The Valley RV & Camping Show is set to run this weekend at Century Center in South Bend, Ind.
So far, it appears attendance is about the same this year at the Indy RV Expo, which got underway last weekend at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and will continue through the weekend, said Matt Rose, RV director for the Indiana Manufactured Housing Association, RV Indiana Council.
This story by Ed Semmler originally appeared in the South Bend Tribune.
Strong attendance is expected at the Valley RV show that runs Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at Century Center, said Rose, adding that the event typically draws well over 3,000 visitors.
The RV industry has reported declining factory shipments for four consecutive months through the end of November, but at the same time, dealers have reported completed sales remain slightly ahead of the blistering pace set in 2018.
The latest figures released Wednesday by Grand Rapids-based Statistical Surveys indicated sales of towable RVs remain 4.1 percent ahead of 2017 through the first 11 months of 2018.
After eight consecutive years of skyrocketing growth, Rose said, dealers became accustomed to ordering ahead because of the backlog of orders at RV factories. RV sales are still strong, but they’re now to the point where manufacturers are having an easier time keeping up with demand, he explained.
The show featured 84 brand new units and dealers at the 2019 show include: International RV of Elkhart, Indiana RV Connection of Middlebury, Wana RV Center of Shipshewana, Total Value RV of Elkhart, Goshen RV Supercenter and Moore Custom Trailers of Nappanee.
Tickets are $8 for adults and kids 15 and younger free.
