The demand for alternative accommodation is an ongoing trend and has worked in favor of campsites over the past three years, indeed the clientele has increased by 10% since the pandemic.
The II Pitchup Trends report prepared by the platform Pitchup.com confirms that employment in the first quarter of 2023 increased by 47% compared to last year and by 54% compared to the figures for 2019. investment and the challenge is to retain the new motorhome.
The report produced by the platform underlines that traditional coastal campsites, intended for families, have enriched their facilities with ever wider services, which has enabled them to attract a more varied public. In addition, new models of glamping have emerged, pitches with heating and jacuzzi, or geodesic domes from which you can observe the stars, rivaling in quality with some boutique hotels.
In the first quarter of the year, reservations via Pitchup.com increased by 50.55% and more than 6,270 nights have been booked at Spanish campsites , compared to the period January-March 2019, the increase is 72.66%. If we draw a parallel between the fall-winter 2019-20201 season and that of 2022-2023, we observe an increase of 47.14% in reservations, and of 47.36% compared to that of 2021-2022.
According to the platform, campers’ decision to get away during the coldest months of the year could be due to a growing loyalty of campers, “who have discovered the advantages of camping and want to take advantage of the prices and discounts in low season “.
However, coastal destinations remain the most popular, Catalonia being the favorite destination for campers with 78% more bookings year-on-year, followed by the Valencian Community (+25%) and Andalusia (+55%), and if analyzed by provinces, Barcelona comes out on top , followed by Girona and Alicante.
From Pitchup they point out that the popularity of camping after the pandemic is reflected in the profile of the traveler, since the age group that reserves itself is no longer concentrated only between 25 and 44 years old, but is distributed in a more balanced way in pyramid demographics.
Stays are maintained, but there are more expenses
Between 2019 and the first quarter of 2023, the average length of stay has not undergone significant changes. Visitors to Spanish campsites who booked through Pitchup.com spent average 3.6 nights at their destination between January and March, as in 2021 and slightly more than in 2019 (3.4 nights).
What we observe is that they spend more money . In 2022, the average cost was 34.86 euros per night, while in the first quarter of 2023 this figure rose to 36.63 euros per night booked, i.e. 5.11% more. If compared to 2021, the difference is 15.30% and 9% compared to the pre-pandemic year.
Under the fire of investors
The Pitchup Trends Report II recalls that until 2021 campsites were a sector little explored by investment funds, since most of the assets were owned and managed by families. The customer’s need to connect with nature, which unites physical and mental well-being, is a factor that “places the campsite in a privileged position to continue growing and gaining a market share that traditionally belonged to others accommodation such as hotels or rural tourist apartments. “.
It is precisely for this reason that there is greater interest in buying from real estate investment groups, fund managers and venture capitalists. “The sustained growth and potential of camping has attracted the attention of new players such as investment funds. The arrival of these investors can be positive for the sector, adding greater competitiveness and motivation to improve,” says Dan Yates, founder of the platform.
In fact, they point out that the entry of new investors will have a positive impact on the sustainability, digitization and quality of the facilities, to the benefit of campers and the environment.
