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Heartland Recreational Vehicles, LLC (“Heartland”), manufacturer of towable RVs in America, today that it has acquired the remaining active trademarks of the towable brands from Fleetwood Enterprises, Inc. As one of the leading former manufacturers of towable RVs in North America, Fleetwood has some of the most recognized and iconic brands in the industry.

“This is an exciting transaction for Heartland. Fleetwood’s towable brands have long been among the most widely recognized names in the towable RV segment, with loyal customers and an extensive dealer network. By acquiring the trademarks of Fleetwood’s towable products, we will enhance Heartland’s brand portfolio with industry leading names such as Prowler, Pioneer and Wilderness,” said Brian Brady, CEO of Heartland.

Mr. Brady continued, “In the last five years, Heartland has become one of the leading manufacturers of towable RVs and is the third largest manufacturer of fifth wheel RVs in the U.S. Our phenomenal growth and success has given us the financial strength to pursue the acquisition of Fleetwood’s legendary trademarks. We would like to thank our dealers and customers for their continued support of Heartland and we look forward to enhancing our industry leadership by continuing to create great products that our customers love.”

In addition to producing existing Heartland RV brands, the company expects to begin manufacturing towable RVs under the newly acquired brands over the next twelve months. Under the terms of the transaction, Heartland has acquired all active trademarks of the towables RV segment of Fleetwood Enterprises from a bankruptcy proceeding, and Heartland will not assume any liability for warranties or claims relating to existing sold and unsold Fleetwood manufactured products.

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Snowbirds have arrived at Arizona's RV parks in greater numbers than last year, and many are staying longer, according to private park operators and industry officials.

"We're doing extremely well. We're up about 16.5 percent in terms of occupancy," said Wendell Johnson, general manager of Palm Creek Golf & RV Resort in Casa Grande.

And while some snowbirds arrived early, others have booked extended stays well into spring. "We've gotten a sizeable number of three month reservations for February, March and April," he said.

An even more dramatic increase in winter visitors has taken place at Rincon Country RV Resort in Tucson, which has seen a 30 percent increase in winter visitors since November. "From November on, occupancies have been running steadily higher," said park owner George O'Leary, adding that his current winter business exceeds his 2006 figures by 4 percent.

Park operators attribute the increase to several factors, including a stronger economy, moderate fuel prices, an improving stock market, and a strong Canadian dollar, said Merlin Jones, president of the Arizona Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds.

Jones, who serves as general manager of Eagle View RV Resort in Fort McDowell, said his park has also seen a significant increase in visitors this winter. "It's a lot better than last year," he said. "We're up a good 10 percent. We're still receiving reservations for monthlies for February and March."

Desert's Edge RV Village in Phoenix has also seen an increase in its snowbird business, both in terms of daily and monthly visitors. "I'm very excited," said park owner Saundra Bryn. "For January, we were up 10 percent over last year. That's wonderful for us."

Not every park has had a significant, but in this economy, even modest gains are welcome.

"We're pleasantly surprised this year," said Jim Beach, general manager of National Mobile Development, which owns Mesa Spirit RV Resort in Mesa. "We're not phenomenally up. But we're up a couple of percent." About 60 percent of Mesa Spirit's RV sites are allocated for transient RVers, with the balance being by snowbirds who spend the winter in park models.

The Arizona Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds represents private campgrounds and RV parks and resorts across the Grand Canyon State. For help locating industry sources, statistics and other information about camping trends in Arizona, please contact Merlin Jones at (480) 789-5316 or email him at mjones@fmyn.com. Additional information on Arizona parks is available at www.azrvparks.com. Contact information for the parks referenced in this release is provided below:

• Desert's Edge RV Village, Phoenix, Saundra Bryn, (602) 672-8263 or [ e-mail ]
• Eagle View RV Resort, Fort McDowell, Merlin Jones, (480) 789-5316 or [ e-mail ]
• Mesa Spirit RV Resort, Mesa, Jim Beach, (480) 830-0338 or [ e-mail ]
• Palm Creek Golf & RV Resort, Casa Grande, Wendell Johnson, (800) 421-7004 or [ e-mail ]
• Rincon Country RV Resort, Tucson, George O'Leary, (520) 886-8431 or [ e-mail ]

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King’s Campers, is proud to announce that 2010 is the company’s 20th Anniversary. Family owned and operated by owners Ron, Mike, and Mark Gajewski and Les Stankowski, King’s Campers has become the North Central Wisconsin Area’s leader in the RV sales and service industry. These families together forged a company that has become synonymous with above-and-beyond customer care, dedication, integrity, and honesty.

The Gajewski’s and Stankowski’s are hard working and dedicated Wausau families that have taken a very small company originally established in 1967 by Ron Gajewski (then turned over to Roger King in 1972) located on Wausau’s West side to extraordinary growth since they re-purchased the business in 1990. Their “can do” approach to all things work related brought them to a cornerstone within 5 years of ownership; relocation. The families recognized the Wausau area’s future population development and took the innovative step of relocating the business to what was once an abandoned building located at 5507 Lilac Ave, Wausau in 1995. This location was seen by King’s Campers owners as a property that would provide them with the utmost visibility and also would provide the opportunity for expansion to better serve a growing population. As a result of this vision and drive, King’s Campers now covers 5 acres of new and pre-owned products and includes 12 service bays to repair or service any make or model RV. With approximately 40% of sales from out of state customers, Wausau is now on the “favorites menu” for GPS systems around the country.

Ron Gajewski, General Manager for King’s Campers stated, “Reaching this mile stone in our company’s history is a fantastic achievement. Twenty years has gone by so quickly, and yet at the same time, it feels like forever. So many things have happened in those years. But truly the best part is the customers. I’ve met so many wonderful people through this job. It’s just been a wonderful experience. I’m an engineer by trade and a sales person by choice because I really enjoy working with and meeting folks.”

“This anniversary is a true testament to our owners and staff. “ John Gajewski, Sales Manager added. “I truly appreciate all of them. They’ve all worked together to make this company what it is today. We all should be very proud of all the achievements King’s Campers has earned over the years. In looking ahead, we can easily look back to see what we’ve done right and use that experience to help us improve all aspects of our operation, to include continued partnering with quality manufacturers, and providing above-and-beyond service.”

King’s Campers is the North Central WI Area’s leader in RV sales and service. Selling KZ, Open Range, Salem, Tiffin, and Winnebago RV’s and servicing all RV makes and models. King’s Campers has been locally owned and operated since 1990.

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Jayco Jay Flight and Starcraft Autumn Ridge Travel Trailers

Jayco's Jay Flight and Starcraft Autumn Ridge travel trailers have been "green certified" by TRA Certification, Inc., an internationally accredited certification organization. The Jay Flight and Autumn Ridge travel trailers were awarded a Gold Level Performance Rating, making Jayco and Starcraft among the first RV manufacturers recognized for building products with green manufacturing processes and materials.

There are four levels of TRA's green rating for RV manufacturers: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Emerald. The Jay Flight Autumn Ridge travel trailers achieved Emerald ratings in three out of five categories (water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and operation and maintenances) and Gold ratings in the other two categories (resource efficiency and energy efficiency).

Tom Arnold, president of TRA Certification Inc. in explaining the green RV concept, said, "A green RV incorporates environmental considerations and resource efficiency into every step of the development and manufacturing process. The design, construction and operation of a green RV focus on energy and water efficiency, resource-efficient RV design and materials, and indoor air quality."

"Jayco is proud that our Jayco and Starcraft brands are among the first to be named gold-level green certified products," said Sid Johnson, Jayco's director of marketing. "It is one thing to say you are a "green" company but it is an entirely different standard when your company is certified green by an independent testing firm. Operating as a good corporate citizen has always been the Jayco way of doing business. Paying attention to environmental standards and being efficient with resources are just a couple of the ways we can demonstrate that responsibility."

Johnson stated that other Jayco and Starcraft products have yet to be tested and will be going through the same process in the near future.

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Bigfoot RV is under new active ownership, and will soon be providing parts, service and new products to the North American RV market from its facility in Armstrong, BC, Canada.

In a news release, the new management said, "Our experienced Bigfoot staff & management have a long term dedication to the Bigfoot experience. We are committed to the Bigfoot Tradition, and look forward to taking Bigfoot RV’s into the future with new and refreshed products proudly built upon the solid foundation of Bigfoot’s unmatched quality, design & customer experience. Our focus as we begin production of our world class RV’s will be maintaining the carefully designed & well-built products that Bigfoot is known for."

In addition to providing parts & service for existing Bigfoot RV’s the new management says it will soon begin production of Truck Campers & Travel Trailers, with updated offerings selected from Bigfoot’s most popular models. The company is seeking to establish distribution outlets in both Canada & the USA and will provide details regarding product availability as soon as they are confirmed.

For future updates regarding operational and product details please visit www.bigfootrv.com.

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(ARA) - Planes and trains may have their place in our society, but for the dedicated traveler there's still nothing like getting in your RV and taking a trip along America's highways.

A brief history of paved roads 625 B.C. The Babylonians are credited with the first recorded use of asphalt as a road building material. The ancient Greeks were also familiar with asphalt (the word comes from the Greek "asphaltos," meaning "secure"). 1500s Christopher Columbus landed off the shores of Trinidad in 1498 and discovered the famous Asphalt Lake, which would later be used on the Pennsylvania Avenue project in Washington, D.C. covering 54,000 square yards. 1800s Macadam roads became popular in the U.S. for rural road construction during the 1830s and 40s. Belgian chemist Edmund J. DeSmedt laid the first true asphalt pavement in the U.S. in Newark, N.J. The Cummer Company opened the first central hot mix production facilities in the U.S. The first asphalt patent was filed by Nathan B. Abbott of Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1871. 1920s World War I ended and the use of the automobile was steadily rising, but roads outside the city limits were frequently too muddy or dusty for travel. To fix this problem, road engineers used oils and asphalt. 1940s-1950s The modern American turnpike is born. After World War II, full scale automobile production resumed along with major levels of road maintenance and new highway construction. By 1950, vehicle registration exceeded 40 million cars and 8 million trucks. In 1956, President Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act and launched the Interstate System to create an infrastructure highway program unmatched anywhere in the world. 1970s A national move to conserve energy and materials initiated a widespread interest in recycling of pavement materials; asphalt is now America’s most recycled product. 1990s A traffic study by the World Road Association indicates that asphalt pavements are at least 4 decibels quieter than concrete pavements. 2000s The U.S. population has increased 23 percent since 1990 and the number of miles driven has risen by 41 percent. Only half of the nation’s major roads are in good condition, based on an analysis of recent Federal Highway Administration data.

Half the fun of road trips, in the minds of many, is getting home and telling friends and family about the adventure - and the roads they traveled.

In the past, drivers' road stories were largely told by word of mouth to a few people at a time. Now drivers can tell their tales to millions via the Internet. FavoriteRoad.com is a new Web site that features America's favorite highways and byways.

The site encourages you to post your favorite roads and explain why you like them. Simply log on to submit a photo and story of your favorite road. Use links posted on the site to share your road via popular social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Your submission may even win a prize in contest giveaways.

The past year's economic downturn has reintroduced the word "infrastructure" to our vocabulary. As a result of stimulus legislation passed in 2009, the federal government has allocated millions of dollars to specifically improve state roads and highways. And, with more affordable gasoline prices, people are increasingly using America's roads for leisure travel.

By posting on FavoriteRoad.com, you're doing more than just "telling a good story." Your testimonials may help encourage lawmakers to push for increased infrastructure spending to keep America driving smoothly and safely for years to come.

What's your favorite road? Log on and tell the world at FavoriteRoad.com.

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The Precept™ by Jayco®, is designed for RVers who are as concerned about fuel economy as they are comfort. Precept raises the bar for Class C motorhomes with a combination of excellent fuel economy and full-featured luxury.

The 2010 Precept is powered by a Mercedes-Benz® 3.0L V6 CRD turbo diesel engine and a five-speed automatic transmission with overdrive. Built on a Dodge® Sprinter™ chassis and featuring rear stabilizer springs and an adaptive electronic stability program (ESP), Precept's responsive handling separates it from conventional Class C motorhomes.

The euro-style interior design is every bit as ground breaking as its MPG rating. The interior features a 22" LCD HDTV, Provincial Glazed Maple cabinetry with curved doors and drawers, decorative nickel hardware, Dream Dinette™ and high-intensity recessed halogen lighting throughout are just a few of the stylish features that make traveling in a Precept as enjoyable and it is economical. The kitchen features all the comforts of home including a three-burner stove, convection microwave, range hood and under-cabinet lighting.

Several additional features are available on the Precept in the Customer Value Package, including leather driver and passenger seats, day/night shades throughout, 6 gallon gas/electric auto ignition water heater, Touch-Screen In-Dash Sound System™ with CD/DVD and back-up camera monitor, deluxe remote-control heated side-view mirrors and bathroom power vent.

SPECIFICATIONS

Weights
Gross Vehicle Weight (lbs)	11,030
Measurements
Exterior Length	24' 8"
Exterior Height w/AC	131"
Wheel Base	170 - 1/2"
Interior Height	88 - 1/2"
Tank Capacities
Furnace, Auto-Ignition (BTU output)	25M
Fresh Water Capacity (gals) Includes W/H	37
Gray Tank Capacity (gals)	33
Toilet/Waste Tank Capacity (gals)	37
Fuel Tank Capacity (gals)	TBD
Other
Chassis/Engine Size	Mercedes-Benz 3.0L V6 Turbo Diesel
Sleeping Capacity	TBD
Storage
Exterior Storage (cu.-ft.)	TBD

A spike in attendance at RV shows around the country could be yet another indicator that the RV industry – and America’s economy – are headed for growth in 2010.

Over 50,000 consumers attended the Florida RV Super Show in Tampa this month, up 12 percent over last year’s strong attendance. Attendance at the Grand Rapids (MI) RV Show doubled over last year’s number with more than 20,000 consumers attending. And at the Ohio RV Super Show, 33 percent more consumers showed up this year than last year. The large crowds at these shows have pleasantly surprised organizers and dealers, who say that, in addition to stronger attendance, sales are also much improved over last year.

“Sales were awesome – just like the old days,” said Bob Sanders, sales manager for Dusty’s RV, about the highly successful Florida show. “We wrote 170 deals at the show, compared with 58 last year.” Sanders added that sales were across the board and included 40 motorhomes.

“We are seeing a two year pent up demand for RVs finally opening up,” said FRVTA Executive Director Lance Wilson. “Americans will only wait so long for things that they really want, and it appears they want RVs right now.”

Loren Baidas of General RV Center said consumer enthusiasm and dealer optimism reigned at the Grand Rapids Show. “The attitude of buyers was 100% better than last year,” she said. “People were in a buying mood.”

And at Greensboro (NC) RV Show, Regional Show Manager Anthony Tedesco reported an increase in attendance over last year’s show. “The response from dealers and exhibitors was extremely positive,” said Tedesco. “Show attendees were definitely excited about the RV lifestyle and that really showed. Several RV dealers reported significant growth in sales and felt very positive about the upcoming year due to this event.”

Show manager Dianne Seymour said of the Colorado RV Adventure Travel Show in Denver, “Attendees were lining up at the doors each morning, and we had quite a crowd that stayed until the show’s end every night. People were clearly excited about the RV lifestyle and eager to see what the dealers and exhibitors were offering.” Jim Humble of Windish RV agreed, adding, “It was a fantastic show. This year, we sold double the units we sold last year. This was a quality crowd that was here to buy. We are just thrilled.”

Reports from RV retail shows indicate that shoppers are impressed with new RV products that are smaller, lighter, and more aerodynamic and fuel-efficient than previous models.

“Although consumer interest in RVing remained strong even through tough times, it’s great to see that consumers are now confident enough to begin buying again,” said RVIA President Richard Coon. “Solid traffic at RV shows is another strong sign for 2010.”

An expansive $8.25 million media plan for 2010, designed to reach prospects with a wide variety of interests and media habits, will give the “Go Affordably. Go RVing” campaign broad exposure at a pivotal time in the industry’s recovery through television, print and online media.

The innovative new “Ambassadors of Affordability” animated television commercials, designed to re-energize the consumer as the economy recovers, in combination with a coordinating, redesigned website, will debut the weekend of February 12-14 in conjunction with the 2010 Winter Olympics and Daytona 500 pre-race programming on SPEED. The updated GoRVing.com website will launch February 12 as well.

“Higher RV shipments being forecast by Dr. Richard Curtin for the new year will allow us to invest $8.25 million in advertising as Americans are starting to feel more secure in their spending decisions,” said Gary LaBella, RVIA vice president and chief marketing officer. “This is great news for the campaign as it’s more than double than the 2009 budget, although still only half what we were able to spend in 2007. The increased funding is allowing us to develop a far-reaching campaign that spans many market segments.”

The Winter Olympics buy, targeting the huge family viewing audience for this major television event, includes 105 spots during Olympics programming starting Feb. 13 on NBC, along with spots on MSNBC, CNBC, USA and live daytime coverage on Universal Sports. The first SPEED spot airs Feb. 12 on the popular “Trackside” program, along with the premiere showing of a new Go RVing travel vignette featuring NASCAR personality Rutledge Wood and his family.

Throughout February and March, an additional 454 spots will air during Universal Sports’ programming coverage of World Cup Alpine Skiing, the Track & Field World Championships, American Cup Gymnastics, US Freestyle Ski Cup and more. For the first time, Go RVing will have court-side signage during 29 regular-season NCAA basketball games and 118 postseason tournament games televised on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2. Spots on continuing coverage of NASCAR, Triple Crown horseracing, Xtreme Bulls and professional bowling return to our media line-up, joined by major league baseball advertising on FOX Sports Net. MLB exposure continues through the season with an ad buy on regional cable telecast coverage; this is in addition to the arena media advertising Go RVing has sponsored in 26 MLB stadiums across the country for the past several years. Research shows that sports viewers are a fertile audience for Go RVing.

Media Buy Reaches Broad Audiences

Go RVing will reach other broad audiences with two important new buys as well as many returning buys. A cross-platform media partnership with cable’s History network is an integrated blend of television, print and web exposure throughout the spring and summer. Go RVing will run TV spots during History’s popular “Modern Marvels” and the new reality series, “American Pickers,” which landed three million viewers when it premiered in January - the most-watched premiere on History since 2007.

Ads will also run in five issues of History magazine, along with custom content in a 32-page pull-n-save Top Ten Destinations guide. On the Travel Channel, seen by avid travelers in some 90 million households, Go RVing spots and billboards will promote RVs as the best way to visit the national parks as part of a special National Parks Week sponsorship this spring.

The rest of the $4.1 million television buy remains in cost-effective direct response ads on proven cable networks like Discovery, TBS, TNT, USA, Food Network, The Weather Channel, TLC and more. With time-strapped viewers recording programming to watch at a later time, Go RVing has also teamed up with TiVo to provide customized content from the Getting Started consumer information video.

The “Go Affordably. Go RVing” print ads introduced in 2009 – the inspiration for the new TV spots -- will appear in 27 major consumer magazines that have a strong history of delivering leads, plus a good editorial environment for our ads. Emphasis was placed on reaching readers with a strong propensity to travel and a passion for spending time with family. Top publications on the plan include Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel, Better Homes & Gardens, Sherman’s Travel, Ladies Home Journal, Woman’s Day and Good Housekeeping. The total print budget is $2.5 million.

Internet advertising – the most cost-efficient source of leads – will include banners on Google, Yahoo, National Geographic, WeatherBug, Sherman’s Travel, Dogtime.com and Weather.com, on a total budget of $1.6 million.

In addition, Go RVing will continue its low-cost, high-impact investment in social media in 2010, using Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to generate millions of impressions for almost no cost. In 2009, Go RVing’s Facebook page was viewed over 100,000 times.

“Over the past tough year, Go RVing successfully maximized media for the dollars available and helped the RV industry build demand in a down market,” said LaBella. “With an increased budget in 2010, Go RVing will be able to stimulate even more consumer demand.”

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Pacific Dunes Ranch RV Resort Oceano, California

Sandra Bate, president and CEO of Bates International Motor Home Rental Systems, Inc., a leading recreational vehicle (RV) brand in North America, announced that Bates International has affiliated with Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. (ELS), a company that owns and operates resort communities in the United States and British Columbia, including Thousand Trails, to offer the "Ready Camp Go" program to all of its RV rental customers.

"Bates International is excited to join forces with Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc. and Thousand Trails to offer exclusive resorts, featuring impressive amenities with premium rental accommodations, including RV sites, all at incredible savings at popular vacation destinations through the Ready Camp Go! Program," says Bate.

"The program provides Bates International and its franchise locations throughout North America to offer added value to our customers," adds Bates. "In addition to gaining access to the ELS and Thousand Trails portfolio of more than 150 plus properties and 67,000 public and membership sites, our customers will enjoy a wide variety of quality services and amenities at significantly discounted rates," adds Bate.

The new "Ready Camp Go!" Program makes RV camping easier and more affordable than ever by offering four money-saving programs that feature great benefits including: camping discounts as low as $20 per night; from 15 to 90 nights of discounted camping; from $250 to $1,900 in savings; reservations up to 90 days in advance … all depending on the program RVers select. "Ready Camp Go!" will be featured at all Bates Franchises throughout the United States and Canada.

"Equity LifeStyle Properties/Thousand Trails have substantial resources and widespread industry publications which tell the RV story," says Bate. "Bates International Franchises can take advantage of this network to increase their business and better serve their RV customers.

The Bates brand is recognized internationally as the first RV Rental Franchise Company in the world. Bates was named in 2007 and 2008 by Entrepreneur magazine as one of the top 500 Franchises in the United States and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, on CNN News and in numerous RV Industry publications. Bates International is a member of the International Franchise Association, the Recreational Vehicle Rental Association, the Go RVing Campaign and the Recreational Vehicle Association of America and the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce. For more information, call Bates toll free at 800-732-2283 or visit www.batesintl.com.

The Bates brand is recognized internationally as the first RV Rental Franchise Company in the world. Bates was named in 2007 and 2008 by Entrepreneur magazine as one of the top 500 Franchises in the United States and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, on CNN News and in numerous RV Industry publications. Bates International is a member of the International Franchise Association, the Recreational Vehicle Rental Association, the Go RVing Campaign and the Recreational Vehicle Association of America and the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce. For more information, call Bates toll free at 800-732-2283 or visit www.batesintl.com.