Summer 2025: Italian campsites between resilience, new challenges and opportunities

Drawing on data and analysis from the Mr Preno Observatory, Titanka! shares its perspective on the 2025 season for Italian campsites and holiday villages, highlighting signs of resilience, new challenges and opportunities for the future. The aim is to provide practical insights on how to turn emerging trends into concrete strategies for 2026.

The 2025 season has just closed with a mixed picture for the open-air sector. According to the Mr Preno Observatory, enquiries and bookings rose overall, but demand patterns were less linear and more volatile. August still delivered a surge in confirmations, yet the booking window shrank markedly, with many last-minute reservations, inflated prices and shorter stays.

This high level of indecision and uncertainty may have multiple, partly predictable causes: greater sensitivity to external factors such as weather, flight prices and economic news; sudden changes of mind by travellers; or tourists reacting to momentary prompts such as flash sales or last-minute offers. The key question for open-air operators is how to translate these behaviours and data into effective strategies.

Demand holds up – but timing and behaviour shift

The open-air segment confirmed its resilience, with requests up 12%, showing that market interest has not slowed alarmingly. However, the time profile has changed dramatically. Between September and December, requests for quotes jumped 34%, accounting for 5.1% of the annual total – a break with traditional patterns that opens up new scenarios.

By contrast, January-March, historically the peak period for early bookings, slipped slightly to 33% of total requests. This points to a growing tendency for consumers to start researching and seeking inspiration earlier, while delaying the actual purchase decision.

The “August effect”: bookings yes but all at the last minute

August 2025 behaved unusually. Travellers who traditionally go away in this month did so again, but booked much closer to their departure date. The knock-on effects were:

• More accommodation left available at the last minute
• Difficulty maintaining planned tariffs
• Average booking value down 13% on 2024
• Shorter stays (from 5.4 nights to 5.0)
• Greater concern among operators

Opportunities for operators

This scenario suggests more sophisticated, dynamic pricing policies to protect August revenues. For marketing, the autumn window (September-December) can no longer be seen as “dead time”: launching campaigns in autumn is becoming essential to convert curiosity into qualified leads and to drive conversions at the start of the year.

Best practice for 2026

• Monitor the booking window – the shorter the gap between enquiry and response, the higher the chance of conversion.
• Simplify the booking process – using modern tools such as CRM systems.
• Offer clear reasons to book direct – exclusive advantages, upgrades and extras that make early booking genuinely worthwhile.
• Use rapid messaging channels – WhatsApp and AI-powered chatbots are becoming indispensable for real-time contact; responding instantly can mean the difference between a mere enquiry and a confirmed booking.
• Keep your website updated – technology and user behaviour evolve quickly, so the website must reflect current trends.

From trends to action: an operational checklist

How can the 2025 data be turned into concrete improvements for 2026? Every shift in the market brings risks and opportunities. Among the key levers identified:

• Speed of response – measure and improve average reply times to maximise conversion.
• Price control – define a “target curve” for August and other key months; if actual demand diverges sharply, adjust rates and sales rules immediately.
• Customer segmentation – families who book early, last-minute bookers, repeat guests: each requires a tailored message and specific benefits.
• Sales channels – strengthen direct booking with clear, immediate communication and highlight exclusive perks (early check-in, upgrades, included benefits). Build a year-round multichannel presence across social media, Google and email marketing.
• High-value packages – with shorter stays, defend revenue through compact packages (three–four nights) including experiences or extra services so margins grow even if nights fall.

Planning and diversification: essential for growth

The 2025 season underlines a crucial point for camping villages and the wider open-air market: relying solely on peak weeks is no longer enough. Growth requires strategies to extend the season, segment guests effectively and build loyalty among existing customers. More rigorous planning and diversification are now essential for any outdoor hospitality business aiming to grow and sell better.

Modern tools such as CRM systems are needed to manage customer relationships, translate data into concrete actions and plan marketing on an annual basis. Only by adopting this approach can operators fully capitalise on an evolving and increasingly complex marketplace.