Consumers did not turn out in record numbers at America’s Largest RV Show in Hershey, Pennsylvania, but Pennsylvania Recreation Vehicle and Camping Association Executive Director Heather Leach said they did come looking to buy.
“Some manufacturers said they had an excellent show, like one of their best ever,” Leach said. “There were others who said it was good and that they did maybe the same amount of sales as what they did last year. It might not have been a record-breaking week, but everyone was positive about the show.”
Unofficial numbers showed 45,813 patrons through the gates in Hershey this year. That total is down from 47,075 in 2024, but up from 45,535 in 2023.
Leach said topping 40,000 attendees during the five-day event makes for a strong show.
Approximately 1,400 RVs were on display at the annual show. The event wrapped up Sunday with mostly clear skies and warm temperatures that soared into the mid-80s, keeping attendees streaming through the entrance gates.
The show included 200 exhibit booths from suppliers and RV-related companies.
“I talked to a lot of our booth vendors, and they had excellent shows,” Leach said. “I think everyone was concerned about consumer confidence and how that might affect sales. I can tell you the RV industry has always been resilient, and people love everything about camping. That is obviously not going away. They were here to buy, and that is always a good sign for the industry.”
Leach said she was pleased to hear positive results from different vendor types, including manufacturers, dealers, suppliers and concessionaires.
This morning, RVs outside the Giant Center were being loaded up to ship back to dealerships or to Elkhart Extravaganza, which begins Sept. 22.
“They will be cleared out of here in no time,” Leach said. “It is amazing to watch the flurry of them coming in at the beginning of the week and then the mass flurry of them leaving today. It is always an interesting process to see unfold. It will just be a big, empty lot soon.”
