RV Showtime in the Heart of Canada’s RV Country!
Toronto Spring Camping and RV Show enjoys a triumphant return to LIVE event status!
By Norm Rosen
After a two-year hiatus during the pandemic, the Toronto Spring Camping and RV Show returned to International Centre in Mississauga, Ontario, to host a near-record crowd of RV enthusiasts and new RV prospects.
“Our attendance for the 2022 show surpassed the 2020 show by 18%, logging the second highest number of visitors in the history of this CRVA organized event,” said Shannon O’Callaghan, Canadian Recreation Vehicle Association’s Show Director. “It was obvious that there was a significant pent-up demand among RV enthusiasts, especially those who waited patiently in the lengthy lineups to get into the show on opening day.”
The 2020 edition of the show was the last major live event before the pandemic lockdown hit Ontario in mid-March 2020.
The decision to hold a live event this year was made after very careful deliberation among the members of the RV Show Committee, with input from the Ontario Provincial Medical Officer, and the medical and scientific advisors from the Greater Toronto Area.
With more than 90% of Ontario residents triple-vaccinated, and hospitalizations going down at a steady pace, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced just a few days prior to the RV Show opening day that attendance limitations on indoor events would be lifted on March 1, and the vaccination certificate mandate would be removed. Masking requirements for indoor events remained in place, and all exhibitors and attendees were provided with hand sanitizing supplies, as a cautionary effort
“The show benefited from the announcement of the lifting of capacity limits and elimination of proof of vaccination by the Government of Ontario, just before the show on March 1. We were emphatic that the Toronto Spring Camping and RV Show followed Ontario Provincial Health protocols to ensure that attendees, exhibitors, and facility staff remained safe and healthy, including arranging for personal hand sanitizer bottles to be readily available to everyone who came to the show”, noted Shane Devenish, CRVA’s President.
Attendees were delighted to be able to experience the RV lifestyle again in person, with Go RVing Canada helping to set the stage with a large camping simulation, complete with campfire setting, oversize marshmallow roasts, s’mores, and country music entertainers.
This very popular exhibit included the famous “Brewdocking RV” which is being used by Amazing Race Canada’s Jon Montgomery as he and his family travel across Canada, documenting their RV adventures through a new series of online reports, available to the general public at the Go RVing Canada website – check these out – here is the link: www.gorving.ca/jonmontgomery/
A full slate of seminars provided insights on the RV experience from some of Canada’s leading experts. The Daily Seminars were well attended, and covered a wide range of topics, including Towing Tips, RV Maintenance, RV Insurance, Holding Tank Treatments, Solar Panels, and an Introduction to the RV Lifestyle.
On-Site Sales Exceeded Expectations…
Exhibitors at the Toronto Spring Camping and RV Show enjoyed excellent sales, despite the supply chain challenges that continue to see RV dealer lots well below the normal stocking level for this time of year.
Dealers exhibiting at the show persevered, as RV dealers always do, and customers were able to order the RVs of their dreams for delivery as soon as the manufacturers can catch up with the pent-up demand. Dealers exhibiting at the show all reported excellent retail activity during the event, and many prospective sales, which they expect will be completed after the show.
While the show did not feature the customary parts and accessory store, which in normal years encompassed an area of more than 11,000 square feet, several supplier booths were on hand to provide on-site sales of RV and leisure related items.
Moncton New Brunswick RV Show opens March 10…
The return to live RV shows in Canada continues this coming weekend, with the Moncton RV Show slated to run from March 10 – 13, 2022.
To read all about the Moncton RV Show, please visit the RV Lifestyle Magazine website – here is the direct link: https://www.rvlifemag.com/moncton-rv-show-live-march-2022/
Here’s our photo coverage of the 2022 Toronto Spring Camping and RV Show…
The 2022 Toronto Spring Camping and RV Show brought the thrill of the RV experience to a very receptive audience, as the first live RV Show to be held in Canada since the pandemic lockdown in mid-March 2020.
RV dealers from south-central Ontario brought a full range of RVs, despite the continued inventory shortages that continue to affect Canadian dealers.
RV enthusiasts and new RV families enjoyed the opportunity to view RVs “up close and personal” for the first time in two years…
Suppliers had the opportunity to show their products to a very enthusiastic and receptive audience.
In addition to the traditional RV products, show visitors enjoyed the opportunity to see some uniquely Canadian RV accessories, from Les Campeuses en Cavale. https://lescampeusesencavale.com/en
RV parts and accessory displays provided show visitors with the information they needed to equip their rigs…
With campsites booking fast all across the country, the team from Camping in Ontario, a private campground owners association, was busy throughout the show.
Among the roster of live RV seminars, this session by Canadian RV Dealer of the Year Andy Thomson was a big hit – note the socially distanced seating arrangement, in keeping with the Provincial health guidelines.
Olympic Champion Jon Montgomery, host of “The Great Race”, is travelling across Canada with his family as they prepare the very popular “Brewdocking” series of RV livestreams.
Norm Rosen (left) borrowed John Montgomery’s Olympic Gold Medal for this photo, snapped at the RVDA of Canada’s Louisville RV Show dinner in 2014. Jon was Canada’s Olympic Gold Medalist in the men’s skeleton event at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he rose to national prominence through his patriotic enthusiasm and outgoing personality.
The team from Terego, a Canadian camping host association, were on hand to introduce show visitors to their new alternative to overnight camping opportunities.
From the smallest trailers to double-wide park models, the Toronto Spring Camping and RV Show encompassed a full array of recreational opportunities.
The first production models of the General Coach Canada Citation Reward travel trailers were on display – and had very enthusiastic response from the RV show visitors! Check them out at https://generalcoachtrailers.com/reward-travel-trailers/
The Quebec-made Helio travel trailers attracted a lot of attention – take a look at these quality compact trailers – https://heliovr.com/
RV enthusiasts of all ages enjoyed the first live RV show in Canada since the pandemic lockdown of mid-March 2020. The four-day attendance at the 2022 Toronto Spring Camping and RV Show notched a near record for the show, exceeding the 2020 visitor tally by 18%.
After two years of pent-up anticipation, it was wonderful to be “on the road again” to meet many thousands of new RV families!
RV Lifestyle Magazine Tech Editor, Garth Cane (left), who was inducted into the RV/MH Hall of Fame, class of 2020, greeted show visitors at the magazine booth, along with Norm Rosen, V.P. Special Projects, Taylor Publishing Group.
RV Lifestyle Magazine publisher Bill Taylor takes a moment to relax after a very successful show, taking a break in a Muskoka chair by My Custom Sports Chair, of Stoney Creek, Ontario. www.mycustomsportschair.com
Throughout the show, the RV Lifestyle Magazine video team, led by videographer Paul Wright, posted RV walkthroughs and short clips to share the excitement of the show with our social media contacts through Facebook, Pinterest, and the RV Lifestyle Magazine YouTube channel…
