Although the Fort Wayne RV & Camping Show in Indiana this past weekend (Jan. 29 to Feb. 1) did not break attendance records, the results were still encouraging, potentially signaling a busy selling season ahead.
“Our attendance was off a little bit — perhaps due to the cold, cold weather — but it was a very enthusiastic crowd, a very educated crowd,” said Matt Rose, associate executive director of the Indiana Manufactured Housing Association-Recreation Vehicle Indiana Council (IMHA/RVIA).
Fort Wayne is the association’s third and final retail show of the season.
According to Rose, dealers reported that mid-sized, family-oriented travel trailers and a range of larger fifth-wheels were the best-selling RVs. At the same time, smaller single-axle RVs did not perform as well as anticipated.
“On Thursday and Friday, people came out of the gate eager to buy and clear about what they wanted. We had sales popping within the first hour of the show on Thursday, which is quite unusual. Additionally, we noticed a lot of return visitors on Sunday, and Sunday’s attendance was up compared to last year. We finished on a high note, which is always encouraging,” Rose told Woodall’s Campground Magazine.
Rick Sullivan, the owner of Sullivan RV Supercenter in Decatur, Ind., agreed.
“Sales for us at the show increased by approximately 25% compared to last year, which is encouraging,” Sullivan stated. “The mid-sized trailers attracted the most attention. While we did sell a few smaller trailers, the larger models generated the greatest interest.”
As for who the buyers were, Sullivan said he saw fewer first-timers and more individuals who had previously owned trailers and sold them over the past few years are now looking to reenter the market.
Although Sullivan is optimistic about the upcoming season, he expressed some reservations. “I’m hearing a lot of concerns from my customers. Too often, when it comes time to sign a deal, we hear them say they want to wait and see what happens with Washington, prices, and the uncertainty. All of this affects us, affects my customers, which makes it harder to plan.”
Sullivan has been in the RV business since 1996 and has experienced the ups and downs. He is confident that his dealership will continue to thrive by adapting to market demands.
Other exhibiting dealers included:
- Barton Lake RV
- Blue Compass of Fort Wayne
- Coplen’s Coleman Camper Center
- Suncoast Trailer Sales
- Wana RV Center
- Zoomers RV of Indiana
