Of the 95 million leisure travelers in the U.S. planning to travel over Labor Day weekend, 16 million intend to do so in an RV, according to a recent survey conducted by Cairn Consulting for the RV Industry Association. And while summer is most often considered peak time for RV travel, over 19 percent of leisure travelers intend to stay in an RV sometime during the fall—an increase over the 14 percent who planned to stay in an RV this summer.
“Fall typically means back-to-school for many, but for 38 million Americans, it also means RVing as they plan to hit the road and experience RVing over the next few months,” said RV Industry Association President & CEO Craig Kirby. “Because RVing is an affordable way to spend quality time with family and friends, interest is particularly high among Millennial travelers, 40 percent of whom said they will take an RV trip this fall.”
Sixteen million Americans plan to go RVing this Labor Day weekend, significantly increasing over the 12 million who intended to travel during Memorial Day weekend. The top reasons for fall RV travel were cooler weather, better outdoor recreation opportunities, fewer bugs and pests, Halloween celebrations at campgrounds, and fall foliage tours.
Work flexibility continues to be a significant driver of RV travel, with 19 percent of leisure travelers working from the road in 2022 and 29 percent considering doing so over 2023. Millennial travelers are most interested in working from an RV, 59 percent of whom plan to work from an RV in the coming year. Over a third of Gen Z and Gen X travelers also plan to work from an RV next year.
“Not only are more diverse and younger travelers gravitating toward RVs, but existing RV owners are also hitting the road with their units more often,” said Kirby. “And with people wanting to avoid travel hassles and have more control over their vacation costs, RVing will continue to be a top travel choice this fall and well into the future.”
Photo courtesy RV Industry Association
