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| Above, a Winnebago Class A in transit at the Jamestown, New Mexico Flying J. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
The RV industry has been enjoying a boom almost since the pandemic began. But it has been enjoying a steady rise in sales even before.
Shipments are up. Only yesterday, while I was at the local Flying J to pick up my mail, I saw two RVs with Indiana transit plates in the parking lot.
Fox 11 and Fox 41 has an article that analyzes where RVs are being bought around the country.
They begin with:
Unlike other segments of the travel and tourism economy, the market for recreational vehicles has been thriving in the face of COVID-19. Compared to other travel options like flying or staying in a hotel, traveling by RV makes it easier to maintain physical distance and lower the risk of exposure to coronavirus. Early indications are that the appeal of RVs has continued to grow during the pandemic, and industry experts are anticipating a nearly 25% surge in RV shipments in 2021.
But the increased demand for RVs is not surprising, as the market has been growing consistently over the last decade. For example, according to a recent Census Bureau report, RV dealership sales increased by more than 81% between 2012 and 2017, the most recent year for which Census data is available. The market has been driven by an aging population, as more Baby Boomers hit the road in retirement, but also by strong interest among Millennials and Gen Z consumers interested in camping and outdoor experiences.
RV shipments also demonstrate the longer-term increase in demand. Data from the RV Industry Association shows that shipments of RVs have reached all-time highs in recent years. From 1981 to 2020, the number of RVs shipped rose from around 133,000 to 430,000. Remarkably, much of this growth has occurred just since the last recession in 2009. That year, shipment numbers dropped to their lowest levels since 1991 at around 165,000. Between that point and 2020, shipments increased by approximately 160%.
To read more, go here.
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