Thor Industries CEO Bob Martin joined a reporter on The Weather Channel this week to talk about the nationwide trend toward RV vacations and outdoor recreation.
Martin gave insights on the recent boom in RV sales and orders during the coronavirus pandemic, speaking via a video call from Bristol, Indiana in front of two Thor RV units. He answered questions about the safety precautions RV dealers and rental companies have in place and the benefits of RV road trips. Martin said the RV lifestyle had been becoming more popular among Americans even before the pandemic began affecting travel and social trends in March.
“We were off to a good year in retail sales anyway in January and February,” Martin said. “It’s just been a growing lifestyle, but really with the pandemic people are trying to figure out how they can get out and still enjoy a vacation with their friends and family, socially distance and do it safely.”
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The Weather Channel host asked Martin how these larger RVs fare during heavy weather, and about any tips the Thor CEO had for first-time RV drivers who might encounter a storm. Martin said RVs are a great option for pulling over into a rest area and waiting out a rainstorm.
Martin gave the interview sitting in front of a Thor Tolaro Type B motorhome. He said those units should be more accessible to new RVers than large diesel pushers or some Type C models.
“They’re small and easy to drive, and that’s where we see a lot of the growth coming right now from some of these new customers,” he said.
According to the Weather Channel, a recent survey discovered 46 million Americans plan an RV trip in the next 12 months. The Weather Channel host asked Martin about the cleaning processes in renting an RV from one of the popular RV rental sites nationwide.
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“They’re definitely taking the extra steps to go through and clean, sanitize and make sure its ready for the next customer,” Martin said. “Our dealers are doing the same thing as people are going too dealer locations to buy an RV. They’re taking all the precautions.”
Watch the interview with Thor Industries CEO Bob Martin on the RV Industry Association YouTube page here.
