During a pandemic with social distancing rules, it turns out that people are more interested than ever in recreational vehicles.
Yes, RVs, which essentially are rolling self-contained travel bubbles, got very popular in 2020, and it looks like their time in the spotlight is continuing.
"RVs are tailor-made for a socially distanced vacation, and many travelers discovered the appeal of RVs this year," RVshare CEO Jon Gray said in a report in December, as our sister paper Automotive News writes.
While first-time buyers usually make up 25 percent of RV buyers, RVshare's report said that in 2020 they made up 55 percent. Although COVID-19 shutdowns forced RV makers to close for nearly two months, the industry wrapped up 2020 only a tiny bit (0.4 percent) behind sales for 2019.
The interest in RVs is also drawing at least one new player. Electronics company U.S. Lighting just announced it is creating a new business, Cortes Campers, to make fiberglass and carbon fiber composite trailers and campers in Ohio.