A new survey of hundreds of Americans, conducted by data analysts at SatelliteInternet.com, revealed that 41 percent increased travel by RV, camping and road trips in summer 2020. The virtues of RV'ing, in particular, have been extolled amid the COVID-19 pandemic, since it simultaneously enables travelers to satiate their wanderlust while maintaining a heightened degree of isolation and observing social distancing guidelines.
According to National Geographic, RV sales in June were up 170 percent year over year, while bookings for the Fourth of July weekend made through rental site RVshare had increased 81 percent over 2019. In fact, 56 percent of RV owners who participated in the SatelliteInternet.com survey said that they'd bought or rented an RV due to COVID-19.
Some of the report's key findings include:
-47 percent of respondents had canceled airline and hotel reservations this summer.
-59 percent of RV owners surveyed bought an RV this summer because of the pandemic.
-67 percent of RV owners surveyed increased their RV usage amid the pandemic.
-76 percent of those surveyed said they felt safe traveling in an RV during the pandemic.
-34 percent of the sample group said they would feel safe traveling by airplane and staying in traditional lodgings.
-59 percent of respondents reported that they've worked remotely from an RV.
-84 percent of respondents said they want internet access while traveling in an RV.
-80 percent of respondents said they bring their technology with them when they go RV'ing (phones, tablets, gaming consoles, laptops, etc.).
After months of stay-at-home orders, many Americans are eager to escape their everyday surrounding and experience someplace new. So, where's everyone going? Survey respondents pointed to Arizona, California, Florida, New Jersey and Texas as the top destinations on their lists for road-tripping in 2020.
Most of these states boast sandy beaches; others at least supply plenty of sunshine, perfect for summertime relaxation, which may account for their current popularity.
But, much of the pleasure of traveling in an RV, is the unique ability to enjoy the journey and not just the destination. Piloting your own little home-on-wheels around the U.S., you can come by scenic byways, national parks, coastal villages, quaint small towns and even ghost towns on your way to where you're going.
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