RV Sales Numbers Bode Well For Nation's Economic Recovery

   Officials at Chicago RV Show Note Industry Often Leads National Upswing

    ROSEMONT, Ill., Jan. 23 The RV industry, long considered a
bellwether of economic trends, is seeing robust sales gains despite the nation
being slow to pull out of recession -- and the future looks extremely bright
-- according to officials preparing for next week's Chicago RV, Camping & Van
Show at the Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont.
    "Many of the 40 dealers we have exhibiting from Northern Illinois say they
had a very good fall season and that their winter numbers have been strong,"
said Keith Mistrik, Executive Director of the Chicago RV Show, which begins
Jan. 29.  "Historically, the national economy has usually followed upturns in
RV sales by six months."
    Nationally, the news is even better.  RV Business magazine reports that
shipments of RVs are expected to increase by five percent over 2002 levels.
This is on top of travel trailer and fifth-wheel trailer sales in 2002 being
the highest they've been since the 1970s.  Motorhome sales numbers for the
first 11 months of 2002 were up more than 12 percent over 2001.
    The future looks favorable as well.  The Recreation Vehicle Industry
Association, the leading industry group, points out that a 2001 University of
Michigan study found that among all U.S. households, one in six intend to
purchase an RV in the future.  Demographic trends also favor substantial RV
market growth.  As baby boomers enter their prime RV buying years over the
next decade, the number of RV-owning households is projected to rise to nearly
8 million in 2010 -- a gain of 15 percent, outpacing overall U.S. household
growth of 10 percent.
    Mistrik also said that the current economic and air travel situations
should produce big crowds at the Chicago show, which runs through Sun., Feb.
2.
    The Chicago RV Show has expanded for 2003 to include more than 200 boats,
from sport boats up to 36-ft. yachts.  "We're truly a family vacation shopping
paradise," Mistrik said.  "There will be nearly 600 new RVs on display and a
couple of hundred boats from the Chicagoland Boat Show, which we're running
concurrently with the RV Show.  People can attend both shows for just one low
admission price."
    Some 30,000 people are expected to attend over the show's five-day run.