Rick Kessler

Perhaps there’s no better sign of the industry’s continued resurgence than the ongoing revival of the ultra-high end market for luxury motorcoaches and bus conversions. By the same token, there’s probably no more suitable place to gauge the health of the high-end coach market than last week’s Florida RV SuperShow, the nation’s premier retail venue […]

A bustling crowd of more than 2,500 people — including 200 RV industry aftermarket suppliers — converged Tuesday and Wednesday (Jan. 19-20) at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center for the New Orleans 2016 NTP-STAG Expo. The gathering represented the first annual convention hosted by Keystone Automotive Operations Inc. in which the clients, vendors and staffs of all three distribution companies acquired […]

While the Florida RV SuperShow is known for its ultra luxury motorcoaches and bus conversions, on the other end of the motorized spectrum — at least in terms of size — is the Class B market, a segment that has seen substantial growth, both in terms of market share and product offerings, in the last […]

RV One Superstores Inc., with five locations in Florida, New York and Iowa, is set to build an Airstream-exclusive dealership near its Tampa, Fla., retail store that will include two yet-to-be-introduced products. RV One President and CEO Don Strollo told RVBUSINESS.com the site would be known as Airstream of Central Florida. The site location is next door to […]

The general mood of RV industry exhibitors at the Florida RV Trade Association’s (FRVTA) Florida RV SuperShow was decidedly upbeat regarding prospects for 2016, although tempered in some cases with realistic concerns about any number of factors – from interest rates to national elections to an unpredictable stock market. Tim Hyland, president of the RV Group […]

Despite two days of rainy weather, the 2016 Florida RV SuperShow, sponsored by the Florida RV Trade Association (FRVTA), reported an attendance of more than 62,700 people — nearly reaching last year’s record attendance of 63,264. One of the industry’s marquee events, the Jan. 12-17 show at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa featured more than […]

Frank Hugelmeyer, a 56-year-old Long Island native and former president and CEO of the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), officially succeeded Richard Coon Oct. 1, 2015, as president of the Reston, Va.-based Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA). That means his 100th day on the job as chief executive of the industry’s largest trade group was Friday, Jan. […]

The 2016 Florida RV SuperShow enjoyed a stellar first day as a record crowd of 17,865 took in the nearly 1,350 RVs on display representing 98 manufacturers as well as more than 450 booth exhibits staffed by suppliers and other vendors. One of the industry’s marquee events which annually serves as a harbinger for the […]

Marcus Lemonis, CEO of Camping World Inc., announced that the nation’s largest RV retailer has acquired Southern RV Supercenter. The transaction was completed Wednesday (Jan. 13), Lemonis told RVBUSINESS.com, and includes all four of Southern RV’s locations in Tyler, Texas, Biloxi Miss., Lafayette La., and Bossier City, La., which is in the Shreveport market. “We are […]

If the advance buzz is any indication, officials are expecting a rousing gala reception to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Detroit Camper & RV Show at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, Mich. Public days for the RV show, touted as the third longest running consumer show in the country, will run Feb. 10-14 preceded by a reception from […]