Demand outstripping supply for local RV dealers
Campground owners not sure how upcoming camping season will shape up
SUMMERSIDE — Despite COVID-19 throwing a wrench into the plans of many travellers, there are now more aspiring RV owners than ever before, with record sales reported across North America.
However, local RV dealers are feeling a pinch as high sales demands have translated to supply chain issues worldwide. It means a long wait for a house on wheels for buyers and potentially lost sales for dealerships.
Andrew Brown owns and manages Pine Acres RV in Kensington alongside two dealerships in New Brunswick and another in Nova Scotia. Brown said meeting demand for RV sales for the upcoming camping season has been a challenge.
“The interest is there this year — we just can’t get the inventory,” said Brown.
It doesn’t necessarily mean the RVs aren’t being built by manufacturers, Brown said. Instead, supply chain issues have prevented necessary parts from getting to mobile home manufacturers.
“There’s fields and fields of RVs without a couch or an air conditioner — it’s a huge, huge shortage this year,” Brown said. “It just takes one item for an RV to not come off the line.”
RVs need a lot of parts to manufacture, Brown said. Global shortages in microchips, thanks to more people buying electronics to work from home, or manufacturing plants shuttering because of COVID outbreaks, have led to less supply.
“It could be something as simple as a missing couch,” Brown said about the delays.
Meanwhile, more people want to buy RVs as a safe method of domestic travel during the pandemic.
“The demand for everything around the globe is so high — everyone is suffering right now.”
RV sales could mean longterm gain for campgrounds.
All of the new RV owners need to camp somewhere. The high demand for RVs would typically be welcome news for local campground owners, especially those that cater to tourists from the U.S.
However, there’s little expectation of seeing many American travellers this summer. Paired with the uncertainty surrounding the Atlantic bubble, some owners aren’t sure what to expect from the upcoming camping season.
“There’s so much that’s dependent on travel restrictions,” said Borden/Summerside KOA campground owner Barry King.
King added that with Atlantic travel restrictions lifted, he would expect the same level of camping interest as last season, which was admittedly slower than previous years.
King said there was increased interest from local campers which, along with a small drop of government tourism assistance, helped push through the lean season.
Darren Cousins, owner of Twin Shores Campground in Darnley, said he also saw a drop in the number of campers last year. He agreed that it was difficult to have any expectations about an uncertain camping season.
He said he also felt the squeeze. But, as a destination campground, he was probably slightly less affected than campgrounds which would appeal to touring travellers.
“We were down,” said Cousins. “Maybe not as much as some places ... I feel really bad for places that were down more than we were.”
However, the increase in RV sales may be a sign of bright times on the horizon. It could mean many new RV owners will want to travel to try out their new camping rigs.
King said he has worked to upgrade sites for what he anticipates will be a boom in post-pandemic RV camping traffic.
“It will be short-term pain, but for long-term gain,” he said. “We’re really gearing ourselves up to appeal to that RV traveller.”
Cousins has similar expectations for future camping seasons.
“There’s a lot of new people trying out camping,” said Cousins. “It should bode well for us into the future.”
SHIFTING GEARS
Meanwhile, while local customers may have difficulty getting their hands on a shiny new mobile home, Brown said he’s shifted business slightly to gear toward people who are already RV owners.
“We’re booking more outside customers in for repairs and stuff that we normally wouldn’t have time for,” said Brown. “Mechanical maintenance, and of course we sell parts, accessories and general repairs. We also have wholesale parts ... it will be a good year for that.”
Brown allowed that some people are disappointed when they come in looking for their dream RV and the stock isn’t available. But, for the most part, people are understanding.
“We are trying to get everyone looked after that wants one, but it is proving to be difficult this year,” he said. “Hopefully by this time next year, the supply chain will have caught up to manufacturers.”