Mar 10, 2021   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Most Comprehensive RV Owner Study Ever Reveals Broad Changes in Purchasers, Preferences, and Usage

In the RV industry’s most comprehensive RV owner study ever – and the first such study since 2011 – it was revealed today that a record 11.2 million RV owning households are split almost equally between those over and under the age of 55, with significant growth among 18-to-34-year-olds, who now make up 22 percent of the market.

The Go RVing RV Owner Demographic Profile, conducted by Ipsos, found RV ownership has increased over 62% in the last twenty years and an incredible 9.6 million households intend to buy an RV within the next 5 years. Among current RV owners who plan to buy another RV in the next five years, the numbers for Millennials and Gen Zers stand out, with 84% of 18-to-34-year-olds planning to buy another RV, and 78% preferring to buy a new model.

While the median annual usage for current RV owners remains steady at 20 days, people intending to buy an RV plan to use their RV a median of 25 days per year. This increase is indicative of the changing attitudes towards remote work and the ability for more people to be able to work from a destination more frequently than traditional vacation days afforded in the past.

“The data revealed by this study provides fascinating insight, not only into the RV industry, but into the ways in which Americans have changed how they work, play, and enjoy the great outdoors,” said RV Industry Association President & CEO Craig Kirby. “The great news for the industry is that more and more people are traveling in the products we build. This study shows that it is no longer accurate to describe a typical RVer, rather that enjoyment and interest in RVing is expanding across every type of traveler, person, and age group.”

Nearly a third of the respondents in the study (31%) are “first-time owners,” underscoring the growth of the industry in the past decade. Ownership is spread widely, not only across age levels, but also across genders, as well as across household income and education.

After an extensive analysis, seven distinct clusters of RV Owners have been identified in the study. Ranging across demographics, attitudes, RV usage habits, and motivations, these seven clusters help to understand variances in RV owners across more than the type purchased, instead, shedding light on the unique motivations, needs, and habits of each type of RVer.

Learn more about the clusters and their distinct habits here.

For questions, contact Monika Geraci at mgeraci@rvia.org or 617-784-2532.

About the study: Conducted by the marketing research firm, Ipsos, the study included 3,000 current RV owners, 1,000 former RV owners and 1,000 potential RV buyers. The most recent RV Industry Demographic Profile Study was conducted in 2011 by the University of Michigan and included survey results of only RV owners.