Top RV Trends in 2021
2020 was a pivotal year around the globe (to say the least!), and the RV community certainly experienced many changes as a result. As much as we tend to still covet “the before times,” many of these changes included exciting RV trends that we suspect will endure in 2021 and beyond. Let’s take a look at a few of the top trends that we’re expecting to see in the 2021 RV camping season!
People Are Re-Thinking the Way They Camp
The 2020 pandemic summer led to a boom in RV sales, which led to increased demand for space and overcrowding at many BC campgrounds. With limited options for scoring a traditional campsite, RVers got more creative:
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We saw an increase in more flexible, off-the-grid style camping. British Columbia is vast, and for adventurers who simply needed a little nudge, the lack of traditional camping space pushed them into the Canadian wilderness. We imagine that plenty of these campers don’t plan on heading back to BC campgrounds anytime soon.
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Campers learned to live with less. The pandemic forced many of us to adapt to living with less, and this translated to the RV community as well. Many RV-buyers opted for more compact and mobile units, and took on DIY van conversion projects - trends that we suspect will continue through 2021.
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Folks took up more camping-related hobbies. This was an interesting trend that we probably should have seen it coming! With people spending so much more time in the great outdoors, there was a huge uptick in camping-related hobbies, like nighttime photography, fishing, star and landscape mapping, and even knitting.
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Campers never went home! OK, that’s a slight exaggeration, but the data holds weight. Pre-2020, the average camping period was about 3 days, but that figure skyrocketed to 10 or more days in 2020. Why? More people are working remotely, which affords them a great deal of flexibility when it comes to where they work from. When you ditch the office, you open up a world of possibilities.
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RVs got more high-tech. This feeds off of the point above - if campers are spending longer periods in their RVs, it makes sense that they needed more reliable access to connectivity. RV manufacturers are reimagining what the future of camping might look like, and are designing units that are more high-tech than ever before.
South Thompson RV can help you prepare for your next big RV adventure!
RV Communities Came Together
One of the biggest trends that we witnessed was a surge in RV community support. Sure, the RV community has always been strong, but the influx of inexperienced campers combined with the many challenges facing the BC camping scene gave way to a boom in support and innovation. Hashtags like #RVLife soared on social media platforms, creating a hub of resources for campers. We also saw the rise of Hipcamp, an Airbnb-style of service specifically for RV owners, where private landowners offer space and resources for RVers. Not only did this help solve the space issue facing BC campgrounds, but it also gave travellers an exciting change of scenery.
FIND YOUR NEXT RV AT SOUTH THOMPSON
A lot has changed in the past year, but many of those changes have led to positive impacts in the camping world! We’re excited about the RV trends we’ve seen come out of the pandemic year, and are eager to support our community as they continue through 2021 and beyond! Feel free to browse our inventory of new and used RVs, bookmark the South Thompson RV blog, or contact us to chat more about all things RV!
