Some 400 small campsites have closed their doors in the past two decades. This is a significant figure that testifies to a counter-trend for this leading sector of the French tourism economy. The FNHPA, Fédération Nationale de l’Hôtellerie de Plein Air, headed by President Nicolas Dayot, launched the plan to safeguard these small camping facilities, in collaboration with the Banque des Territoires.
This is a support program to which small camps can apply and benefit from financial assistance of up to 15,000 euros, supported by expert advice selected by FNHPA.
Banque des Territoires has allocated 1 million euros over two years for this plan called “Operation Safeguard Small Campsites,” implemented to protect facilities with fewer than 70 pitches (there are 3,300 in France), which require special treatment.
As outlined by Nicolas Dayot: “The business model of small campgrounds is not necessarily comparable to that of larger facilities. In 20 years, 400 campsites with fewer than 60 pitches have closed permanently. Hence the need, according to the FNHPA, to launch a major conservation plan, without which France could lose its title as European champion in terms of the number of campsites and pitches .”
The plan, outlined on the study dedicated to the future of small campgrounds conducted by David Paquet (Cabinet Alliances) and Eric Legros (FNHPA), presents a series of action levers to ensure the long-term perspective of small facilities.
Based on an analysis of about fifty small campsites, they found that one of the key factors for success is to focus on a particular distinctiveness in order to stand out from other proposals; therefore, the focus is on enhancing their characteristics. In terms of percentages, it is also necessary to be able to rent at least 40 percent of the total number of pitches.
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