We interviewed Alberto Granzotto, president of Faita Nord Est, part of the Italian association that brings together open-air accommodation facilities. Graduated in Economics and Commerce from the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, the Venetian entrepreneur manages Villaggio Turistico Internazionale in Bibione (VE), Ca’ Pasquali Village, and Vela Blu Camping Village, the latter two in Cavallino‐Treporti (VE). We asked him to draw a picture of the progress of the 2020 season.
Camping Business: How did this season go for campsites belonging to Faita Nord Est?
Alberto Granzotto: The season was very difficult, especially in its initial part. For a long time, we did not know if we could reopen and which customer flows we could welcome. The first few weeks after the lockdown ended had a very low occupancy rate, especially in June. Then there was a gradual improvement in July and the months of August and September were above expectations. Our companies have always had a strong component of foreign audiences, especially German-speaking ones, and as soon as the borders were reopened, our guests returned to visit us. We enthusiastically welcomed this return of foreign guests, although sometimes with some difficulties, because the facilities were not fully staffed. Often even the internal staff was not sized in the right way. But we have all made an important effort, which even our customers have understood, to try to offer them a safe stay that meets their expectations in terms of quality.
Camping Business: Having had fewer foreign customers you will have had many more Italian customers. Were you able to understand how many of these customers have experienced the camping experience for the first time?
Alberto Granzotto: Analyzing of the source data, we verified that many customers we hosted this year were new. We have not yet had the time and opportunity to understand if they are new to the sector in general or just to our structure. There is no doubt that there has been a movement of customers who were looking for what are the strengths of outdoor tourism: large spaces, greater ease in guaranteeing social distancing, greater possibility of benefiting from safety situations compared to other types of holiday. Surely this was an opportunity to further enhance our product on the Italian market, as it is already well known by our international customers. It will be up to us in the coming months to try to continue this work of communication to transform this occasional customer into a regular and loyal guest.
Camping Business: In this phase, Faita worked very well and all possible communication channels were activated. At the regional level, there has also been a re-compacting among you. Have you worked in a more synergistic way with the members of Faita Nord Est?
Alberto Granzotto: I must say that our regional federation, which has recently also expanded to neighboring Friuli-Venezia Giulia, has always been characterized by a wide participation of all its members. So, for us it was a normal continuation of the work we have always done. Of course, at this stage there was a greater frequency of videoconferencing meetings related to the current events and the needs of the pandemic, but in perfect continuity of action with what we have always done. I want to emphasize this. We act as if we were a district: we are very close, we have a continuous dialogue between us, our meeting opportunities are in fact moments of mutual formation, sharing of ideas, and work. We simply continued on an already developed path, changing gear because the pandemic required it, but we did not upset our habits. We are used to sharing to grow together.
Camping Business: In your opinion, is it possible to make an average between the lower costs you have had, hiring fewer staff or investing less in some activities, and the lower income? Can you provide a number of estimated losses for this season?
Alberto Granzotto: A definitive number is still premature, we must also understand that regulatory instruments will be adopted between now and the end of the year to help our sector, because there are still several regulations on which we are asking for changes to broaden the scope of application, not only to the strictly hotel world, but also to the world of outdoor tourism. Our structures have a characteristic of very significant fixed costs and therefore a component that must be borne regardless of what the occupancy rate is. There has been a containment of some variable costs, but this will certainly remain a very challenging season for us from a financial and economic point of view. I prefer to wait a few months to get a certain figure and understand how long it will take to absorb these losses. Our priority is to be able to continue the investment processes, which are a fundamental element of our sector. In recent years, the whole world of outdoor tourism in the area I represent has invested heavily and has important projects underway. It is clear that this interruption of cash flows, which we hope will only be temporary, can lead to problems if a reversal does not occur in the short term.
Camping Business: What’s your forecast for next season?
Alberto Granzotto: I am however optimistic and I believe that already in 2021 our sector could have a moment of recovery, because certainly the foreign tourists who came in the months of August and September have shown us that they have understood the quality of the work we are doing carrying out the security we are proposing. So, I’m pretty confident they’ll come back to visit us if the borders are as open as we hope. Hoping to add a new Italian customer to them and to return to the occupancy data that characterized our facilities. And with the hope also of being able to continue the process of continuous improvement and investment, which in recent years has also been one of the main reasons for success and strengthening of presence on the market.
Camping Business: This investment process will be directly proportional to the response that the government will give to the requests of the sector in terms of economic support or it is a process more linked to the effects of the pandemic? if the emergency falls back, more confidence in the future is acquired and we continue?
Alberto Granzotto: Surely the second part is the real one. We are used to designing and programming starting from the customer. If help arrives then we are happy. It is clear that in this exceptional moment, however, external aid is welcome. At this time, especially at the regional level, we are concretely seeing forms of support for what concerns the future promotion, to try to communicate the quality and safety of our holiday in an ever stronger way on our reference markets. I insist on this side, because I am convinced that in the future choices of our guests these characteristics will be increasingly sought and evaluated.
Fernando Iustini – Camping.it