RV Sellers Top Into Travel Biz

A recreational vehicle just might be the best way to combine a crystal chandelier with the rumble of a 500 horsepower engine.
Today’s recreational vehicles have floor plans to suit everyone, and choices of marble or granite countertops. Gold faucets, saunas and fireplaces are available — for a price.
Some argue that RVs, especially luxury models, are nowhere near “roughing it.” But when travelers come to that fork in the road, it doesn’t matter if they turn right or left. They have everything they could need right behind them.
In 2006, Roger Frakes, owner of New Hope RVs in Lowell, said industry research showed the number of residents in Washington and Benton counties who chose a home on wheels. He said about there were about 400 new registered RV owners in the area, with a near even split for each county. With an estimated average sell price of $20,000, that adds up to at least an $8 million market in Northwest Arkansas.
Nationwide, sales of RVs hit $14 billion in 2005, putting 384,400 units on the road, according to the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association. The cost of new RVs can range from a few thousand dollars for a pop-up camper to millions of dollars for the ultra luxurious motor homes.
According to the Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism, tourists — many sightseeing with their RVs — spent $5 billion in the Natural State in 2006.
There are a number of RV dealers concentrated around Interstate 540 and U.S. Highway 412. Dealers say the location gives greater roadway access and there is room for everyone in the growing market.