LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Under the gloom of plunging motor-home sales and with travel trailers stacking up on lots, recreational-vehicle makers and dealers at their national trade show this week tried to lift their spirits by joining in song. “You gotta have heart,” they sang at the kickoff breakfast, trying to stay resilient in an industry that has hit a big speed bump.
RV companies showcased their newest models at the industry event Tuesday through Thursday, including hybrids and slimmed-down motor homes touted as more fuel-efficient. Now the trick is to lure skittish customers to dealers’ lots.
Through October, shipments from RV companies to dealers for the year fell 27 percent from the comparable period in 2007, according to the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association. The downturn is expected to stretch into 2009, when shipments are forecast at 186,800 units, about 25 percent lower than this year’s projected 248,000, according to the association, citing statistics from Richard Curtin, director of consumer surveys at the University of Michigan.
