A new study conducted by Italian online portal for campsites and holiday parks Campeggi.com has revealed that 65 per cent of holidaymakers using its system prefer to choose fixed accommodation such as a mobile home or bungalow for their open-air tourism.
This was by far the most popular accommodation with only 35 per cent of travellers surveyed saying they prefer a more basic place to stay such as a tent, caravan, or motorhome.
While still a niche segment of the market, glamping continues to grow according to this study. With an average stay of just two days, it tends to appeal to those seeking short, restorative getaways – often over a weekend – where contact with nature comes with a touch of comfort and style.
The study also showed that family holidays remain the most popular type of open-air vacation, with 75 per cent of those surveyed saying they go with a partner or children, while 20 per cent travel with friends, and just 5 per cent go solo.
International tourism trends
Campeggi.com’s study also painted an interesting picture of the open-air tourism market in Italy with 78 per cent of searches on its website coming from Italians.
Of the international interest, German holidaymakers are the most common with 37 per cent of all searches followed by Swiss (22 per cent) and Dutch (14 per cent). The rest of the top 10 is rounded off by Austrians, Spaniards, Poles, Czechs, Danes, Swedes and Slovenes.
Another interesting pattern in the data is seen in seasonality with Italians strongly preferring to book open-air holidays in the summer months while international travellers – particularly Germans – are much more likely to look for holiday sites in the off-season or shoulder season.
Booking trends revealed
Booking trends for 2025 from this survey showed that early booking is still very common – with some searches for summer this year beginning as far back as November 2024.
Despite this, last-minute booking still holds its own when it comes to open-air tourism, particularly among those travellers who require flexibility.
Another interesting fact concerns user loyalty: many travellers tend to rebook the same accommodation facility they chose the previous year, a tangible sign of the quality and reliability of the Italian accommodation system.
“The growing loyalty of our users is one of the most encouraging signs for the sector. On the one hand it shows that Italian facilities know how to meet expectations, and on the other it strengthens the relationship of trust between guests and operators,” said Cristian Capizzi, CEO of Campeggi.com’s owner KoobCamp.
“This year we also notice a lengthening of stays: if last year, between June and September, the average length of the holiday was 5 days, this year Italians are booking an average of 10 days, while foreigners are arriving at 13. This is a clear indicator of the desire to allow more time for oneself, for the family and for a real break.”
Photo: Camping Lake Placid, winner of Campeggi Unusual Accomodation Award 2024.
