Jayco asked more than 1,000 RV owners and tent campers in the U.S.—as well as a limited number of respondents in Canada—to answer a few questions about their interests and attitudes toward camping and RVing. The results paint a colorful picture—and a roadmap of the making of typical RVers.
Camping sparks a passion
The journey, for nearly 80 percent of survey respondents, starts with making camping memories around crackling bonfires in parks around the country, with nearly two-thirds of current RV owners stating that they camped in a tent during childhood trips outdoors.
Some of their earliest memories include days spent exploring national parks, evenings roasting marshmallows over a campfire and nights spent sleeping in tents during family camping trips.
Life events are the ultimate influencers
Although there are a variety of life events that lead individuals to purchase an RV, more than one-fifth of respondents named children as a driving force in their decision. Outside of children, 24 percent of survey respondents listed retirement as a central motivator for an RV purchase.
So as childhood experiences turn to memories, today’s dedicated RVer wants to re-create the special experiences he or she can recall from youth for their children or grandchildren—sharing and creating generations of new memories for children along the way.
Hitting the road is a priority
Forty-four percent of RV owners take at least five trips per year, with 17 percent taking eight or more. Only 11 percent of non-RV owners can say the same; in fact, 42 percent of non-RV-owner respondents only take one or two trips each year.
Today’s RVing family will pile into their new unit for their first trip—and will go on to take, on average, four more family RV trips that year. It won’t take long for the family to recognize the benefits that come from taking pleasure in the outdoors with all of the comforts of home.
The RV lifestyle is addictive
Repeat ownership in the RV industry is high, with 62 percent of current RVers owning an RV prior to their current unit. Among those likely to purchase another RV, 43 percent of repeat buyers are looking for an upgrade—with an additional 31 percent looking for an RV that is a similar price to their original purchase.
Today’s American RVer will continue to take multiple RV trips each year, always thinking of new destinations to visit. Every trip provides the opportunity to experience the regions they travel through—a big change from flying over vast stretches of the U.S. by plane. Each getaway allows the RVer to break free from the confinements of everyday life, almost as if their unit takes the shape of a mobile tree house—in which the fun stays the same, but the scenery changes along the way.
For nearly 50 years, Jayco has helped make RVing dreams become reality. Are you ready to get in on the fun? Check out the Jayco Difference page here.
