Summer Ops Camp is a three-day, immersive program designed to help mountain resort operators grow and improve their summer business.

Rather than traditional classroom sessions, Camp is built around guided adventures, group discussion, and hands-on learning in real operating environments. Attendees experience attractions firsthand, explore how different operations approach the summer guest, and exchange ideas with peers and partners throughout.

In 2026, Camp heads to Gatlinburg, Tenn., Sept. 1–3. As the gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park—the most visited national park in the United States, with 12–14 million visitors annually—Gatlinburg operates at a scale few mountain destinations can match. The market supports a dense mix of attractions designed for a wide, multigenerational audience, with major operations located just minutes apart. This creates a highly concentrated, fast-evolving summer destination where attendees can experience a range of approaches to guest engagement, attraction development, and revenue generation in a single setting.

Whether you’re looking to launch, expand, or fine-tune your summer offerings, Camp puts you in the customer’s shoes so you can experience your own a-ha moments alongside colleagues, experts, and partners. Because learning happens throughout the experience, you’ll leave with practical ideas, stronger connections, and a clearer path forward.

DESTINATION | REGISTRATION | SCHEDULE | TRAVEL & TRIP PLANNING 

"Summer Ops Camp is one of the few industry gatherings where the learning actually sticks, because you're seeing the work in context, not slides about the work. Our team has sent leaders to this camp for years and they always come back with something useful. We're proud to host the opening night at SkyPark and looking forward to welcoming everyone to Gatlinburg."

— Stephen Kircher, President & CEO, Boyne Resorts

The Destination

Camp will include a mix of guided visits to several leading Gatlinburg attractions and classroom setting educaiton. Each stop offers a different perspective on how summer operations are designed, built, and evolved. 

Anakeesta

Anakeesta is one of Gatlinburg’s most ambitious and fast-growing attractions, designed to compete in a high-traffic destination by continuously adding new reasons to visit.

Guests arrive via the brand new Crystal Express gondola with all-glass cabins and move through a layered mountaintop environment of elevated walkways, including the 16-bridge Treetop Skywalk, gardens, and a mix of attractions integrated throughout the site. Signature features like the AnaVista Climbing Tower offer 360° views, while continued investment—including a mountain coaster—keeps the experience evolving.

At night, the park shifts with Astra Lumina, an immersive light and sound experience designed to extend visits beyond daylight hours, plus we'll get a first look at the brand-new Firefly Experience.

Anakeesta offers a clear example of how ongoing investment, thoughtful layout, and phased development can drive repeat visitation and increase dwell time in a competitive market.

"We look forward to welcoming Summer Ops Camp to Ankeesta, an award-winning mountain-top adventure park that blends spaces that feel timeless, purposeful, and alive with wonder."

— Bob Bentz, Managing Partner, Anakeesta 

Ober Gatlinburg

Ober Gatlinburg, Tennessee’s only ski area, offers a familiar lens for operators: a winter business working to grow its summer identity in a competitive destination market.

With significant recent investment, Ober continues to expand its summer offerings to better compete for visitor attention in Gatlinburg. This summer includes the addition of a new mountain coaster, updated summer tubing, and archery, alongside existing attractions such as the aerial tramway, mountain biking, and family-friendly experiences.

The operation also utilizes all-weather snowmaking technology, offering insight into how ski areas can extend seasons and create new revenue opportunities beyond traditional weather constraints.

Ober provides a case study in how a legacy ski area can reposition itself, diversify its offering, and compete for market share in a crowded summer destination.

"On behalf of our entire team at Ober, we look forward to welcoming you to experience all the new adventures at Ober Gatlinburg, Tennessee’s only ski resort. As a year-round destination in Gatlinburg, we’re committed to balancing exceptional winter experiences with exciting summer offerings, all while serving the millions of guests who visit each year.”

— Todd Clarke, General Manager, Ober Gatlinburg 

Gatlinburg SkyPark

Gatlinburg SkyPark is a high-performing, attraction-driven operation that has successfully expanded from a single scenic lift into a multi-component mountaintop experience.

Anchored by the SkyLift and the SkyBridge—the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America—the park has continued to grow with added elements like the SkyTrail, observation areas, and expanded food and beverage spaces, all designed to increase dwell time and capacity.

With a strong focus on accessibility and “thrill with no skill” experiences, SkyPark attracts a broad, multi-generational audience in a highly competitive market.

SkyPark demonstrates how targeted investment and strategic expansion can build on a simple core offering to drive volume, increase per-cap spending, and create a scalable attraction model.

What you’ll experience on-site is only part of Camp. Each visit is designed as a learning lab—where observations turn into discussion, comparison, and practical takeaways.

What Attendees Say

"My team and I gained so much from the small group setting. I took something from every conversation." 

 "The Summer Ops Camp is a fantastic, more intimate networking event that allows everyone to create relationships that help bolster opportunity for both buyers and sellers."

"It is also a great opportunity to see how different operations run—from pricing to signage all the way to the actual operation."
 

Registration

Register Early to Lock In Last Year's Prices

Register by July 1 and save up to $50 per person. Camp packages are all-inclusive, covering two nights of lodging at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Gatlinburg, meals, education sessions, activities, and networking events.

Single Occupancy Package

Your own private room for the duration of Camp.

$895 $945

Register

Double Occupancy Package

Share a room with a fellow attendee and save $200.

$695 $745

Register

Non-Lodging Package

Full Camp access without lodging included.

$550 $595

Register

Space is limited, and the room block sold out last year. Early bird registrants get full Camp access at 2025 prices. Don't wait.

Schedule

"Every time I attend Summer Ops Camp, it is well worth it. I get inspired and motivated by other resorts' operations. In return, I get to bring back meaningful ideas to help grow my operation and a couple good stories as well. Camp gives us the opportunity to connect with each other and grow our community of summer operators. These takeaways from camp are priceless."

- Tish Lopez, Director of Tram & Lifts and Summer Ops, Snowbird, Utah

Take a Look at Summer Ops Camp 2025 in Whistler, B.C.

"I never miss SAM's Summer Ops Camp. It is invaluable for looking ahead and identifying the 'what’s next,' and exploring all aspects of maintaining a sustainable summer operation. The camaraderie, hands-on format, and 'experience it like a guest' programming are great for capturing many 'aha!' moments. Anyone in the business of summer should go to Camp!”

- Claire Humber, Director of Resort Planning, SE Group

 "Learning from shared experiences with your colleagues, away from our home resort, was incredibly impactful. The program at the Tremblant Summer Ops Camp was so striking that I brought our leadership team back to the location a few months later." 

Brian Norton, President & GM, Loon Mountain, N.H.

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