How Startup Camper Companies Are Redefining Road Travel

In 2019, the RV Industry Association, a trade federation, reported a 16 percent drop in wholesale RV shipments from the year before. And when COVID-19 first swept the nation in March, those sales dropped even more. But almost as fast as they fell, sales and rentals began to skyrocket. By June, RV shipments in the U.S. were the highest they’d been since 2018, reaching 40,462 units, an 11 percent increase from June 2019. 

As far as pandemic-fueled buys go, it’s easy to understand why people are turning to RVs. With many concerned about the safety of hotels and other lodging, RVs offer more control and flexibility. Both existing and newly launched companies are getting creative with what this new era of road travel will look like, as people have begun embracing so-called COVID campers for long road trips in lieu of flights, turning to part- or full-time vanlife in response to companies switching to remote work, or leaving expensive real estate behind for a more budget-friendly option.

Check out how new startups are going beyond the basic RV-rental formula by being more on demand, millennial focused, and remote-work-friendly in the full article from Outside here.