For the third consecutive year, Pitchup.com, the instant booking portal that offers over 3000 green destinations worldwide, has been included in the prestigious FT1000 ranking drawn up by the Financial Times to highlight the 1000 companies that have grown fastest in Europe. Only 90 companies, including Pitchup.com (which occupies the 888th position), have managed to enter the ranking in all three years 2018, 2019 and 2020.
Over the past three years, Pitchup.com has not stopped growing rapidly. The company’s turnover went from 1.2 to 3.3 million pounds, an increase of 188%. The total value of transactions on the platform rose from £9 million in 2016 to £25.3 million in 2019.
Over the same period, the number of locations increased from 2,341 to 3,001 (+28%); countries involved from 32 to 67 and users from 8.3 million and to 18.7 million (+126%).
The growth estimates for 2020 are around +30%, confirming a positive trend that seems unstoppable.
“We are excited to be among the winners of the FT1000 ranking for the third year running,” said Dan Yates, Founder and CEO of Pitchup.com. “This award is testament to the growing popularity of outdoor accommodation all around the world, a sector that previously had little presence online. It is gratifying that the consistent increase in bookings we have achieved for our customers, most of which are small rural businesses, has been recognised by this prestigious title. I thank our customers, clients and of course the Pitchup team, without whose work this result would not have been possible”.
Pitchup’s mission is to make finding and booking the perfect outdoor vacation extremely easy, avoiding stressful searches and long phone calls. All the information needed is provided as a ‘one stop shop’, with over 3,000 campsites, caravan parks and glamping sites, hundreds of thousands of reviews and customer photos to avoid surprises. Nearly 100 filters allow you to narrow your search requirements, for example by selecting the town, a theme of ‘lake or mountain’, the comfort level of the campsite (from ‘wild camping’ to the most luxurious), the type of accommodation (pods, yurts, tree houses, bungalows, etc.), and even nearby beaches with the cleanest waters and sites that accept dogs. From a simple pitch for your tent or caravan to the most exclusive and refined glamping options with spas, on Pitchup.com you are spoilt for choice – and it’s also one of the most sustainable holidays.
“Today, more and more people prefer sustainable tourism choices which are kinder to the environment,” explains Dan Yates, “Pitchup’s proposition is inherently eco-friendly: most trips booked on our platform don’t use planes or ferries, which are the most polluting means of transport. The construction of campsites has a relatively minor environmental impact, especially compared to hotels, with extensive use of natural materials. Many campsites use renewable energy, provide recycling facilities and promote sustainable activities, since tourists are more inclined to buy locally-sourced food, eat at the bar or restaurant a few minutes away and participate in low-impact recreation such as walking, cycling, fishing, skiing, swimming and horse riding.”
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