Campers are selling, and RV parks are filling up
NORTHERN MICHIGAN -- This weekend, thousands of people will fill up the gas tanks and put the rubber to the road as they head ‘Up North.’ Many to go camping.
RV business is huge and camper dealerships say right now, travel trailers are a hot sell.
Inside it has all the essentials -- a refrigerator, sink, and probably most importantly, a comfortable bed. Campers love what they do and lackluster economy or not, they're going to do it.
"I can't think of a better business to be in, I love this stuff, you're selling vacations! Everybody has stress, this is where your stress goes away," says Tony Kesselring, the manager of Gaylord’s International RV World.
Kesselring says even with fuel prices through the roof, people find a way to make it work.
"The smaller ones sold faster than I’ve ever seen the little ones go," he says. “The one he just pulled out of here goes Friday, that one’s Tuesday, that one’s Friday, that one's next Thursday, we're moving them, they're going pretty good."
And camper destination locations are booking up. Craig Rose and his brother own Hearthside Grove Motorcoach Resort and the KOA in Petoskey.
“Our business is really outstanding. This year, we have doubled the business we had last year, that kind of exponential growth is rare these days, but we're thankful for it," says Rose.
Rose says this weekend, they're booked solid, and throughout the summer, registration is real good. In fact, business has boomed so much they're expanding.
“We're twice as big this year as we were one year ago, so we've doubled the size of our property, we continue to sell lots as well as rent lots, both parts of our business are doing outstanding," said Rose.
And with the growth, that means more employment opportunities.
Hearthside Grove has hired five additional employees this year, making their workforce a total of 21 people.
