The first barometer of open-air facilities has been created in France, to collect and disseminate the numbers of the sector in a unified way and interpret trends and developments. The project was realised by Atout France, FNHPA (Fédération Nationale de l’Hôtellerie de Plein Air), and ADN Tourisme. In 2022, data collection was made possible thanks to the collaboration of 1,200 campsites, with the aim of reaching 2,000 by the next year, which communicated the year’s presences in their facilities anonymously, thus providing a comprehensive overview of the country’s open-air tourism trends.
Data Collection Methodology
In order for the results to be as reliable as possible, FNHPA partnered with France Tourisme Observation, which automated the data processing and produced the indicators, starting from the collection made by the software programmers into which the numbers of the various facilities were imported. In addition, the regional tourism committees and federations contributed by creating a weekly digital observatory, which processes 8 million stays each week.
The result of this great teamwork is a barometer that is easy to read, even for non-specialists, and which has already produced the first conclusions: 16% more overnight stays in 2022 than in 2021 (139.2 million), an increase in the number of foreign guests, particularly British (+595%). In general, 2022 was a record year, but economic instability, the geopolitical situation and rising prices undoubtedly weighed in. Work is now underway to define and improve the barometer, which has proven to be a valuable statistical tool for government authorities as well.
Georg Giner – Ferienparadies Natterer See