The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) just  announced that shipments of new RVs were the highest since 2007, and has projected a significant increase to date in RV sales over last year.  Today more than 9 million American households have some type of recreational vehicle, with 35-54 year olds making up the bulk of those owners.  Some of the upswing in sales resulted from manufacturers complying with  buyer demands for more energy efficient, diversely sized, and reasonably priced vehicles. The recent economic downturn also spurred growth.  Families looked for cost effective ways to travel and spend quality time together.  A 2008 study for RVIA by PKF Consulting, international experts in travel and tourism, showed that RVing was much more economical than the prevailing wisdom.  They concluded that a family RV vacation was 27-61% less expensive than other forms of family travel such as flight+hotel+car!  The interest on RV loans is deductible as a a “second home”, providing the vehicle meets IRS criteria for that status, which is another financial advantage.

But RVing isn’t just for vacations anymore.  As more Baby Boomers reach retirement, the number of RVers will continue to rise, with many choosing to become “full-timers”.  The RV lifestyle is also well-suited to those non-retirees who travel extensively for work while trying to maintain a homelife.  There are no hard numbers on how many healthcare professionals have actually embraced this lifestyle.  But as an indicator of just how many might be out there, Complete Medical Lists has 2,433,463 names of healthcare pros interested in RV travel in their registry.  Anecdotally, stories like that of Pam Haus OT/L, give great insight and advice for what to expect. Just remember that you, and not the staffing agency, is responsible where your “home” is parked, but the housing and travel stipends should still cover all associated expenses.  Remember too that amenities vary from RV park to RV parks, so research that info thoroughly before accepting any assignment.

Want to learn more about tax issues, parking and other lifestyle issues related to RVing?  Check out TravelTax, KOA, and RVTravel respectively or contact an industry expert from Centra at 800 535 0076 and let us put you on the road to success!