Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the way travellers search for information, choose destinations and book their holidays. Convinced that this transformation will have a profound impact on the open-air tourism sector as well, PiNCAMP has announced the launch of a range of new AI-based tools for campsites and holiday parks, including what it describes as Europe’s first camping app within ChatGPT.
The company – backed by Europe’s leading motoring organisations, ADAC, ANWB and TCS – aims to position itself as one of the driving forces behind the application of artificial intelligence in the camping industry. “It will be crucial for campgrounds to present their offerings in a way that makes them visible, understandable, and discoverable in AI-powered searches,” said Uwe Frers, CEO of PiNCAMP.
An app to search for and book campsites directly through ChatGPT
The first element of PiNCAMP’s strategy is a new app for ChatGPT, scheduled for release in July through OpenAI’s official app store. The tool will enable users to search for campsites using natural language directly within the AI assistant and begin the booking process without relying on traditional search engines.
According to PiNCAMP, the solution represents a significant step forward in visibility for tourism businesses within the new AI-driven digital ecosystems, particularly for bookable campsites available through the platform.
Alongside the app, the company has developed the new PiNCAMP AI Suite, a platform designed to help campsites improve their presence across leading large language models such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude. The system combines proprietary PiNCAMP data, inspection results, user reviews and editorial content to automatically create optimised pages and descriptions that can be easily interpreted and valued by artificial intelligence algorithms.
Among the platform’s objectives is the creation of content that AI models can correctly understand, increasing the likelihood that campsites will appear among the recommendations provided to users during conversational searches.
AI Basecamp and the new frontier of digital visibility
The third innovation announced is PiNCAMP AI Basecamp, a model developed in-house and powered by millions of verified data points from the PiNCAMP ecosystem. The tool has been designed to understand complex requests submitted by users to AI systems and present campsites, availability and pricing in a personalised way.
At the heart of the strategy is the concept of “Generative Engine Optimisation” (GEO), which PiNCAMP sees as the evolution of traditional SEO. The idea is to optimise content and data so that they can be understood and used by generative AI models, which are increasingly becoming one of the main gateways to online information.
According to PiNCAMP, the industry is entering the era of so-called “zero-click searches”, where users receive answers directly from artificial intelligence without visiting websites or traditional search engines. At the same time, booking and e-commerce activities are beginning to move into these AI-powered environments.
“AI is changing everything – from inspiration to booking,” explained Michael Frischkorn, Chief Technology Officer at PiNCAMP. “With our team in Berlin, we’re working flat out as technological pioneers to make the camping industry AI-ready. Our new ChatGPT app and the PiNCAMP AI Suite aren’t just theoretical product ideas: they’re powerful, real-world solutions. They ensure that our campground clients are better understood and more highly recommended by large language model algorithms. Anyone who misses the boat here will simply be left out of tomorrow’s campers’ customer journey“.
To support this strategy, PiNCAMP can draw on an extensive data foundation, including more than 14,500 listed campsites, around 8,000 independently inspected sites and over 500,000 user reviews. According to the company, this wealth of information represents a key asset in delivering reliable recommendations through artificial intelligence systems.
A webinar to help campsites prepare
To help industry professionals navigate this transition, PiNCAMP will host a free webinar on 24 June, at 11.00, entitled “AI Visibility: Prepare your campsite for ChatGPT & Co“, organised by PiNCAMPUS, the company’s training and information division.
The session will explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the way outdoor holidays are researched, planned and booked. Increasing numbers of campers are using tools such as ChatGPT to choose destinations, compare campsites and organise their trips, a trend that is forcing operators to rethink their online presence.
During the webinar, participants will learn about the strategies required to ensure a campsite is considered and recommended by leading generative AI models. Attendees will also be able to watch a presentation of the new PiNCAMP AI Suite and gain a better understanding of the actions that can improve visibility within AI-generated recommendations.
The session will be led by Michael Frischkorn, Chief Technology Officer at PiNCAMP, and Felix Verges, Director of Sales & Business Development. Participation is free of charge and aimed at industry professionals interested in understanding the opportunities created by the evolution of AI technologies in the open-air tourism sector. It is possible to register for the webinar by clicking here.
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