The 31st annual Fort Myers, Fla. RV Show jumped to a brisk start Thursday at Lee Civic Center, for a four-day run.
Count on seeing new RVs of all styles, brands and price ranges, including folding campers, gas and diesel motorhomes, travel trailers, toy haulers, fifth wheels, park models and van campers, news-press.com reports.
Thirteen dealers from the Florida RV Trade Association-Region One are participating.
The supporting cast: Nearly 100 vendors displaying equipment, accessories and services, such as new towing systems, RV insurance, specialized camping equipment and high-tech makeovers for older RVs.
Prices range from folding camper trailers —aka pop-ups — for less than $20,000 to motorhomes in the neighborhood of $1 million.
Dealers and show-goers alike say that while below-$2-a-gallon gasoline is welcome, it doesn’t significantly affect whether people who want to buy RVs actually do.
And, “It doesn’t influence greatly whether we take off or stay here. It’s one of the costs we plan for,” said Kate Bariletti.
She and wife Jan Janata are full-time RVers, wintering in North Fort Myers with dog Charlie in their 2008 31-foot Monaco motorhome. They came to the show to get ideas for replacing some of its furnishings.
The couple does the numbers: If staying overnight in a motel costs a lot less than using the 10 mpg motorhome, they'll take their car and book a room, Janatta said.