Since the start of the pandemic, many trips have taken place in an RV.
Prior to March 2020, RV shipments each month had been on a decline for quite some time, but according to monthly reports from the RV Industry Association, that changed when the COVID-19 pandemic started, as RV sales picked up and have continued to increase since.
Numbers from the RVIA show that factories shipped 577,200 units in 2021, a number that topped the previous annual record of 504,600 set back in 2017.
“It’s put families and it’s put people back into a position where this gives them the opportunity to travel and do things and be safe,” said Matt Urland, General Manager at Camping World in Golden, Colorado.
Urland says the RV fad that took over at the start of the pandemic is becoming less fad and more staple. Projections from the RVIA show companies are expected to ship between 586,300 and 614,100 in 2022.
“It’s a real thing now, and now that it’s in the bigger spotlight, it’s not going away,” said Urland.
“A lot of people are spreading the wealth if that makes sense,” said Dan McKenzie, a travel blogger who lives in his camper six months out of the year with his wife and toddler. “There are a lot of people that share awesome information.”
McKenzie started living in his RV full-time with his wife back in 2017 and they haven’t stopped. They have more than 27,000 followers on their Instagram page @follow_your_detour and say more people have become interested in their journey since the RV craze took off.
“It’s just a great opportunity to connect and really share these memories. The camper really helps you build. It’s a vehicle for helping you build memories it really is,” he said.
