For half a century, RVIA crafted a legacy of RV industry change. The association Tuesday reflected on member accomplishments on its 50th anniversary.
RVIA was born in 1974, when the Recreational Vehicle Institute in Des Plaines, Illinois, and the Travel Coach Association of Riverside, California, blended. The two associations created RVIA, headquartered in the Virginia suburbs outside of Washington, D.C.
Warren Jones established the association as its first chairman. According to RVIA, the association’s entrepreneurs valued industry unity in political, cultural and economic challenges. The same value continues to shape RVIA today.
The association advocated on the industry’s behalf at the federal level, including all three branches of government. RVIA gradually addressed state regulations to harmonize RV standards nationally.
The organization united with RVDA in the 1990s to enrich RV technician training and certification. Their collaboration eventually produced the RV Technical Institute (RVTI) in 2018.
RVIA cultivated RVing awareness through its national Go RVing campaigns.
Over the years, the organization partnered with associations such as RVDA, the Outdoor Hospitality Industry (OHI), the Outdoor Industry Association and more.
RVIA said the association has maintained “the vision of unity that the founders had in establishing the RV Industry Association and the belief that we can accomplish so much more together has carried us onward and upward.”
