I wrote about the RV industry again. It’s a fascinating business, and apparently I’m not the only one who thinks so if online reader engagement is any indication.
One thing you’ll notice immediately about RV life is that the buyers and enthusiasts are mostly white baby boomers, but that’s changing.
Walk around a typical RV park and you’ll meet mostly white baby boomers lounging around hulking vehicles that offer nearly all the comforts of home. Look at the glossy reports of a recreational-vehicle manufacturer such as Winnebago Industries or a retailer such as Camping World Holdings, though, and you’ll see fit, outdoorsy millennials, families with children and racial minorities in rugged, picturesque locales.
That imagery isn’t pure marketing fiction—younger, more diverse buyers have embraced glamping and #vanlife in the past decade, helping to boost interest in RVs—especially lightweight, towable models. The industry needs a lot more where that came from after enduring a second year of slumping sales with forecasts for another dip in 2020.
Spencer Jakab 