RVers Hitting the Road in Droves This Holiday Weekend
Fri May 22, 2009
Source: RVIA Today
This Memorial Day weekend, an estimated 18 million RVers will pack up and set out for campgrounds across the country to mark the official start of summer by spending time in the Great Outdoors.
In the Campfire Canvass survey of RV owners conducted by RVIA, 58% of RV owners said they plan to take their RVs out this Memorial Day weekend. A strong 90% reported that they will travel as much or more this season as they did last year. Despite a challenging economy, RVers have made it clear that they will not stay home, although some will alter their plans to save money.
A total of 36% percent of owners said they would travel shorter distances in their RVs this summer, while 42% said they would stay longer at a single destination to help cut costs. Nearly 60% of RV owners said they would travel to destinations closer to home. One fan of Go RVing on Facebook echoed the sentiment of many RV owners when he said, "We're headed for a local lake this evening (40 miles away). Will stay there through the holiday. We are so ready to get away!"
RV vacations are 27-61% less expensive than other vacations with over 86% of RV owners agreeing that an RV trip is a very affordable way to travel. So while the travel industry as a whole has taken a hit because of the bad economy, more Americans are opting for affordable RV vacations over traditional fly/drive/hotel vacations. Reservations at RV campgrounds are up 41 percent over last year as families abandon expensive travel plans to go RVing.
Fans of Go RVing on Facebook have been abuzz with excitement about the coming travel season, sharing their plans for RV travel, campground recommendations, and even making plans to meet each other in person. One fan posted, "First trip of the year!! We are headed up to the Berkshires to visit with some old friends and we can't wait!"
Whether traveling to the opposite side of the country or just down the road, RVers intend to travel and travel heavily this season.
