Just when you thought everyone was committed to their next Airbnb adventure for travel this fall, along comes a survey report that gives one hope again that as college games kick off, leaf peeping stirs the urge (along with a pumpkin spice latte), and holidays come closer, consumers will want to hit the open road again.

The RV Industry Association (RVIA) reports that 27 million Americans plan to go RVing this fall, with 7.3 million hitting the road over Labor Day weekend. According to a recent survey, the destination of choice for these RV travelers is the journey itself, with 65 percent of respondents saying they are planning a road trip.

In a significant shift, RV camping has overtaken rental properties as the preferred accommodation for Labor Day vacationers, according to the latest Fall Travel Intentions survey conducted by Cairn Consulting for the RVIA.

“The allure of the open road and the freedom of RV travel continues to resonate with travelers of all ages,” said RVIA President and CEO Craig Kirby. “The fact that RVing has surpassed traditional rental properties for Labor Day weekend underscores the unique experiences and flexibility that RVing provides.”

Millennials and Gen Z are driving the surge in RV popularity. RVIA noted that 33 percent of Millennial leisure travelers expressed a desire to take an RV trip in the coming year, with 32 percent considering purchasing an RV. Gen Z isn’t far behind, emerging as the most active travelers interested in food tourism and music festivals. Read the July 2024 RV shipments report with towables jumping nearly 22 percent year-over-year.

The survey report said that key motivators for fall RVing among leisure travelers include:

  • escaping the daily grind (52 percent),
  • enjoying destinations at their peak in the fall (48 percent),
  • seeking less crowded experiences (47 percent), and
  • embracing favorable weather (43 percent).

The love of road trips, visiting family, exploring the outdoors, and traveling in comfort also resonates across all generations,” RVIA said in a media release.

RVIA said the survey found that Millennials and Boomers favor RVing in the Fall for the unique experiences the season offers, while Gen X seeks to escape the busyness of everyday life. Gen Z elects to RV for the pleasant fall weather.

According to the report’s data, tailgating also remains a strong fall tradition, with 3.5 million people planning to engage in the activity this year. RVing at festivals leads the tailgating scene (59 percent), closely followed by college football (58 percent), professional football (57 percent), and concerts (54 percent).

“While younger generations are more likely to tailgate overall, older generations maintain their enthusiasm for tailgating at high-level football games and concerts, RVIA concluded.

Methodology
Commissioned by RVIA and conducted by Cairn Consulting, 1,707 surveys were completed by a statistically balanced cross-section of U.S. leisure travelers. The survey results have an associated margin of error of +/- 2.74 percentage points. Leisure travelers are defined as any U.S. residents who have taken a leisure trip in the past 12 months.

Data/Infographic courtesy RVIA