Thousands of Americans take to the highways and waterways during the summer months in search of R&R. And while the current state of the economy has undoubtedly put a damper on many travelers, others are still packing up and making the most of shorter trips to nearby destinations.

In fact, campgrounds and national parks are reporting excellent turnout for the summer season, according to the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds.

While many boat- and RV-storage facilities have experienced a drop in occupancy as more tenants trim their budgets, there is hope on the horizon. A recent news article on MSNBC states despite a drop in RV sales over the past two years, the outlook is promising.

One reason is Americans love to travel—and they love their toys. According to the article, there are more than 8 million RVs crisscrossing America’s roads. Throw in several more million boats, and you’ve got a huge demand for storage.

This week, the ISS staff wrapped up our annual summer supplement highlighting the boat/RV and mobile-storage industry. A common theme for this special issue is marketing. Much like with traditional storage, marketing is a key to filling units. Customer service, a critical component of retaining self-storage renters, plays an even bigger role in this market. Many facilities offer luxurious settings, including clubhouses, free wash services and more. Check Insideselfstorage.com in the coming weeks for more articles on this growing market.

If you’re interested in developing a boat and RV facility, you don’t want to miss the boat/RV seminar at this year’s Inside Self-Storage World Expo, Oct. 5-8, in Washington, D.C. Mako Steel President Caesar Wright will give a detailed overview of this niche storage product, providing insight to trends and an analysis of construction costs. For the full agenda or to register, visit www.insideselfstorageworldexpo.com.

In the meantime, check out these interesting articles from the ISS archives on boat/RV storage. And if you already offer boat and RV storage, tell us how you’re faring this summer by posting a comment below or head over to Self-Storage Talk, the industry's only online forum. We have a special section where boat/RV owners and operators can ask questions and exchange information.