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EXCLUSIVE: Florida Rain Skews FRVTA Consumer Shows

A picture of attendees looking at the RV models and walking around at the 2025 Florida RV SuperShow in Tampa, Florida.
Consumers looking at RV models at the 2025 Florida RV SuperShow in Tampa, Florida.

Gloomy skies unleashed Florida rain that dampened attendance during the Florida RV Trade Association’s (FRVTA) Florida RV SuperShow. The show occurred Jan. 15-19 at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, Florida.

FRVTA Executive Director Dave Kelly said the weather throughout the week discouraged attendees from exploring new RVs. Kelly said heavy Jan. 19 rain skewed final attendance numbers.

The rainy weather carried over to the association’s Fort Myers RV Show. Rain on Thursday and Friday depressed attendance, Kelly said. Morning temperatures reached the low-40 degree Fahrenheit level, the coldest mornings in the area in three years.

FRVTA calculated 68,612 SuperShow attendees, compared with around 75,000 at the 2024 SuperShow. Fort Meyers RV Show attendance totaled 6,032 participants, compared with last year’s 6,600.

Kelly said, “It is really hard to get a real gauge as to what the market is when you are battling weather on top of consumer sentiment.”

A picture of attendees looking at the RV models and walking around at the 2025 Florida RV SuperShow in Tampa, Florida.
Consumers looking at RV models at the 2025 Florida RV SuperShow in Tampa, Florida.

Despite unusual Florida weather conditions, Kelly reported many dealers were satisfied with the SuperShow’s consumer turnout. Kelly noted a hesitancy toward luxury product purchases. He said gauging consumer buying habits so early into the new U.S. presidential administration might be difficult.

“I was hoping that consumer confidence would be a little bit high since the election was over,” he said, “but I think people are still struggling.”

At the Fort Myers RV Show at JetBlue Park, eight dealers displayed 300 RVs to the smaller audience.

FRVTA will now turn its attention to the Jacksonville RV MegaShow at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center in Jacksonville, Florida, Feb. 6-9.

Kelly said he is “very cautiously optimistic” going into the show.

He said with good weather, he anticipates good crowds.

Last year’s Jacksonville show attracted 7,700 consumers. This year, Kelly said he hopes to reach 8,000 attendees. Five dealerships will display between 350 and 400 models in total at the show.

A picture of attendees looking at the RV models and walking around at the 2025 Florida RV SuperShow in Tampa, Florida.
Consumers looking at RV models at the 2025 Florida RV SuperShow in Tampa, Florida.

FRVTA will host three other RV shows to start this year. The West Palm Beach RV Show is Feb. 20-23 at South Florida Fairgrounds in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Ocala RV Show will fill the Florida Horse Park in Ocala, Florida, March 6-9. The Orlando RV Show will take place March 13-16 at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida.

Kelly said FRVTA should have a better idea about consumer sentiment when the show season finishes in mid-March.

 

 

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