The French competition authority makes the ECG-Vacanceselect operation subject to certain conditions

Seven months after the request, the French competition authority authorised the acquisition of the Vacanceselect group by European Camping Group (ECG), but only if certain conditions are met. The merger of ECG (Homair, Eurocamp, Roan, Marvilla, Palmier Océans, Camping Vision) and Vacanceselect (Tohapi, Vacanceselect, Canvas Holidays, Selectcamp) will create one large group in the outdoor accommodation sector in France, with more than 400 destinations (around 54,000 pitches) and almost one hundred own campsites, which represent 11% of the market share in France. For this reason, the French competition authority studied the merger with respect to the existing market before making a decision on the matter.

Two markets to safeguard

ECG and Vacanceselect are active in the open-air accommodation sector, both as operators of campsites as owners, and of campsites owned by third parties under contracts with tour operators and online travel agencies specialised in the sector. Given the two market slices covered by the two groups, the Authority examined both through market tests and interviews with the parties’ competing campsites to identify possible risks of harm to competition.

Campsite management

The information gathered established that the greatest problems exist in the management of campsites at the local level, specifically in the area of Haute Provence and La Croix du Vieux Pont . In these areas, the operation was likely to reduce competition and lead to an increase in prices or a reduction in the diversity of supply to the detriment of consumers. In order to avoid such risks, ECG undertook to sell a campsite located in the Prés du Verdon area (Alpes de Haute Provence) and to enter into a contract with a third-party campsite for the management of 27 high-level equipped pitches in the La Croix du Vieux Pont area (Aisne).

Tour operating market

On the other hand, risks of harm to competition in the market for tour operators and in the market for online travel agency services specialising in camping were excluded, given the moderate market shares of the two groups and the presence of a very large number of national operators, such as the Capfun, Yelloh! Village, Siblu and Sandaya groups.