![]() Hesselbart says Northern Indiana's investment in the RV can be traced to the World Exposition held in nearby Chicago in 1933. As well as the motorized vehicles, which, at first, were almost universally targeted towards the ultra-rich." "Very popular in the very early days were folding tent trailers, equipped with cooking amenities and covered beds out of the elements and that kind of thing. "An awful lot of us want to take advantage and see as much of that country as they possibly can."Īccording to Hesselbart, RV excursions were a democratic affair from the beginning, with both the rich and the poor enjoying recreational vehicles in equal measure. We have a huge, beautiful country," says Hesselbart. "The American public, at least a very high percentage of us, have always been vagabonds. There's also a sizeable RV museum in Elkhart, Indiana. Resident historian Al Hesselbart says Americans have always been insatiably curious about what's just out of sight over the next rise. There's also a sizeable RV museum in Elkhart. More than half of all American RVs are built in Elkhart County. Some are pulled, some are motorized, and some fit on the back of a pickup truck. The smallest can be had for a few thousand dollars - much less than a new car others can cost a million dollars or more. You can buy or rent an RV in a dizzying array of shapes and sizes. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the manufactured RV in the U.S., an industry worth $9 billion annually today.įolks in North Central Indiana say they grow three crops: corn, soybeans, and recreational vehicles. Today's version is the "recreational vehicle," or RV often called caravans in other parts of the world. While the era of the wagon train is long since passed, many Americans still find the home-on-wheels concept irresistible. The wagons served as both transportation and trail-side home for frontier families. Long trains of the canvas-topped, horse-drawn wagons, rolling across vast prairies, are an enduring symbol of the nation's pioneering past. Peer-to-peer rentals of RVs are opening new opportunities for the industry, and apps and platforms are meeting the expectations of younger, tech-savvy consumers who are adopting the outdoor lifestyle, LCI Industries President and CEO Jason Lippert said May 10 during the company’s quarterly earnings call.If you've ever watched an old American Western film, then you're likely familiar with the covered wagon. “We continue to believe in the long-term health of our consumer segments as more people continue to pursue outdoor lifestyle experiences,” Happe said. Looking ahead, however, Happe said the company expects that industrywide shipments of RVs will fall 12% in 2022 compared to 2021, noting that the industry saw record demand last year and is now confronting higher interest rates, rising gas prices and inflation, and declining consumer sentiment. ![]() “We continue to still be a pretty economically viable option for people that want to spend time in the outdoors, especially from a renting standpoint and existing ownership standpoint,” Happe said.ĭuring the call, Happe said Winnebago, a maker of motorhomes, towable RVs and marine products, had seen record-breaking quarterly results driven by its success in fulfilling its RV order backlog and strong consumer demand in marine. ![]() “Campgrounds are full, reservations into the future are full, marinas are full - it’s tough to get a boat slip these days almost anywhere in the country.”Ĭonsumers are traveling less distance in RVs due to the price of gas, but they are still participating, Happe said, adding that the cost of an RV trip still compares favorably with that of a trip that requires paying for a plane ticket, rental car and hotel room. “We are seeing no decrease in consumer participation in the outdoors,” Winnebago Industries president and CEO Michael Happe said June 22 during the company’s quarterly earnings call. Manufacturers in these fields report that demand is strong, and it’s just a matter of whether they can meet that demand in the face of the supply chain challenges that can limit their ability to source or make products. The rising cost of fuel and almost everything else hasn’t dampened consumers’ enthusiasm for using their recreational vehicles (RVs) and other equipment for outdoor activities this summer. ![]()
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