‘Abby Road’ Trip Exemplifies Fantasy RV Tours’ Comeback

Like cruise ship and airline travel, guided RV tours struggled mightily during the pandemic. Mostly, they were shut down as governments and individuals scrambled to deal with the virus. However, in another sign of how things are changing, leading RV tour operator Fantasy RV Tours reports that business is booming once again.

An example of this resurgent popularity is Fantasy RV Tours’ Abby Road on the River (AROTR), an FMCA-sanctioned event scheduled for May 23-31, 2023, in Jeffersonville, Ind.

Abby Road on the River (AROTR)  is the world’s largest Beatles-inspired music festival, held each year over the Memorial Day weekend at Big Four Station Park, across the river from Louisville.

AROTA features over 250 Beatles and 60’s themed concerts performed by 50 different bands and draws more than 20,000 music fans from around the world. The festival has been held annually since 2002, with 2023 being the second year it has been included in Fantasy RV Tours’itinerary.

Joining an organized RV tour like those offered by Fantasy offers the participant experiences not available to the individual RVer, said Lisa Crockett, Fantasy RV Tours director of marketing. To illustrate, “The official AROTR hotel is right across from our campground,” she told RVBusiness. “Bands hold impromptu concerts at the hotel, and we get the first word about them. So it’s like a private concert for us. In addition, a hospitality tent and band meet-and-greets are included in the tour.”

Of course, Abby Road on the River is just one of the many experiences offered by the Las Vegas-headquartered RV travel company. Fantasy claims to be the largest RV tour company in the world, offering over 60 tours each year, and is endorsed by FMCA and the Good Sam Club. Additionally, it is the provider for several RV owner clubs, including Tiffin and Winnebago, and conducts tours centered around some significant RV shows such as Florida RV SuperShow, Hershey RV Show, and Quartzsite RV Show.

One indicator of how business has exploded is Fantasy’s current hiring initiative. The company is training 40 new ambassadors to lead and support the various tours. With staff size nearly doubling, Fantasy plans to offer even more events. Additionally, tours in 2023 are selling out, and 2024 tours also are filling up rapidly.

Changing demographics are also shaping the company’s plans. Most Fantasy tours have been geared toward an older audience, with travel lasting up to three weeks or longer. However, due to the influx of new RVers and the RV owners’ ages getting younger, Crockett explained that the company is updating its offerings. “When you are working full time, it’s hard to take off more than a week or two. So, we are adding shorter duration tours to our schedule,” she said.

Examples of these shorter excursions include the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, which can now be taken as a five- or six-day rally. Another shorter rally, scheduled for April 2024, is the “8 Day Great American Eclipse and Homecoming Rally” near Branson, Mo. This event allows RVers to witness an eclipse with 98.8% totality without leaving the campground, thus avoiding the crowds that plagued the 2017 phenomenon.

Although Fantasy RV Tours has been in business for over 40 years, Crockett says many new and seasoned RVers don’t know the company exists or what they do.

“They go through all the planning and stress, but once they find out about us, they’re like, Wow, I don’t have to do any of the work. And it’s about the same price, maybe even less, to join a group tour.”

Fantasy is reaching out to new markets within the changing RV owner landscape. One avenue is a  partnership with Anthony Nalli’s TV program The RVers. Now entering its fifth season, The RVers seems to have hit the right balance of content between what appeals to experienced RVers and newbies, Crockett stated. The program can be seen on Discovery, PBS, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and other channels. Recently, the show carried a feature about the Ballon Fiesta Rally, which you can view here.

Source: https://rvbusiness.com/abby-road-trip-exemplifies-fantasy-rv-tours-comeback/