As part of RVs Move America week, the RV Industry Association in Washington, D.C., presented a comprehensive, state-by-state look at the industry’s economic impact.
There is a fundamental change happening in the way Americans travel, work, and live. More and more people are choosing RVs as their preferred option for travel as they prioritize spending time in the great outdoors and embracing the freedom that comes with RVing.
Just how much the RV industry has grown is captured in the new RVs Move America Economic Impact Study, produced by the RV Industry Association. The study revealed that the RV industry has an overall annual economic impact to the U.S. economy of $140 billion, supporting nearly 680,000 jobs, and paying more than $48 billion in wages. This is a 23% increase in economic output in the past three years.
“More Americans than ever before have discovered RVing and the incredible physical and mental health benefits that come from living an active outdoor lifestyle,” said RV Industry Association President & CEO Craig Kirby. “The American-made RV industry is an essential part of the American economy that supports $140 billion in economic output and hundreds of thousands of well-paying jobs.”
The $140 billion total annual RV industry economic impact includes:
- $73.7 billion generated by RV manufacturers and suppliers
- $35.7 billion by RV campgrounds and related travel
- $30.5 billion by RV sales and service activities
In addition to the economic impact, the RV industry pay $13.6 billion in federal, state, and local taxes.
“Every resident in America benefits from the substantial tax revenue brought in by the RV industry,” continued Kirby. “Taxes that fund roads, bridges, education, and the parks and recreation areas our customers visit.”
The 65 million Americans who plan to go RVing this year contribute not only generally to the U.S. economy, but to the entire outdoor recreation economy, which according to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis represents 1.8 percent of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product. Camping and hiking, and even boating and fishing, are often not just activities in themselves, but start and end with a destination reached in an RV.
The RVs Move America Economic Impact Study includes all companies involved in the manufacture, sale, rental, repair, storage, and service of RVs, as well as in the aftermarket industry, financing, and insurance of RV purchases. The economic impact of campgrounds and trip spending during RV travel is also captured in the report.
The link above can take you to an interactive map with detailed information about the economic contributions generated by the U.S. recreation vehicle industry in each state and congressional district.
