This topic has prompted a lot of conversation between my wife and myself. The problem, as I see it is not just one problem, but many problems.

In the first place, some of the clubs we've visited had lodging facilities that fell short of even Motel 6. One club we visited did not have key to lock the door. Another had a serious mold problem and no bathroom, so you had to walk about 100 yds. to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, and the last one took the cake. The trailer at the club was advertised as being 30 ft. when it was really about 20. And when the manager opened the door, the stench was so bad that it almost knocked you over. So in some cases the facilities are far from what we are used to in the USA as even basic housing.

Sometimes the managers are also less than friendly or accomodating. Last month we want to stay at a club we have stayed at several times, usually for 4-7 days, but the owner said that if we couldn't be there before noon this time, they couldn't accomodate us at all during the week. So the club owners, in some cases are turning people off.

Second, in some cases, the members are less than friendly, and that can turn people off. However, we have had some wonderful experiences with very friendly clubs, so it usually just depends on the club.

In the third place, the activities tend to be more centered on the older crowd, and this is not the kind of thing that attracts young people. The demographics of most clubs is older, so that also doesn't attract the young people.

Fourth, the swinger thing is a definite challenge. I had a nudist B+B owner tell me that one of his guests told him that if he would admit swingers and their activities, that he could promise him he'd be full every weekend.

Lastly, the cost that some resorts/clubs charge is just too much in some cases. I've been charged much more than a place like Cypress Cove for far less than quality than CC. That too will turn people off.

However, I do have some positive input.
First, I think that there are plenty of young nudists and plenty that would try it. The clubs just have to find a way to attract them.

I also think that if someone could get some of the run down clubs to clean up their facilities or lose their AANR affiliation, there would be more enthusiasm for nudism in general.

I also have a suggestion, and this addresses the cost issue. There are more RVer's than ever, and some estimate that there are over a million people that are full time RVers. Usually these are people past 40. But for a full timer, traveling around the country, staying at a nudist resort or moving from resort to resort is a problem, because with the grounds fees and lot rental, its just cost prohibitive. So my idea is sell a membership to AANR, that would give you very cheap or no grounds fees at all the clubs, so that the RVer would just pay the lot rental. More RVers might come to use the clubs and stay in the parks and pay lot rent. When they stayed the club owner would get some money from AANR, as the RVers ground fee. I think this could help tap into a large group of people that would like to stay at a nudist resort from time to time.

Finally, I would advise that there should be some serious changes in the AANR community into how the clubs and organization are run, or its going to continue to shrink or fail. And the longer the delay, the less likely it is that the organization will survive.