RVs are in high demand across the state as Utahns discover new ways to get out of town without using airports and hotels.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people aren’t staying in hotels or taking flights like they normally would, but they still want to travel. Traveling in an RV is growing ever-more popular among Americans because it is a socially distant way to travel and enjoy the outdoors.
Local RV retailers and manufacturers have noticed an increase in their sales as demand has gone up during recent months.
“There is a shortage of RVs nationwide, so when buyers find something they like they jump on it because there is not a lot of inventory available,” said office manager Holly Anderson from Quality RV Center in Springville. “The pandemic made the manufacturers delayed in their manufacturing process so incoming inventory is very slim so that makes the market very hot for RVs right now.”
National and state parks have also seen an increase in campers traveling in RVs.
“The RV scene has picked up and what is most interesting to me is that historically the rental RVs were usually driven by Europeans almost exclusively, but now we are seeing American families rent them and drive them around the park, so that is a change that has happened just this year,” said Goblin Valley State Park manager James Wells.
Many Americans are working remotely, so they can live and travel in the RV while still maintaining their desk job. State and national parks in Utah have also witnessed Americans fleeing from dense urban and lockdown areas for the outdoors.
“State parks and national parks across the United States saw huge increases in visitors this year and they suspected it was due to the pandemic,” said Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park volunteer Patti Barney.
Barney also said she sees more and more guests who live in their RV full-time, including single people, retirees and everyone in between.
“I think there are more people choosing RV-ing as a way of life just because of the freedom and flexibility it offers to people and the adventure and the fun of life and the things they can learn along the way,” she said.
