TRAVEL TRACKER: Move over RVs…. here comes the S.U.R.V.

RV sales in 2004 exceeded the expectations of even the RV industry's chief forecaster. The industry saw a 15.4% increase ahead of 2003--its best effort since 1978. A December 2004 article in CNN Money reported that the number one search item on eBay that year was "RV."

So what's an SURV? Combine the ruggedness of the SUV (sports utility vehicle) with the comforts of an RV, add a mini-garage or cargo bay and you have yourself one of the newest types of RVs available on the market today - the Sport Utility Recreational Vehicle. According to Ken Sommer, spokesman for the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA), it is the fastest growing segment of the RV market. Shipments of these vehicles in the first 10 months of 2004 showed an increase of 32% over the same period in 2003.

These vehicles have become so popular that SURV sales have surpassed RVs in California and Arizona and ToyHauler magazine is devoted just to chronicling this emerging camp-and-ramp lifestyle.

RVIA states that RV owners are typically married, own a home and have annual incomes of $56,000. SURV owners are younger - in their 30's and 40's, sports-minded and have young children. RVs that were once only affordable to professional racing teams are now readily available to the newest throng of thrill-seekers. And what better way to travel with your whole family in the comfort of your home away from home.

The New York Times states, "These are Nascar dads, soccer moms or whatever other labels may apply to weekend warriors." Don Walter, a chairman of the Go RVing Coalition states, "It's gone from a niche product to mainstream acceptance and is attracting a whole new group of buyers."

Even the RV industry isn't immune to generational changes. To keep up with the times, the RV industry has made strides to accommodate the active lifestyles of Gen Yers and Xers, who participate in extreme sports which include motorcross, snocross, mountain biking, ATVing and snowmobiling, while providing them with the luxury of their own home.

So what does this all have to do with Wisconsin's tourism industry? As you drive Wisconsin's highways, you can't help but notice the number of RVs on our highway system. In a campground study conducted last summer and fall of Wisconsin's campers, 68% of all respondents were RV camping. Eight percent were in their twenties, 20% were in the thirties and 30% were in the forties. The majority of these RVers had children under the age of 18 living at home. For a review of demographics and market research for the RV traveler, refer to the Travel Tracker issue "Wisconsin's RVers." 

In a previous Travel Tracker titled "What Do You Know About Generation Y?" mention was made of the shift in leisure activities between this generation and that of their boomer parents. A key characteristic of this younger generation is their love for risk-taking, which is evident in their leisure activities that include the new "extreme" sports. Our highway system is filled with vehicles pulling ATVs and dirt bikes or cars with mountain bikes perched on top. The number of ATV events increases each year, as do the number of intensive use areas, which are managed and controlled locations for ATV or dirt bike enthusiasts to hone their driving skills. There are 33 mountain bike trails in the state as well as numerous competitions for the biking enthusiast. The American Motorcycle Association (AMA) holds weekly sanctioned races at Wisconsin's motocross tracks, which are scattered throughout the state. Because of the popularity of these extreme sports, the Department is now in the process of populating our database with events and tracks geared to these adventuresome Gen Yers.

As this trend continues, Wisconsin's tourism industry needs to ensure these visitors are invited and their bigger vehicles accommodated. Here are several marketing recommendations:

Have you extended an invitation to them using the type of media they use? 

• How interactive is your Internet site; do you give them a reason to keep using your site? There are many Internet sites that cater to the RV traveler and perhaps there is an opportunity to get your site linked to these other sites.

• Do RV travelers know your area or business can accommodate their big rigs? Clearly marked RV parking places, signage alerting drivers to RV camping areas, or tourists sites with convenient RV parking will go a long way toward attracting this market. 

• An obstacle facing these expensive vehicles is their size and the ability to navigate without hitting tree branches. Simply trimming your trees where these rigs might travel sends a message that you're expecting them and welcoming them to your area. 

• Do you know where the local waste disposal sites are? Although most campgrounds that cater to RVs have a waste disposal site, transient RVs also might need this type of facility. Perhaps extending the courtesy of sharing this information might be incentive for them to return to your area and breeds good word-of-mouth recommendations.

To obtain more information on this and other marketing research, contact Sue Hamilton at 608/266-6792.