VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — In the hours leading up to the 4th of July holiday, the parking lot at Snyder’s RV in Virginia Beach was bustling.
The sales manager, John Adcock was busy trying to keep up. He said business has been non-stop since businesses and state parks reopened.
“Everybody's trying to get out and do something other than sit in the house,” said Adcock.
Adcock said their sales have tripled over the last few weeks.
“It was all of a sudden, it was a very quick spurt; it wasn't gradual,” said Adcock.
AAA is forecasting that people in the U.S. will take 700 million trips during the 2020 summer travel season. That number is a 15 percent decline from last summer. For the first time since 2009, summer travel has dropped.
This summer, they’re forecasting road trips will be the go-to travel choice due to the coronavirus pandemic. Holly Dalby, the Director of Public Affairs with AAA Tidewater Virginia, said this summer travel season will be drastically different from years in the past.
“Travel will be more spur of the moment, as people don't wanna make plans too far in advance,” said Dalby. “They’re just unsure about how things are gonna go with the COVID situation.”
Adcock said RV production has slowed drastically during the pandemic. Now, his business is struggling to keep up with the demand.
“Unfortunately, it slowed that down. If I sold this [RV] today, I’d have a replacement in possibly two to three weeks.
Now? Adcock said the average wait time for a new RV is at least three months. He worries inventory will run low.
As a growing number of people seek a safe, last-minute get-away, AAA says road trips will dominate summer travel this year.
AAA says currently, car trips make up 97 percent of the favored travel option.