Before the gates opened at this year’s Quartzsite Sports, Vacation & RV Show (Jan. 18-26), organizer Kenny King said he expected great things.
The show exceeded even his expectations.
Marking its 37th year, the event has become a “must see” for the RVing community as it runs concurrently with nearby rock, gem and mineral shows, plus numerous flea markets in the little Arizona town of Quartzsite about 125 miles west of Phoenix.
In early January – based on preshow exhibitor interest – King said it was shaping up to be the largest show ever. The early indicators rang true.
But amid the record-breaking throngs of nearly 150,000 that descended on Quartzsite, King noticed something different this year.
“A lot more young people! It was amazing!” King said. “I mean, I know I’m getting older, but the demographic has definitely shifted in the last five to 10 years — dramatically. I never used to see, I mean, scores of little kids holding hands with their parents.”
In recent years, industry analysts have noted an increase in the number of Millennials taking interest in RVing. King’s experience at this year’s show confirmed that observation, which he characterized as “good for the industry.”
It was the biggest show – by the numbers – that King and his crew have ever seen, and it appears to have translated into a successful event for vendors and dealers.
Curt Curtis, president of RV Country with 10 locations spanning Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington, said his sales were “as good or better than they have been. It was a great indicator for us, we think, of how the year’s going to be.”
Curtis said he brought 240 units to the show this year and sold 125. Fifth-wheels and used diesels drew the most customer attention.
“We sold a little bit of everything but those two really stood out as being a big success for us,” Curtis said.
One of the more than 650 vendors on hand was Roadmaster, an Oregon-based manufacturer of tow bars, shock absorbers, springs and hitches. Eric Jason, Roadmaster’s national sales manager, echoed King’s optimism.
“It was a great show. It felt like attendance was way up,” he said. “We had great traffic. The count was definitely up from years past.”
Jason said there’s usually a lull midweek, but that didn’t happen this year, and “even until the very end, at three o’clock on Sunday, we had a lot of foot traffic.”
King said part of the reason for the robust attendance may have been the weather.
“I’ll tell you what, I can’t remember over the past 20 years, the weather being this good,” he said. “I couldn’t have called for anything better. Eight out of nine days it was between 65 and 75 degrees.”
There was a light sprinkle one day, which drove attendees into the big tent instead of to the open flea market. But that only meant the vendors located in the tent enjoyed a busy day that particular day.
“Generally speaking, the vendors I spoke to, about 95% or higher said it was the best show yet. Great show. Great traffic,” King said. “There were a couple of losers, but there always are. But we were just packed every day. We had one off-day during the week, which any other show would give their left arm to have.”
