State, local leaders gather to discuss the future of the RV industry

ELKHART, Ind. - Hundreds of people gathered at the RVMH Hall of Fame Museum in Elkhart Thursday for the annual RV Power Breakfast.

It was attended by notable figures like Lieutenant Governor of Indiana, Suzanne Crouch, Governor Eric J. Holcomb and the Mayor of Elkhart Rod Roberson. They all gathered to talk about the future of the RV industry.

"It's not just a source of economic benefit to Indiana, but also a source of pride and to think about what the RV industry has faced over the decades, the mayor talked about resiliency, you heard the word dominance," said Governor Eric J. Holcomb.

According to Lt. Gov Suzanne Crouch, the RV industry generates around $34 billion in Elkhart, and even with the fear of economic downturn, Hoosiers still remain positive about the future of the RV industry. 

"That growth that we’ve seen over the 40 plus years, it’s read like an EKG. We had downturns during that period, a lot of times those downturns were out of our control, but as an industry we persevered and seen incredible growth," said James Ashurst, Executive Vice President of the RV Association.

One Hoosier feels that the next generation will keep the RV industry sustained.

"A lot of newcomers into the RV industry that are going to keep it sustained, but the challenge is keeping them excited about them," said Aaron Carpenter, a resident of Osceola.

Even Ashurst noted that the average age of RV buyers has dropped, and was 33 in 2022.

The main message that was echoed throughout the event was that they need to innovate in order to usher in the next generation of RV buyers. 

"The generation that’s buying RVs is much younger, so the challenge is to innovate to have technology, both in the RV experience and campground, that will support the technology that this younger generation is asking for," said Carpenter.