RV owners still getting out despite high gas prices

Despite soaring gas prices everywhere, the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association of Canada says people are still getting out and going camping.

“We’re actually still seeing very high demand. Our campgrounds (nationally and provincially) are very full and the indication is people will still be RV’ing. What we’re seeing is people maybe changing their habits a little bit,” association president Eleonore Hamm said Wednesday.

Hamm suggests camping is still quite popular because it’s still cheaper for families than other vacation options like flying.

“The price of gas is concerning to some consumers, but we’re finding that RV vacations are still affordable in terms of vacation options for families,” she explained.

“What is nice about an RV vacation is it gives you the opportunity and freedom to control your costs.”

Hamm finds people who own RVs are staying closer to home this year to save money on gas. She also suggested some people are parking their trailer for the year in order to save on fuel.

“They don’t have to drive that far. I know your province has a lot of beautiful lakes that they could go to and there’s provincial and municipal campgrounds that could be utilized,” she explained.

Hamm says nationally and provincially, RV sales are still high despite them being down from last year.

“(2021) was the strongest year on record,” she said. “Saskatchewan is down 25 per cent. Nationally we’re down 15 per cent. When you compare, you think it’s a little bit down, but ultimately it is still a very strong year.”

The Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association of Canada says while numbers are down, this is still the second-strongest year for dealerships across the country among the past nine years.