Maximizing Your Membership: Part One

Membership in the RV Industry Association provides companies with access to research, resources, and reports unavailable anywhere else. But even more importantly, membership means having the expertise of a talented group of standards, government affairs, research, and marketing professionals who serve as an extension of your own staff. In this two-part series, we will share how to get the most out of your membership by first detailing what makes up the RV Industry Association and then explaining the specific ways you can maximize your membership.

The RV Industry Association is the leading trade voice of the $140 billion dollar RV industry, representing more than 500 manufacturers, component suppliers, and aftermarket suppliers who together produce 98 percent of all RVs made in the United States, and approximately 60 percent of RVs produced worldwide. It is the collective voice of these members that make the association so impactful and beneficial to each member.

There are three main pillars that make up the Association:

• Go RVing, our consumer-facing advertising arm charged with attracting new consumers to RVing and conducting consumer research.
• The core programs of the Association consisting of self-regulation and industry standards, government relations, events, and market data insights.
• RV Technical Institute, our educational arm charged with the training, certification, and recruitment of RV technicians.

These three parts of the Association work together to promote and protect the RV industry and our members.

Here are details on the Association’s core programs and initiatives.

STANDARDS

The Standards team maintains and contributes to the creation of, and updates to, eight industry standards regulating traditional and park model RVs. These efforts keep the RV industry self-regulated. They also maintain a professional team of full-time inspectors who promote the enhancement of safety by monitoring the adherence to over 500 safety-related standards requirements for the construction of RVs and Park Model RVs. The team also facilitates a workplace safety committee focused on prioritizing the safety of workers.

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

The Government Affairs team advocates for the RV industry at the state, federal, and international level to create a favorable business environment, protect against onerous legislation and regulations, and make it easier for consumers to buy, drive, and own an RV.

RESEARCH AND MARKET DATA

Our data and research experts provide research, resources, and reports that allow members to stay informed of current and future market trends, consumer trends, and policy trends, as well as resources on current laws, regulations, and standards affecting the RV industry.

Reports available to members include:

• Monthly RV and Park Model RV Shipment Reports
• Quarterly RV RoadSigns Shipment Forecast
• Annual RV Market Industry Profile
• RV Industry Association Annual Report
• Campground Industry Market Analysis
• Survey of Lender Experiences
• RV Owner Demographic Profile
• RVs Move America Economic Impact Study
• Travel Intention Surveys
• Data and Insights into New RV Buyers
• Path to Purchase Research
• RV Aftermarket Parts & Accessories Study
• Vacation Cost Comparison Study

INDUSTRY PUBLIC RELATIONS

The PR team is the voice of the industry, ensuring a cohesive and positive message across the media landscape. Instrumental to the years-long run of positive press, the team continues to navigate the challenging economic environment brought on by high inflation and interest rates, ensuring earned media mentions remain high and overall sentiment of the RV industry in local and national media remains overtly positive. The team’s messaging continues to focus on the RV industry’s affordability and ability to draw a younger, more diverse consumer base to enjoy the benefits of the outdoors.

GO RVING

Reaching millions of potential new RV consumers each year, Go RVing is charged with attracting new consumers to RVing and conducting consumer research and insights. Go RVing’s research and innovative campaigns ensure that the appeal of RVing is shared with a growing and diverse audience that is primed to be your future customer.

RV TECHNICAL INSTITUTE

With the mission to improve the RV Consumer experience and grow the pool of trained RV service technicians, the RV Technical Institute has the only industry-wide certification and is the gold standard when it comes to RV tech training.

As of October 2024, the RV Technical Institute now has 997 dealerships with at least one RVTI-certified technician on staff. That means nearly a thousand dealerships across the country have access to highly trained professionals. Additionally, also as of October 2024, RVTI has certified 6,738 technicians. 

Now that you know what the association does, in the next part of the series, we will cover specific steps you can take to ensure you are getting the most out of your membership.

Have a specific question about your membership? Contact Vice President of Membership and Research Bill Baker at bbaker@rvia.org or view the directory of department contacts here.