CHICAGO, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Sales of recreational vehicles in the United States should increase in the near future, offering hope of a recovering U.S. economy, experts say.
Airstream Inc. Chief Executive Officer Bob Wheeler said his recreational vehicle company has increased its work force by 50 percent and is boosting production amid increasing sales, the Chicago Tribune reported Saturday.
"Airstream is back on the road to recovery," Wheeler said. "We can expect to see significant growth."
Some economists claim sales of recreational vehicles nationwide can serve as indicators of upcoming economic trends. That theory proved accurate when dwindling RV sales in the past were followed by the current economic downturn, the Tribune said.
While Airstream has hired new employees, Parsec Financial Management Inc. chief economist James Smith warns it may take some time for other unemployed U.S. workers to find work.
"When you lose 7 million-plus jobs, it takes a long time," Smith told the Tribune.
