Innovations and Ideas for the Next Season – at Camping Trade Fairs and Congresses

Digitalization and networking, efficiency and service with AI, rental accommodations, sustainability, and a new trade fair format – the past weeks offered camping entrepreneurs across Europe plenty of opportunities to learn about innovations and trends.

The fair season was opened by SIA in Rimini, the new CampExpo in Mainz, and SETT in Montpellier. CampExpo aims to be the trade fair for the medium-sized German camping industry. The fair’s goal is to promote direct exchange between camping entrepreneurs and exhibitors.

The concept of the first CampExpo worked

Around 500 trade visitors and 68 exhibitors met at the Mainz Eventcenter Pyramide. The short distances between booths and the compact professional presentations directly above the exhibition area offered intensive input and exchange. Trade visitors we spoke with were enthusiastic about CampExpo. The organizers have already announced the second CampExpo next year – also in Mainz, but on a significantly larger area.

Campsites need to digitalize even more

A hotly debated trend at SETT and CampExpo: more consistent digital networking – with software that covers many areas or with interfaces between multiple software systems. Whether online booking via own or partner websites, automatic check-in and access control, guest Wi-Fi, supply columns with payment systems or remote readings, business analyses, and more – software providers offer entrepreneurs increasingly more solutions to become more efficient. This often succeeds together with providers of barrier systems, supply stations, and other hardware.

Can it get even more digital? Yes!

Increasing digitalization also played a prominent role at the 10th North German Camping Day in Lübeck and at the Recreatie Vakbeurs in Hardenberg, Netherlands. In Lübeck, high-caliber experts in the lecture program highlighted the great opportunities of artificial intelligence and digitalization for campsites – for example with chatbots and online bookings.

Many experts do not see this as a loss of personal service. Digital tools relieve camping entrepreneurs and their teams of routine tasks, giving staff more time for human-to-human service. Young target groups also expect digital services available around the clock. Digitalization is also a way to address the skilled labor shortage.

From SEO to GEO – a trend topic at all fairs

Another transformation camping owners should prepare for is visibility in search engines and chatbots. Previously, the goal was to be found via SEO (Search Engine Optimization) on your own website and portals. Users now increasingly search with AI assistance. This means that websites must be optimized to be found and cited by chatbots and LLMs (Large Language Models). This is possible with professional GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) and collaborations with strong partners.

PiNCAMP – present at fairs and industry events

The growing interest in visibility and online booking was also felt by the PiNCAMP team, which was represented at all relevant B2B and B2C events across Europe, including the North German Camping Day.

In the Netherlands, the reception robot “Holli” shows a glimpse of the future

Thanks to AI and interfaces with the reservation system and other data sources, it communicates with guests. According to the provider, Holli should have answered 1,000 guest inquiries about availability, booking, or the surroundings within a month.

Many experts emphasized that the campsites of the future will not all have “robots at reception.” Rather, each entrepreneur can individually shape and use the opportunities of digitalization and booming AI for their campsite and target group.

Learn more and seize opportunities

Would you like to learn more about online booking and reach on PiNCAMP? Contact Sebastian Kadoch and his team: Now by email or phone +49 30 40367 2564. Requests and consultations are, of course, free of charge and non-binding.