Consumers looking to save on vacation travel should go RVing, according to preliminary data from updated vacation cost comparison research by PKF Consulting.

Commissioned by the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA), the study shows that even during a time of economic turmoil and fluctuating fuel prices, RV trips remain the least costly, according to a news release.

PKF, an international travel and tourism consulting company, found that RVing is 28% to 59% less expensive than other types of vacations for a family of four. For an "empty-nester" couple traveling by RV, savings were 15% to 45%.

Even after accounting for factors such as RV ownership costs and fuel prices, the study confirms that RV vacations offer greater savings than those taken using a personal car or airline, and staying in a hotel or rental house or condominium.

PKF analyzed vacation costs for two sets of traveling parties - a family of four, including two adults and two children; and a party of two adults. PKF calculated the costs for these hypothetical travelers taking seven types of vacations to popular destinations, including: Branson, Mo.; Cape Cod, Mass.; the Grand Canyon; Corpus Christi, Texas; Orlando, Fla.; Lancaster, Pa.; Napa, Calif.; and Traverse City, Mich.

The study analyzed popular RV types, including folding camping trailers, lightweight travel trailers, and compact motorhomes. Also studied were costs associated with an RV rental vacation, and a comparison of travel in a Class A motorhome against an upscale/luxury vacation. Vacation durations were three, seven and 14 days, and were directly related to the round-trip distances in highway miles between city-pairs.

PKF also analyzed how theoretical increases in fuel prices could affect vacation travel costs, and found that fuel prices would have to more than double for RV vacations to lose its economic advantage over other forms of travel.

The report will be finalized in the coming weeks, and will be published by RVIA this fall.

The second half of 2011 has been solid for Athens Park Homes, Athens, Texas, which continues to expand its reach throughout the country.

"We are excited about the second half of 2011 because many people are using our cottages for rental purposes," said Dick Grymonprez, vice president of sales and marketing. "There has been a lot of interest lately from oil companies looking for housing for their employees. We also continue to work with campground owners all over the United States to give them the best quality in rental housing in the industry."

Athens Park Homes park model business is up 11% to date from 2010.

"I believe that the economy will have to improve in order for all of us to see additional growth in 2012. I believe parks purchasing rental units will be strong, but I don't see individuals buying weekend homes or get-a-ways until everything starts picking up. Not many people are generating enough cash to purchase a second home right now."

Athens Park Homes was started in 2004 by a group of investors led by Phil Surles, former COO of Champion Enterprises Inc.

The company manufactures luxury park model cottages, sportsman's lodges, rental cabins and suites, specialty buildings, HUD and modular housing to meet any codes. Their products are built in an environmentally controlled 140,000-square-foot building center, which is one of the largest in the country, according to Grymonprez.

The company's standard park model lineup features the look of high-end residential homes. Grymonprez said Athens Park Homes is one of the few manufacturers that build with ½-inch sheetrock walls that are fully taped, textured and painted in many popular colors.

"We also offer pine and cedar walls and ceilings for a more rustic look," he said. "Our exteriors are 100% fiber-cement siding by James Hardie. We offer vertical or lap style, which can be stained cedar to give you the cabin look with a lot less maintenance."

Interiors feature soffits over the cabinets, recessed lighting and 10-foot ceilings.

Park model cabins come with log, cedar or fiber-cement exterior siding. Rustic interiors have cedar walls and ceilings with purchased cabinet doors or the company's own cedar cabinets and cabinet doors. Athens Park Homes will tape and texture the walls and add a cedar wainscot and trim. There are a variety of floorplans to choose from with new ones designed daily.

Athens Park Homes continues to offer luxury and customized options like built-in microwaves, dishwashers, granite counter tops, counter top ranges and convection ovens, fireplaces, marble window sills, French doors, laminate flooring, stereos, higher pitched roofs and more. Most appliances are available in white, black or stainless steel.

The company's RV park models and cabins share the same construction features like 90-inch sidewalls and 16-inch on center exterior walls and floors.

RMS North America is introducing a new property management and online reservations system that enables campgrounds, RV parks and resorts to manage their inventory using "dynamic pricing" - the ability to automatically increase rates based on occupancy levels and date of booking, according to a news release.

"North America's campgrounds, RV parks and resorts have never had access to this kind of front desk and reservation system at such affordable rates before because the technology was cost prohibitive," said Tom Chiarello, vice president of business development for RMS North America. "Now, campgrounds, RV parks and resorts can use the same sophisticated yield management strategies that are used by the hotel and airline industries to maximize profitability."

Originally developed in Australia, RMS North America has spent several years testing and refining its new property management system specifically for North American RV resorts, campgrounds, private motorcoach resorts, outdoor recreation facilities, marinas, motels and hotels.

"With our system, operators can seamlessly manage their properties in real-time using a single solution that has the flexibility to be configured to single or multiple properties of any size and type," Chiarello said. "The system can also seamlessly and instantaneously manage reservations placed through multiple websites as well as those taken by phone by front desk staff."

"This product will revolutionize the way campground operators run their business," Chiarello said, adding that the product also has other technological capabilities that are attractive to private park operators, including database marketing, reporting, point of sale, text and email guest communications, owner accounting and integrated online reservations.

Greg Sidoroff, vice president of operations of Sunland RV Resorts, one of several RV resorts to test RMS reservations management technology, said his firm was so impressed with the performance, functionality and ease of use of the RMS system that the company has replaced its previous system with the RMS solution.

"The ability to oversee multiple properties, each with a diverse mix of needs from RV spaces, storage, group reservations, facilities and rental accommodations, has been a welcome benefit of using this technology," Sidoroff said. "The system is easy to use and it allows our staff to spend more time interacting with the guests and improving their experience versus being bogged down in task work."

RMS North America has had substantial inquiries and a waiting list of orders that they have recently begun to fulfill. RMS North America plans on previewing their system at several industry trade shows and functions in this fall and next spring.

About RMS NORTH AMERICA:

Based in La Jolla, Calif., RMS North America is a world leader in state-of-the-art property management and online reservation solutions for RV resorts, campgrounds, private membership resorts, outdoor recreation facilities, marinas, motels, and hotels. RMS currently has over 3,000 customers worldwide in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and several other countries. Their website is www.RMSNorthAmerica.com.