More Thanksgiving travelers expected to hit the road in RVs this year

ELKHART COUNTY, Ind. -- Over 39 million Americans are expected to hit the road this Thanksgiving and of that 11 million will be traveling in an RV.

That is 6 percent more than last year, according to the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association.

Folks in the RV industry said it is a sign people are more financially stable and more confident in today's economy.

This holiday season Pam and Jerry Cozort will be traveling in their brand new RV. The couple hit retirement and decided to make some major changes, so they traded in a neighborhood for a campground.

"All of a sudden the house was gone, our stuff was gone and we were seating in a motor home," said Jerry.

"Once we sold the house, we haven't looked back," said Pam.

Now, the couple calls a spacious 500-square-foot RV home. The Cozort's will be joining the 11 million RV owners hitting the road this Thanksgiving.

RVIA spokesperson Kevin Broom said the number of travelers using an RV is up from last year, "About a million more people will be out on the road. Now that is not to surprising when you think about the numbers. There's about 22 to 23 million RV owners in the country. So, it is a nice uptick."

The couple said the choice was easy. Traveling by RV allows them to bypass busy airports and save money on food and hotel costs. 

Still, the Cozort's said there is an even better perk to traveling this way. "You have your own dishes, you have bathroom and bed and bedding. So, there definitely is a comfort level there," said Pam.

Broom said that more and more people are making the switch to RVs now that the economy is growing and people are feeling more comfortable spending money.

However, he said for those still looking to cut travel costs, this can be a good way to go.

"It's a really convenient, comfortable, flexible way to travel. Especially with the newer RVs that have more aerodynamic trailers, the fuel economy is better," said Broom.

RVIA said a family of four will save anywhere between 23-59 percent traveling by RV, while a couple can expect to save up to 46 percent during their travels this holiday season.