16 Million Americans Plan to Go RVing over Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day of Love

Of the 95 million leisure travelers in the U.S. planning to travel over Labor Day weekend, 16 million intend to do so in an RV, according to a survey conducted by the Cairn Consulting for the RV Industry Association. And while summer is most often thought of as peak time to RV, over 19% of leisure travelers intend to stay in an RV sometime during the fall – an increase over the 14% who planned to stay in an RV this summer.

RV Labor Day

“Fall typically means back to school for many, but for 38 million Americans it also means RVing as they plan to hit the road and experience RVing over the next few months,” said RV Industry Association President & CEO Craig Kirby. “Because RVing is an affordable way to spend quality time with family and friends, interest is particularly high among Millennial travelers, 40% of whom say they will definitely take an RV trip this fall.”

Sixteen million U.S. residents plan to go RVing this Labor Day weekend, a significant increase over the 12 million who intended to travel during Memorial Day weekend. Among the top reasons cited for fall RV travel are cooler weather, better outdoor recreation opportunities, fewer bugs and pests, Halloween celebrations at campgrounds, and fall foliage tours.

Work flexibility continues to be a major driver of RV travel with 19% of leisure travelers working from the road last year and 29% considering doing so over the next year. The highest interest in working from an RV is among Millennial travelers, 59% of whom plan to work from an RV in the coming year. Over a third of Gen Z and Gen X travelers also plan to work from an RV in the next year.

“Not only are more diverse and younger travelers gravitating toward RVs, but existing RV owners are also hitting the road with their units more often,” said Kirby. “And with people wanting to avoid travel hassles and have more control over their vacation costs, RVing will continue to be a top travel choice this fall and well into the future.”

About the RV Industry Association: With offices in Washington, DC and Elkhart, IN, the RV Industry Association is the leading trade voice of the $140 billion dollar RV industry, representing over 500 RV companies, including manufacturers and component part suppliers who together produce 98 percent of all RVs made in the United States, and approximately 60 percent of RVs produced worldwide.