As St. Louisans dug themselves out from days of ice and snow Saturday, some found respite downtown dreaming of warmer days ahead in new travel trailers, fifth wheels and toy haulers.
This weekend’s STL RV Travel Show jammed the America’s Center with hundreds of the latest RVs on the market amid booming demand for living life on the road. The three-day trade show, now in its 44th year, lured thousands looking to buy, upgrade or just peruse what’s possible when it comes to camping, glamping and seeing America on their own terms.
Despite COVID-era labor, material and supply shortages, the RV industry in North America is thriving. The RV Industry Association said last month that it expected wholesale RV shipments to hit a record 602,200 units last year, a 40 percent increase over 2020 and nearly 20 percent more than a record set in 2017.
The reasons behind the RV craze vary but many said the allure is primarily the freedom of traveling the country without flying, staying at hotels or eating at restaurants.
“You get to sleep in your own bed and use your own kitchen,” said Mary Beth Poorman of Holiday Shores, Ill. “There’s a lot of benefits.”
Click here to read the full story from Joel Currier in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.