RVing Interest In Canada Surges

With a continuing ban on leisure travel to the U.S., COVID-testing hassles for those travelling by air and a build-up of cabin fever — not to mention the ability to work from pretty much anywhere — interest in recreational vehicles has hit an all-time high.

Dealers on the Island say there has been so much interest in RVs of all shapes and sizes over the last 18 months that it’s starting to become difficult to find inventory, parts and accessories.

Jason Gallaugher, marketing manager with Arbutus RV, said they’ve seen a surge in demand through the pandemic, including many newcomers and young families wanting to get into RVing.

“This was one of the few options they could actually do over the last year,” Gallaugher said. “There’s that added layer of safety in RVs that people can control all aspects of their travel.”

Sylvia Thistle-Miller of Triangle RV said the newcomers tend to want to live by their own rules and have been opting for smaller units they can take off the beaten track.

“I love to see that — I love to see people exploring Canada instead of running across the border,” she said. “I think it’s time Canadians saw Canada.”

But the surge in demand has put pressure on inventory.

[...]

The Canadian RV Association reported demand for new vehicles outstripped supply over the first six months of this year — Canadian dealers sold 30,376 vehicles, while manufacturers shipped just 30,102 north of the border.

In the U.S., RV retail sales are on a record pace, according to RVBusiness magazine’s most recent market report.

In 2020, the U.S. industry sold 520,075 vehicles, while in the first six months of this year, despite supply-chain problems that made getting parts difficult, the industry has already sold 325,032 units.

View the full article from Times Colonist here.