Riccardo Viroli – Titanka!

Early bookings, demand distribution, and acquisition channels are all factors that influence the industry and can help camping village managers plan more effective strategies. Titanka!, an Italian company specialising in tools and solutions for tourism, has always placed data at the center of its strategies, guiding the facilities it collaborates with toward more effective and targeted decisions. In tourism, relying on instinct is not an option: concrete numbers, accurate insights, and measurable performance are needed to make strategic decisions.

Thanks to Mr Preno and the more than 1,200 hospitality businesses using the CRM, the company has built an advanced analysis system capable of identifying emerging trends and monitoring the evolution of the tourism market with precision. A true Observatory that transforms data into growth opportunities for camping villages that recognize its importance.

We discussed this with Riccardo Viroli, CEO & Sales Director of Titanka! and an expert in tourism marketing for camping villages in Italy, who provides us with an in-depth analysis of how the 2025 season is shaping up.

Camping Business – In recent years, outdoor tourism has seen steady growth, evolving into an increasingly structured sector in high demand among travelers. However, not all facilities have grasped the importance of gaining a competitive advantage. What is the current situation?
Riccardo Viroli – In Italy, the outdoor tourism sector consists of about 3,000 facilities, with a total accommodation capacity of approximately 1.5 million beds. These are significant numbers, but they highlight a gap between those who have understood the strategic value of marketing and those who continue to operate with a more traditional approach, which is no longer sufficient.

In recent years, awareness of the importance of promotion has grown: more and more entrepreneurs are investing in targeted strategies to improve their visibility and attract new customers. The adoption of digital tools, such as our advanced CRM Mr Preno and marketing performance data analysis, is becoming a widespread practice among the most advanced facilities.

However, not all are moving at the same pace. There is still a marked difference between those who have implemented structured marketing strategies and those who continue to rely solely on spontaneous demand. The reality is that facilities that communicate and promote themselves consistently throughout the year achieve significantly better results, both in terms of bookings and customer loyalty.

Those who can interpret data and invest in the right channels have a clear competitive advantage, while those who ignore these tools risk losing ground in an increasingly demanding and selective market.

Camping Business – Data continues to indicate an increasing trend in early bookings. What are the main factors behind this trend?
Riccardo Viroli – The numbers speak clearly: outdoor tourism is expanding and gradually extending beyond peak seasons, albeit at different rates. From our Observatory, which analyzes data from over 600 facilities in Italy and integrates real conversion metrics through the CRM Mr Preno, a clear trend has emerged: between October 2024 and February 2025, requests for stays with check-in between May and September 2025 saw a significant surge.

During this period, over 266,700 requests were generated (+8% compared to the same period the previous year), translating into €29 million in already confirmed revenue. This data highlights an important shift in traveler behavior: choosing a camping village is no longer a random decision but an increasingly conscious and planned one.

We can identify three main factors. The first is that of advance planning as a new habit. After years of uncertainty, people do not want to give up their vacations and have learned that booking early provides concrete benefits: better rates, more availability, and a greater selection of different types of facilities and accommodations.

The second is the evolution of the perception of camping villages. Open-air tourism has undergone a transformation: camping villages are no longer seen just as an economical option but as a high-quality solution with increasingly advanced services and often unique immersive experiences. This has attracted new customer segments who are willing to book earlier to secure the best facility in their ideal destination.

The third factor is more effective and targeted marketing. Camping villages that have invested in specific marketing activities such as Google Ads, Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram), and email marketing have recorded significantly higher request volumes and conversion rates compared to those that have not implemented digital strategies. Capturing travelers at the right moment in their search has become a key factor for increasing occupancy and optimizing profitability.

The underlying message is clear: those who have built a structured visibility and sales strategy have achieved concrete results. Outdoor tourism is evolving, and camping villages that want to maintain their competitiveness must adapt to these new market dynamics.

Camping Business – What are the most effective marketing channels for camping villages?
Riccardo Viroli – The data collected through the Mr Preno CRM provides a clear picture of which channels generated the highest traffic and requests in 2024 and which will continue to be crucial in 2025. Three channels, in particular, remain fundamental for the success of camping village marketing strategies: Google Ads, Meta Ads – meaning Facebook & Instagram – and email marketing.

In 2025, there was a 19% increase in requests from Google Ads, demonstrating that capturing travelers while they are actively searching for a destination and then a facility is essential. Google Ads remains the channel with the highest potential to attract users already in the decision-making phase, increasing conversion rates.

Requests generated by Facebook Ads increased by 85%, highlighting the effectiveness of social media both in customer acquisition and remarketing. Today, travelers are not only influenced by search engines but also by visual content, reviews, and targeted offers. Meta Ads is the perfect tool to stay connected with potential customers and bring them back to the website at the right moment.

Email marketing saw a 14% increase, proving that well-structured and targeted campaigns can significantly impact bookings. Newsletters help retain customers, encourage repeat bookings, and drive direct sales with exclusive offers, maximizing the value of every acquired contact.

One of the most important lessons from this data is that requests start coming in as early as autumn when many facilities are still focused on closing the summer season. This is when you gain an advantage over the competition.

Every year in September, we try to make facilities aware of the importance of activating marketing strategies immediately for the following season. The market does not wait: those who plan ahead and use the right channels have a huge competitive advantage over those who rely solely on organic visibility or activate too late.

The numbers never lie, and those who are willing to listen to them understand that a technologically advanced website designed for direct sales, combined with promotional activities such as Google Ads, Meta Ads, and email marketing, are the most powerful tools to capture and convert travelers. The key is investing in the right tools with strategic planning to avoid missed opportunities and maximize each season’s potential.

Camping Business – What do the data tell us about demand pressure in different months?
Riccardo Viroli – It is no surprise that the peak summer months – June, July, and August – continue to receive the majority of requests. However, what stands out from the data is the strategic potential of May and September, two often underestimated months with significant growth opportunities. They offer great potential, but they don’t fill up on their own. The key is to treat them with the same attention as peak season months, planning targeted offers well in advance. Camping villages that actively promote these periods, leveraging last-minute bookings and offers for specific target groups, achieve concrete results.

Camping Business – How does this translate into action?
Riccardo Viroli – First, constant communication: maintaining active promotion throughout the year is essential to capture both early bookers and last-minute travelers. Second, targeted promotions: travelers in these periods have different needs than those in July and August. Flexible offers, short-stay packages, and experiential proposals can incentivize bookings and improve occupancy. Third, building seasonality extension strategies: the open-air market has already demonstrated that demand does not disappear outside peak months, but structured and planned marketing actions are needed to make May and September truly strategic.

Open-air tourism continues to be an evolving sector, with a public increasingly focused on vacation planning and the unique characteristics of the offerings. Understanding and anticipating these trends is no longer an option but a necessity for those who want to stay competitive. As Viroli points out, “Camping village managers must evolve with the market. Investing in experiential and targeted promotions, expanding and improving their range of services and accommodations, and leveraging early bookings are crucial strategies to ensure the success of their establishment“.

While the 2025 season is already well underway, there is still time to review and strengthen strategies. Change can be daunting, but stagnation should be even more concerning. Saying, “I’ve always done it this way, and it’s worked well enough” may seem reassuring, but today, it means falling behind. The numbers speak for themselves: those who have invested and innovated have already seen significant results. The challenge is set: those who can interpret and apply this data will gain a competitive edge in the industry.