Will The Pandemic Ultimately Be Good For RVers?
The Corona virus has an unexpected effect on RV life, none of it favorable for our way of life. No matter how fast this pandemic is under control, life in a Van will become more complex, with fewer campsites available.
RVing and especially Vandwelling has had a big upswing in recent years; some up-fitters have multi-year waiting lists, and lines are growing. It’s following the trends of recent, of more upscale and bigger RVs.
Travel Restrictions
It is still unclear whether the pandemic has a negative impact on domestic travel. Many national and state parks have been closed and even some BLM locations are unavailable to park your home. While some are opening up, restrictions on traveling between some states remain. The entire travel industry, both domestic and international, is suffering.
Current Vandwellers, those that live year-round in their vehicles, are especially affected negatively. Those with larger RVs, often stay in commercial campgrounds, for extended periods; on the other hand, Van owners tend to travel more frequently, and to more places. With no home to go to, vanners are finding it increasingly difficult to locate their next campsite.
The Future
With Covid19 out of control for now and likely far into 2021, Vandwellers need to make concrete plans, to sustain their way of life without interruption. Many travel between the South (in winter) and higher altitudes in Northern states (in summer). Lock-downs could expand and some of us could face state travel restrictions. Local communities could completely ban overnight parking.
An entirely different issue might be lurking for the RV world. When vaccines are developed and become available for the general public, we may see a sharp reduction of the travel limitations and a return to ordinary life. With the global battle against the pandemic, likely to go on much longer, we can expect international travel destinations to suffer, as more Americans may choose to spend their vacation domestically. That will lead to more RV sales, in particular Van builds. We could expect a future of more recreational vehicles and fewer campsites to house them on, greater demand for drinking water and dumping sites and possibly more restrictive city regulations with regard to RVs.
So either way, the RV/Van world is in a pickle and there is no good way out. Perhaps we should ask for more rights for members of our community, that have sold their homes with the purpose to live permanently in their recreational vehicle.
Note: My plans to move into my converted Ford Transit van, have also been negatively impacted by the Corona virus. Currently, I will not consider the move-in before 2021 – Van Williams