“Incredibly Strong” Demand For RVs Leads To Another Month Of Blowout Shipments

It was one thing when Americans panicked hoarded food and toilet paper during the early days of the virus pandemic. Then guns and ammo after social unrest broke out, but 20 months later, recreational vehicles continue to be hoarded at levels never seen before. 

A new RV Industry Association (RVIA) report released Tuesday shows shipments for towable RVs jumped 14% in November to 43,881 from 38,485 the same month last year. All motorhome shipments soared 30.4% to 5,254 vehicles for the month, and total RV shipments increased 15.6%.

Like all of 2021, November’s sales are a record for that month…

For the first eleven months of the year, towable RV shipments totaled a mindboggling 506,952 versus 353,109 a year earlier. Motorhome shipments increased to 52,791 from 36,921, and total RV shipments erupted 44% to 559,743 vehicles.

The pandemic has transformed the way Americans vacation. Instead of fancy resorts and hotels in big metropolises, people opt for self-contained motorhomes parked in rural areas or nature parks. 

“Demand for RVs remains incredibly strong, driving RV manufacturers and suppliers to continue to build a record number of RVs month after month for the past 13 months,” said RV Industry Association Chief Executive Craig Kirby. 

“Interest in RVing remains high even in what has traditionally been the ‘offseason,'” Kirby said. 

In a separate report, RVIA forecasted RV wholesale shipments would exceed 600,000 units in both 2021 and 2022. 

“RV manufacturers and suppliers have accomplished something never before seen with the incredible number of RV produced in 2021 and forecasted to be built in 2022,” Kirby said in early December. 

Americans are rediscovering the great outdoors, and the RV boom may continue well into 2022 and beyond as millennial ownership steadily increases.