Survey Shows 56 Million People Are Planning A Summer RV Trip
If you are planning an RV trip this summer, you are not alone. A recent survey estimates that 56 million Americans plan to take at least one summer RV trip.
“More and more Americans are ready to travel this summer and 56 million of them are planning to go RVing in an RV they rent, own, or borrow,” said RVIA President and CEO Craig Kirby. “Even with other forms of travel returning, the desire to use an RV to get outdoors and experience an active outdoor lifestyle is stronger than ever. RVing has been cemented as a mainstream travel option that is here to stay.”
What the RV survey reveals
The survey, conducted by Cairn Consulting for RV Industry Association (RVIA), was based on the responses of 1,276 U.S. leisure travelers. (Leisure travelers are defined as residents who have taken some type of leisure trip in the past 12 months.) The following numbers were extrapolated from the questionnaires.
Out of the estimated 180 million leisure travelers in the nation, 31% (or 56 million) are planning an RV trip this summer. Their main reasons to do so do not surround the pandemic. In fact, the top reasons for wanting to RV this summer involve a desire to get outdoors and explore, take advantage of remote work and school opportunities, and a chance to travel with the family.
“Interestingly, a full 10% of current non-RVers plan to travel in an RV this summer,” said Kirby. He mentioned that while many non-RVers are planning to rent a unit, a quarter of leisure travelers are considering purchasing an RV in the coming months.
While Kirby admits, “That’s great news for the RV industry as it strives to meet the record-breaking demand for RVs,” this continued upswing in consumer demand could also work to the industry’s disadvantage, putting a strain on the already stretched out supply of RVs available on the market.
Where are travelers going?
Whether the travelers are new to RVing or veteran RVers, national parks are the most popular destinations. When it comes to how far folks want to travel to get to a destination, RVers are willing to go the extra mile. RVers are twice as likely to travel to locations 16+ hours away than other leisure travelers.
But RV travel won’t stop at the end of the season. On the contrary, the RVIA survey data revealed that 65 million Americans would like to take an RV trip next year. 91% of RVers and 60% of leisure travelers plan to travel more or the same amount in the next six months.
If you are considering renting or purchasing an RV for the first time, it’s a good idea to get some practice behind the wheel. And even if you are a seasonal RVer, it doesn’t hurt to brush up on your RV motor skills. Tom and Cait Morton of Mortons on the Move cover a gamut of RV driving safety tips in their video below, from planning your route to driving in various situations.
Plan your summer RV trip
Next time you plan an RV trip, consider RV LIFE Trip Wizard with its accompanying RV LIFE GPS app. These online planning tools help you map out an RV-friendly route to your specifications, pit stops included. Get where you need to go safely with this reliable, user-friendly, all-in-one program.
