RVIA Gathers for
2016 Annual
Meeting
RVIA members will
gather in Tucson, AZ
for the association’s
2016 Annual Meeting,
taking place Feb. 29 –
March 2 at the RitzCarlton, Dove
Mountain to discuss
industry and association
issues, attend informative seminars, and network with colleagues.
More information
about the event can be
found on pages 4 - 6.
Go RVing Ups its Media Game Plan
2016 Lineup Includes New Ads, Plus
Digital and Experiential Campaigns
Today’s media environment offers more
options than ever to inspire consumers to
learn about the RV experience and Go
RVing is upping its game again this year
to ensure that all the bases are covered.
The 2016 plan calls for a full court press
with traditional, digital and experiential
marketing elements all part of the strategy,
coupled with an increased media budget
of $16.5 million. The goal is to present
RV products in compelling ways across all
media platforms.
New AWAY Creative Unveiled
Three new ads, including two thirty-second
television spots and one sixty-second online
spot, will help grow the presence and position of RVs in the marketplace.
Complementing current spots with narra-
tion by Tom Selleck, the new ads will feature a female voice with research showing
that 80% of RV purchase decisions are
influenced by women.
The broadcast ads, titled, “Coffee for
Two” and “Dogs,” are both available for
purchase on the Industry Only page of the
GoRVing.com website in a taggable format
for dealers’ use in local markets. “Coffee for
Two” began airing in December 2015 and
“Dogs” will start in March 2016. The sixtysecond ad titled, “Compilation of
Adventures,” will only be seen online.
To refresh the content and look of the
existing print campaign, a new series of fullpage ads will also start appearing in a popular consumer magazines beginning in late
spring. The ads will feature RVs in a range
of beautiful settings that tap into the innate
Still On a Roll: RV
Shipments Up Again
in 2015
The industry rocked in 2015 and RV shipments continued their remarkable roll,
reaching 374,246 total units for the year, an
increase over 2014 of 4.9% and the best
annual total since 2006. This year marked
the sixth consecutive annual increase in RV
shipments since the low point experienced
during the Great Recession.
Towable units achieved a cumulative
total of 326,936 units for 2015, up 4.5%
from the previous year, and motorhomes
were up even more on a percentage basis,
with 47,310 units shipped, a 7.6% increase
over 2014 totals.
Wholesale shipments to retailers of all
RVs finished up 2015 quite smartly, rising
to 28,025 units in December according to
RVIA’s monthly survey of manufacturers,
4.8% ahead of the final month last year and
the largest December total since 2005.
“It’s a tribute to how deeply engrained the
RV lifestyle has become that shipment totals
were up for yet another year, and the numbers
stayed strong all the way through December,”
said RVIA President Frank Hugelmeyer. “The
RV industry led the way out of the recession
and stayed a step ahead of the economic
curve. I couldn’t be more pleased than to see
continued on page 8
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continued on page 6
IN THIS I S S U E
Chairman Bontrager’s Column
2
RV Shows are Hot
3
Park Model RV Best Practices
7
Go RVing Hits the Road
9
RVIA Receives ITA Grant
10
WINTER 2016
CHAIRMAN’S COLUMN
our efforts in these areas are to insure that the same continues well
in to the future.
If you are like me, then you are ready escape the snow and dreary
winter weather. There is no better place to do this than RVIA’s 2016
Annual Meeting, taking place in Tucson from Feb. 29 – March 2.
This event is informative, educational and fun. We have an
impressive lineup of dynamic speakers discussing relevant topics.
There are in-depth reports on association activities. And, there are
ample events and time to network with industry colleagues. As an
added bonus there are a lot of nice people who attend this event that
if you don’t know, you’ll have the opportunity to get to know them. I
hope to see you in sunny Tucson.
The Future is Bright
and in Our Hands
By Derald Bontrager, RVIA Chairman of the Board
A
question that I am asked almost more than any other is, “how
does it look?” And, those inquiring are not asking about my
opinion about the weather! They want to know what the
immediate future holds for the RV industry or Jayco.
My answer is typically, “it depends on how well we do our jobs.”
In reality, I believe that we – all of us in the RV industry – hold the
future in our hands. RV travel and camping continues to be greatly
desired by consumers. Demographics will continue to trend in our
favor for years come. The Go RVing national advertising campaign –
now in its 19th year – continues to do a tremendous job in promoting RV ownership. And, if we provide our customers with a positive
experience then I’m convinced the next decade or two are looking
very positive for the RV market.
A regular theme from RVDA and their dealers is that OEMs and
suppliers need to keep pushing ahead on improving the level of product quality, customer service and timeliness of parts shipments. The
customer is raising the bar, and, as an industry, we need to continue
to press ahead on these issues. There’s no doubt in my mind that
improving these areas is vital to the future of the industry and our
individual companies.
Another reason that I’m bullish on the short term prospects for
the RV market is the reports from the early retail shows have been
very positive.
Attendance is great and generally sales are up. It also bodes well
that dealer inventories are in good shape, financing is available, the
economy is moving ahead, and consumer confidence is in a good
place. From where I sit, it certainly appears that the industry is heading into another year of growth.
On another note, there is a lot of excitement in the halls of RVIA
as the association positions itself for the future, recognizing the need
to address the shifting demography that is increasingly multi-cultural
and multi-generational.
The association is undergoing critical self-evaluation to make sure
that we are addressing the needs of our members and reaching all
generations of managers in member companies. A central part of this
effort will result in RVIA adapting to evolving technologies and
adopting new business practices and processes. RVIA has been very
successful in advocating the interests of the industry in the past and
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President Frank Hugelmeyer
Vice President, Communications and Marketing
James Ashurst
Sr. Director, Communications Bill Baker
Chairman Derald Bontrager, Jayco, Inc.
First Vice Chairman Bob Parish, GE Capital
Second Vice Chairman Garry Enyart, Cummins
Power Generation
Treasurer Matt Miller, Newmar Corp.
Secretary Kevin Phillips, Thetford Corp.
Chairman Ex Officio Doug Gaeddert, Forest River, Inc.
RVIA Today is published four times per year and is distributed
industry wide. For more information on advertising, please contact
Bill Baker at (703) 620-6003, ext. 331 or [email protected].
© 2016 Recreation Vehicle Industry Association
P.O. Box 2999
Reston, VA 20191
(703) 620-6003
www.rvia.org
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RV Shows Play to Record
Crowds Across the Country
Resurgent Sales Mean More Models to See
According to Kelly, Florida buyers are increasingly looking at smaller
offerings such as compact RVs or campers they can tow with the family’s SUV, truck or van. This trend tracks with national stats showing
2016 shipments of towable RVs expected to reach 326,600 units, while
motorhome shipments are forecasted to tally 48,500 units.
Still, Lynch reports that he sees more and more people looking for
motorized units at consumer shows and encourages dealers and manufacturers to continue dedicating floor space to motorized offerings.
In addition to highlighting hundreds and hundreds of new RVs,
the local and regional shows feature information on all things RVrelated, including seminars on travel destinations and displays highlighting RV equipment, supplies and accessories – all designed to
help attract a diverse crowd of shoppers.
Pittsburgh RV Show organizers Rob Young and Randy Giancola
credited the evolution of the RV demographic for record attendance
during a media appearance on KDKA-TV saying, “We see more and
younger families with kids seeking the chance to escape to the great
outdoors and make family memories.”
At convention centers and fairgrounds from coast to coast, RV show
organizers are snatching up more display space to handle the increasing number and variety of new models being unveiled, and the
throngs of consumers coming to see them.
Big crowds, like the one in the photo above at the Detroit Camper
& RV Show, are attending winter RV shows in cities and towns across
the country, sizing up rows and rows of the latest RVs in order to make
the best purchases possible in time for spring. And, there’s something
for everyone, including massive motorhomes, towable trailers, pop-up
campers, toy haulers, retro teardrops, park model RVs, and more.
“Sales are strong,” said Rob Lynch, organizer of shows in Ohio,
Tennessee, Kentucky, the Gulf Coast and most recently, Wisconsin
(pictured below), where the Milwaukee inaugural show welcomed
more than 10,000 people on its first day. Salespeople are lining up to
connect with finance and sales managers to work deals.”
Media coverage for the shows also is robust, as online, print and
broadcast journalists report on crowds braving the weather to see the
expanded line-ups of new RVs. Here’s an example:
Dave Kelly, marketing director of the Florida RV Trade
Association, echoes Lynch. He helped stage the Florida RV
SuperShow in Tampa (pictured at right) with an increased show space
of roughly eight percent compared with last year, and sales that
exceeded manufacturers’ expectations during that event’s six-day run.
R V I A T O D AY
“As cold weather sinks into the St. Louis metro
there are some people already thinking about
summer and spring, and RV`s are part of the
plan. This year retailers say sales have been good,
and they filled over 300,000 square feet of space
with 70 vendors. 25,000 people showed up on a
cold and windy weekend to attend the RV
Vacation & Travel Show.”
KTVI-TV reporter, Shawndrea Thomas
Check out additional media stories and a complete listing of
shows at RVIA.org.
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3
RVIA’S Annual Meeting
Is on a Mountain This Year
Setting Fits for an Industry That Has Climbed Back to the Top
When RVIA members gather from Monday, Feb. 29 – Wednesday,
March 2 for the 2016 Annual Meeting, they will do so at The RitzCarlton, Dove Mountain Resort just outside of Tucson, AZ. The setting is a fitting one for an industry that has climbed its way back to
the top after declining from 2007 through 2009 when the economy
began to weaken, the Great Recession took its grip and the beginning
of the recovery was much slower than expected.
Now, as industry leaders gather to discuss association activities,
attend informative seminars, and network with friends and colleagues,
they are quite literally on top of the mountain, with strong sales, an
imbued sense of customer service and product innovation, and a core
commitment to confront together issues and problems as they arise.
“I’m excited for my first annual meeting as president,” said RVIA
President Frank Huglemeyer, who began serving on October 1, 2015,
after succeeding Richard Coon. “Dove Mountain is an idyllic Western
setting for those who want to network on the deck or on the worldclass golf course. And inside, there will be plenty of activities, from
committee meetings to presentations by two timely guest speakers.”
Monday, February 29, known in calendar parlance as “Leap Day,”
will be “Arrival Day” for this year’s annual meeting, with an Executive
Committee meeting in the morning, and a Board of Directors’ meeting in the afternoon. The registration desk will be open for all attendees between 1 and 6 p.m. MST, and the Welcome Reception will be
held that evening, from 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 1 is the jam-packed core day of the annual meeting,
with breakfast from 7 – 8 a.m., followed by the Membership Meeting
from 8 – 10:30 a.m. After a refreshment break, attendees will hear at
11 a.m. from renowned futurist Jack Uldrich, whose presentation is
titled “The Big AHA” (see page 5).
Lunch will be followed by a very timely 1 p.m. presentation on
presidential politics and the outlook for the economy by pollster
extraordinaire Neil Newhouse. Tuesday, March 1 also happens to be
the day of the 2016 version of “Super Tuesday,” in which voters from
15 states, many in the South, will be making their presidential primary choices. After an afternoon break, the annual Chairman’s
Reception will be held from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m., followed immediately
by the Chairman’s Dinner.
The Annual Meeting will be a wrap on Wednesday, March 2 with
departures and RVIA Activity Day, including an opportunity to play
Jack Nicklaus’ Signature Design Tucson golf resort at the Golf Club
at Dove Mountain, with tee times available from 9 – 9:40 a.m.
The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, is a scenic Tucson, Arizona
resort that blends majestically into its Sonoran Desert and Tortolita
Mountain setting. The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain recently
received the World’s Best Award for #1 hotel in Arizona, #10 Hotel
in the Continental U.S., and Top 100 Hotels Overall in 2012 by
Travel & Leisure.
2016 Annual Meeting Schedule of Events
Mon., February 29
8:00 am – 11:30 am
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
1:00 pm – 6:00 pm
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Tues., March 1
7:00 am – 2:00 pm
7:00 am – 8:00 am
8:00 am – 10:30 am
10:30 am – 11:00 am
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
7:30 pm
Wed., March 2
4
Arrival Day
Executive Committee Meeting
Board of Directors’ Meeting
RVIA Registration Desk Open
Welcome Reception
RVIA Registration Desk Open
Breakfast
Membership Meeting
Refreshment Break
“The Big AHA: How to Future-Proof the RV Business Against Tomorrow’s
Transformational Trends, Today!” with Renowned Futurist – Jack Uldrich
Lunch
“An Insider’s View of the 2016 Presidential Campaign” with
Leading Pollster – Neil Newhouse
Chairman’s Reception
Chairman’s Dinner
Departures and RVIA Activity Day
Golf at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club
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Acclaimed Futurist and
DC Political Insider
to Lead Annual Meeting Seminars
An early look at “The Big
AHA” by Jack Uldrich and
an inside look at that night’s
potential political “oh no’s”
by Neil Newhouse will form
the unique pairing of the
Annual Meeting’s seminar
speakers, who will be presenting before and after
lunch on Tuesday, March 1.
In what is likely to be
an enlightening, entertaining
and educational 11 a.m. –
noon session, acclaimed
global futurist Jack Uldrich
will share the content from
Jack Uldrich
his forthcoming book, The
Big AHA: How to Future-Proof Yourself Against Tomorrow’s Twelve
Transformational Trends, Today.
Uldrich will begin by making his RVIA audience aware of the ten
trends transforming the business world of tomorrow, including the
Internet of Things and 3D manufacturing. Next, he will explain why
a healthy dose of humility is essential in contemplating the future;
and will conclude by identifying a series of concrete actions leaders in
the RV business can take today in order to future-proof themselves
and their businesses against “the tides of tomorrow.”
Uldrich is the best-selling, award-winning author of 11 books,
including Foresight 2020: A Futurist Explores the Trends Transforming
Tomorrow. He is a frequent guest on major media outlets, including
CNN, CNBC, and NPR, and an ongoing contributor on emerging
technologies and future trends for publications such as the Wall Street
Journal, Forbes, WIRED, and BusinessWeek.
Following the lunch
break, DC pollster and political strategist Neil Newhouse
will share with RVIA his
views on which of the presidential candidates left standing by March 1 will receive
their just desserts that
evening. That’s because
Newhouse’s remarks will be
on the very day of the socalled “SEC Presidential
Primary,” when voters across
15 states, including many in
the South, will be marking
their primary ballots.
Neil Newhouse
Newhouse will provide
his assessment of the current national political environment, discuss
voter attitudes on the direction of the country, review the strengths
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and weaknesses of the various candidates running for President, speculate on what is likely to happen in the Fall campaign, and reflect on
what it all means for our business and our nation.
Lead pollster for Gov. Mitt Romney’s 2012 Presidential campaign,
Newhouse is a partner and co-founder of Public Opinion Strategies, a
national political and public affairs research firm which has been
described by the New York Times as “the leading Republican polling
company” in the country.
Newhouse is often quoted in major national publications ranging
from The Wall Street Journal to The New York Times and The
Washington Post, and he has appeared as a frequent pundit on the
nightly news regarding politics and campaigns. Newhouse also
appeared on “The Daily Show” when a guy named Jon Stewart was
still the host, so spar with him at your own peril!
RVIA Thanks 2016
Annual Meeting Sponsors
RVIA extends its gratitude to the sponsors of the 2016 Annual
Meeting for their generous and gracious support of the event.
Participating Sponsor
TCF Inventory Finance
Bronze Sponsors
Dicor Corporation
Truma
Gold Sponsors
Cummins Power Generation
Dentons US LLP
Dometic
Forest River
Thetford Corporation and Norcold, Inc.
Thor Industries
Platinum Sponsors
Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp.
Jayco, Inc.
Kentucky Exposition Center
Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau
Newmar Corporation
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5
RVIA Will
Detail Key
Activities at
Membership
Meeting
Derald Bontrager
Frank Hugelmeyer
Matt Miller
Karen Redfern
RVIA’s Membership Meeting will provide an indepth briefing on association activities for attendees the morning of Tuesday, March 1 at the
Annual Meeting taking place in Tucson, AZ.
RVIA Chairman of the Board Derald
Bontrager and RVIA President Frank
Hugelmeyer will discuss the state of the association and speak on a range of topics including
government relations, RV standards, industry
education, and the RV market outlook. RVIA
Treasurer Matt Miller will review the association’s financial standing.
The meeting will wrap up with Go RVing’s
Karen Redfern reporting on the success of the
Go RVing “AWAY” national advertising campaign and previewing what’s on tap for the
effort in 2016.
Shipments
continued from page 1
this march of strong numbers continue in the
final quarter of 2015, with momentum building
right up until the end of the year.”
Seasonally adjusted, the beat of progress never
slowed, with an annualized rate in December
remaining at or near the 400,000 unit level for the
fourth consecutive month, pushing final calendar
quarter totals ahead of 3rd quarter results for the
second year in a row. While all towable RVs
remained ahead of all motorhomes in shipments,
the percentage gain in type C motorhomes was
noteworthy in December at a full 40% greater
than one year ago.
Meanwhile, park model RV shipments were
down slightly for the year.
The cumulative total for 2015 was 3,660
units down slightly from the 3,781 units shipped
during 2014, representing a decline of 3.2%.
“We’re optimistic about the future of the RV
market in 2016 and beyond. The industry is
always mindful of economic forces, of course,
but we’re continuing to make inroads with
younger buyers even as the baby boom generation heads into retirement,” said Hugelmeyer.
6
R V I A T O D AY
• Latches will not bind. No matter what
• Raised gold badge and premium powder coat
• Legs are 2” longer. More room for tight turns and hook up
• No centering pin. Simply fold up and the Avail stays put
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Industry Must
Emphasize Park Model
RV Best Practices
by Matt Wald, Executive Director, Park Model RVs
The RV industry exists in a precarious regulatory world. RVs are vehicles are built to be used for temporary seasonal, recreational and
camping purposes. As such the industry, led by RVIA, RVDA and
ARVC as well as state RV and campground associations, works hard to
create and maintain a bright regulatory line
between RVs and permanent housing.
Those efforts have been largely successful. After
potentially destroying the RV industry with a new
RV definition interpretation a year ago, the department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
is now in the process of exempting RVs from manufactured housing standards based on the black
and white fact that they are built to RV standards.
Meanwhile states by and large allow the RV
industry to maintain self-regulation in terms of
RV standards compliance and enforcement. And
although local jurisdictions often try to impose
onerous residential tax and zoning regulations,
the industry is typically successful at beating those
back. But it is a constant struggle. So it’s important to remember what the comic strip character
Pogo famously opined in 1971: “We have met the
enemy and he is us.”
For example, some consumers and campgrounds remove the axles, tires and hitch from
PMRVs when they set them up. But once this happens, a PMRV is no longer considered an RV in
most jurisdictions, placing financing, insurance
and tax benefits in jeopardy. It may also incur the
wrath of local zoning regulators on the campground in which the unit is sited.
Blurring the line between RVs and permanent
housing this way raises the industry’s profile with
regulators and threatens the industry. However
tempting it may be, it needs to be avoided.
So what are the best practices for setting up a
Park Model RV while maintaining the bright regulatory line between RVs and permanent housing?:
• Comply with local zoning regulations and
code requirements.
• Set up the unit so it can be readily removed.
• Be sure the unit is built to the appropriate
standard for PMRVs, ANSI A119.5. Every
certified unit should have an RVIA or other
third party inspection label located adjacent
to the main entrance to the unit.
• Never take the wheels and axles off unless
required by local ordinance.
• Unbolt the hitch and store it under the unit.
• Let some air out of the tires to get the unit as
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low to the ground as possible and then block, level and tie it down.
• Never permanently attach a PMRV to the ground using footers
or foundation.
• Do not permanently attach decks, porches, Florida rooms or
other structures to the unit. These types of accessories should be
free-standing.
• Combining two PMRVs to create a ‘double-wide’ is expressly forbidden in the ANSI A119.5 standard.
Helping to maintain the bright line between RVs and permanent
housing is the responsibility of every RV manufacturer, dealer and campground in order to keep our industry from being its own worst enemy.
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7
Go RVing’s 2016 Plans
desire of people to get out and have authentic
outdoor experiences. They will be available in
posters for industry members and dealers.
Going Digital
Since consumers now consume nearly 40%
of media on their computers and mobile
devices, digital platforms have become a critical part of the Go RVing marketing mix
(jumping to 30% of the Go RVing annual
media spend).
For 2016, digital/online elements will
include Go RVing banner ads on top websites and search engines, native advertising
with custom messaging, and video players
and pre-roll (video messages that play before
the content selected by a user) placed across
high impact, influencer, social media,
mobile, and search properties – all estimated
to make over 650 million impressions.
“While families continue to be
the main target audience, attracting the next generation of consumers is a top priority for the Go
continued from page 1
RVing team and our industry’s
bottom line,” said James Ashurst,
RVIA vice president of communications and marketing. “The Go
RVing microsite launched last
spring especially appeals to
mobile-driven Millennials who
gather information about travel
and camping options via tablets
and smartphones, and it will continue to play a key role in our
efforts to reach this new audience
of potential RV buyers.”
Designed to complement Go
RVing.com, the microsite features videos
that share personal stories of adventure and
discovery made possible by owning an RV.
It’s making an impact: web analytics show
92% of the user sessions on the microsite
are first time visitors.
A separate online campaign will heavily promote seasonal camping. Banner ads and
video content will feature personal stories of
families who own a park model RV and traditional towables who spend their summers
seasonal camping. This is the advertising
component behind the push to introduce
more consumers to the benefits of seasonal
camping. In addition, there will be a new
section on GoRVing.com which will tell the
story through the experiences of real RVers
who seasonally camp.
Experiential marketing places an exclamation mark on the list of marketing tactics for 2016. Go RVing teams with media
partners to produce RV experiences at
highly-attended consumer events such as
fairs, festivals and football games. The oneon-one exchanges and immersive experiences inspire potential customers to learn
more about the RV lifestyle and provide
potential tie in opportunities with RV manufactures and dealers. (See page 9 for more
detailed information on these hands-on promotional plans)
Go RVing 2016
Media Outlets
TruTV, TVLand, USA Network, Velocity, and Weather Channel.
Go RVing also will air commercials that viewers are required
to watch before enjoying Network Prime Video on Demand
(VOD) programming on select NBC, CBS and Fox programs.
Traditional media, including highly viewed cable networks and
popular consumer magazines, will remain a core component of
Go RVing’s outreach. Some of the top media partners can be
found in these arenas:
National Magazines
National Television
Go RVing will advertise on specific programming on popular
cable networks throughout the year including:
• Destination America
• Fox Sports 1 & Fox Sports 2
• GAC – Great American Country Network
• Outdoor Sportsman Group
• Travel Channel
In addition, cable direct response advertising will include
proven networks such as: AMC, American Heroes, Animal
Planet, Boomerang, Bravo, Chiller, CMT, Discovery, DIY, ESPN
U, Esquire Network, FX, FXX, GAC, GSN, H2, History, ID TV,
MLB Network, National Geographic, NatGeo Wild, NFL
Network, Nick, Science, SyFy, TBS, TNT, Travel Channel,
8
Seasonal Camping and
Experiential Marketing
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Go RVing print ads will appear in eight widely read magazines
that will also provide custom content, experiential marketing tieins and other value-added components:
• Outside
• Men’s Journal
• Oprah
• National Geographic Traveler
• Garden & Gun
• Country Living
• Parents
• Parents Latina
Digital
Go RVing banner ads, interactive video ads, and native advertising will be placed across high impact, influencer, social
media, mobile, and search engine properties that include
Google, Bing, Facebook, GSN.com, GumGum, Roadtrippers
and Sherman’s Travel
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More RV Experiences
in the Mix for 2016
Get ready for a fun-filled year of exciting
events that will add RVs to the mix as Go
RVing increases the number of its experiential marketing activities and expands to more
locations across the country.
"The concept of engagement marketing is
to create an incredible, hands-on RV experience for consumers at a place where they
might not expect it,” said James Ashurst, vice
president of communications and marketing
for RVIA. “Showcasing the features and benefits of RVs in unique environments helps us
change perceptions and broadens the appeal
of RVing."
This marks the third year of Go RVing’s
experiential marketing campaign efforts and
it promises to be bigger and better than ever.
Here’s a preview of the great places they’ll
go – new events are highlighted in blue:
• Country Living Fairs taking place in
Lebanon, TN, from April 22-24,
Rhinebeck, NY, from June 3-5,
Columbus, OH from Sept. 16-18 and
Atlanta, GA from Oct. 21-23. Fairs are
sponsored by Country Living magazine
and highlight antiques, food and craft
demonstrations, and appearances by CL
contributors.
R V I A T O D AY
• Memphis in May World BBQ Contest
from May 12-16. Ranked as America’s #1
most prestigious BBQ competition by
USA Today, each year over 250 competition teams from across the country and
around the world travel to Memphis to
compete for the title of World Champion
Barbecue Cooking Team.
• Dominion Riverrock from May 20-22 in
Richmond, VA. Billed as the nation’s premier outdoor sports and music festival.
• Sasquatch Music Festival over Memorial
Day weekend May 27-30 at George, WA.
This is a legendary music festival sought
after by fans from all over the world at
one of the greatest natural stages around.
• Bonnaroo from June 9-12 at Manchester,
TN. Annual four-day music festival celebrating its 15th anniversary this year.
• CMA Music Fest from June 9-12 at
Nashville, TN. Four-day music festival
centered on country music hosted each
June by the Country Music Association.
• GoPro Mountain Games from June 9-12
at Vail, CO. The country's largest celebration of mountain sport and lifestyle
drawing more than 3,000 athletes and
53,000 spectators to Vail each year.
• Lake Shore over Father’s Day weekend
from June 17-19 at Chicago.
• Faster Horses from July 15-17 at
Brooklyn, MI. Three days of country
music and camping fun.
• Sloss Music & Arts from July 16-17.
Two-day music and lifestyle event taking
place at Sloss Furnaces National Historic
Landmark at Birmingham, AL.
• BlogHer 2016 from Aug. 4-6 at LA.
Presented by SheKnows Media, the
BlogHer conferences are the world’s
largest celebrations of women content
creators across social media, video, photos, and the web.
Go RVing is looking for vehicles to display at each of the events and will be reaching out to determine interest. Additional
state fairs, festivals, active outdoor enthusiast
events and football tailgating will be combined with the scheduled appearances over
the coming months.
R E C R E A T I O N V E H I C L E I N D U S T R Y A S S O C I A T I O N Q U A R T E R LY N E W S L E T T E R
9
ITA Renews Grant to RVIA to
Boost Exports to Asia
Thanks to the International Trade
Administration’s (ITA) renewal of RVIA’s participation in the highly competitive Market
Development Cooperator Program (MDCP),
an additional $300,000 is available to support RVIA’s Asia Initiative through the end of
the third quarter of 2018.
“As a result of the new award, RVIA and
its members will keep the accelerator on our
close working relationship with ITA and the
U.S. Foreign Commercial Service (FCS) in
pursuit of our Asia objectives,” said Craig
Kirby, RVIA’s vice president of international
business and general counsel. “Our focus for
this award continues to be standards and regulatory-related issues. RVIA’s Asia Initiative
benefited greatly from the initial MDCP
award, and this second award will not only
help to further RVIA’s efforts in Asia but will
also extend RVIA’s reach to other international markets.”
According to Kirby, the project enables
RVIA to expand U.S. exports by: 1)
encouraging standards, codes, and licensing
that allow better market access; 2) educating foreign officials about RVing; and 3)
ensuring that foreign competitors do not
restrict market access.
Each MDCP award includes financial and
technical assistance from ITA to support
well-defined business plans aimed at strengthening an industry by increasing exports.
MDCP partnerships between ITA and nonprofit industry groups such as RVIA help to
create U.S. jobs through exports.
During the timeframe of the initial award
(2012 – 2015), a team of experts within ITA
and the FCS worked with RVIA and its
members to pursue our respective objectives
in Asia. As a result, according to
Department of Commerce figures, RV
exports to those countries exceeded $143
million for the MDCP time period. ($108
million for China, $23 million for South
Korea, and 12 million for Japan).
Separate but closely related, RVIA is
redoubling efforts to address RV standards
issues that have arisen out of the United
Nations Economic Commission for Europe
(“UNECE”) that could adversely impact
U.S. exports around the globe. All politics is
not local in the business of RVs.
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RVIA Partners with U.S. and Foreign
Commercial Services to
Offer Export Assistance
RVIA has renewed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the U.S. Department of
Commerce’s U.S. and Foreign Service Commercial Service (US&FCS) in a program to grow
RV industry exports by providing association members enhanced access to international trade
resources offered by the federal government.
Under the agreement signed by the two organizations, RVIA and the U.S. Commercial
Service's network of worldwide offices will work together on marketing, education programs
and events leveraging both entities’ expertise to help make businesses—and particularly small
and medium-sized firms—more export savvy. The partnership provides RVIA members with
tremendous resources to expand exports to countries they are already exporting to and to find
buyers in new markets.
As a strategic partner with the U.S. Commercial Service’s New Market Exporter Initiative,
RVIA member companies will receive:
• Expert advice on new export markets
• Access to free on-line market research reports
• Opportunities for export training
• Access to US&CFS’ worldwide network
• Assistance in complying with regulatory and documentation requirements
• Expert advice, local contacts and market intelligence from specialists located in targeted
markets
• Services to connect to local distributors and representatives
“The contacts and resources available to our members through this MOA is invaluable as
our industry looks to expand in established and new markets across the globe,” said Craig
Kirby, RVIA’s vice president of international business. “The services and expertise offered
through the New Market Initiative will be very useful to our members who are looking to
capitalize on opportunities in new global markets. We are very proud to continue our partnership with the Department of Commerce in this initiative and urge our members to take
full advantage of all that is available through the effort.”
For more information about the New Market Exporter Initiative and to begin using the
program’s services, contact Craig Kirby at [email protected]
The U.S. Commercial Service is the trade promotion arm of the U.S. Department of
Commerce’s International Trade Administration. U.S. Commercial Service trade professionals
in more than 100 U.S. cities and in more than 70 countries help U.S. companies get started
in exporting or increase sales to new global markets. Visit www.trade.gov/cs to learn more.
R V I A T O D AY
R E C R E A T I O N V E H I C L E I N D U S T R Y A S S O C I A T I O N Q U A R T E R LY N E W S L E T T E R
PRESORTED
First Class Mail
U.S. Postage
PAID
Hagerstown, MD
Permit No. 93
1896 Preston White Drive
P.O. 2999
Reston, VA 20195-0999
www.rvia.org
Address Service Requested
Save the Date:
RVIA Committee Week
Set for June 5 – 9 in
Washington, DC
The cherry blossoms will be long gone but there will still be plenty of
colorful highlights at RVIA Committee Week 2016, set to take place
from Sunday, June 5 – Thursday, June 9 at the Mayflower
Renaissance Washington in the heart of Washington, DC.
As always, standing RVIA committees will meet and the Executive
Committee and Board of Directors will gather to set the association’s
plans for the upcoming fiscal year. This year’s committee week will
mark the first for RVIA President Frank Hugelmeyer, who was
announced to succeed Richard Coon last summer and who officially
started his job on Oct. 1.
Many of the details for RVIA Committee Week are still being
finalized but a few are already locked in, such as the Go RVing
Coalition meeting on Monday, June 6.
Another key event within Committee Week will be RVIA’s Capitol
Hill Advocacy Day, when RVIA members will visit Capitol Hill to meet
with legislators and their staff to discuss issues critical to the RV industry.
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R V I A T O D AY
There will be the usual networking events and evening receptions,
with the hope that this year’s weather turns out to be more pleasant
than the thunderstorms encountered in early June 2015, especially
during the evening at the National Zoo.
The Mayflower Renaissance Washington is a luxury hotel and historic
landmark that has undergone continued renovations, making it one of
the most sought-after properties in the city. Proclaimed by President
Truman to be Washington, DC’s “Second Best Address” after the White
House, the hotel is on the National Registry of Historic Places and a
Historic Hotel of America. Located just blocks from the White House,
and close to metro stops and dining and cultural hot spots, the 4-diamond property offers a splendid center for exploring the city.
For more information about Committee Week, contact Doreen
Cashion at (703) 620-6003 (ext. 324).
2016
Feb. 29 – Mar. 2 RVIA Annual Meeting
Tucson, AZ
June 5 – 9 RVIA Committee Week
Washington, DC
Oct. 7 – 16 California RV Show
Pomona, CAC
Nov. 29 – Dec. 1 National RV Trade Show
Louisville, KY
R E C R E A T I O N V E H I C L E I N D U S T R Y A S S O C I A T I O N Q U A R T E R LY N E W S L E T T E R