Wanting to be always up-to date with new trends, the hotel factory has studied the camping sector. For it, the hotel factory has made visits to different campsites in Alicante and Almeria. Of these, as well as the desktop research carried out, the following conclusions have been drawn:

• Origin market. It is important to know the market of origin of customers, in order to adapt services, entertainment, facilities … the hotel factory has concluded that the main markets in this type of accommodation are:

  • In summer season: Spain and France.
  • In winter season: United Kingdom and Holland.

• Client’s profile. Although the profile of the client can differ from one camping to another, even from one destination to another, we have distinguished two types of clients:

  • Vacation: Those who reside less than 3 months and make their stay during the summer season.

  • Residential: Those who reside in the camping with their own caravan, motorhome or bungalows, except for the summer months, during which they return to their country of origin.

There are campings that can be adapted to both types of clients, such as Camping Villamar in Benidorm and campings that are exclusively residential such as the Grand Oasis in Turre. In our study we have not located any camping that has a 100% focus on a vacation client.

• Classification. Like the rest of tourist accommodations, the campings have a classification system. The system divides the campings by categories depending on the services and facilities they have. The classification is as follows: luxury, first, second and third category. These categories are equivalent to 5, 4, 3 and 2 hotel stars respectively.

It should be noted that, as observed in the two destinations visited, the classification system has been modified. The change has been that the classification happens to be by stars, instead of by categories, with the aim of homogenizing the classification of the Spanish campsites with Europeans.

• Thematic campings. We have been able to observe the existence of thematic campings, whose offer of services and facilities are designed to meet the specific needs of a given group. Therefore, from our visits and desktop research we can highlight the following topics:

• • Campings with water park such as the Marjal Costa Blanca, 5 * (Elche, Alicante) and Magic Robin Hood, 4 * (L’Albir, Alicante).

  • Surf Campings like the Dreamsea Surf Camp, 4 * (Ruilobuca, Cantabria).
  • Naturist Campings such as Cuevas Mar, 3* (Palomares, Almería) and El Portus, 3 * (Cartagena, Murcia).

• Commercialization. As in the rest of tourist accommodation, for the service to reach the final consumer, it will be necessary to be present in different marketing channels such as tour operators, OTAs, metasearch engines … As we have seen, the vast majority of campings are sold through:

• • General channels:
    • Own channels (website, phone, email …).
    • Traditional OTA’s (Booking, Expedia …).
  • Specialized channels:
    • TTOO specialized. We want to put emphasis on Camping and Co., Homair camping-villages and Happy Camp.
    • Specialized online channels, we want to highlight Pitchup, Campingsonline and Campingsnavigator
  • Fairs:
    • It is common for campsites to participate in different fairs. Here are some examples:
      • Specialized in campings:
        • National: Salón Internacional Caravaning
        • International: Kampeer & Caravana
      • Specialized in tourism:
        • National: FITUR
        • International: CMT

• Types of accommodation. During the visits and the desktop research we have observed that the campings and glampings divide their surface into two zones: one dedicated to plots and the other to different types of accommodation.

  • • The area of ​​plots can be occupied by motorhomes, caravans, tents and can be added extras such as car, motorcycle, etc.
    • In the area of lodgings have been able to get to distinguish the following types of accommodation:

  Bungalows Mobil Home Comanches

  Tent Yurtas Tipis

  Safari tents Barrel House House in the trees

  Eco-lodge Igloo Bubble house

  

  • Services and facilities. As we have seen in the section “classification”, the services and facilities are what determine the category of campsites. Each autonomous community has their own legislation that details, for category, those compulsory requirements in terms of services and facilities. During the visits, we have perceived that, in general, all campings have:

  • • Buildings like reception, supermarket, cafeteria…
    • Hygienic facilities like WC, wash basin, showers, laundry…
    • Otras facilities like drinking water sources, sport facilities, children’s playgrounds, swimming pools…
    • Services like security, housekeeping, entertainment, first aids…

   

The new specialities and, specifically, the new commitment to innovative luxury campsites, are placing this sector among the first accommodation options within the wide range of possibilities that tourist have at their disposal. At the hotel factory we are in continuous contact with the main innovations of the hospitality sector to guarantee the customer a differentiated product from the rest of the offer and according the new trends that originate in the market. If you wish to know more information about the camping sector, do not hesitate to contact us and ask for advice.