How to Set Up Site Lock Fees for Your Campground

Site lock fees are an excellent way for campgrounds to generate additional revenue while giving guests the option to guarantee their preferred campsite. This feature allows you to charge guests an extra fee to secure their specific site selection, while maintaining flexibility to optimize your booking grid for guests who choose not to pay the fee.

What is a Site Lock Fee?

A site lock fee is an optional charge that guests can pay during checkout to guarantee they receive the exact campsite they selected during booking. Without this fee, campground operators retain the ability to move guests to different sites of the same type to optimize their booking calendar and operations.

Benefits for campgrounds:

• Additional revenue stream
• Maintains operational flexibility for non-locked sites
• Gives guests choice and control over their camping experience

Setting Up Your Site Lock Fee

Step 1: Navigate to Fee Settings

1. Go to the Settings tab in your admin panel
2. Find the Rules, Products, and Fees section
3. Click on Fees
4. Select Create Fee to begin setup

Step 2: Configure Fee Details

Fee Name: Enter “Site Lock Fee” or your preferred name

Trigger Type: Select “Site Lock Price”

Price: Set your desired amount (e.g., $10)

Price Models: Choose which accommodation types this fee applies to:

• Campsites
• RV sites
• Cabins
• Other accommodation types as needed

Taxes: Determine if taxes should be applied. Note that many jurisdictions don’t require taxes on ancillary fees like site locks, so this field can often be left blank.

Fee Frequency: Choose how to charge the fee:

• Once per booking: Single fee regardless of stay length
• Nightly: Fee charged for each night of the stay

Step 3: Save Your Settings

Click Create Fee to activate your site lock fee option.

Guest Experience During Booking

The Booking Process

When guests make a reservation, they’ll follow the standard booking flow:

1. Enter guest details and vehicle information
2. Search for available sites
3. Select their preferred campsite
4. Add selection to cart and proceed to checkout

Site Lock Option Presentation

At checkout, guests will see a clear explanation of the site lock option:

“With your selection of [site number], we guarantee that you’ll have this site at our location with the same amenities. However, our team has the option to assign your location to best optimize our booking calendar. Secure your preferred site by paying $[amount] [frequency] lock fee.”

Guests can then choose:

• Yes: Pay the fee and guarantee their selected site
• No: Proceed without the fee, allowing potential site reassignment

If guests choose to pay the site lock fee, the amount is automatically added to their total booking cost.

Managing Locked Sites in Your Calendar

Visual Indicators

On your admin dashboard calendar, sites with paid lock fees display a lock icon, making them easily identifiable at a glance.

Site Management Restrictions

Locked Sites:

• Cannot be moved or reassigned
• Remain fixed in their selected location
• Attempting to drag and drop will return the booking to its original position

Unlocked Sites:

• Can be moved freely between compatible sites
• Allow for calendar optimization
• Require confirmation when making changes

Best Practices

Pricing Strategy: Research competitor pricing and consider your market position when setting fees. The amount should provide meaningful revenue while remaining attractive to guests.

Clear Communication: Ensure the site lock explanation is clear and helps guests understand the value proposition.

Consistent Policy: Apply site lock fees consistently across similar accommodation types to maintain fairness.

Staff Training: Train your team on how locked vs. unlocked sites appear in the system to avoid booking conflicts.

Conclusion

Site lock fees create a win-win scenario for both campgrounds and guests. Campgrounds generate additional revenue and maintain operational flexibility, while guests gain control over their campsite selection. The clear visual indicators and booking restrictions ensure smooth operations while respecting guest preferences who choose to pay for site certainty.