Alberta RV Sales Surge as Families Opt for Local Adventures

Sales of recreational vehicles (RVs) in Alberta are experiencing a significant uptick, influenced by rising tensions south of the Canadian border. The recent Calgary RV Adventure Sale and Show drew large crowds, with vendors reporting robust sales. Brandon Urban, operations manager of Western R.V. Country, noted that the event on January 25, 2025, marked a record sales day for his company. “Saturday at the Calgary RV Show was the best sales day we’ve seen in our company in the last four years since those record COVID years,” Urban stated.

Urban highlighted that more than 30 units were sold through Western R.V. Country and Field of Dreams RV on January 24, underscoring a shift in consumer behavior. “It’s evident that Canadians want to stay home and go camping and enjoy their summer in Alberta,” he remarked.

A survey conducted by Abacus Data revealed that 23 percent of Canadians are avoiding travel to the United States, citing former President Donald Trump and his treatment of Canada as contributing factors. The survey, which included responses from 1,850 adults, indicated that the reluctance is even more pronounced among Albertans, with nearly 30 percent stating that U.S. events impacted their travel decisions. Urban mentioned that many customers have expressed similar sentiments, choosing to remain closer to home due to global conditions and concerns about U.S. travel.

Megan Gusdal, a resident of Okotoks, echoed these feelings, stating that plans for American travel are “not anytime soon” for her family. She cited the difficulty of traveling with a large family and concerns about the current atmosphere in the U.S. “The atmosphere doesn’t seem the greatest for us right now,” Gusdal added.

According to Statistics Canada, 7.6 million fewer Canadians traveled by vehicle into the U.S. last year. The number of Canadian vehicles crossing the border dropped by 30.9 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year, further illustrating the trend toward domestic travel.

The rising costs associated with air travel are also influencing this shift. Urban pointed out that “just getting on a plane with kids these days seems like a big thing, and the cost is so much more for flying.” RV prices range from approximately $25,000 to over $100,000, but they offer the advantage of being reusable for multiple trips. Urban added, “Those Disney trips and Hawaii trips cost a fortune, so RV camping is still a very economical, practical vacation option.”

This trend appears to be reshaping the demographics of RV buyers. Vendors are noticing a decline in older couples purchasing motor homes and a rise in families with children seeking RVs. Urban remarked, “This would be the highest volume of bunk model trailers we’ve sold in quite a few years now, so it’s great to see families coming back.”

David Forma from Guarantee R.V., based in Springbank, noted that political tensions with the U.S. are driving more buyers to consider local products, including some units manufactured in Winkler, Manitoba. “When they are looking at buying and investing in new products, Canadian-made definitely pushes it over the top,” Forma explained.

The Calgary RV Show, which concluded on January 25, 2025, served as a platform for these changing consumer behaviors, reflecting a broader trend towards local travel and recreation in response to external influences. As families prioritize spending time in their home province, the RV market in Alberta is poised for continued growth in the coming years.