Fort Myers Recreation Vehicle Show motors into Lee Civic Center
Entering it’s 24th year, the Fort Myers Recreation Vehicle Show motors into the new year at the Lee Civic Center this weekend, from Jan. 22 to 25.
This year’s show promises to continue providing patrons the opportunity to see the latest and best camping products available to local RVers and lovers of the great outdoors, explained Dan Wylie, president of Florida RV Trade Association – Region One.
“This year’s show will offer hundreds of recreation vehicles of all different types and prices. It also will feature 100 outdoor and camping supply vendors,” he said. “For many years, the Fort Myers RV Show has been the top RV show in Florida simply because of the high quality products, outstanding displays and cost-saving prices for consumers. I’m proud to say that this emphasis on quality has enabled the show to grow into the largest dealer show in Florida and one of the largest RV shows in the Southeast.”
This year’s RV show will feature dealers from throughout Florida displaying a wide selection of new recreation vehicles of all styles, brands and price ranges, including pop-ups, gas and diesel motorhomes, travel trailers, toy haulers, 5th wheels, park models and van campers.
Besides RV dealers, the show will feature 100 outdoor and camping vendors displaying equipment and accessories to help outfit RVers or provide information on where to camp throughout the nation. Items include new braking systems, specialized camping equipment and high-tech engine enhancers.
RV ownership has reached record levels in the United States, with an estimated 30 million RV enthusiasts, including renters, according to the national Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA). On American roads today are 7.2 million RVs. That’s nearly one in every 12 vehicle-owning households in the United States, according to a study by the University of
Michigan. And, with the economy pinching consumers’ budgets, RV travel remains an affordable option.
PKF Consulting, an international consulting firm with expertise in travel and tourism, found that “typical RV family vacations are on average 27 to 61 percent less expensive than other types of vacations studied,” even factoring in RV ownership and fuel costs.
“With the economic downturn, prices for RVs have never been lower,” Wylie
continued, “making the RV lifestyle surprisingly affordable. Since the Fort Myers RV Show is among the first shows of the 2009 season, many residents make this event a ‘must see’ since it enables camping enthusiasts to view the large variety of RV’s available from Florida dealers.”
The 24th Annual Fort Myers RV Show will be open this weekend from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission is $7, with children under 16 free. Parking is free. Thursday’s
tickets are half-price. To reach the Lee Civic Center, take Exit 143 (State
Road 78) and go east three miles. For more information, visit www.frvta.org/region1.asp.