Campsites and Holiday Resorts should follow consumer trends

Trend Spotter Nr.8

Spending your holiday sleeping in a tent or in a farmer’s shed started in the early sixties of the latest century. Since then, lots of things have changed. You couldn’t speak about a decent campsite because everything you could imagine was missing there. My first holiday was at a country farm which is now called Camping Roompot. The only attraction we had during that holiday was going to the beach. I have a lot of respect for my parents, who took us for two whole weeks to the beach, with my nine brothers and sisters! The camp feeling is still there but many things have changed. We now have different accommodations like Glamping, chalets, bungalows, apartments and the latest trend Tiny Houses. Many campsites invest in more services by offering a dishwasher and breakfast services. Next to al the newest developments in accommodations, they increased their attractiveness with activities. It started successively with miniature golf, tennis courses and a petting zoo. Today they invest in serious attractions like a Family Entertainment Center, Climbing Adventures or Waterparks.

Treehouses at Center Parcs France
Treehouses at Center Parcs France
Water Attractions at a Campsite
Water Attractions at a Campsite

The earning model is turned upside down
In the beginning, owners from campsites and holiday parks made money with the percentage of the occupation during the summer. The only income they had was from the campsite itself and nothing more. Not much later they saw possibilities to add some chalets instead of a tent area. So, they made a lot of money by serving a place for a caravan or chalet all year round. The average annual fee was about € 2000,-. This made money making very easy! But now the same campsites have a big problem because everything the consumers want nowadays is missing at their property. After so many years that same campsite still gets his annual fee and that’s all. Guests who like to have more services and fun disappeared from their site and now there are a lot of campsites who are struggling to survive. The same is happening at holiday resorts where they didn’t focussed on tourists. The holiday park  became a residential place.

Fun Shopping has become a serious tourist activity
Research on consumer behaviour on vacation shows we know that hiking has the number one position. Fun Shopping has become second, one place before biking. So, campsites and holiday parks who did not invested in sport- activities, life entertainment, indoor attractions and restaurants and supermarkets are losing a lot of money. Have you heard of the Average Daily Rate?  Which means the consumers money spent per day. The latest consumer Trends are the so called ‘lucky moments of the day’ like a breakfast, lunch and dinner. In the past, campsites and holiday parks had to invest in attractions and activities, and now they must focus on Food & Beverage? I know a Holiday resort that has a turnover from at least € 10.000,- in their retail shop on a normal day.  After Liverpool and Dubai, the first campsite in the Netherland has invested in a Mattel Play; an ABC Food court with 1050 tables! There is a real Bob the Builder Indoor attraction and as I mentioned, a food court to handle 1050 guest. We, Pleisureworld work as a consultant for this new FEC Sevenum in the Netherlands. What have you learned from this BLOG? Campsites and Holiday Resorts earn more money when they add more activities, Fun Shopping and Food and Beverages to their basics. The latest developments are hotel additions at campsites. Seniors is the newest protentional target group for this new luxury accommodation.

Hans van Leeuwen, Trendwatcher & Consultant

https://www.mattelplaysevenum.nl/home
https://www.fecsevenum.nl/
https://www.hofvansaksen.nl/resort

A big FEC at campsite De Schatberg
A big FEC at campsite De Schatberg
Fun Shoppen at Vilage Nature Paris
Fun Shoppen at Vilage Nature Paris

Complete plan van aanpak

De basis is ons Business Model Canvas waar wij voor ondernemers een totaal Plan van Aanpak opzetten. Geen papieren winkel maar concreet per onderdeel een opgezet plan waar ruimte is voor innovatie – conceptontwikkeling en een gezonde bedrijfsvoering waarin onderdelen als prijsconcurrentie, sturen op EBBITDA, marketing met een gezonde benchmark voor uw conncurrentie positie onderdeel uitmaken dit Plan van Aanpak. Met dit Plan van Aanpak kunt u naar de bank of financier die een totaal inzage heeft in het meerjaren ondernemersplan met de daarbij behorende scenario’s voor een gezonde realistische exploitatie.

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Referenties

  • Hof van Saksen
  • Landal Greenparks
  • PUUR Exloo
  • Julianahoeve
  • Aqua Best
  • Wunderland Kalkar DE
  • Beerze Bulten
  • Groepen.NL
  • Gemeenten Lelystad
  • Gemeente Zwolle
  • Midden Limburg
  • Provincie Drenthe
  • TCV Terschelling
  • Kontour Vastgoed
  • Eiland van Maurik
  • Camping Betuwe
  • Dagvoorzitter- Spreker – Pannellid – Commissariaat RVC

    Trendwatcher en adviseur Hans van Leeuwen staat in de recreatiesector bekend om zijn directheid en ongezouten mening over trends en ontwikkelingen in leisure. Dat zij hiermee scherp aan de wind zeilt, zorgt ervoor dat bij menigeen soms de haren recht overeind gaan staan. Richard de Bruin heeft mijn zijn gevoel voor innovatie veel overheden en bedrijfsleven van nieuwe producten en diensten voorzien. Met zijn vooruitziende blik loopt hij in  ruim 30 jaar vaak een stapje vooruit.

    Hans en Richard leveren met hun professionele oog voor de juiste leisure trends een positieve bijdrage in de recreatiesector, al was het maar omdat zij iedereen op scherp weet te zetten en voor menig recreatieondernemer een spiegel is.

    Met veertig jaar ervaring in de vrijetijdsindustrie weet Pleisureworld op scherpzinnige wijze te bepalen waar het in de toekomst naartoe zal gaan. Nauwgezet houden wij de consumententrends in de gaten en weten wij hoe de klantreis van de toekomst eruit ziet. Op zoek naar een dagvoorzitter, spreker, pannellid, een nieuwe commissaris of toezichthouder? Pleisureworld komt met leisure expertise en brengt het met passie. Bekijk hieronder de mogelijkheden.