Media focuses on family-friendly RVing
RVIA Press Release
Just as consumers begin to plan their summer getaways, the media has turned its attention to RVing as both an affordable and surprisingly “green” family vacation option.

Environmentalist and full-time RVer Brian Brawdy was the subject of “On the Road, Off the Grid,” an April 15 story in the Chicago Sun-Times that focused on Brawdy’s commitment to adventure and environmentally-friendly RVing. Echoing the sentiments of thousands of Americans who love RVing, Brawdy told the Sun-Times reporter, “Some of the greatest moments in science, the classics -- they come when man is alone in nature," he said. "And there's something about waking up in a different place every morning ... it's something I just can't shake. It's addictive."

The Chicago Tribune also reported positively on RVing this month with “Resort Campgrounds Grabbing Bigger Share of Vacation Dollars,” highlighting the continued popularity of resort campgrounds among family vacationers looking to “save a buck without sacrificing comfort and fun.” The article noted many of the family-friendly amenities offered by campgrounds and reported that while hotel reservations are currently down significantly, resort campgrounds are expecting a spike in reservations this year.

In a segment titled “Go RVing and Go Green” on the popular Fox and Friends morning show April 18, RVIA President Richard Coon touted the RV industry’s innovations in creating fuel efficient, environmentally friendly RVs.

The Fox and Friends segment, secured through the efforts of RVIA’s public relations team, featured Forest River’s R-Pod ultra-light travel trailer and Damon’s Avanti type A motorhome as examples of the industry’s latest innovations. As the camera panned the units’ features, Coon discussed the affordable amenities offered by both models, saying about the towable, “This unit is smaller, lighter, but it’s compact –and has everything in it.” He pointed out that ultra-light travel trailers like this are small enough to be hauled by the new crossover SUVs or even a minivan. About the motorhome Coon said, “It’s one of the new, high efficiency, eco-friendly diesels. I have a Suburban that I drive that gets somewhere between fourteen, fifteen, sixteen miles per gallon – and this gets the same.”

The Miami Herald’s Lisa Sidmunsun highlighted RVing as one out-of-the-ordinary vacation option for Baby Boomers, saying, “For all those “easy riders” who long to roam — but want a little comfort when they do — renting a recreational vehicle (or RV) is a great way to go. Not only are they economical — RV vacations average 27 to 61 percent less than other types of getaways, gas included — they tend to be less stressful because you don’t have to stick to a rigid schedule, or worry about things like packing and unpacking, or rushing to catch a flight.”

RVIA Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Gary LaBella said, “RVIA’s public relations team is working hard to ensure that RVing is touted by the media this spring as the family-friendly, affordable, and green-friendly vacation our industry knows it to be. Especially in the current economic environment, RVing has never been a better deal for families looking for adventure.”