Keystone Montana Named 2016 RV of the Year

keystone’s one-of-a-kind front kitchen

montana named 2016 rv of the year;

to be featured on national tv

Thor Industries, Inc. (NYSE:THO) today announcedthat its Keystone subsidiary’s Montana 3820FK front kitchen fifth wheel was named RV of the Year by RVBusiness magazine, the industry’s leading publication.  During a year in which towable RV sales reached record highs and RV manufacturers introduced hundreds of new products, the Keystone Montana 3820FK stood above the rest.

Keystone RV President Matt Zimmerman stated, “To know that the staff of RVBusiness walked literally hundreds of floorplans, from towable RVs to luxury motorhomes, and in the end chose Montana as RV of the Year is a tremendous honor.  We at Keystone take RV design seriously and believe we have the best team in the industry. This award motivates us to do even more going forward.” 

The combination of a spacious front kitchen, automotive windshield, flowing floorplan, and well thought-out details, makes the Montana 3820FK a show-stopper.  “With a plush, wraparound booth dinette located beneath the front automotive windshield, there is nothing else like it on the market today,” noted Montana product manager Jason Gill. “Add to this the expansive, central living area with entertainment center, opposing slides with sofas, and the theater seating and you have a coach that is both innovative and incredibly spacious. Customers have been standing in line to see it at the RV shows this year!”   

Thor President and CEO, Bob Martin, added, “As a Company that prides itself on product innovation and continually working to exceed the expectations of our dealers and consumers, we are very proud of this honor for Keystone and the Montana.  With a broad stable of new products, it’s not surprising that we are seeing strong early results in the retail selling season.”

While the Montana 3820FK floorplan is new, the Montana brand itself has been Keystone’s flagship luxury nameplate for some time.  According to Statistical Surveys, Inc. of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Montana has been the number one selling luxury fifth wheel for 15 consecutive years. Just this past month, Montana shipped its 90,000^th coach. 

In addition to the upcoming cover story in RVBusiness, the presentation ceremony for this prestigious award will be showcased on the nationally distributed RV lifestyle program Rollin’ On TV. Filmed at the RV Hall of Fame and Northern Indiana Event Center in Elkhart, Indiana, the ceremony was hosted by former Elkhart and current Big 10 Newtwork personality Allison Hayes and Trailer Life magazine technical editor and video producer Jeff Johnston. With an audience of 32 million homes, this special edition of Rollin’ On TV is set to air in mid-February with more information to be found on the show’s web site www.rollinontv.com. 

4 Social Media Tips for Your RV Dealership

Even if you feel like selling RVs is more your thing than computers and tablets, it’s important to stay on top of your social media game if you want your RV dealership to flourish. Social media is an excellent way to bring in newer, younger customers that are constantly connected, and to gain exposure with potential customers who might not see your brick and mortar dealership or the traditional ads you place. If you want to know how to use social media to boost business, the how-to guide below can help.

1. Use Facebook to keep people up-to-date about inventory.

Facebook is a great tool because it allows you to share photos, videos, and messages with people interested in your dealership. To show customers what they can buy, upload photographs of the RVs you have for sale. Create albums for different types of RVs, or organize the albums by date to show what is currently available. Sharing your inventory will get people excited and make them more likely to come into your shop.

2. Promote products with Vine videos.

Vine is a video-sharing platform where users can post 6-second video clips to their followers. Use Vine to showcase new products, or to share deals that you want to promote. You can stand in front of RVs and explain the product or deal customers can expect, boosting excitement and giving people a better sense of your business’ personality.

3. Target the right audience via Twitter.

Twitter is an effective tool for sharing up-to-date information with people who are interested in RVs, or people who are in your local area. To find the right followers (who can then become sales leads), follow other RV dealerships or RV-related organizations in your area. Then, see what users follow their account, and follow them. Chances are many will follow you back, and you can join their conversation by re-tweeting their Tweets, replying to them, and tweeting your own cool industry news.

4. Make your photos awesome with Instagram.

With photo-sharing platform Instagram, you can also find followers by seeking out related businesses and following their followers. One of the best things about Instagram for a RV dealership is that it allows you to entice customers visually– and it has excellent photo editing and filter options, so you can make all the pictures you share look great. Take pictures of inventory or happy people making purchases (with their permission), and people will want to check out the amazing RVs you sell in person.

Want to know more about using social media and other ways to boost business for your dealership? Contact us at RVTrader.com.

Check Out These Upcoming RV Events!

Looking for an RV show to head to this month? Check out these awesome upcoming RV events:

Indy RV Expo
Jan 9-17

Florida RV Supershow (Tampa)
Jan 13-17

Valley RV & Camping Show
Jan 15-17

Boston RV & Camping Expo
 Jan 16-18

Fort Myers RV Show
 Jan 21-24

Alabama RV Super Show
Jan 22-24

Fort Wayne RV & Camping Show
Jan. 28-31

Atlanta Camping & RV
Jan 29-31

Arkansas RV Show
Feb 12-14

Coastal Bend Boat & RV Expo
Feb 12-14

West Palm Beach RV Show
Feb 12-15

Northeast RV Show, NY
Feb 12-15

While at the Florida RV Supershow (Tampa), please visit our partners:

OEM	BOOTH #	URL
Augusta RV	800A West Midway	http://augusta-rv.com/
Coach House	835 Midway	http://www.coachhouserv.com/
Crossroads RV/ Redwood RV	805 West Midway	http://www.crossroadsrv.com/
Evergreen RV/ Lifestyle Luxury RV	755 & 760 North Midway	http://www.goevergreenrv.com/
Fleetwood RV	505 Midway	http://www.fleetwoodrv.com/
Grand Design RV	740 North Midway	https://www.granddesignrv.com/
Heartland RV	704 & 710 North Midway, 815 West Midway	http://www.heartlandrvs.com/
Jayco/Entegra/Starcraft	825 West Midway	http://www.jayco.com/
Leisure Travel Vans	575 East Midway	http://leisurevans.com/
Livin’ Lite Corp	700 North Midway	http://www.livinlite.com/
Monaco Holiday Rambler	615 Midway	http://www.monacocoach.com/ http://www.holidayrambler.com/
Newmar	605/765 North Midway	http://www.newmarcorp.com/
Nexus RV	660 East Midway	https://nexusrv.com/
Pleasure-Way	130 Expo Hall	http://www.pleasureway.com/
Roadtrek	140 Expo Hall	http://www.roadtrek.com/
Skyline RV	702 North Midway	http://www.skylinerv.com/
The RV Factory	702A North Midway	https://thervfactory.com/
Thor Motor Coach	220 Lakeside East 515 Midway 875 Midway	https://thormotorcoach.com/
Winnebago Industries	635 Midway ,750 North Midway	http://winnebagoind.com/

It’s Trip Planning Season: Need Some Inspiration?

The holidays are over, the RV may be winterized, and this is the perfect time of year to make your travel plans for 2016. RVing is more popular than ever, and it’s the National Park’s 100th birthday, so booking campsites early should be a priority this year.

But where to go? If you need some great travel inspiration, RV Family Travel Atlas has got you covered. We have complete Adventure Guide episodes that will guide you to the best camping, activities, and food in a region. Here are links to some of our most popular Adventure Guides.

Cape Cod

Cape Cod offers the quintessential beach vacation with many great campground options. Visit in the shoulder seasons if possible to avoid the midsummer crowds.

Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park is one of the most popular parks in the entire country and for good reason. This paradise offers amazing sunrises, hikes for every ability level, and lobster rolls around every corner.

The White Mountainsof New Hampshire

With its rugged beauty, the White Mountains offers everything the outdoor enthusiast could desire along with a stunning assortment of amusement parks, train tours, and gondola rides. It’s truly a summer playground for all ages.

The Blue RidgeParkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of America’s most famous scenic drives, offering photo opportunities at almost every mile of the winding road. We adore the northern section, which is home to the Blue Ridge Music Center and is right near Mount Airy, birthplace of Andy Griffith.

There is nothing we love better than a great RV travel destination, so if you want to hear recommendations for The Great Smoky Mountains, Myrtle Beach, or Glacier National Park, tune into our weekly podcast, RV Family Travel Atlas. You can also hear in-depth campground reviews from around the country on our weekly podcast, Campground of the Week.

See you at the campground!

Winnebago Fuse

The Winnebago Fuse is an all-new Class C motorhome built on the Ford Transit chassis.

Available in two single-slideout floorplans and offering some of the best ergonomics and visibility available in a Class C coach, the Fuse also delivers excellent fuel economy, thanks to its aerodynamic styling and 3.2L I5 diesel powerplant.

The 23A floorplan includes a rear bath, twin beds and a lounge/galley slideout, while the 23T features a walkaround queen bed in the rear passenger-side slideout.

Both floorplans feature clean, contemporary interiors as well as sizable rear storage and an available bike rack, so it’s easy to bring your favorite toys along.

Look for the Fuse at your Winnebago dealer, or learn more here.

Basecamp On Wheels

Like they have for so many other industries, Baby Boomers are driving changes in the RV market. Active Boomers enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, climbing, bicycling and paddlesports, but are looking for something a little more comfortable than the cold hard ground after a long day of outdoor play.

And they’re increasingly drawn to vehicles like the Winnebago Touring Coach Travato. The fuel-efficient Travato drives more like a car than a typical motorhome, and with its 24-gallon fuel tank, can go for hundreds of miles between fillups. Equally important, it offers all the comforts of home, in a smaller and more efficient package.

The Travato is one of a new breed of Class B motorhomes that have made the segment the fastest growing in the industry: Class B sales have increased more than 22 percent this year, far outpacing their larger brethren.

Stef and James Adinaro, creators of “The Fit RV” blog, are prime examples of this new breed. Avid fitness buffs (she’s a personal trainer, he races bicycles), they use their Travato not just for camping, but as a fully outfitted support vehicle for long-distance bicycle races and other activities.

“We didn’t set out to be RVers,” noted Stef. “We do a lot of endurance events, and bought a camper van so we could crash right near the start before a race, and have our own bathroom and shower afterward.”

The fuel economy is “huge for us,” she went on.  “We didn’t really see ourselves as RVers, but we’ve started taking trips that weren’t necessarily around an event, and now here we are, loving it!”

Two RVers Will Win $500 Rand McNally Tablet 80 GPS

RVTrader.com partners with Rand McNally on “Hit the Road” sweepstakes for RV enthusiasts.

Norfolk, VA (PRWEB) January 12, 2016

RVTrader.com has partnered with Rand McNally to offer RVers a chance to win the recently introduced Rand McNally Tablet 80, valued at nearly $500. Two lucky contest winners will take home a brand new GPS tablet. This sweepstakes, launched at the beginning of 2016, encourages RVers to “Hit the Road” this year and explore the great outdoors.

The Rand McNally RV Tablet 80 is an Android tablet with an 8-inch screen and RV-specific navigation. The tablet includes a Road Atlas e-book, an onboard dash cam, and a powered magnetic mount with commercial-grade GPS boost and back-up camera input. It also features trip planning and navigation and allows the user to email and download apps, keeping the traveler connected while on the road. The tablet comes with the RV Trader app, allowing users to shop, search and browse RVs for sale. With the award-winning navigation and features of Rand McNally’s RV GPS devices plus an Android operating system, the new tablet is a must-have for any RVer.

“The RV industry continues to see tremendous growth as we roll into 2016,” said Christine Knapp, partnership & affiliate marketing manager for RVTrader.com. “We want to spread the word to outdoor enthusiasts everywhere that RVing is affordable and fun, and this is the year to hit the road. We hope this promotion allows RVers to take the next step in researching, finding and exploring the country this year in their new RV.”

The “Hit the Road” Sweepstakes begins at 9 am Eastern Time on January 4, 2016 and ends at midnight Eastern Time on January 31, 2016. Winners will be selected by random drawing on or around February 14, 2016. To participate in the “Hit The Road” sweepstakes, visit http://www.rvtrader.com/research/resources/contest and complete the online entry form.

About RV Trader 
RVTrader.com is the premier online classifieds website for buying and selling RVs. Over 145,000 new and pre-owned recreation vehicles are available from dealers and private sellers across the country. With more than 2.5 million visitors every month, RV Trader is the perfect place to search, shop and sell RVs. RV Trader.com offers dealers a comprehensive suite of digital marketing products to help them advertise their products to potential buyers across all devices. Find your dream RV today on RVTrader.com!

About Rand McNally
Rand McNally is the country’s most trusted source for maps, navigation, and travel content.  Products and services include: America’s #1 Road Atlas; IntelliRoute (R) truck routing software; TND (TM) truck GPS; HD 100 E-Log devices; TPC 7600 and TND (TM) 760 mobile fleet management solutions; RVND (TM) GPS for RVers; and leading geography-based educational resources for the classroom.  Learn more at randmcnally.com.

NERVDA’s Boston RV Show Slated for Jan. 16-18

The Boston RV & Camping Expo, slated for Jan. 16-18 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC), will kick off the show season in the Northeast with over three football fields of RVs, suppliers and campgrounds. The event is produced by Paragon Group of Needham, Mass., and sponsored by the New England RV Dealers Association (NERVDA)

“We’ll have everything from a popup trailer to 40-foot diesel pushers on the show floor,” said Bob Zagami, executive director of NERVDA, in a press release. “We have 17 of our dealers exhibiting this year, including two first-time exhibitors in the show, Vermont Country Campers from Montpelier, Vt., and Crowley RV Center from Bristol, Conn. With these two additions, we now have dealers from all six New England states participating in this outstanding event.”

Zagami noted that the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center “is one of the best exhibit venues in the country for a major indoor RV event,” offering large move-in doors, lots of natural light, high ceilings and easy access by highway and public transportation. The BCEC is also located in the heart of the new Seaport District that has seen the addition of new hotels and several new restaurants this year.

This will be the fourth year that Paragon Group has worked with NERVDA on the Boston show, since Zagami and Jeff Hirsch, former RVDA chairman and CEO of Campers Inn RV, sat down and came up with the plan to reorganize the association in 2011. Today, NERVDA is a vibrant dealer association with 31 members and offers their dealers and associate members an array of education and training programs, consumer outreach through their various social media offerings, and will focus on RV technician training and certification programs in 2016.

“We are thrilled to once again be working with NERVDA in producing the Boston RV & Camping Expo this January,” said Barbara Pudney, vice president of the Paragon Group, producer of the event. “We recognize how important sales are at this time of year for the region’s RV dealers, and we’re excited that we can bring them such a large crowd of interested shoppers.”

This article originally appeared on RVBusiness.com.

Florida SuperShow Offers a ‘Room With a View’

The Florida RV Trade Association (FRVTA) reported that the 2016 Florida RV SuperShow will feature every major RV manufacturer as well as hundreds of accessory booths. The show, themed “Discover Your Room with a View,” will open with Industry Day on Jan. 12 followed by Public Days Jan. 13-17.

“We’ll have more supplier booths and every type, size and style of RV on the market,” said FRVTA Marketing Director David Kelly in the company’s newsletter. “With the addition of new entertainment and more seminars, we anticipate record crowds this year. We’re also renewing the two-day pass so the public will have two full days to see everything at the SuperShow at no additional cost.”

In addition to the hundreds of RVs on display, the SuperShow will feature displays by some of Florida’s finest campgrounds and resorts along with an on-site Camping World store.

Seminars will be presented throughout each day at the SuperShow, including “Tips for Buying an RV,” “Full Time & Extended RV Travel” and information on basic RV maintenance, weight and tire Issues, RV generator maintenance and RV caravanning.

The Super Rally celebrates its 29th year at the SuperShow, open to RV clubs and the general public. It offers a number of amenities including free admission to the SuperShow all five public days, meeting facilities, seminars and three nights of entertainment.

 For more information on the 2016 Florida RV SuperShow, contact the FRVTA at 813-741-0488, or click here.

This article originally appeared on RVBusiness.com.