Also this year the Italian Salone del Camper, organized by APC – Association of Caravan and Camper Manufacturers and Fiere di Parma and to be held from September 10 to 18, begins its approach to the event with a series of webinars. The first one, entitled “Why and how to create a camper parking area, how to communicate it and how to make it more and more digital“, was held yesterday. In the introduction, the numbers of the 2021 Salone were recalled: 100,000 square meters of exhibition, over 100,000 visitors (+70% compared to 2020), about 600 vehicles on display, more than 200 exhibitors from 15 countries, 400 accredited media and two million people reached with social media.
The webinar saw nine interesting speeches, including those by Giorgio Palmucci (ENIT president) and Gianluca Tomellini (AIASC vice president). Abruzzo Region, with Roberto Iezzi (head of the Tourist Policies and Tourist Mobility Office), talked about his experience on itinerant tourism, while Ilaria Realfonzo (manager of the First Office of the General Secretariat at the Ministry of Tourism) took stock of the measures in favor of the sector provided for by the PNRR. All this was accompanied by the testimonies of the municipalities of Camaiore, Tempio Pausania, and Sarnano. The honors were made by Gloria Oppici (brand manager of the Salone del Camper) and Ludovica Sanpaolesi (general manager of APC).
To Gloria Oppici the honor of opening the event. “This is an appointment that has changed over the years, adding content that is the tourism engine of the open air sector and beyond to the veichles,” she said. “In 2019, 68.9 percent of visitors had a motorhome, while in 2021 only 57 percent had one. This means that we capture a broad and transversal interest from those who already know the motorhome, but also a more aspirational public who wants to experiment with new forms of vacation and free time“.
“These people want to see the vehicles, but above all they want to discover destinations where they can experience their desire for discovery and regeneration, for exploration,” continued Oppici. “To answer this question, we have always had the ‘Routes and destinations’ area, but today we also offer a more professional section where you can see equipment, furnishings, and accessories for setting up a motorhome area, a campsite or an agricamping. It is important that the territories are equipped to accommodate a medium-high level target, which needs to find all the suggestions of a holiday that has nothing to envy to other forms. We are talking about a tourist attentive to sensitivity, who brings wealth directly to local communities and who moves throughout the year“.
Eight good reasons for creating a rest area
Ludovica Sanpaolesi, general manager of APC, has well articulated the main reasons why local administrations and private individuals should evaluate the construction of a motorhome area. “With this webinar we want to provide a stimulus to explain why a rest area is a smart idea,” she began. She then listed 8 specific reasons.
- There are many itinerant tourists: about 20 million people in Europe, with a fleet of 6,150,000 vehicles in circulation today. It is perhaps a niche, but not so small. The potential of these tourists is significant, but – unlike the others – if they don’t find a landing place for their vehicle, they go elsewhere. Either we welcome them, or we lose them.
- Campers spend. We must dispel the prejudice that the camper is a second-class tourist who eats in a motorhome and does not spend on the territory. That’s not true: he spends on culture, restaurants, food and wine products. There is research in Germany that says that three people in motorhomes can spend as much as €200 a day. The spending power of these tourists is an element of attention.
- The motorhome area is a driving force for the territory. In Italy we have parties, festivals, and local events almost everywhere. If there is a motorhome area around them, it is likely that the camper who attends the party instead of spending an afternoon there will stop for a couple of days. Campers love to discover the territories.
- The frequency of use. Another research tells us that the average use of the camper is 79 days/year. Among the traveling tourists there are also many middle-aged people, young retirees with a lot of time available. For them, the motorhome is not just a vehicle for the holiday, but a multipurpose vehicle for all their free time. The profile of campers, among other things, is evolving: today even younger people who love to play sports are approaching.
- The seasonal adjustment. In the world of tourism, we are always looking for travelers outside the peak periods: the camper is one of them.
- Camperism is the opposite of mass tourism, favoring the development of tourism in less frequented places, like small villages. It is also a way to access local tourism, a new trend that brings economic benefits to small towns far from the tourist circuits.
- We can enhance companies in the food and wine sector and beyond. There are many examples of private entrepreneurs offering hospitality to campers, such as restaurants that served meals on board during the pandemic, for example. There are wineries, farmhouses and so on. We can enhance and widespread tourism that does not bother the territory, but rather fits perfectly into the productive fabric of the area.
- The 8th reason is perhaps the most important: this is a trend for the future, it is not a fad. Since 2016, the European RV fleet has increased by almost 25% and also steadily. All the investments that the territories will want to make to welcome and intercept this type of tourism will be investments for the future. Not only is it slow tourism, attentive to aspects linked to human and social relations, but also sustainable tourism. This has been certified by a German institute which has shown that this is the vacation mode, apart from the walking one, that emits the least CO2 of all.
“This is why we think that making a motorhome area is a smart idea, whether it is done by a municipality or by a private entrepreneur,” concluded Sanpaolesi. “However, it is important to know how to communicate it. The world of campers is a very active community, and we are available to provide the contacts of all those players, from magazines to social media, both Italian and foreign, to better promote the motorhome area“.
The enormous potential of Italy according to ENIT
The speech by Giorgio Palmucci, president of ENIT, was necessarily less specific, but it once again demonstrated the attention that is being placed today, perhaps for the first time, on outdoor tourism.
“As a national tourism agency, we are analyzing with particular attention what has been the evolution of the pandemic and its effects on tourist flows,” said Palmucci. “We were prepared for a recovery, also following the easing of the restrictions in recent days. Unfortunately, what is happening in Ukraine is enormously displeasing and brings with it a new reason for uncertainty. What is certain is that we, already in the period of the pandemic, have worked carefully and continuously on what has been a radical upheaval of ENIT’s strategies and actions. The 2019-2021 three-year plan has been completely revolutionized and has led to profound reflections, in close correlation with the regions. With the birth of the new Ministry of Tourism, we made ourselves available to define the best strategies, knowing that cities of art, overseas tourism and the MICE and congress sector will still suffer by 2022. On the other hand, what gave a little respite was everything that allowed us to maintain the distance, such as outdoor tourism, which made it possible to better respect the various regulations“.
“We have therefore paid a lot of attention to the development of this segment, which includes the tourism activity linked to motorhomes,” continued Palmucci. “A sub-committee dedicated to slow tourism, of which I am a member, has been created within the permanent committee of tourism. We are now finalizing the 2022-2024 plan, which was done with a little delay, but we did not have the crystal ball to be able to assess the situation from every point of view. What is also done through conferences like this is useful for defining a road, a strategy, priority actions to facilitate slow tourism, bike touring, and outdoor tourism. We must consider that the sectors are all interconnected. When traveling with the motorhome you go to discover not only natural beauties and artistic heritage, but also food and wine, in a very free way, with autonomy and independence that correspond not only to the expectations of the Italian tourist, but also to those of tourists coming from neighboring countries“.
Finally, Palmucci concluded with a reflection for tomorrow. “Italy has enormous potential for recovery. As Garavaglia (Minister of Tourism, ed) said, we don’t have to talk about resilience – which means going back to past results – but we can do much more by avoiding old mistakes. The promotion of lesser-known locations and a different seasonality will allow us to see that light at the end of the tunnel that seemed closer and is now moving a little further away. In this, the PNRR investments destined not only for tourism, but also for infrastructures, and the resources allocated by the Ministry of Culture for the enhancement of the villages will help us. We must be able to tell what the Italian reality is in all its facets. Without forgetting that everything that leads to the improvement of digital communication can promote tourism“.
In Abruzzo motorhomes under the spotlights
The webinar then saw the intervention of the Abruzzo Region, which is particularly attentive to open-air tourism. “As a Region we have always had an eye for motorhome parking areas, especially in small villages, where we have seen that these realities have given support to the local economy,” said Roberto Iezzi, head of the Tourist Policies Office and Tourist Mobility. “In the PNRR there was a call for boroughs and several of those who participated included the construction of motorhome parking areas in their project. As a Region, we have issued a notice that provides for an economic contribution, also defining guidelines: the areas must provide for a minimum of 5 stalls and a location close to or easily reachable from the inhabited center, then indicating with which means or actions the municipality intends to promote the activities in the village“.
Iezzi then explained that a regional database has been developed including all the areas present in the territory and a series of itineraries has been identified including about 20 paths, cycle paths and bridleways that will soon be available online. “We also want to create an app with all useful information for campers, including a list of all local companies with typical products. Returning to the motorhome areas, it is important that adequate maintenance is provided: we cannot allow them to remain abandoned. We are therefore involving local communities, through the Pro Loco, which can independently manage the municipal areas. After all, the rest area is the first business card that the motorhome driver encounters on his vacation“.
Attractive, functional, digital and sustainable: four pillars for the motorhome area
In this context, the point of view of AIASC – Italian Association of Motorhome Parking Areas could not be missing. Vice president Gianluca Tomellini underlined how the motorhome area is an accommodation facility based on four fundamental pillars: it must be attractive, functional, digital and sustainable. “The structure must therefore be easily accessible, with properly sized roads, and close to built-up areas,” underlined Tomellini. “Another important thing is that it should have its own name that makes it recognizable and that defines its identity. You can no longer read ‘municipal motorhome area’. If possible, it is better to dedicate some spaces to picnics, children,n or pet friends“.
In terms of functionality, Tomellini highlighted how an area must be “smart” and correctly equipped: each pitch must have its own electrical connection, with charging points for bicycles, while it is possible to avoid littering the area with taps, which are not necessary for a stop limited to a maximum of 72 hours, as required by current regulations. Important are a good perimeter with a hedge or fence, access control and adequate lighting. Obviously, without forgetting a functional internal road system, which does not require too complex maneuvers, and the elimination of architectural barriers.
Digitization offers several advantages, both to guests and to those who manage it. “The motorhome area must be connected permanently, which is also useful for geolocation, hopefully with an offer of free Wi-Fi, video surveillance and automated access control, preferably via an app,” says Tomellini. “The columns with the tickets are outdated: they have an onerous management, and they age. The presence of home automation allows you to remotely manage services such as lighting. Digitization is included in Mission 1 of the PNRR and therefore falls within the disbursable contributions.”
“The stay in the motorhome area must be properly remunerated,” Tomellini later recalled. “The motorhome area is a tourist facility and not a reception center. Services must be paid for, as long as the areas are adequate and efficient. The area must not only be a landing place, but also a starting point, creating synergies and networks with local businesses. These structures can generate new entrepreneurship and new jobs”.
The Italian regulatory situation is never easy, and Tomellini wanted to emphasize this, while conceding that even the regions that have fallen behind are working quickly to develop rules that are more in line with current needs. “Local regulations are a sore point, because they are often dated, sometimes assimilating motorhome parking areas to campsites, which have different characteristics. Some regions provide for the obligation of toilets, wash basins and sinks according to the number of guests, and this is unthinkable for an area that welcomes autonomous vehicles. Those who have the opportunity to carry out these services are welcome, but it cannot be an obligation: it is like putting on the same plan restaurants and street food. They are different philosophies. The boomerang effect is twofold: the regions promote tenders to incentivize smaller municipalities, but if the construction of the bathrooms is mandatory, this expense affects from a minimum of €15,000 to €40,000, burning economic resources that should instead go to the benefit of more essential aspects. The second boomerang is the impossibility of maintaining these services on a daily basis, also taking into account that in some cases the presence of a person is required. It is clear that these are rules born for other types of structures”.
The experiences of Camaiore, Tempio Pausania, and Sarnano
To testify the validity of the choice to create a motorhome area dedicated to itinerant travelers, the Salone del Camper called three testimonials: the municipalities of Camaiore (in the province of Lucca, Tuscany), Tempio Pausania (Sassari, Sardinia) and Sarnano (Macerata, Marche), who have recently built or renovated these local accommodation facilities.
“A motorhome area allows you to face a tourism that changes, even becoming more proximity, and to connect travelers with many of the attractions in the area,” said Gabriele Baldaccini, councilor for tourism and production activities of the Municipality of Camaiore. “The first input came from a phase of crisis (the pandemic, ed) that we have faced and made productive. Communication is essential. The stimulus to expand the motorhome area, named Parkamaiore, also came from the possibility of managing information and tourism promotion at a more inter-municipality level. In Versilia we are in the second year of this experience, and this has allowed us a more active dialogue with the other municipalities to act on the promotional component. The place we have chosen is very close to the sea and the area is equipped with electric vehicles (scooters and bicycles), which can be used to visit the surrounding areas. The response was good, also because it is very close to Parco Bussola Domani, which next summer we will put back in the spotlight with a festival that will last 7 days”.
“Tempio does not have the sea, which is 50 kilometers away,” explained Elizabeth Vargiu, the Tourism Councilor of Tempio Pausania. “For years we have seen many motorhomes pass by which then went to rest in the coastal areas. We therefore understood that if we had offered them an equipped area, they could have discovered a different position in Sardinia from what is in the common imagination. Tempio has all the requisites to offer a pleasant stay to the itinerant traveler: it is a small, safe, and authentic center, and these are characteristics that the camper seeks and recognizes. The space is usable, pleasant, simple and a few hundred meters from the town center. With a QR Code you can discover local offers. Despite our very young age (the area was inaugurated in September, ed) we are already present on the sites where the areas are reviewed and on any Wednesday in March I saw 5 motorhomes, which I did not expect. Now it is very important to also involve neighboring municipalities to create other areas, because the more we have to equip ourselves, the more attractive we become as a territory and as a destination“.
“In 2016 we suffered an earthquake, and our municipality was severely affected, with a thousand houses uninhabitable,” said Franco Ceregioli, deputy mayor of Sarnano. “We are an important tourist destination and we have felt a particular need: having many second homes damaged, we have intercepted a loan linked to the earthquake emergency to create this motorhome area which has a triple value. The first, hopefully temporary, is that those who had a second home can return even just to follow the renovations; the second, which we hope we will no longer have to resort to, is the use of this area for civil protection purposes; the third, which gives us the most satisfaction, is linked to tourism development. The location is in a junction between motorized mobility and soft mobility linked to two wheels, in an area very close to the charging stations for electric bikes, close to the lift that gives access to the historic center and to Via delle Cascate Perdute, which it is our major natural tourist attraction, with 190,000 visitors per year. Automated access, video surveillance, services accessible via smartphones are all things put into practice. It is an area born of negative needs, but which will have a great future“.
The resources and measures envisaged by the PNRR for open-air tourism
The last speech of the webinar was reserved for the interventions provided for by the PNRR – National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Ilaria Realfonzo, director of the Office I of the General Secretariat at the Ministry of Tourism, illustrated them. “Measure 1, Component 3 for tourism and culture within the PNRR identifies a package of resources worth €2.5 billion. The various projects include the 4.0 ‘Integrated funds for the competitiveness of tourism businesses’ investment, the aim of which is to overcome some critical issues aggravated by the pandemic crisis: fragmentation of tourism businesses, loss of competitiveness, difficulty in starting innovation processes. Faced with all the ties that impede the development of the sector, a mix of measures aimed at improving tourist accommodation facilities and services was thought of to raise the competitive capacity of businesses and promote a competitive, sustainable, and digitized offer“.
The reference point is the Legislative Decree 152/2021 converted into law 233/2021, accompanied by a series of corollary measures. The measures already operational include the non-repayable grant and the tax credit for tourism businesses that implement project line 4.2.1 of the PNRR. The call (we talked about it here) opened on February 28th and expired on March 30th. 2.7 billion in subsidies were requested, against resources of around €600 million, and 190 applications concern campsites and motorhome areas, for a total of around 43 million, were submitted.
The special section of the Revolving Fund for Innovation is soon to be activated to facilitate access to credit and medium-sized investments in the tourism sector for small and medium-sized enterprises. This incentive is provided for by article 3 of Legislative Decree 152/2021 (Measure M1 C3, intervention 4.2.5) and is divided into two ways: a non-repayable contribution aimed at covering up to 35% of the expenditure and a subsidized loan combined with a bank loan of equal duration at market conditions. The PNRR allocates 180 million: 40 for 2022, as many for 2023 and 50 million for 2024 and 2025. 50 percent of this intervention is reserved for energy redevelopment, 40 percent for the southern regions.
The last two measures are the guarantee fund for SMEs, Special section for Tourism and the guarantee fund, Special section of the EIB. These are instruments that have existed for some time: they are public guarantees that facilitate access to credit for SMEs and professionals.
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