The beautiful setting of Cavallino Treporti on Italy’s Adriatic coast recently hosted a fascinating meeting between key figures in the open-air tourism industry from two of Europe’s most prominent regions in the sector: Overijssel in the Netherlands and the renowned Venetian coastline. The event brought together the mayors of Cavallino Treporti and Hardenberg, along with representatives from leading trade associations (FAITA Nordest and HISWA-RECRON) and regional tourism organisations: Parco Turistico and MarketingOost.
The initiative was organised and moderated by Cornel Straver, Director of PiNCAMP, which arranged a tour for a group of campsite operators from Overijssel keen to explore some of the leading open-air tourism destinationsin Europe, specifically those in the Veneto region.
Two European success stories
Cavallino Treporti is one of Europe’s most advanced open-air destinations and ranks as Italy’s 5th most visited location overall, following Rome, Venice, Milan, and Florence, as pointed out by Mayor Roberta Nesto. The local coastline boasts 13 kilometres of camping facilities, with more than 30 open-air accommodation establishments. “It’s important for us to engage in dialogue to develop sustainable ways of offering new services in the open-air sector,” said Alberto Ballarin, Councillor for Tourism. “That’s the key thing we’re doing here today.”
Mayor Mariska Linthorst introduced Hardenberg and its tourism credentials: “It’s a highly significant area from a tourism perspective,” she explained. “Tourists spend €150 million here every year. We have six 5-star campsites and one of the Netherlands’ most visited amusement parks”. While the region has seen strong tourism growth in recent years, she emphasised the need to strike a new balance between the needs of local residents and business development, while preserving the environment. Quality, diversity and innovation are central to its future.
The numbers according to PiNCAMP
As ever, PiNCAMP CEO Uwe Frers brought some enlightening data to the table. “Today we’re focusing on smart management – making data-driven decisions,” he noted. Frers highlighted that Overijssel ranks highest in the Netherlands for campsite quality, while Cavallino is home to some of the finest campsites in all of Europe. The average ADAC rating across all European campsites stands at 2.86 (on a scale of 1 to 5). Italy’s average is 3.45, the Netherlands scores 3.94, while Cavallino achieves an impressive 4.57 and Overijssel tops that slightly at 4.58. In terms of quality, the two regions are nearly neck and neck.
However, the biggest difference lies in pricing. Across Europe, an average night for a couple on a pitch for a motorhome with one child and electricity costs €52. This rises to €55 in the Netherlands and €66 in Italy. In Cavallino, however, the price jumps to €90 – a stark contrast to Overijssel’s €53, which is even lower than the Dutch national average.
Frers also examined sustainability. On average, European countries have 27 campsites with some form of environmental certification. Italy has 44; the Netherlands, 65. But a significant gap emerges at the regional level: Cavallino Treporti has 6 certified sites (14% of Italy’s total), while Overijssel has only 2 (3% of the Dutch total). The figures suggest that operators in Overijssel have room to grow in terms of both sustainability and pricing.
Economic impact and investment
Alberto Granzotto, President of FAITA Nordest (and of FAITA-FederCamping nationally), pointed out that open-air tourism in the Veneto region generates €1.3 billion annually – 42% of which comes from accommodation, with the rest spent locally. “We’re investing heavily in quality, even more so than hotels,” he said. “And it’s primarily medium and large businesses driving that investment”. Granzotto noted that Cavallino Treporti alone accounts for 35% of all 5-star open-air facilities in Italy and 53% of those in the Veneto region.
He also showcased ongoing projects developed in partnership with HBenchmark and eAmbiente. The former collects and analyses tourism data and market trends, while the latter is helping to develop an ESG sustainability protocol that will provide a clearer picture of environmental performance within Italian campsites.
Petra Ellens, Regional Manager of HISWA-RECRON – the Dutch association representing campsites and boating companies – outlined the broader picture in the Netherlands. Tourism there is worth €104 billion and supports 813,000 jobs – that’s one in every thirteen people employed in the country. Annual overnight stays now exceed 8 million, marking a rise of 2.2 million since 2014. However, the sector also faces challenges: a 50% decline in student visitors, rising VAT and tourist taxes, seasonal staff shortages, political indifference, and overly rigid regulations.
The power of promotion
The final discussion of the day featured Paolo Bertolini, Vice President of Parco Turistico, and Wendy Weijdema, Vice President of MarketingOost. Both regional promotion agencies presented their respective strategies for increasing visibility and visitor engagement, highlighting the extensive work being done to enhance the appeal of their destinations and to ensure tourists have all the information they need for an ideal experience.
This meeting between Cavallino Treporti and Overijssel marked an important exchange between two leading regions in the European open-air hospitality sector. By sharing experiences, data and strategies, the event shed light on both the similarities and differences between them – but above all, it underscored a shared commitment to tackling challenges through quality, innovation, and sustainability. Initiatives like this strengthen cross-border networks and partnerships, encouraging a more integrated and forward-thinking approach to the future of open-air tourism in Europe.
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