DexKo Global has announced that it has appointed Lee Sneed as the new President of its  North American utility trailer, recreational vehicle, heavy-duty, manufactured housing, agricultural, marine, and speciality trailer markets brand, Dexter.

Lee previously served as the Chief Operating Officer of the Elkhart, Indiana-based company, and assumed the role of President on 1 October this year. DexKo Global says that during his time as COO, Lee played an important role in strengthening operational execution and Dexter’s safety culture.

In the same announcement, DexKo Global said that its own CEO Eric McGinnis will continue to lead DexKo Global and partner closely with Sneed and the Dexter leadership team. Lee will lead the Dexter business and its continued focus on customer service, operational execution, safety, and growth.

Dexter, which employs more than 3,800 people in the United States and Canada according to its official website, operates 20 manufacturing facilities and distributes parts and accessories through more than 50 company-owned distribution locations. The brand specialises in axles, suspension, brakes, doors, venting products, trailer parts and accessories, and towing components, serving the commercial trailer, RV, heavy-duty, marine, agriculture, and manufactured housing markets.

The company was founded in 1960 by Leonard Dexter and is now owned by DexKo Global, which was formed in 2015 by combining Dexter and AL-KO VT.

American recreational vehicle brand Forest River has formed a new corporate subsidiary company that will provide its participating dealers in its network with new financing and consumer financial products.

Forest River Financial Services, as the new subsidiary will be known, has been created in partnership with Octane (Octane Lending, Inc.), and will launch two distinct programmes through participating Forest River RV dealers throughout the United States. These dealers will be able to offer end users additional retail lending alongside their own offerings that are designed to make the purchase process faster, easier, and more profitable.

Future phases are expected to include Canada and additional Forest River business units, including Marine, Bus & Van, Cargo Trailers and Commercial Truck. Timing and program details for future phases have not yet been announced.

“Forest River Financial Services represents a logical and strategic next phase for our company, and we couldn’t be more excited about our new partners,” said Doug Gaeddert, President and CEO of Forest River. “We’ve been searching to find the right fit, and believe that in Octane and Aven, we’ve found them. They both offer great products, but more importantly, they are great people – industry leaders – and they fit well with our culture.

“We have listened to our dealers and understand the margin pressure they’re facing every day. These new programs will create real value for dealerships of every size, and based on the strength of the offerings and our strong dealer partnerships, we anticipate high participation across our dealer network – with additional opportunities in the works!”

Forest River Consumer Cards will give participating dealers a new sales and loyalty tool via Aven that is designed to provide a differentiated financing option to boost purchasing power and extend the customer relationship well beyond the initial purchase.

“Our dealers are central to Forest River, and their ability to grow profitably is central to our growth,” said Darrel Ritchie, CFO of Forest River. “Forest River Financial Services was created to house a new set of tools that fuel this growth. The programs we’ve developed with Octane and Aven not only protect dealer margins, they also drive new sales opportunities back to our dealers. This is only the beginning of what we expect to build.”

Photo: Forest River RV

A new analysis conducted by PiNCAMP, the camping company of the ADAC, ANWB and TCS organisations, has shown that the average price of camping holidays reduces significantly once summer ends and autumn begins.

Many classic summer destinations see the largest price drops, such as Croatia, where the average overnight price for a family drops from €73 to €35, representing a drop of more than 50 per cent.

Other popular destinations also see significant price drops, such as Italy (-38 per cent), Spain (-38 per cent), and France (-36 per cent). Germany (-11 per cent).

This price drop, plus cooler temperatures compared to the very hot summer, means that autumn is becoming an increasingly popular time to go on a camping holiday among Europeans.

“Camping in autumn is noticeably cheaper. Anyone who isn’t tied to the summer holidays can save significantly now,” said Uwe Frers, CEO of PiNCAMP. “In Southern Europe, we see an increasing extension of the camping season. In Germany, campers focus more on short distances and flexible travel. During changeable weather, campsites that offer wellness, thermal, or indoor activities alongside the classic outdoor experience showcase their strengths.”

Further data from PiNCAMP’s study shows that camping trips in September and October last an average of six days and that short stays of less than seven days are planned relatively spontaneously: on average, there are around four weeks between booking and the start of the trip.

This showcases that even in mid-September, a large portion of the autumn camping demand is still undecided about their plans, but as these travellers are often more flexible, the booking becomes more reactive depending on prices and weather.

The number of RV wholesale shipments recorded in the United States for the month of August was 23,599, according to the latest monthly survey of manufacturers by the RV Industry Association (RVIA).

This figure is 16.4 per cent lower than the 28,212 recorded in August 2025. It means that the year-to-date number of RV shipments stands at 207,191, which is 14.2 per cent lower than the 241,550 from the same January to August period in 2025.

In August 2026, towable RVs recorded 20,790 shipments (16.9 per cent down on August 2025), while motorhomes recorded 2,809 units (11.7 per cent down on August 2025).

Park Model RVs finished August up 5.8 per cent compared to the same month last year, with 423 wholesale shipments.

While figures are slightly down compared to last year, this is expected by industry insiders due to numerous outside factors such as global conflicts, economic uncertainty, and lower consumer confidence. The American RV market appears to remain in a healthy state when taking into account indications such as the recent America's Largest RV Show in Hershey, which attracted more than 43,000 attendees.

Graph and data © RV Industry Association

Tourism and leisure industry show CMT has announced that applications are open for the 2027 edition of its Campsite of Ideas contest until 31 October 2026.

The competition is open to start-ups and entrepreneurs from the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) in the camping and caravanning sector to present their inventions and innovative ideas that will help to make mobile travel smarter, more enjoyable, and more sustainable.

Entrants can submit a short summary showcasing their idea on the Campsite of Ideas website for free, and then selected participants will be invited to a Content Day at the Touristik & Caravaning Leipzig show on 21 November, where they will get to create a video presentation of their idea with the team from the YouTube channel Clever Campen.

Following this process, there will be an online vote between 21 December 2026 and 14 January 2027, after which the three highest-ranking entries will be invited to the grand final, which takes place at the CMT show in Stuttgart.

At CMT, the finalists will present their ideas live to a panel of experts, the trade fair audience and other interested parties. The winning idea will then be determined by the votes of the jury, the audience and online viewers. In addition, the finalists will have the opportunity to showcase their product in the DIY area in Hall C1 at CMT 2027.

The prize includes a starter pack worth over €20,000. This includes, amongst other things, a dedicated exhibition stand at CMT in Stuttgart and/or at Reisen & Caravaning in Hamburg the following year. In addition, there is a media package via the channels of the magazine promobil, as well as contacts with manufacturers and support from industry experts.

Interest in recreational vehicles and the mobile living lifestyle remains high in the United States after 43,150 people attended America’s Largest RV Show in Hershey, Pennsylvania, from 16 to 20 September.

Organised by the Pennsylvania Recreation Vehicle and Camping Association (PRVCA) and hosted at Giant Center, where it has been hosted since 2005, America’s Largest RV Show is one of just two manufacturer shows in the United States each year.

This year’s edition saw more than 1,400 new RVs displayed by 42 different manufacturers, covering everything from large Class A motorhomes to small pop-up campers. Exhibitors included brands such as Airstream, Alliance RV, Brinkley RV, Forest River, Keystone RV, Newmar Corporation, REV Group, Thor Motor Coach, Tiffin Motorhomes, and Winnebago Industries.

“While the weather was a factor in our attendance, the manufacturers, dealers and vendors reported good traffic and sales,” said Heather Leach, PRVCA Executive Director. “There is still a strong interest in RVing and camping. We talked with many first-time attendees who were looking to purchase their first RV and others who were ready for an upgrade.”

As well as RV manufacturers, the show hosted 200 booth vendors offering products and services such as parts and accessories, camping equipment and supplies, décor, insurance, repair and maintenance products, campground and vacation destination information, insurance and more.

The show also features a wide range of seminars, a creator corner for content creators, live music, and a scavenger hunt.

The PRVCA first hosted the show in 1970, and as it grew, it eventually rebranded as America’s Largest RV Show in 2008, before attracting a record attendance of more than 64,000 people in 2017. The PRVCA says that all proceeds from the show go back into the industry, and the association also works to educate RV technicians and other staff at the dealerships, so they can provide the highest level of service to their customers.

The PRVCA has confirmed that the 2027 show will take place at the same venue, Giant Center, Hershey, from 15 to 19 September.

Photo: PRVCA

American recreational vehicle manufacturer Winnebago Industries has announced the appointment of Simone Silva as its new Vice President, Aftermarket and Enterprise Customer Experience.

This newly created role within Winnebago Industries is designed to help the company grow its aftermarket business across its portfolio of premium brands while advancing a unified vision for customer experience excellence.

Simone joins Winnebago Industries with more than two decades of customer service leadership experience, having previously worked as Vice President of Quality and Customer Experience at RV brand Newmar. She has also held global leadership positions at Whirlpool Corporation and Volkswagen, overseeing customer experience, consumer services, and quality initiatives across multiple businesses and brands.

“This role reflects our commitment to serving customers beyond the initial purchase and strengthening our connection with owners throughout their journey,” said Amber Holm, chief marketing and experience officer at Winnebago Industries.

“Simone has a proven track record of building customer-focused organisations and leading transformational change. Her ability to align teams around a shared customer vision, combined with deep expertise in quality, service, and customer engagement, makes her uniquely qualified to help us elevate the ownership experience and expand our aftermarket business.”

Simone added: “Our portfolio includes some of the most trusted and respected brands in outdoor recreation, supported by highly engaged owners and a deep commitment to innovation.

“I'm excited to join the team and help build on that foundation by creating an even better ownership experience for customers. We have a tremendous opportunity to serve owners throughout their journey, strengthen lifelong relationships with our brands, and support the company's long-term growth ambitions.”

Trigano reported sales of €3.8 billion for the 2026 fiscal year, an increase of 3.8% compared with the previous year, with growth mainly driven by its motorhome business.

Strong demand for Trigano products in most European countries pushed motorhome deliveries to distribution networks up by around 7% in volume, while caravan deliveries increased by 15%. Growth in the motorhome business was nevertheless affected by a 5% year-on-year decline in the performance of the group’s integrated distribution networks, with the French market held back by economic and political headwinds.
Motorhome sales increased by 4.2% to €2.877 billion, while caravan sales rose by 14.7% to €137 million. The Motorhomes and caravans segment, which also includes accessories and other activities, generated sales of €3.326 billion, up 4.1% from €3.196 billion in fiscal 2025.
Accessories and other services sales declined by 1.4% to €311 million. Sales through the French integrated distribution networks were down, while deliveries of accessories to European networks remained broadly stable, with strong growth in Germany offsetting weaker performances in France and the Netherlands.

Other leisure activities

At constant scope, mobile home sales increased by 1.9% in volume but declined by around 6% in value, due to an unfavorable product mix and selling price pressure in a market described by Trigano as being at the trough of the cycle. Following the acquisition of BIO Habitat on December 1, 2024, reported mobile home sales increased by 2.9% to €291 million.
Trailer sales rose by 2.7% to €150 million, supported by a strong performance from luggage trailers and growth in several Eastern European countries.

Financial results

Trigano said sales growth and the positive trend in production point towards a further improvement in earnings, with the recurring operating margin progressing towards 10%. Thanks to working capital management and broadly stable inventories, up 2%, the group’s net cash position before IFRS 16 increased significantly to around €500 million. During the fiscal year, Trigano bought back shares worth €60 million and paid €76 million in dividends.

European motorhome market and outlook

The European motorhome market remained resilient, with new registrations broadly in line with the previous season at nearly 160,000 units. France declined by 6%, Germany by 1.7% and the United Kingdom by 1.3%. Several other markets recorded growth, including Spain at +22.2%, Italy at +5.6%, Belgium at +9.6% and Sweden at +47.7%.

"The positive reception by distributors for the 2027 model lineup,” says Trigano in its press release, “together with their confidence in Trigano, has driven an increase in the order book, providing good business visibility for the first half of the year. As the season gets under way, the continued popularity of leisure vehicles was confirmed by strong visitor numbers at the early national trade shows (259,000 visitors at Düsseldorf, 100,000 at Parma) and at the fall trade fairs. However, due to a degree of consumer caution, this has not yet translated into growth in motorhome sales to private customers. Trigano will continue to monitor changes in demand and is planning to keep motorhome production stable in the first half of the year. Mobile home market fundamentals remain favorable. This product offers a vacation experience that combines comfort, sociability, safety and freedom in an outdoor setting at affordable prices, and appeals to a growing number of young people and families".

“The number of overnight stays at campsites in France during the past season is expected to be close to the record levels set in the previous year, testifying to the continued popularity of this type of vacation,” the press release continues. “Pending the upcoming trade shows and the opportunity to assess the latest trends, the market remains characterized by a wait-and-see approach on the part of major corporate clients. In the longer term, a new bull market is expected to begin, driven by the fundamentals of the rental market and the need to renew the housing stock. Backed by its excellent financial position, Trigano intends to maintain its growth strategy in the European leisure vehicle markets, including through external growth transactions” .

The 15^th edition of one of Italy’s leading caravan and motorhome shows, Salone del Camper, closed its doors with an attendance in excess of 100,000 people.

Held at Fiere di Parma from 12 to 20 September this year, Salone del Camper hosted more than 310 exhibitors over 110,000 square metres of exhibition space, offering those 100,000 visitors the chance to see more than 600 models of recreational vehicles up close.

As well as attracting a large number of end users and industry professionals, this year’s Salone del Camper also had a strong institutional presence, with guests and speakers at the show including Minister for European Affairs, PNRR and Cohesion Policies Tommaso Foti, Italian Minister of Tourism Gianmarco Mazzi, and Vice President of the Senate and former Minister of Agricultural Food, Forestry, and Tourism Policies Gian Marco Centinaio.

The show’s co-organisers, the Associazione Produttori Caravan and Camper (APC), said Salone del Camper ‘represented a meeting point for the entire itinerant tourism chain, from campers, vans, caravans and motorhomes to components, accessories, services and destinations, putting companies, operators, the public and institutions in dialogue’.

This successful edition of the show comes during a positive period for the RV market in Italy, with latest figures showing that between September 2025 and 31 August 2026, 8,144 new motorhomes were registered, compared to 7,760 the previous season, with a growth of 4.95 per cent. Campervans count for an impressive 37.26 per cent of these new registrations.

Italy also maintains its position as the third European manufacturer of motorhomes, after Germany and France, with more than 80 per cent of the production destined for export.

Part of the reason behind Italy’s continued success as a leisure vehicle market is down to the attention paid to the industry by the country’s government – during the event, the interventions financed by the Ministry of Tourism with €32 million were presented, destined for over 150 projects in 169 Italian municipalities and the construction of 4,375 parking pitches.

The 2027 edition of Salone del Camper will take place from 11 to 19 September, once again in Parma.