From RV D@aily Report:
RVIA: Gas prices won’t impact RVing until it hits $10
By Greg Gerber @ 12:41 PM
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Quoting a spokesman for the RV Industry Association, the South Bend Tribune reported yesterday that high gasoline prices don’t diminish the economic advantage RVing has to offer until the price reaches $10 per gallon.
“The fuel prices don’t really impact RV sales quite the way a lot of people might think,” Kevin Broom, director of media relations for the RVIA, told the South Bend Tribune. “Part of it is there’s so much savings already built into RVs that stay when fuel prices rise.”
Broom noted that San Francisco-based PKF Consulting conducted research on behalf of RVIA and concluded that fuel prices would have to get to nearly $10 a gallon before the most expensive RV — a Type C Motorhome — would lose its economic advantage, the Tribune reported.
To read the full story in the South Bend Tribune, click here.
In response, Bob Zagami a long time Editorial Contributor and RV Industry Professional shares these thoughts with us:
Wednesday, March 07, 2012 3:07 PM
What an unbelievable statement to make when people can’t find work, the country is head over heels in debt, and RVIA doesn’t think that gas at $10 a gallon is going to impact consumers RVing habits or further erode RV sales? There must be a full moon rising over Reston.
Even a consumer with a million dollar Prevost is going to choke when his/her 300 gallon tank takes $3000 out of there wallet. The impact and consequences are even greater with the average RVer who truly wants to enjoy their trailer or motorhome, but if they think $10 a gallon is not going to bother them, then it just tells me that the folks at RVIA have never been in a campground and have no idea how this statement will be ridiculed around the country.
I just can’t imagine this industry association making a statement like this when gas at $10 a gallon could wipe out half their membership of manufacturers. While they (RVIA) are vacationing in Palm Springs – far away from reality – maybe they should take a vote and see how many of their members agree with a statement like this being provided to the press. Is this how they are handling public relations and communications in-house these days?
This is truly an unbelievable statement to make given the state of the economy today? Do they think people are standing around the water cooler telling their friends they are not worried about $5 a gallon gas and can’t wait for it to get to $10 and they still won’t change their camping or RVing habits?
It does not take an MIT genus to understand that RVers will travel less, more used units will be dumped on the market, and new unit sales will plummet.
I agree with Bob’s comments and if you want to add to the Blog please feel free to do so …..
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