A new trend is emerging in the outdoor holiday market: campsites reserved exclusively for adults. Alongside the traditional offer aimed at families with children, the number of facilities choosing a more targeted positioning is growing, addressing those looking for relaxing holidays without entertainment programmes, water parks or discos.
According to ACSI, the European camping specialist, over the past five years the number of adults only campsites has increased by 41%, rising from 64 in 2021 to 90 in 2026. It is still a niche segment, considering that ACSI inspects around 10,000 campsites across Europe, but the trend is now well established. In eight of these facilities, pets are not allowed either.
The United Kingdom is the country with the highest number of adults-only campsites (40), followed by the Netherlands (23), France (13) and Germany (4). Conversely, the major outdoor tourism destinations continue to focus on families: in Spain there is only one adults-only campsite, in Italy just two, while Belgium has only one.
The family offering is expanding
At the same time, however, the vast majority of campsites continue to focus on families, increasingly investing in services and spaces dedicated to children. According to Ramon van Reine, CEO of ACSI, the market therefore appears to be moving towards greater specialisation, and operators are increasingly differentiating their offer more clearly in order to meet the different needs of campers: on the one hand, facilities designed for those seeking peace and relaxation, and on the other, campsites strengthening their family-friendly appeal.
In particular, the most modern campsites targeting family customers provide services designed to make stays more enjoyable and the management of everyday routines easier, especially for families with young children.
The figures confirm this trend. Over the past five years, the number of campsites equipped with playgrounds has more than tripled, reaching 825 facilities, mainly concentrated in the Netherlands (310), France (227) and Germany (86). Family shower facilities are also becoming increasingly widespread. These are larger sanitary spaces compared with standard campsite showers and are now available in 2,374 campsites, 25% more than in 2021. The same applies to children’s water parks, which have increased to 733 facilities (+44%), and indoor play areas, which have reached 629 locations (+9%).
The only exception is represented by traditional games rooms: although there are still around 1,500 campsites with arcade games, their number has fallen by more than a quarter over the past five years, probably also due to the spread of tablets, smartphones and Wi-Fi connections.
How much does it cost to bring children camping?
In addition to family-oriented services, the cost of the stay is also an important factor when choosing a destination. Prices for children vary considerably from one country to another, with significant differences across Europe. In most cases, the pitch price includes two adults, while an additional charge applies for children.
Across Europe, the average cost is €7.64 per night for two children.Croatia is confirmed as the most expensive country, with an average supplement of €16.62 per night, followed by Slovenia (€16.33), Italy (€15.79) and Denmark (€15.32). In the Netherlands, the average rate for children is €9.40 per night. At the other end of the scale, with significantly lower prices, are the Scandinavian countries: in Norway the average cost is €3.65 per night, while in Sweden it falls to just €1.56 for two children, the lowest value among the countries analysed.
Photo: Paolo Galvani
Camping.info – According to 173,000 campers, the best campsite in Europe is German