RV sales see boost amid search for different vacation possibilities

BOSTON — RV sales have soared as people look for alternative vacation options.

"So certainly some new people there. Re-entry, some people with older rigs, who want to either upgrade them and get them up and running again. So we've been stretched a little bit and feeling pretty fortunate that we're able to stay open," explained Bradford Moore of Bradford RV Center in Brockton.

People not wanting to fly or be around large crowds are looking to make the investment. A self-contained, one-axle trailer that you hitch to your own car can start at $12,000. There are RVs with all the bells and whistles, which can see a price tag as high as six-digits.

​"There's a lot of older interest that people have, trailers that [they] may not have been using them for whatever reason. People go through stages, kids, college and so forth, and they're digging them out of their backyards [and] getting them in for service. Get them up and going, they want to get back out there," Moore said.

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RV manufacturing took a hit during the pandemic. According to the RV Industry Association, in April 2019, more than 40,000 RVs were shipped out in one month. This April, that number dropped drastically to just over 7,000 as factories shut down nationwide.

For area retailers, they did not find themselves in a bind as buying season started before stay-at-home hit across the country.

"Because we had our inventory from our fall buying, we had buying opportunities from the manufacturers and quickly. The reason they do sell us and load us up in the fall is so they can keep their staff working at full speed and not have to lay off," explained Moore.

With a phased-in restart to the economy, RVs are ready to roll once again in time for the summer season. And it's having a ripple effect on the industry.

At Normandy Farms Camping Resort in Foxboro, Monday marked its reopening as part of Phase 1.

"So initially, we were getting quite a few cancellations cause folks were concerned about environment and what precautions were being taken," explained Kristine Daniels, the owner of Normandy Farms. "We're now seeing quite an uptick in reservations.

"We're seeing for the next couple of weeks, 75% occupancy. And then the next two weekends, up about 90-95% occupancy."

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As with any business that has reopened, it comes with changes. Certain areas are off-limits, like playgrounds and pools, but with 100 acres of space, there’s plenty of other options such as a stocked pond for fishing, an RC car area, hiking and biking trails, and even a spot for four-legged friends.

Social distancing won't be a problem for the state requirement of 20 feet between each RV.​

"Also, to make sure people aren't gathering, we're limiting folks from groups of any more than 10," Daniels said.

Campground owners are expecting additional relaxed rules on camping as the Commonwealth enters Phase 2 in June.

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