RVs are back on the road

As countries across the globe lift restrictions and life slowly goes back to normal, people who have been cooped up for months are bustling to explore the great outdoors. But as they plan their getaways, they have to be cognizant of the fact that the virus threat has still not abated- there are new hotspots developing everywhere and avoiding contact with others is as important as ever. And as such, it’s best to avoid air travel, hotels, and crowded spaces. Bearing this in mind, millions are now turning to Recreational Vehicles a.k.a. RVs.

RVs give people access to private accommodation inclusive of basic necessities, while affording them the opportunity to go out of town with their loved ones. Like Jon Gray, the chief executive of RVshare says, “When you rent an R.V., you’re getting a rental car, hotel and more direct access to where you want to go.”

According to Craig Kirby, president of the RV Industry Association, 13% of Americans plan to rent an RV in the next 12 months.

In line with this, Google searches for keywords such as RV rentals, and companies like RVShare, Outdoorsy and Yescapa, have steadily increased between April and July.

Also, between April and June, website traffic for rental firms like RVShare, Outdoorsy, Campanda, Yescapa, ApolloRV and Motorhome republic has gone up by a whopping 283%, 474%, 264%, 1627%, 107% and 227% respectively.

And there’s a similar interest for camping grounds. Between April and June, BookYourSite and Roverpass have seen an 112% and 68% increase in their website visits respectively.

What’s more, all this is not just idle curiosity- there has been a massive spike in actual RV sales and rentals lately. Outdoorsy’s bookings have grown by an astounding 2,645% in April and May- where 88% of May’s customers were first-timers. RVShare, too, has reported a 1,600% spike in its bookings since April.

Outdoorsy has rehired its furloughed employees, as well as added new team members to manage the surge in demand. The company is also leveraging technology to shift to an all-digital insurance claims process, in order to avoid physical contact with customers.

Overall, RVs seemed well poised to traverse the new roads that have opened up for them, and this space is definitely one to watch.