Words Richard Otten, Glampingexpert.nl
The 51st edition of Salon Atlantica confirmed once again its key role as one of France’s leading professional events for the open-air hospitality industry. Held from 7 to 9 October 2025, the trade fair brought together manufacturers, suppliers, and campsite operators from across France and beyond, offering a clear picture of how the sector is evolving.
Well established after more than half a century, Atlantica remains an important meeting point for everyone involved in camping, glamping, and outdoor accommodation. The 2025 edition was attended by around 7,500 professionals, with a growing international presence and an increasing number of Dutch exhibitors. The show once again demonstrated its capacity to offer a practical, business-focused environment where industry players can discuss products, market developments, and new technologies shaping the future of the sector.
Broader product range and stronger digital focus
This year’s edition highlighted the diversity of the French outdoor hospitality industry. Alongside the major mobile-home manufacturers, there was clear growth in the number of exhibitors specialising in glamping accommodation – including wooden pods, treehouses, tiny houses and other unique structures designed to enhance the guest experience. With profit margins on standard rental units under pressure, the market is actively searching for new forms of added value and differentiation.
Digital transformation was another strong theme. Established French technology providers such as Inaxel, Ctoutvert, and Septeo Group shared space with several innovative Dutch companies, including Booking Experts and Maxxton, whose property-management and booking platforms drew considerable interest from French operators. Madino (premium outdoor furniture) and SolarWoodle (solar-powered outdoor lighting) also reported promising leads, reflecting a market where quality, sustainability, and design are increasingly decisive factors.
Although some exhibitors reported a slight decline in visitor numbers compared with 2024, many noted that the quality of contacts was higher, with more decision-makers and fewer casual visitors. The fair was also accompanied by the annual congress of the FNHPA, the French federation of open-air hospitality businesses, where industry representatives addressed pressing issues such as water management, energy costs, and the shortage of seasonal staff.
A market adapting to new realities
Feedback from operators suggests that the 2025 camping season was generally satisfactory but marked by stabilising revenues. While occupancy levels remained solid, price growth has slowed, indicating that guests are becoming more selective in their spending. The focus is shifting from quantity to quality: shorter stays, greater demand for comfort, and increasing interest in larger pitches with private sanitary facilities all point to a desire for balance between simplicity and convenience.
French campsites are adapting accordingly, placing greater emphasis on experience, flexibility, and authenticity rather than pure volume. This evolution signals a more mature market—one that listens more closely to guests’ expectations and adjusts its offerings with greater precision.
The presence of an expanding number of foreign exhibitors, particularly from the Netherlands, underlines the growing internationalisation of the French market. Cooperation in fields such as digitalisation, energy efficiency, and sustainable design is strengthening, showing that France remains an attractive and open arena for innovation in outdoor tourism.
Looking ahead
As always, Atlantica marks the start of the French trade fair season, setting the tone ahead of SETT in Montpellier in early November. The trends seen in Niort – greater diversity, deeper digital integration, and a focus on quality and sustainability – are likely to shape the months ahead.
In conclusion, Atlantica 2025 reflected a sector that is becoming more pragmatic and resilient. Less about glamour and more about substance, it remains a valuable barometer for understanding where the European camping and glamping industry is heading.
Photo by Salon Atlantica
IODE 2024 Exhibition, In & Outdoor hospitality professionals meet in Brittany