Buoyed by seven straight record-breaking months to end the year, the RV industry surpassed 500,000 units in terms of retail sales for the first time since RV retail registration data has been tracked.
Representing a 10.3 percent year-over-year increase, there were 515,819 retail registrations of all RVs – motorized and towable – recorded across North America in 2020, a jump of 53,1563 units compared to the 462,656 units recorded in 2019, according to Statistical Surveys Inc., the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based firm that tracks retail and consumer data for the RV industry.
December was the seventh straight with a record number of retail registrations for that respective month. There were 26,998 units in December 2020 versus 18,805 in the same period last year, a 43.6 percent year-over-year jump.
Thor was the market share leader for all towables in December and all of 2020. It was followed by Forest River and Grand Design RV Co.
In the travel trailer segment for December, there were 16,838 units registered in 2020 versus 11,371 the same month last year, a 48 percent increase. For the year, the segment saw a 17.8 percent increase, going from 278,199 units registered in 2019 to 327,694 registrations in 2020.
Forest River was the market share leader for December and 2020, followed by Thor and Grand Design.
There was a 35% jump in fifth-wheels in December going from 4,121 in 2019 to 5,553 units in 2020. There was a 6.1 percent increase for the year, with 83,753 registrations in 2020 compared to 78,908 in 2019. Thor led the segment’s market share in December and for 2020, trailed by Forest River and Grand Design.
Among camping trailers, there were 335 units registered in December compared to 191 units in 2019, representing a 75 percent increase. For the year, there was a 9.9 percent gain with 8,276 registrations in 2020 versus 7,529 in 2019. Forest River had the top market share for December and 2020, followed by Aliner and Purple Line LLC.
Park model RV sales were flat, going from 173 PMRV registrations in December last year to 175 units this year.
The Class A segment reported a 15 percent increase in December, going from 909 last year to 1,070 this year. However, the segment declined for the year by 9.3 percent.
In the Class C category, there was a 33.3 percent increase in December, going from 1,076 in 2019 to 1,613 in 2020. For all of 2020, Class C’s saw a 4.4 percent gain.
The Class B segment saw a 44.6 percent increase in December, with 667 units registered in the month this year compared to 369 the same period a year ago. For the year, the segment increased 42.7 percent year-over-year.
