CENTENNIAL, Colo. – The next stage of legislative action has begun in an effort led by OHI, in collaboration with others in Wisconsin, to stave off a tax issue that could spell disaster for campgrounds in the state and create a long-term issue in states across the country.
OHI, its board of directors Chair, Jim Button, owner of Evergreen Campsites in Wild Rose, Wis,, and OHI’s lobby team at The Welch Group, have been working closely with Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Pro Tem, Kevin Petersen (R-Waupaca) and Senator Rachael Cabral-Guevara (R- Appleton) to introduce a bill that would clarify that property owned by a camper located on outdoor hospitality licensed campgrounds is wholly exempt from paying property tax on their unit located on a campground site.
“We eliminated the personal property tax, now we have to make sure we finish the job and clear up the current haphazard way that camping units are being assessed,” said bill Rep. Petersen. “This is a billion-dollar industry for Wisconsin and should not be singled out for unfair taxation.”
Previously, the camper’s property was subject to personal property tax but the personal property tax was eliminated starting in 2024. Because of inequities in how different types of campers’ personal properties were being assessed throughout the state, this legislation seeks to codify what many local governments have already done by exempting all campers from taxation.
If signed into law, the legislation will save Wisconsin campground owners and campers hundreds of thousands of dollars and will avert the risk of this type of taxation spreading to other states across the country.
“The OHI team recognized early the impact this tax could have on outdoor hospitality businesses in Wisconsin and have been working diligently to get ahead of the issue in the state before it spreads,” says David Basler, OHI’s SVP of Government Affairs. “This type of thing has a history of quickly spreading to other states like a cancer.”
Jim Button took the lead in originally pushing forward this important initiative.
“Recreational parks should not be responsible for billing and collecting taxes that are not ours. Plain and simple,” Button said. “It would be close to $62,000 in savings for our seasonal campers alone. Maybe in turn, they’ll take some of that and spend it in the local community, making this a win for many small businesses too.”
OHI, in collaboration with the Wisconsin Association of Campground Owners (WACO), is asking every private campground owner in the state to support this bill by submitting a letter to their legislative leaders by using the link below.
Simply CLICK HERE, type in your address and hit ‘SEND MESSAGE’.
A letter of support will automatically be sent on your behalf to your elected Assembly and Senate member, as well as to Governor Tony Evers and Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez.
To stay up to date on Outdoor Hospitality Industry advocacy efforts in your state and across the country, visit OHI.org/Advocacy or the OHI Action Center.
ELKHART, Ind. – Nearly 1,300 people were on hand this morning for the 2025 RV Industry Power Breakfast at the RV/MH Hall of Fame and Northern Indiana Event Center.
It was the 13th edition of the event – facilitated by RVBusiness Magazine – which over the years has evolved into one of North America’s key annual RV trade events.
Rick Kessler
Emceed by RVBusiness Publisher Rick Kessler, the event featured presentations by Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, a former U.S. Senator and Meyer Distributing executivel, and nationally renowned economist Peter Morici along with virtual comments by U.S. Sen. Jim Banks, U.S. Sen. Todd Young and U.S. Rep. Rudy Yakym.
In-person RV industry updates were provided by Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) President Jessica Wahl Turner, RV Dealers Association President Phil Ingrassia, RV Industry Association President and CEO Craig Kirby, KOA’s Mark Lemoine as well as Lippert Components Inc.’s Michilah Grimes and Coachmen RV’s Mike Gaeddert of the RVIA Emerging Leaders Coalition. (See additional postings on RVBusiness.com today for coverage of all these speakers.)
Event sponsors were Airxcel, Cummins, Dometic, Forest River, KOA, RVDA, RVIA, Spartan RV Chassis, THOR Industries, Wells Fargo and Winnebago Industries.
Kessler welcomed attendees, noting, “We have almost 1,300 people, including a Who’s Who of civic government leaders too numerous to mention by name, but rest assured. All of your attendance is appreciated.”
He also thanked the 75 companies that supported the event as table sponsors.
Rod Roberson
“We are at the start of the second quarter of what more and more is looking to be a challenging time for us,” he said, noting obstacles such as negative headlines, tariffs and wavering consumer confidence.
But he also pointed out that RV wholesale shipments were up nearly 14% through the first quarter and 11 million new households camped in 2024.
“Outdoor recreation in general and RVing in particular continue to resonate with the public, thanks in large part to the outreach of Go RVing and others.
“Yes, times are tough,” Kessler said. “But we will get through this. We always do and we always will.”
Kessler introduced Elkhart Mayor Rod Roberson, who expressed gratitude to the RV industry for its role in the community and touted its resiliency.
“Somebody asked me earlier, ‘With all the (economic) forecasts that are going on around the country, there probably shouldn’t be anyone here. Why are there so many people here?’ and I said, ‘You just don’t understand who we are,’” he said.
“So the resilient side are things that we understand and get up and do every day,” he added. “The symbiotic nature of what we represent is so important to why we are so resilient. … That’s why no matter what comes at us, we’ll get through it. That’s why people are packed in here today. It’s because we realize that what we do right now every day is what’s going to get us to the success of the future.”
Turner took the stage and explained ORR is the leading national coalition of over 40 national outdoor trade associations that cover the entire spectrum of outdoor recreation encompassing 110,000 American businesses.
Jessica Wahl Turner
“For six years now we brought together our peers – boaters, skiers, sportsmen, bikers, climbers, snowmobilers, hikers, concessionaires, and more around the key areas that we all agree on. The key areas that align us – better access infrastructure and business certainty for today and into the future for our businesses. This is our common denominator. And this is our focus on growing out our recreation economy instead of fighting over the slices of it, we want that bigger pie for all.”
She explained that demand for overnight accommodations at public parks is far greater than the supply and the demand is surging.
“Americans are seeking the outdoors as never before,” she said. “And this is only a foretaste of what is to come. Not only will there be many more people; they will want to do more and they will have more money and time to do it with.”
All told, outdoor recreation constitutes a $1.2 trillion industry, she said.
“This is according to the U.S. department of commerce, this is not industry data. This is commerce data. This is how they compare and contrast other industries. That’s how they measure GDP. We are responsible for five million jobs a year. That accounts for 3.3% of all U.S. employees.”
She characterized the next PowerPoint slide as her “favorite, because it puts this into perspective. These are huge numbers. We are bigger than agriculture, extraction and utilities,” she said of the slide that showed outdoor recreation contributes 2.3% of the U.S. economy.
In Indiana, outdoor recreation accounts for $15.7 billion in GDP and 105,000 employees. The RV industry is the biggest contributor and because of that, Indiana is the 12th largest recreation economy in the nation. “You’re up there with Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Maine, Vermont and Alaska. Those are really iconic recreation states and Indiana is in that top percentile with those,” she said.
Turner discussed what she called six years of recreation wins, including the recreation Jobs and Economic Contributions Act (2017), the Great American Outdoors Act (2020), then Economic Development Agency Reauthorization (2024) and the EXPLORE Act (2024).
The EXPLORE Act, she said was “My favorite bill that I’ve ever worked on – RVIA, RVDA, all the groups that you work with were so instrumental in this. It really was landmark legislation. It’s just really important for our industry. One sets a new precedent that we are a national priority that ensuring access and more opportunities and greater support for Americans to get outside is something that we can all agree on. It also brought us together. So, the passage of EXPLORE represents congressional champions that we’ve garnered, industry leaders over 310 American businesses and organizations signed on. And the outdoor enthusiasm nationwide, who came to the table, understanding the power of the outdoors, not just to drive economic growth, but truly to improve public health and enhance their quality of life.”
She also noted that it passed by unanimous consent, “so that means every single member of congress allow this to pass.”
She said ORR continues to focus on getting more people outdoors and as the U.S. approaches its 250th anniversary, “I can’t think of a better way for Americans to celebrate that than with our outdoor heritage. And I hope you all think about that as you’re gearing up for 2026 marketing and events. I look forward to continuing our work together with amazing team at RVIA and RVDA and all of you to ensure that outdoor recreation is no longer a ‘nice to have.’ It’s not anymore. We really need to pave the way for outdoor recreation to be a necessary part of American life.”
RVing in New England,” the weekly Facebook Live show hosted by Bob Zagami and John DiPietro of the New England RV Dealers Association (NERVDA), this week talks with Ryan Hadley of TRIC Mobile RV Repair & Maintenance who is representative of the new wave of independent mobile RV technicians entering the RV industry today.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Prices at the pump are coming down even though this is the time of year when gas prices go up, according to a report from the American Automobile Association (AAA).
Supply and demand are the main reason for the dip. After OPEC+ announced it’s increasing oil production next month by more than 400,000 barrels a day – much more than expected – the price of crude oil has been falling. Oversupply coupled with tepid gasoline demand is resulting in lower pump prices.
According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand decreased from 8.49 b/d last week to 8.42. Total domestic gasoline supply decreased from 237.6 million barrels to 236.0. Gasoline production decreased last week, averaging 8.9 million barrels per day.
Today’s National Average: $3.22
One Month Ago: $3.08
One Year Ago: $3.61
Oil Market Dynamics
At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, WTI rose $2.77 to settle at $62.35 a barrel. The EIA reports that crude oil inventories increased by 2.6 million barrels from the previous week. At 442.3 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 5% below the five-year average for this time of year.
EV Charging
The national average per kilowatt hour of electricity at a public EV charging station stayed the same this past week at 34 cents.
State Stats
Gas
The nation’s top10 most expensive gasoline markets are California ($4.92), Hawaii ($4.52), Washington ($4.38), Oregon ($4.00), Nevada ($3.97), Alaska ($3.65), Illinois ($3.46), Arizona ($3.39), Pennsylvania ($3.38), and Idaho ($3.35).
The nation’s top 10 least expensive gasoline markets are Mississippi ($2.73), Tennessee ($2.75), Oklahoma ($2.77), Louisiana ($2.81), South Carolina ($2.81), Texas ($2.82), Kentucky ($2.84), Alabama ($2.84), Arkansas ($2.84), and Kansas ($2.87).
Electric
The nation’s top 10 most expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are Hawaii (56 cents), West Virginia (47 cents), Montana (45 cents), South Carolina (43 cents), Tennessee (42 cents), Idaho (41 cents), Kentucky (41 cents), Alaska (40 cents), Louisiana (40 cents), and New Hampshire (40 cents).
The nation’s top 10 least expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are Kansas (22 cents), Missouri (25 cents), Iowa (26 cents), North Dakota (26 cents), Nebraska (27 cents), Delaware (27 cents), South Dakota (28 cents), Utah (29 cents), Texas (29 cents), and Maryland (30 cents).
Drivers can find current gas and electric charging prices along their route using the AAA TripTik Travel planner.
GOSHEN, Ind. – Recently showcased at the 2025 International Builders’ Show to enthusiastic crowds, Genesis Products’ EverPly is an innovative solution that redefines Thermally Fused Laminate (TFL) on plywood, according to a press release. In addition, Genesis featured its Surface Synergies program, a comprehensive decorative surface solution that simplifies the process of matching multiple surface materials.
Designed to meet the needs of premium manufacturers, EverPly offers a virtually void-free core that ensures smooth lamination and superior performance. It provides a durable yet lightweight alternative to composite panels like particle board and MDF, making it ideal for applications in kitchens, closets, furniture and more, the release stated.
EverPly is engineered for strength, stability and efficiency. Its proprietary construction minimizes core voids, reducing scrap rates and improving overall production efficiency. The material resists swelling and environmental fluctuations, ensuring consistent performance in variable conditions. EverPly is available in a wide range of designer finishes, with over 70 TFL laminate options, including smooth finishes and four realistic wood textures, allowing manufacturers to achieve premium aesthetics without sacrificing durability.
EverPly can be enhanced by Genesis Products’ Surface Synergies program, a comprehensive decorative surface solution that simplifies the process of matching multiple surface materials. With over 38 color options and offerings such as EverMatte, the program ensures seamless coordination across various components. EverPly can also be paired with Genesis Products’ new Quartered Oak Collection or a range of solids and woodgrains to complement any design vision.
Genesis Products continues to push the boundaries of innovation in decorative surfaces and component manufacturing. EverPly represents a significant step forward, providing manufacturers with a premium, differentiated product that enhances efficiency and expands design possibilities.
The Florida RV SuperShow in Tampa last week was a strong event for manufactured housing heavyweight Champion Homes, according to John Tuyo, the company’s director of park model sales.
John Tuyo, Champion Homes director of park model sales
”We partnered with Sun Outdoors on three units in one part of our display. In another display, we partnered with Winterhaven RV,” Tuyo explained. “They were giving away a golf cart with every unit purchased at the show. And we actually had five units, so we sold the three units that were there plus two additional units that needed to be ordered for communities in the state of Florida. That was a tremendous few days based on weather and history. That’s a strong showing for Champion park models and cabins along with our partnership with Sun Outdoors.”
“And traffic was strong,” he added. “Weather was a very formidable adversary, but it worked out great. I didn’t think we had any issues with the weather. Our units were strong; they were heated, so that helped a bunch. At one point, I counted 24 potential buyers in a park model – that’s 399 square feet – at one time. And that would probably be the most we’ve ever had flowing through during a show.”
He noted that Champion was one of only two park model builders with displays at the SuperShow this year and the other builder, Gulf Coast Atlantic, brought just one model.
“It’s crazy how we went from eight or nine units last year to just six,” he said, since the park model business in Florida is solid. “We have permitting issues across the state post hurricanes, but generally the business is looking up for 2025. From all indications of what we’re seeing from our large corporate buyers, 2025 seems to be setting itself up for a strong fall during the buying season as long as we can continue to work through the permitting process with our retail partners.”
And the park model market, he said, while down from the COVID surge, is normalizing.
“Our market’s down as we know it from a partner model perspective overall for the country,” he said. “But it had to normalize itself pre- and post-COVID and we’re at that point now, so inventories are getting to a manageable level and our capacity and our deliverability of the units is back to a normal zone also. So, today we’re generally eight to 10 weeks out, which is a workable time frame. During COVID, everybody – including us – got out 10 months to 13 months and that’s really hard from a business perspective to put your numbers together and do what we want to do. All that is now normalized back to what is a workable level. Our retailers are loving it. The communities are loving it. We actually have two new communities in the state of Florida that are being built right now for RV resorts and that’s tremendous. And one of them will open this year.”
Ground has already been broken on what Tuyo described as a “huge project” and he’s hoping to have units there in time for the fall selling season. He would identify the location only as south central Florida.
On the product side, Tuyo said, Champion exhibited an all-new unit at the Glamping Expo in Aurora, Colo., in October.
“We presented a product (an Athens Park “Sonoran” model) that has a two-story rear porch observation deck along with a front porch that was extremely well-received in the marketplace,” he said. “It’s more for your mountainous areas or your beach resorts so that you can have a visual of the landscape of your community from an 18-foot by 10-foot observation deck above your lower porch.
“That was spectacular,” he added. “The other item we’re working on now is for the resort and hospitality industry,” he continued. “We’re working on a new version of an A-frame, a mostly glass model that will put us in a position as a company to continue and be in the forefront of what’s happening in certain geographic areas – whether you’re at the beach or you’re in the mountains or in the desert – it just brings the outdoors in with the amount windows and the amount of light that’s coming through.”
Tuyo said that model – just now headed for prototyping – will be unveiled at the Campground Solutions Summit West in Reno, Nev., an all-new conference for park owners and operators planned April 1-4.
The photos below show the new Athens Park Sonoran.
TAMPA, Fla. – Park model RV builders and park operators at the Florida RV SuperShow say that the market for their more residential-style PMRV’s is normalizing following a surge when new units couldn’t be built fast enough and a softer year in 2024.
“I feel like we are back to a more steady pre-COVID sales climate,” says Heather Taylor, regional vice president for Sun Outdoors, a publicly held resort operator affiliated with more than 600 resorts. “I mean, we’re still growing. We still have wait lists for people who are waiting for them to come in, so the business is still quite booming.
“Our homes run anywhere between 399 square foot to up to 500 square foot,” Taylor added. “They have all the full-size amenities a normal home would have. A lot of people are looking for smaller economical homes, so this is exactly what they’re looking for.”
However, Michael Pozar, park manager and resort manager for Sun Outdoors Lakeland (Fla.), said he has seen a shift in demographics. “Where it used to be pretty much a 55-plus market, now it’s an all-age market,” he said. “I mean, we’re selling things to college kids. It’s a first home. It’s a starter home. It’s equity in something as a young adult or a small family getting ready to have their first kid. That demographic shift has helped us tremendously.”
Joe Gibbons, managing partner of relative newcomer Gulf Atlantic Cottages, a park model builder launched a year-and-a-half ago, explained his company was a custom home builder and saw a need for a higher-quality park model and is seeing strong demand.
“The response has been overwhelming,” he said. “Just last month we sold five, and the show has been fantastic. I mean, we can’t keep up with the folks coming in here. And I think now that we are through this election season, I see the real positive vibes coming around that. And not only that, here in Florida — we’re based right here in Tampa and build them here – we have a huge affordable housing crisis, and I think this is going to really help out with that.
“We’re getting a lot of people 55 plus, but we’re getting a lot of younger folks, too.”
Another factor that could drive demand for his units involves zoning issues.
“The state of Florida is really helping out with the different municipalities and trying to educate the municipalities on the fact that we build this just like a single-family home.” Gibbons said. “It just happens to be on a chassis that has axles that can be taken off. So, our company is working diligently with a few different municipalities on helping them get educated on the fact that this is a house – to be set up as a house.”
He added that Gulf Atlantic Cottages are green certified with spray-foam attics, level-four drywall finishes and residential quality builds. The units are RVIA-certified and come with a seven-year warranty. “That’s what we strived to do when we started this company, we wanted to build homes,” he said.
Skyline Homes and Champion Park Models also had units on display at the SuperShow.
TAMPA, Fla. – Italian-based B-van builder Wingamm unveiled its eye-catching Oasi 540.1 Wednesday during the Florida RV SuperShow.
What sets the Wingamm USA apart among other things is its dual-layer, one-piece fiberglass monocoque shell, which, the company reports, is completely impervious to water intrusion.
Part of the big news for Wingamm, which has been in the U.S. market for three years now, includes the fact that it’s now available here on a Dodge ProMaster 3500 van showcased at the Tampa Show for an MSRP of $185,000.
Previous versions – as well as all current European models – have been built on the Fiat Ducato chassis. (Both Fiat and Chrysler/Dodge are subsidiaries of global automotive giant Stellantis.)
The front-drive chassis is powered by the Chrysler Pentastar 2.6-litre V6 gas engine. The shell is manufactured in Verona, Italy, and shipped to the U.S. for final assembly.
The diminutive Oasi is 17 feet, 10 inches long and 7 feet, 5 inches tall. The interior appears roomy for the size of the unit with a pull-down bunk in the front, a bath in back and a mid-coach dinette. The design allows for a fairly roomy exterior storage bin in the rear – a relatively unusual Class B feature.
Flooring is two-inch dual layer with polyurethane insulation and warmed with Truma Combi-heated air.
Just as noteworthy, according to Tony Diamond, Wingamm director and CEO, is the company’s new approach to sales here in the States. Wingamm currently has two dealerships in the U.S. – in Salt Lake City and Nashville – plus service centers in Dallas and St. Louis. And more dealerships and service centers, located in city centers, are to be added as market share grows
“We believe we’re starting with motorhomes that are best-in-class and we wanted to extend that to our sales model and dealership network,” Diamond said. “Most dealerships are not in the city center. They’re 30 minutes to an hour outside of city center, so they’re not convenient to get to. And once you get there, you are met by a commission salesperson, which is a process that we believe nobody enjoys.”
He also said the current dealership model involves different models and brands whereas Wingamm offers franchise dealerships with expert staff.
“Once you get there, you’re are immersed in the Wingamm and you’re greeted by a customer specialist, not a commissioned sales person,” he told RVB. “Our display areas are being patterned after Apple stores; we offer an elegant, modern, sophisticated experience at our dealerships.”
In a move taking a page out of the Tesla marketing model, Wingamm also plans to have displays in high-end shopping malls across the U.S.
“That is being done for a number of reasons,” Diamond said. “First, again, it’s about convenience. So these are in city centers, and then it’s also about creating a pleasant experience as opposed to being outside, which is how most stores are. You’re now inside. You can shop. You can have lunch and see a Wingamm, all in the same place and it’s five minutes from your house.”
Diamond also believes there is a much larger, untapped addressable market for the Oasi 540.
“We hope to capture that market,” he said. “We want people who currently drive large SUVs, but all of their daily needs are not being met by those large SUVs. We believe there are a lot of daily pain points that that can’t be solved in a Range Rover, but can be solved in a Wingamm.
“Let’s say you’re a family of four,” he added. “Saturday morning, you’ve got one kid’s soccer game, then another kid’s softball game, and you got grandma’s house at the end of the day, right? So today, it’s hop in the SUV. With a Wingamm, you can, while one kid’s playing soccer, the other kid’s napping. While one kid’s playing softball, the other kid’s doing their homework, and everyone can shower and change and head to grandma’s without ever having to go home.”
Both units on display at Tampa were sold with other potential customers placed on a wait list.
TAMPA, Fla. – Upbeat would probably be the best way to describe the mood Thursday during the Florida RV SuperShow at the Florida State Fairgrounds east of Tampa – one of the nation’s most significant retail RV consumer venues.
While chilly temperatures in the 50s and 60s may have dulled the street-level enthusiasm to an extent among OEMs, suppliers, consumers and social media influencers, most everyone on hand at the show seemed eager to poke around the hundreds of new units on display and get a good look at some of the latest gadgets the industry has to offer.
Dave Kelly, executive director of the Florida RV Trade Association, which organizes the event, reported that 13,100 consumers walked through the turnstiles on Thursday, down from 2024’s Thursday attendance of 15,915.
Mike and Jennifer Wendland
“We haven’t counted exactly, but I think it’s our 14th Tampa Show,” said Mike Wendland, a co-creator with his wife Jennifer of the “RV Lifestyle” newsletter and YouTube channel. “The show seems a little slower, not quite as exciting as it usually is. But I think that’s just a reflection of the weather.”
In fact, the good news, according to Wendland, a respected voice within the industry’s consumer ranks, has to do with the general retail mood he sensed in Tampa.
“I think there’s a buying atmosphere here more than I’ve sensed before,” he continued. “I know that in one of the displays – I went in early yesterday (Wednesday), opening day — there were three or four people who were writing deals in the first 20 minutes. I think people do a lot more research than they’ve ever done before and know what they want. Everybody I’ve talked to who’s either a dealer or a manufacturer seems to be thinking this is looking better for 2025 than they thought it would be, frankly. I think they really are saying, ‘Well, maybe we’re going to turn around a little bit.’”
Kyle Kwasny, president of THOR Industries Inc. brands Heartland, Cruiser and DRV, confirmed Wendland’s assessment.
Kyle Kwasny, Hearland, Cruiser, DRV
“The traffic’s been really good. I mean, I think that the response for Wednesday was really solid,” he said “We had a lot of activity yesterday afternoon on display. The weather’s a little tough, but I think for the most part, everyone’s pretty optimistic about the industry, about where we’re going. And I feel pretty good, honestly.”
He also believes consumer sentiment is pretty good “I think if you look at what this lifestyle provides, it’s still affordable, it’s still family-oriented,” said Quasny. “I think there’s a lot of interest among people that have done it and want to do it, and I think the industry’s really healthy.”
Curiously, he added, consumer interest in his product lineup is coming at both ends of the price spectrum.
“Our entry-level business has been really robust because of affordability,” Quasny added, “and then I think there’s been a lot of activity in the higher-end segments, probably more so than we’ve seen in the last couple years. I think it’s based on demographics, as people are simply retiring. And then I think there’s been a lot of those folks that have a lot of equity in their homes and are in a pretty good financial position to take advantage of buying a big fifth-wheel or big motorhome that they’ve dreamed about it for a long time.”
Jarod Lippert, Lippert Components Inc. chief marketing offers, poses at the Lippert display as consumers check out the new Furrion Chill Cube air conditioning unit.
Spirits were high in the supplier building as well. For instance, Lippert Components Inc. Chief Marketing Officer Jarrod Lippert reported good traffic and eager consumers at his company’s booth in Supplier Building A.
“Inside our booth I can say there’s a lot of interest for some of the things we’re showing right now,” he said. “And people are definitely here to buy accessories and parts. I’m hearing a 50/50 both, ‘I’m shopping for a new RV and looking for stuff of yours that’s on it that’s cool and new and exciting.’ And then I hear a lot of, ‘I’m just looking to upgrade the one I have.’ So a little bit of both. So it’s a lot of interest in our Chill Cube air conditioner though, and a lot of interest in our suspension system that we’re showing.”
He also said his staff was driving consumers to OEMs who are using Lippert products. “We’re telling them, ‘Hey, if you like the suspension system, go see this guy or that guy, and they’ve got it on units out there.’”
And while traffic was decent, Lippert said that consumers were not averse to spending. “For example,” he continued, “we’re selling our ATK Chill Cube air conditioner right now. That’s the featured product here. And when I tell people the price ($925.00), they don’t even bat an eye. And they’re like, ‘Okay, we’re going to go buy it.’”
He added that Lippert was selling a significant amount of furniture as well. “People are here to spend money, for sure,” he said.
Lisa Schoder, Camco
“It’s been such an incredible show, constant traffic,” said Lisa Schoder, Camco’s chief marketing officer. “We’re really excited about just engaging with consumers. Just having this opportunity for that face-to-face contact is so critically important for a marketer. … I’m getting information right from the people who are in the lifestyle and living it every day, because that’s the best source of information for consumer insights.”
Traffic was constant, moreover, despite cloudy skies.
“We’re giving away free product samples of our TST Pro, (toilet treatment), which has been an incredible engagement opportunity,” noted Schoder, “and people are excited to try a new product. So, we’ve been really pleased with how everything has been going.”
At the Dragonfly Energy booth, Wade Seaburg, chief revenue officer, also report good traffic and tons of interest in his company’s industry leading Battle Born lithium batteries.
Wade Seaburg, Dragonfly Energy
“We’ve had really good traffic,” he said. “I just got in today, and it seems really good. I even went out and visited a few of our OEMs, and traffic seemed good out there and they seemed upbeat about the show. So, yeah, every one of our techs that’s in the booth has been occupied the entire time.”
And he believes an RV industry market upswing may be in the cards for 2025.
“I think I saw one headline that said ‘Cautiously Optimistic,’ said Seaburg. “I think that’s pretty accurate. Everybody’s figuring out what this new normal from the demand side is going to be within the RV industry. Units are changing, but the fact of the matter is, people still want to go and camp and enjoy nature and the outdoors. So, I think the health of the industry is very strong. It’s just how much volume is going to return, and is it going to be consistent?”
Sara Dover, brand manager for RV for supplier Dometic’s Land Vehicle American division, was overseeing a booth in the General RV parts area as well as an education display in Building A for Dometic, which is currently celebrating its 100th year in business.
The Dometic team, from left, Mitch Loge, trade show manager; Rober Neild, Go Power! sales rep; Brian Noble, director of marketing; Paul Hill, product manager; and Sara Dover, brand manager for RV for Dometic, land vehicle American division.
“We’ve had a lot of traffic in both spaces,” she said. “I think the general space is up a lot from last year, so that’s great. We have our traditional RV stuff, obviously like toilets and AC’s, but then we have our Dometic GO furniture. We have our new soft-sided coolers here as well. We always have the Juggernaut CFXs, the power coolers. Those always do really well.
“And then we have our partners with Valtera, which is now getting ready to be called Dometic Sanitation. They’re here as well as our partners at Go Power or Mobile Power Solutions. We’re kind of in the middle of transitioning names for Valtera and Go Power.
At the other booth, new displays were built, “to really give more of an educational relevance to some of our products, and so that booth focuses a lot on stuff that’s coming. We’ve got new FreshJet VII AC. We’ve got a really cool sound dome over there so people can see how quiet the AC is. That’s the struggle with ACs. That one over there is super low profile. It’s only eight inches tall. It’s the most powerful. At only 48 decibels, it’s one of the quietest on the market.”
That booth also was showing Dometic’s water heater which offers “less weight and less wait,” she said.
A new, feature-rich roof fan’s scheduled to debut in the summer, offering a port feature which allows users to connect solar panels, Wi-Fi or other accessories on the roof. “It’s got dual arms,” added Dover, “so it’s going to be stronger in the wind. It’ll have a hood on so you can drive in the rain and you won’t get any water in. That fan is going to be a game changer for the market.”
Pictured is a 1924 REO, which was on display at the Prevost exhibit. This unit is a precursor to what would become the Prevost chassis.
TAMPA, Fla. – Cautious optimism would be the best way to describe the mood so far at this year’s Florida RV SuperShow, sponsored by the Florida RV Trade Association.
As North America’s largest retail RV show, Tampa has long been understood to be a barometer for industry activity in the upcoming model year.
On Wednesday – the first day when consumers were welcomed – crowd sizes were not record-breaking, but Dave Kelly FRVTA executive director and show director, said “I was pretty happy with the crowd, actually, I mean the public parking lot was pretty full and we’re hearing people were happy with the first-day results. We’d like more, but it wasn’t a horrible day for dealers and we’re hearing they’re pretty happy with what they got, but it’s not like they’ve had in the past.”
Total attendance was just over 17,000, a slight 2% decline over; last year’s tally of 18,111.
Dave Kelly at a previous Florida RV SuperShow. (RVB file photo)
He said overcast conditions sometimes affect attendance because as consumers wake and see clouds, they’re concerned about the potential for rain.
Another factor affecting opening-day attendance, he pointed out, was that for the second year, the senior citizen discount was extended to cover Wednesday through Friday. Previously, the discount was only offered on Wednesday.
This, he said, tends to spread out senior citizen visits over all three days.
But, “Overall, I think everybody was pretty happy with yesterday,” Kelly said.
John Ferrando, Blue Compass founder, president and CEO, visited the Foretravel display on Wednesday.
Dealerships were engaging with consumers on opening day and deals were being written, and while it was a bit too early to draw any conclusions, John Ferrando, Blue Compass RV Founder, CEO and President exuded a sense of confidence in his company’s prospects.
“We’re excited,” he said Wednesday afternoon. “It’s a great way to kick off the year. We brought the largest team we’ve ever had, and probably the best talent from across our store network.”
That network includes 107 stores in 33 states with more than 15,000 units in inventory.
“We got a great product lineup across the board,” Ferrando added. “Airstream, Jayco, Forest River, Alliance, ForeTravel, Thor, Geneva. It’s really a phenomenal lineup of great products, and we are well positioned for a record show.”
Casey Tubman, president of Newmar, the Nappanee-Ind.-based builder of luxury motorhomes, said he believes the current market is “on the verge of what’s going to be positive.”
He said many people in the in the industry feel the same and pointed to some signs to support that conclusion.
Casey Tubman
“October’s retails came back out, revised as positive. November was negative, but we believe the revised will come back slightly positive,” he said. “That’s kind of the start of momentum. This show will be the signal for the year that says, ‘How well are we going to do?’ Presidential election’s over, so that helps. Interest rates have been already impacted a couple times. That just gets people feeling better. Even if it’s not changing a ton in the bottom line, it gets them feeling better about buying. So, I think we feel pretty good about what’s coming.”
He noted that the high-end luxury segment is, “a little bit insulated, so we feel good.”
He also added that on the product side, Newmar was showing it’s all-new smaller Super C model, the Grand Star which debuted at the Elkhart Open House in September.
“We’re showing it to the public for the first time, but we showed it to the dealers back at open house, and we’ve had real positive reactions. Lots of orders came in for it. So we’re expecting those to do real well. People have talked to different folks, our sales team, myself and others, saying, ‘Oh, I’m coming to see the Grand Star.’ We sold a couple pieces already this morning, that (Grand Star) might’ve been one of them. So we’re starting out good.”
Tubman, who came to Newmar just as the COVID boom was winding down, noted that the average age of RVers since then has fallen from the 50s to the 30s.
Alliance RV Co-Founder Coley Brady poses with an Alliance Delta travel trailer on display at the Florida RV SuperShow in Tampa.
“Now, that’s going to be more probably the entry-level product,” he explained. “But in general, we’re seeing our customer as well come down in age. So again, each generation’s going to be different, but what we know is the younger generation now is about the environment, sustainability, getting out into the outdoors. There’s study after study that says it’s better for your health. They’re all listening to that, right? That’s that generation. And we’re seeing that come into play in our business as well.”
Coley Brady, co-founder of Elkhart-Ind. towable manufacturer Alliance RV said his firm has adjusted to current market conditions and believes those adjustments will be borne out in the coming market year.
“The biggest thing is meeting the demand now, for what dealers and customers are going to want. And you’re seeing a shift, too, in the product,” he said. “There are some brands that are emerging, and I feel like we’re one of those emerging brands. And there are other companies that are emerging, too, but it feels pretty good right now, with where we’re at. I feel good. I mean, I think the RVIA projection is maybe a 10-ish percent increase overall as far as shipments go, and retail probably a similar number. And our goal and our plan is to do more than that and grow market share,” he said.
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