudists nor do they want a 24-7 nude experience and they enjoy a somewhat upscale vacation experience.

As far as the comparison between N and Hidden Beach is concerned, that is apples and oranges in my book. N was very rustic while Hidden Beach appeals to the more upscale traveler with price points to match.

I have not been to Orient Beach so can't really comment on that.

The one thing that does seem obvious to me is that the market for AN is very fragmented as in family vs. adult, upscale vs. more rustic and the AN market is just not big enough to support a large number of resorts that can cater to the subgroups in the AN marketplace.

Most younger folks aren't interested in paying to go to a place where they will be bored out of their minds with nothing to do. Then as soon as they whip out their phones to text, kik, Facebook, tweet, whatever with others they are pounced on for breaking the outmoded notion that they will let out the secret of who is there (signaling that we're supposed to be embarrassed to be there). So even if they did have something nice to say about the place they are prohibited by club policies from striking while the iron is hot. To say nothing of the Victorian rules that many places still post that punish males for being born male.

Basically the generation running resorts are out of touch with current trends and are shooting themselves in the foot. So go their campgrounds and resorts that they own. They want to hide away from the world so they got what they want.

The Florida Young Naturist gatherings at Sunsport packed in a hundred or more young people because they were organized by a group of 20-somethings. They had live bands playing current music, a huge inflatable water slide which is perfect for when you're nude, yoga classes, volleyball games, and basically offered more than shuffleboard and sitting around a pool all day long. They also kept the cost low as many could barely afford the travel to the event, let alone camping fees.

Ask your target demographic what they want and they will tell you.