By Katie Rogers, Truth Staff
ELKHART -- As 2007 rolls in, it's clear that the "RV lifestyle" is no longer about roughing it.
Mac Bryan, vice president of administration of the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association, said more and more people are buying into the "getaway" aspect of RV travel.
"Sightseeing, football, NASCAR," said Bryan. "People are going out and getting involved in travel and meeting other people."
Bryan said 8 percent of the American population owns a recreational vehicle. That's one in every 12 vehicle-owning households, and two-thirds of those will likely upgrade to a new RV.
And according to Bryan, the RV-buying age is getting younger, currently at an average of 49.
For industry execs, this means innovation is always a necessity.
Don Clark, executive vice president of Keystone RV Co. in Elkhart, said the secret to developing new concepts is keeping in constant contact with the customer, then quickly producing the type of product they ask for.
"All of our people are in very close communication with our owners and actual campers," said Clark. "We constantly survey and talk to those customers about what they want in an RV ... and we respond very quickly to the market."
The recreational vehicle industry is influenced by employment growth, income levels and fuel costs, but market researchers say those factors won't significantly affect sales in 2007.
"Gas prices have never been the sole or even most determinant of RV sales," said Richard Curtin, director of the Survey Research Center at the University of Michigan.
Curtin did, however, point out that larger, gas-guzzling motorhomes have become less popular than travel trailers in recent years, a trend he expects will hold steady in the coming year.
"The strongest part of the market is still the travel trailer," added Curtin. "Most households already own a vehicle that can tow them. ... If they're only adding the travel trailer, that's more economical."
As the RV industry continues to develop, the vehicles grow with it -- maple cabinetry, portable grills, satellite TVs, GPS systems and a range of other features can be installed for the right price.
And, said Bryan, chances are that RV customers intend to show off their souped-up traveling homes-away-from-home to each other at the nearest campground.
"The interesting psychology of understanding the RV customer is they tell you 'I'm getting away,'" said Bryan. "And then they go and park their vehicles next to each other. People need to interact with other people, and RVing is another way for them to do that."
Truth reporter Gitte Laasby contributed to this story.