'Freedom And Simplicity' Drives RV Sales

Recreational vehicles’ popularity is soaring on the Delmarva Peninsula and across the nation — and not just due to COVID-19. 

“We’ve surveyed since the onset of the pandemic, and people are buying RVs for the same reasons they’ve always bought,” said RV Industry Association spokesperson Monika Geraci. “The number one reason is the love of road trips.” 

Recreational vehicles are a good-looking option for people who want to travel amid pandemic restrictions, but according to Geraci, the reason more people are RVing is a shift in behaviors and values. 

“Even pre-pandemic, for whatever reason, people have been rediscovering the great outdoors,” she said. 

The association keeps statistics on the number of RVs shipped from factories to dealers monthly. The years 2018 and 2019 were down years for the industry, but since then, numbers have been going up. Last year was a record year.

In 2019, 1,056 RVs were shipped to Delaware dealers. In 2020, that number was 1,420, and in 2021 it was 1,801, representing an increase of about 35% and 27%, respectively. Maryland and Virginia saw similar shipment percentage increases.  

Local RV dealers

Amy Horsey-West, vice president of Parkview RV Center in Smyrna, said her company's sales have been up since the pandemic began. 

“We have noticed a very large increase in popularity with families, actually,” she said. “I think home-schooling has helped, kids being virtual, people being able to work from home.” 

Read the full article from Delaware News Journal here.