When the coronavirus all but ended foreign travel to the U.S. earlier this year, Ondevan Campervan saw business drop to practically zero. That’s when owner Omar Bendezu hit upon an idea that he hoped would help keep the tourism-dependent company from going out of business.
“We had to change the marketing strategy to target local travelers,” who before the pandemic made up just 5 percent of the customized camper van company’s total customer base, Bendezu told CBS News. “So we had to change from 5 percent to 100 percent.”
Such an abrupt shift in strategy is a tall order for businesses in the best of times, let alone in the face of an unprecedented global health crisis. But the move has proved vital for the the three-year old company, as stir-crazy Floridians look for ways to vacation in the age of COVID-19.
