At the 13th annual RV Industry Power Breakfast, held Thursday at the RV/MH Hall of Fame and Northern Indiana Event Center in Elkhart, industry leaders acknowledged economic uncertainty but emphasized ongoing growth and resilience.
According to an article by The Elkhart Truth, Ind. Rick Kessler, publisher of RVBusiness Magazine, opened the event by acknowledging that the second quarter has brought new challenges, including global tariffs, shifting consumer confidence, and negative media narratives.
Yet, early 2025 numbers tell a different story—RV wholesale shipments surged by nearly 14% in Q1, and 11 million new households embraced camping in 2024.
Indiana Governor Mike Braun, economist Peter Morici, and several federal legislators—Senators Jim Banks and Todd Young, and Representative Rudy Yakym—offered support and insight through both in-person and virtual remarks.
Elkhart Mayor Rod Roberson called attention to the industry’s adaptability and drew applause for the impressive turnout of nearly 1,300 attendees, signaling renewed energy in the sector.
RV Dealers Association Chairman Larry Trout III echoed the sentiment, noting a longstanding spirit of endurance among dealers and stakeholders. “Despite the current challenges, long-term optimism is growing,” Trout said.
He shared that the RV industry now supports over 60,000 U.S. jobs across nearly 3,000 dealerships, contributing an annual payroll exceeding $4.3 billion.
Jessica Wahl Turner, president of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, highlighted that outdoor recreation now represents a $1.2 trillion market—roughly 2.3% of the national GDP—making it economically larger than utilities, mining, or oil and gas.
Spartan RV Chassis’s Adam Aukerman spoke personally, reflecting on the industry’s family-centered impact and future promise. “It’s amazing to get a sense of the scale of this industry… everything we do on a day-to-day basis enables families to have more quality time together.”
The discussion holds strategic importance for the RV industry. Rising consumer engagement, economic impact, and a groundswell of institutional optimism suggest that even in uncertain economic conditions, the RV sector is not just surviving—but actively expanding.