Despite some decline in numbers compared to 2021, the RV Industry Association (RVIA) predicted that 2022 would still be a ‘top five year’ in terms of wholesale RV shipments.
As it turns out, their prediction was accurate, as the final monthly survey of manufacturers in the USA confirmed that 493,268 RVs were shipped in 2022. This made it the third-best year on record for RV shipments, according to a report by Camping Trade World.
RVIA President and CEO Craig Kirby acknowledged that while shipment numbers did normalize in the second half of the year, the RV industry continued to post strong numbers through the first half of 2022.
“Our industry builds a product that allows people to prioritize not only spending time with family and friends but also experiencing the many physical and mental health benefits of being in the great outdoors,” he said.
The 2022 figure was 17.8% lower than the all-time record of 600,240. Within that, towables were down 20.1%, motorhomes were up 3.9%, and park model RVs were up 20.4%.
Despite the decline, Kirby remained optimistic about the long-term future of the RV industry, citing an influx of younger and more diverse buyers in recent years.
“With so many younger and more diverse buyers flocking to RV travel in the past few years, the long-term future of the RV industry remains bright,” he said.