Analyst says RV Dealers will greatly increase inventory this year

NEW YORK -- Nobody knows for sure how U.S. consumers will react in the months ahead. But an RV industry analyst predicted yesterday that RV dealers anticipating a surge in consumer spending will order more motorhomes and travel trailers to shore up inventory that has fallen dramatically over the past year, CNBC reported.

Analyst Craig Kennison, with Robert W. Baird and Company, reported the results of a survey his firm conducted of nearly 100 RV dealers. According to Kennison, RV dealers will more than double orders of motorhomes, and order 50 percent more towables by the start of the summer camping season, CNBC reported.

There are already signs that dealers are working to increase their inventory. RV Daily Report published a story Dec. 29 noting that RV shipments from manufacturers to dealers were up 128 percent in November. At that time, a spokesperson for the RV Industry Association credited heightened consumer confidence and improving credit markets for recent gains.

However, Kennison told CNBC that higher unemployment and a lingering problem with credit could prove to be "problematic" in sustaining growth in the RV industry.