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Writer's pictureLandan Dory

The Covid Boost is Over for RV Park Owners


The last few years have been a boon for RV park owners, thanks largely to the COVID-19 pandemic. With lockdowns and remote work arrangements, RV travel saw unprecedented growth as people sought safe, socially distanced getaways. For many parks, 2020 and 2021 brought record occupancies and revenues. However, as pandemic restrictions ease, the RV industry is feeling the comedown from the COVID boost.


During the pandemic, RV sales and rentals skyrocketed as people invested in recreational vehicles to escape while working remotely. With hotels, resorts, and public campgrounds closed, private RV parks absorbed huge demand, often booking completely full months in advance. Holidays like July 4th brought an influx of visitors when COVID rules lifted.


This RV renaissance wasn't driven solely by retirees either. Millennials and younger workers with newfound flexibility were a significant force, taking advantage of the ability to work from anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection. With gas prices low, RVing became an attractive pandemic pastime.


For park owners, the result was expanded capacity, renovations, and upgrades to accommodate the crowds. Many added amenities to stand out in an increasingly competitive market. Developers seized the moment as well, jumping on the RV trend to build ambitious new luxury parks around the country, especially in popular RV destinations like Texas.


However, with COVID in the rearview, demand has cooled from its peak while supply continues growing. Parks completed during the pandemic are now coming online just as RV travel returns to normal pre-COVID levels. For owners, the takeaway is clear - the pandemic party is over.


In fact, recent data shows RV park sales slowing down in 2022 as interest rates rise and inflation cuts into profits. This emerging trend highlights the key challenge owners now face - mitigating the slowdown and maintaining financially healthy businesses post-COVID.


To thrive in the post-COVID era, park owners will need to focus on filling spaces through marketing, special offers, and delivering the best possible guest experience. With more competition, investing in improvements and activities that set a property apart will be key. Parks can no longer rely on red-hot demand to carry them.


The COVID boost provided a windfall, but also inflated expectations. astute owners will adapt to the realities of today’s RV market, finding ways to attract RVers in a normalized post-pandemic landscape. The COVID boom brought opportunities, and parks that capitalize on them will prosper even as the boom fades into memory.


About the Author: Landan Dory is an Investment sales broker in Texas specializing in the sale of RV Parks and 1031 exchanges. He has personally met with or been on-site with 200+ RV Park owners in 2023 alone. He and his seven-person investment sales team take a highly data-driven approach to RV Park sales and currently track key metrics like total number of rentable spaces, rental rates, occupancy rates, build-years, sale history, and 50+ other key analytics for over 3,800 RV Parks in Texas alone. His team's expertise in the field has consistently yielded above-market prices for properties that he exclusively lists and sells as well as access to more off-market parks for buyers.

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