Following the completion of the acquisition of Vacanceselect group in February 2023, the European Camping Group (ECG) has executed another strategic move that solidifies its position as a European leader in outdoor hospitality. The group also announced a change in the management team with the appointment of Sébastien Manceau as Group CEO. Alain Calme, who had held that role since September 2010, became Chairman of the Board, while Philippe de Trémiolles, who led the group alongside Calme, retains the roles of Group Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer.
ECG, which includes brands such as Homair, Tohapi, Eurocamp, and Marvilla Parks, has announced the purchase of the assets of the Dutch tour operator Vacansoleil, which declared bankruptcy last September. Instead, the trademark and domain name remain under the control of Maeva, which had acquired them last year.
In a statement, the group emphasized how this acquisition provides “significant relief to the owners of Vacansoleil’s partner campsites, ensuring the stock of mobile homes on the sites, the quality of the customer experience, and the use of the sites throughout the season. ECG’s involvement demonstrates its commitment to the camping community and the industry as a whole“.
ECG’s offer rises to over 45,000 accommodations
This operation significantly expands ECG’s portfolio, involving the acquisition of more than 900 mobile homes and 200 safari tents, distributed across 100 campsites. The group can now boast a comprehensive offer of over 45,000 accommodations, including mobile homes, chalets, and equipped tents, across over 430 campsites throughout Europe. Furthermore, with this move, ECG expands into the European camping market, introducing 4 new campsites and a new country, Slovenia. In France, the accommodation facilities will be marketed under the Homair brand.
Stijn Depraetere, Vice President of the Group for Development and Negotiation, commented: “ECG has successfully negotiated agr European Camping Group acquires Vacansoleil assets and announces new top management appointments
eements with most of the sites where Vacansoleil operated, ensuring that our portfolio of retail brands, including Eurocamp, Homair, and Roan, will continue to offer these sought-after destinations in the market. This means that our customers will have access to a wide choice of holiday destinations in mobile homes, all with brands known for their solid reputation, exceptional service levels, and consumer protection that customers expect, in line with the heritage of Vacansoleil“.
On LinkedIn, however, the company commented on the new appointments as follows: “The whole ECG team really thanks you, Alain Calme, for the last 14 exciting years which – under your direction – have enabled the Group to consolidate its position as industry leader! It’s great to be able to still count on your strong advice for the future as part of your new role of Group Chairman. Together with Philippe de Trémiolles, we also warmly welcome Sébastien Manceau in his new role. This new chapter is really exciting, and your strong knowledge of the tourism sector is adding a lot of value to our Group”.
