The 2022 season in campsites “begins auspiciously”, said Tuesday, May 24 on franceinfo Nicolas Dayot, president of the National Federation of Outdoor Hotels (FNHPA), on the eve of the extended Ascension weekend. Over the year, “we have 25% more reservations than in 2019 at the same time”, says Nicolas Dayot. For the Ascension weekend, “everyone jumped on it”explains the president of the FNHPA. “All rental accommodation, mobile homes, chalets, trailers on French campsites will undoubtedly be full in the next few days. There are still a few availabilities which will fill up at the last minute.”
Regarding the summer season, “reservations are there, the summer will be normal, or even better”, points out Nicolas Dayot. In the end, the year will be “better than normal”. The fastest growing months are “the months of September, April and May, which will allow the season to be spread out”. According to him, this “undoubtedly heralds the finest 2022 season ever seen in French campsites.”
The French will generally favor “the coast” as the primary destination. But Nicolas Dayot observes that “the green departments of the interior have very high reservation levels, especially for ecotourism”. On the occasion of the Ascension weekend, “all the French departments will do well on the occasion of the Ascension.”
The president of the FNHPA also warns about “labour shortages” in establishments. “Seven out of ten campsites tell us that they are still looking for employeeshe explains. Of the 40,000 seasonal workers we hire each year in the French countryside, we are short 4,000, that is to say 10%”.
Nicolas Dayot specifies that “two segments” are in difficulty. It concerns “The hotel and catering industry, the jobs of waiters and cooks, but also maintenance in general, the maintenance of accommodation, the maintenance of buildings. In these two positions, in particular, we have real difficulties in hiring This year”. During the Easter holidays, “campsites have not been able to rent all of their accommodation, due to lack of staff”adds Nicolas Dayot.
There is no question for outdoor establishments “to deteriorate the service we offer to our customers”. He doesn’t hope “live this type of situation” this summer. But he remains optimistic. “We think that by then the gap will be filled.”