Add the 2026 Detroit RV & Camping Show to the growing list of consumer shows marked by good attendance and an appreciable level of sales activity.
Hosted by the Michigan Association of RVs & Campgrounds (MARVAC), the 60th annual Detroit show took place Jan. 28 to Feb. 1 at the Vibe Credit Union Showplace in Novi, Mich. The show featured 385 units on display as well as dozens of campground and supplier vendors.
“It was a great, great show,” said MARVAC President & CEO John Lindley. “Our numbers were up, but even more than the numbers, all the dealers, all the exhibitors, and all the patrons were all — I don’t know how to describe it other than everyone was just very happy with the show.
“Even during the lulls, up and down every aisle, the excitement was palpable,” he added.
Several RV dealers with whom RVBusiness spoke also had nothing but positive reports.
Ben Hopkins, sales director for General RV Center, which has six Michigan-based stores among its 23 nationwide, said he thought the show was “great” and they were mostly pleased with the level of sales activity.
“I thought it was really terrific,” Hopkins said. “I’ve been doing this Novi show for 30 years, and I thought it was like it was 20 years ago. Traffic was excellent, and consumer interest was excellent. They seemed to be really engaged with their conversations.
“Even those consumers who didn’t buy at the show, they were there doing their research — looking at specific floorplans, looking at different models, looking at how they were made. You could tell they will be buying soon after they make their decision,” he added. “All in all, it’s an encouraging sign for the industry.”
Echoing those comments was Doug Collin, president of Price Right RV in Lansing and Sterling Heights, Mich., who said it was “very, very busy.”
“The weekend was great. There was a little bit of a lull on Thursday, but the peak hours over the weekend were very, very busy. It felt like the good old days of the Detroit show,” Collin said.
There didn’t seem to be a specific segment that was selling, he added, saying it was a “pretty good mix of products” that was retailing.
“It was a lot of fun. It was a nice show,” Collin said.
Matt Veurink, general manager of Veurink’s RV Center in Grand Rapids and Newaygo, Mich., said Saturday and Sunday were the two best days for both traffic and sales.
“We were very busy, and we sold a lot of units,” he said. “People were out taking advantage of show pricing, and having interest rates coming back down again certainly helped, too. The buyers were definitely out there.”
The economy seems to be improving — certainly enough that people are back buying RVs, Veurink added.
“We’re now coming off two shows — Grand Rapids was the week before Detroit — with both being really good for us,” he said. “We think it’s going to be a good year.”
