The outdoor recreation industry grew once again in 2023. The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) data revealed that the sector remained above $1 trillion in annual gross economic output.
BEA reported the outdoor recreation industry totaled $1.2 trillion in gross economic output in 2023, a 4.5% increase from $1.1 trillion in 2022.
The outdoor recreation industry comprises 5 million jobs, or 3.1% of U.S. employees.
While the sector grew, the RV segment slowed. In 2023, the RV industry totaled $56.78 billion in gross economic output. The total is 19.7% below 2022’s previously reported $70.76 billion to the economy.
Revisions to historical data clouded the RV industry’s pace of decline. According to BEA, the reports were revised based on changes made to the North American Industry Classification System (NACIS) standards. BEA uses data from the 2017 economic NACIS report. BEA said the revisions caused changes to the data.
The result is the RV industry’s previously reported $70.76 billion gross economic output in 2022 has been revised down 9% to $64.37 billion, with 2021’s gross economic output revised down 13.5% to $55.15 billion.
After the 2022 data release, BEA said the RV segment was the largest among all the outdoor recreation segments in 2020 and 2021, topping boating and fishing for the first two times. The result was touted in RV industry marketing efforts, including messaging from RVIA and RVDA. With the latest revisions, boating and fishing has been the top outdoor recreation segment each year since 2012.
While the RV industry numbers were less than last year, RVIA Vice President of Government Affairs Jason Rano said it was not surprising to see GDP increases during the pandemic’s booming effect on the industry in 2020-2022.
“The data released today shows that the growth is sustainable,” Rano said. “It was not just a result of people seeking to get outside during Covid, but what we are seeing is sustainable and continued growth in the outdoor recreation industry, and that is really important.”
Outdoor recreation employment increased nationwide. However, Indiana’s outdoor recreation employment was down by 4.8%. Indiana, which manufactures most of the RV models and components, ranked as the third-largest contributor to recreation manufacturing with $8.1 billion. Texas was the largest with $12.9 billion, and California was second with $11.8 billion.
Indiana remained the largest contributor to the RV segment, investing $4.7 billion into the industry. Texas contributed $2.5 billion, and $2 billion came from California.
RVIA President and CEO Craig Kirby said, “The latest BEA data underscores the undeniable impact of outdoor recreation on our economy, and RVing plays a crucial role in that success story … These trends demonstrate that RVing not only enhances personal well-being but also fuels economic growth across the nation.”
According to ORR, regardless of economic fluctuations and market adjustments after the pandemic, the outdoor recreation industry continues to outpace the U.S. economy. The report recorded the industry’s GDP growing by 3.6% compared with the economy’s GDP growing by 2.9%.
RVDA President Phil Ingrassia said, “This BEA report confirms the vital role of outdoor recreation in bolstering state and national economies. Outdoor recreation businesses, such as RV dealerships and campgrounds, are especially beneficial for rural communities, stimulating economic activity and creating jobs in less-populated areas of the country.”
