The pandemic has certainly disrupted the tourism sector, changing the habits of many people, but of course it didn’t cancel the desire to travel. The outdoor tourism sector seems to have reacted well to the impact: according to a recent survey conducted by FAITA-FederCamping on the trend of the current tourist season in Italian campsites, there are signs of a significant recovery in demand.
With a total amount of 10.5 million arrivals and over 69 million presences, the owners of the companies that provided the forecast data for summer 2022 highlighted an almost complete recovery of the shares of foreign guests (which return to the levels of 2019). In numbers, we are talking over 5.5 million arrivals and 34 million presences, and a confirmation of the growing trend of Italian guests, with at least 5 million arrivals and 35 million presences.
Trends in searches
It is also very interesting to see the results of another study, carried out by Confcommercio on the basis of data analysis by Google Trends, which examines the online search trends by users in three categories: caravan, campsites and tourist villages. A useful survey to see how the outdoor world is changing and a photograph of the needs and inclinations of virtual travelers.
The period considered was May 2016 – April 2021. As regards the keyword “tourist villages“, Google Trends highlights how the search trend on average is concentrated in the summer season. Traffic begins to increase in June, peaks in July and then drops during September.
Users are also very attentive to the geographical aspect, so the searches carried out are often associated with very specific locations (for example, tourist villages on the Gargano, in Sicily and so on) and to the services that accommodation facilities offer (for example, if they are equipped to host children or animals, if they are close to the beach, etc.).
The same for the keyword “campsites“. In this case, the user seems to show greater attention to proximity to natural attractions. The month in which online searches begin to rise is April, while the peak is usually reached in August.
The motorhome success
The “motorhome” category is the one that records the highest increase. The trend of searches is more irregular over the course of a calendar year: the period of least interest is October-November, the first signs of recovery are noticed in mid-December and mid-April and the peak is recorded in August. In general, the traffic volumes generated by the keyword “motorhome” far exceed those relating to campsites and tourist villages.
User searches have increased regarding the request for specific information on the motorhome intended not only as a means of transport for a holiday in contact with nature (“pros and cons of a holiday in a motorhome”, “tips”, “how much it costs” , “how it works”, “which license do you need” etc.) but also as a way of life (“motorhome as home”, “motorhome as a second home”).
Although the growth of interest in the world of outdoor tourism began in 2019, 2020 is the year in which there was a boom in user searches. The Covid-19 emergency probably had an impact: traveling in a campervan with friends or family was seen as a solution capable of guaranteeing greater freedom, while at the same time respecting the rules on social distancing.
Knowing this type of information can be important in order to understand the needs of the reference public and to deal with potential customers in an appropriate manner, as well as with the most appropriate timing. Furthermore, it is particularly useful for the planning of promotional activities (such as online and offline advertising campaigns) by companies in the sector.
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