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The camping season is good, but old problems persist

In Croatian camps, by the end of August this year, there was a 3 percent increase in tourist arrivals and a 4 percent increase in overnight stays. As September also passed with increases of several percentage points, the Camping Association of Croatia (KUH) expects an overall better year for camps compared to last year, emphasizes KUH director Adriano Palman ahead of this week’s 9th Camping Congress.

The Croatian Camping Congress, organized by KUH, will take place from October 27 to 29 at the Ilirija resort in Biograd na Moru, with the main day of the congress, which includes the opening ceremony, being Wednesday, October 28.

– The main message of this congress, as well as previous ones, is the urgent need to resolve the issues of tourist land and maritime property, which is actually a constant key problem for Croatian camping. Although this has been discussed for years, there are still no proper legal frameworks, and thus no significant investments in this segment, even though numerous companies owning camps have been preparing for them for years – says Palman.

Therefore, as he adds, there will be a lot of discussion about this at the upcoming congress, as well as other current issues such as this year’s results, which have brought good and positive outcomes for camping from almost all markets except the Dutch one, where a slight decline is recorded, as well as activities related to promotion, certification of camps, and the continuation of the growing trend of equipping camps with mobile homes and so-called glamping (luxury) tents.

This will also be supported by a record number of exhibitors-manufacturers of mobile homes at the accompanying exhibition, while a series of lectures, round tables, and presentations will aim to address questions related to the future of the camping industry, creating conditions for sustainable development of camps, and presenting other trends such as mini-golf in camps.

The congress will gather more than 200 domestic and foreign participants, mostly representatives, owners, and directors of domestic camps, as well as their guests from other segments of the tourism industry, and international experts such as the director of the leading European camping association ACSI, Ramon Van Reine, the director of the European Association for Ecological Certification of Camps Eco Camping, Wolfgang Pfrommer, and others.

As part of the congress, the best camps will be awarded recognitions for quality “Croatia’s Best Campsites”, “Naj Kamp Adria 2015”, and the “Ecocamping” awards.