Business View Magazine | January 2021

128 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE JANUARY 2021 percent of the purchases are from first-time buyers; the majority under age 45. That was the fastest growing segment prior to the pandemic and it has continued to increase. Kirby reflects, “That bodes well for excellent growth for the industry because once people get an opportunity to try RVing, we believe they’ll be hooked on the lifestyle and will remain in the industry. From that perspective, we’re excited to have so many first-time buyers.” A recent survey from the association also showed that Millennials have the strongest RV purchase intent, followed closely by Gen X and Gen Z. The association now has fewer members than in recent years, as a result of consolidation at the supplier and the manufacturer level. Currently, three manufacturers make up approximately 90 percent of the total RV production. To best serve its members, the association puts a strong focus on its signature programs. Go RVing, the association’s advertising campaign attracts new consumers to RVing and conducts consumer research and insights. The Standards program maintains and contributes to the creation of industry safety standards. As part of that initiative, inspectors go out once every eight weeks, unannounced, and audit compliance to these standards while also providing education on how to comply with the latest standards. And they will cite manufacturers that are not in compliance. The RV Industry Association also advocates at the state and federal level on issues that will impact the industry through the association’s Government Affairs program. They played a significant role, along with industry partners in the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, in getting the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) passed last summer. GAOA secured $9.5 billion in funding for national parks and other federal lands, some of which will be used to modernize and enhance campgrounds, in addition to many other infrastructure improvements. That Act is the most important piece of legislature in six decades for outdoor recreation and our federal Courtesy of Go RVing