New Study Confirms Cost-Effectiveness of RV Vacations

Cost-comparison concludes RV vacations are significantly cheaper than other forms of travel

OTTAWA, Jan. 26, 2012 /CNW/ - Today, Go RVing Canada is revealing the results of a new Family Vacation Cost Comparison Study, which compares RV vacations with several other vacation modes.  This is the second installment of the study conducted by PKF Consulting and the results reveal that an RV vacation can be up to 78% cheaper than other forms of travel. This statistic has increased by 3% since the last study, conducted in 2009.

Several forms of travel were compared and in all cases, RV vacations were more economical than any other type of travel, regardless of trip duration, distance, or region of the country where the vacation took place.

The Study compared an RV Vacation with two other popular forms of family vacation: driving the family vehicle and staying at hotels, and travelling by air and rental car with hotel accommodations. All costs associated with a family vacation were analyzed including fuel costs, air fare, restaurant meal cost, grocery cost, rental car cost, campsite cost and hotel/motel cost. It is also important to note that the study also factored in vehicle ownership costs.

"The margin of savings is amazing.  No one can deny that a family vacation in an RV really is incredibly affordable," stated Alana Fontaine, Go RVing Canada National Spokesperson. "RVing is an excellent choice for families seeking to maximize their vacation budgets."

The cost benefits of RVing come from the flexibility of cooking in an RV and the affordability of campgrounds which offer both electrical and water hookups.  According to the PKF Study, the average cost of campgrounds was $368 for a ten day trip from Halifax to Quebec City. The same trip averaged $1,754 in hotel costs with a car/hotel vacation.

As an example, the average cost of a seven day RV vacation from Vancouver to Banff National Park using a lightweight travel trailer was 41 percent cheaper than the same vacation with a car/hotel option; and about 54 percent cheaper than a comparable air/hotel option. The average cost per day of a 3-day camping vacation to Algonquin Provincial Park from Montreal using a folding camping trailer was found to be about 43 percent less expensive than the cost of a comparable car/hotel combination vacation; and about 78 percent less than the cost of a comparable air/hotel vacation.

"This is the time when families are starting to think about their summer vacations. "90% of RV owners agree that RVing is the best way to travel with children," concluded Fontaine.

"Many families are looking for affordable ways to see the country at its best and RVing is the perfect opportunity to accommodate a budget with a fun and flexible vacation."

For more information on RVing across Canada, please visit www.GoRVing.ca

The Go RVing Canada coalition was formed in 1997, and consists of RV manufacturers, RV dealers and campground operators. The coalition serves as the Canadian RV camping industry ambassador to provide the public and media with information about the benefits of RV travel. The coalition also seeks to enhance consumer information and satisfaction with the RV experience.

For more information and to set up an interview, please contact:

Kalene Tilson or Alana Fontaine
Go RVing Canada Public Relations
Media Hotline: [phone]
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]