 RV: MARKET TRENDS: FACTS AND STATISTICS
The recreational vehicle market includes a wide array of products targeting nearly every demographic group. The motorhome segment includes Class A, Class B, and Class C motorhomes, as well as conversion vans and motorhomes not otherwise specified. The travel trailer and camper segment includes conventional and fifth wheel travel trailers; campers, pickup covers, and parts; and travel trailers and campers, not specified by kind.
According to a study released by the University of Michigan's Survey Research Center, the U.S. ownership of recreation vehicles (RVs) has reached record levels in the past couple of years. One in every 12 vehicle owning households in the U.S. owns an RV, representing approximately 8 million RV households, a growth of a stunning 58% since 1980. Since the decline in the value of manufacturers’ sales of recreational vehicles (RVs) in 2001, the RV market has exhibited overwhelming growth in the following years. In 2004, manufacturers’ sales in this market increased by 6.7% to reach $11.4 billion. That figure was well above the $7.4 billion posted as recently as 2001.
RV Travelers, Ownership And Rental Demographics:
Typically RVers travel 4500 miles annually on excursions that total 28 to 35 days annually.
Americans in the age group of 35-to-54 year are keener on owning an RV of their own.
The typical RV owner is age 49, married, owns a home and has an annual household income of $68,000.
With nearly 7.2 million RVs on the road in the year 2001, the sales of RVs have steadily increased through the following years: 2002, +21.1%; 2003, +3.2%; 2004, +15.4%.
RV rental has become a $350 million/year business, experiencing a 63% growth rate between 1997 and 2002, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the RV Rental Assoc.
The retail value of RVs produced was more than $12.4 billion. Combined with the RV rental market, it is estimated that RVs are $15.75 billion a year industry.
The most interesting part is even non-owners have favorable attitudes toward RVing. A majority of parents owning an RV feel that RVs are the best way to travel with family and children. RV camping has emerged as a more popular activity in comparison to other forms of recreation for satisfaction among participants in outdoor activities. RVing ranked second only to wildlife viewing for satisfaction, the survey found.
RV Dealership Demographics
The number of RV dealerships did remain almost the same during the period from 1997 to 2002 but RV dealers generated a lot more sales revenue in 2002 than they did during 1997, according to just released U.S. Census Bureau statistics. The total RV dealership sales revenue increased by a robust 48.7 percent to $14.973 billion in 2002, as against $10.069 billion in 1997.
New motorhome sales revenue
A 62.5 percent increase to $5.184 billion in 2002, from $3.191 billion in 1997.
Sale of new travel trailers and fifth wheels
Grew by 35 percent to $3.122 billion in 2002, compared with $2.313 billion in 1997.
Sale of new Folding Campers
Increased 21.2 percent to $566.6 million in 2002, compared with $467.6 million in 1997.
Sale of new Truck Campers
Declined $201.2 million in 2002, compared with $277.3 million in 1997.
Sale of used RVs by dealers
Increased 28.6 percent to $3.625 billion in 2002, compared with $2.819 billion in 1997.
RV dealership revenue from RV rentals and leasing
Increased 22.2 percent to $49.8 million in 2002, compared with $40.8 million in 1997.
RV Shipment Demographics
The table provides a detailed insight into industry trends in the production and sales of these vehicles.
| 2006 RV Wholesale Shipments by Month (Units in 000) |
| |
JAN |
FEB |
MAR |
APR |
MAY |
JUN |
JUL |
AUG |
SEP |
OCT |
NOV |
DEC |
| Travel Trailers |
18.9 |
18.0 |
23.0 |
20.2 |
20.7 |
19.6 |
16.0 |
17.0 |
14.0 |
13.3 |
11.7 |
11.2 |
| Fifth Wheel Trailers |
7.6 |
7.2 |
9.9 |
8.4 |
9.0 |
8.4 |
6.8 |
7.7 |
6.4 |
6.7 |
5.5 |
5.2 |
| Folding Camp Trailer |
3.3 |
2.7 |
3.4 |
3.8 |
3.2 |
3.5 |
3.0 |
2.5 |
2.0 |
2.9 |
1.6 |
2.1 |
| Truck Campers |
0.7 |
0.8 |
0.9 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
0.7 |
0.7 |
0.6 |
0.7 |
0.6 |
0.5 |
0.6 |
| Total Towable RVs |
30.5 |
28.5 |
37.2 |
33.1 |
33.8 |
32.2 |
26.5 |
27.8 |
23.1 |
23.5 |
19.3 |
19.1 |
| Motorhomes - Type A |
2.5 |
2.5 |
3.7 |
2.5 |
2.8 |
3.0 |
2.1 |
2.8 |
2.8 |
2.7 |
2.6 |
2.7 |
| Motorhomes - Type B |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
| Motorhomes - Type C |
1.6 |
1.6 |
2.2 |
2.3 |
2.2 |
1.9 |
1.7 |
2.0 |
1.7 |
1.4 |
1.1 |
1.1 |
| Total Motorhomes |
4.3 |
4.2 |
6.2 |
4.5 |
5.3 |
5.2 |
4.0 |
5.0 |
4.7 |
4.4 |
4.0 |
4.1 |
| All RVs |
34.8 |
32.7 |
43.4 |
37.6 |
39.1 |
37.4 |
30.5 |
32.8 |
27.8 |
27.9 |
23.3 |
23.2 |
The RVIA has conducted thousands of interviews from January to June 2005 among vehicle owning families questioned their current, prior to possible future ownership of a recreation vehicle and come up with a 6 chapter issue demographic characteristics of RV owners.
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