RV Industry - From Parks To Vehicle Sales - Rides Boom

RVs aren’t just for retirees anymore.

The recreational vehicle industry, from vehicle sales to RV parks, has expanded and is now attracting groups from working baby boomers to millennials and more. The effects of the demographic shifts and increased demand are being particularly felt in Florida, where officials predict more growth in the years ahead.

One outsized example of the potential? Bobby Cornwell, president and CEO of the Florida Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds, based in Tallahassee, says his organization anticipates as many as 3,000 new RV sites opening in Florida in the next two years. Those sites could come online at both new resorts and expanded existing parks.

Florida’s west coast, from Tampa to Naples, is a hotbed of RV activity, Cornwell adds. It’s well populated, has a variety of RV parks to choose from and offers natural benefits that appeal to people, from beaches to a warmer climate than parts north.

Area developers and owners of RV parks are capitalizing on the demand, and RV sales businesses, which have an interconnected relationship with parks, have experienced sales growth.

In 2008, during the recession, Cornwell says Florida saw a big downturn in park construction. Over the last three or four years, he’s seen growth pick up and now, he says, it’s at a peak. Between a good economy, millennials getting into RVing and technology that allows people to work from the road, Cornwell sees more good days ahead for the RV industry. He says, “All of the pieces are just coming together.” 

Check out the full article from thebBusiness Observer Florida here!