RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Coming on the heels of a record-breaking year of sales for the RV industry, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced today that RVs accounted for $30 billion in direct economic activity in 2016, the most recent year for which statistics are available. The data from the Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account (ORSA), the first ever government report recognizing outdoor recreation as a significant contributor to the U.S. economy.
Overall, according to Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), outdoor recreation accounted for 2.0 percent ($373.7 billion) of current-dollar GDP in 2016. In addition, the outdoor recreation economy grew 3.8 percent in 2016, compared to 2.8 percent growth in the overall economy.
“Motorized Vehicles” was the largest activity within “Conventional Outdoor Recreation” in 2016, accounting for $59.4 billion of gross output. This means that RVs, with their $30.0 billion in gross output, account for more than half of that value.
“The ORSA report is a welcome signal of the critical economic role outdoor recreation plays in the United States, and the RV industry figures reaffirm the strength of our business,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, president, RV Industry Association. “We are fortunate to represent a rapidly growing industry that helps keep America’s economy strong and brings enjoyment to millions of Americans.”
The full report issued by ORSA and BEA can be found here.
ABOUT ORSA: The new Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account (ORSA) is the latest addition in a series of satellite accounts complementing BEA's statistics, including accounts on travel and tourism and arts and cultural production. These accounts do not change BEA's official statistics, including GDP. They provide greater detail and allow closer analysis of a specific area of the economy by extracting information embedded in the official economic statistics.
ABOUT RVIA: The RV Industry Association is the national trade association representing RV manufacturers and their component parts suppliers who together build more than 98 percent of all RVs produced in the U.S. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, the RV Industry Association is a unifying force for safety and professionalism within the RV industry and works with federal and state government agencies to protect the interests of its members. To learn more, visit www.rvia.org.