SPOKANE, Wash. — Buying RVs was just another hobby to come out of the pandemic. Since 2020, RV sales have seen extreme growth. The RV Industry Association said RV shipments in 2021 and 2022 would exceed 600,000 for both years.
The National RV Show returned to Spokane this year after cancelling due to COVID.
Organizers said even though they were able to host the show this year, there are still some COVID-related restrictions in place.
"We can only allow about a thousand people in a day," National RV Show organizer Dan Arrotta said.
Arrotta also said COVID-influenced supply chain issues affected what inventory they could bring to the show.
Of the 120 RVs are parked in the Spokane Convention Center, Arrotta said about a third were used vehicles.
"Typically, we'll have all new RVs for sale, but manufacturers aren't getting all the parts they need so a good portion of the vehicles we have here are used," Arrotta said.
But a used RV was exactly what RV owner Donald Bell was looking for.
"We've had our current RV for a little less than a year but now we're considering an upgrade within budget," Bell said.
Bell said for a while, RVs were hard to find, mentioning how many people joined the RV community since the pandemic.
"There are a lot of folks getting into it because of the pandemic," Bell said. "People don't have to get hotel rooms, there's more freedom to come and go as you please, there are a lot of positives."
Arrotta said pre-pandemic to now, he has seen RV sales increase about 30%. He said it's because everybody can find something they love in an RV.
The National RV Show will be at the Spokane Convention Center through Monday.
Thursday, Jan. 20, the Spokane Fairgrounds will host the Inland Northwest RV Show until Sunday, Jan. 23.