RVers Hitting the Road in Droves This Holiday Weekend
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.