The open-air tourism industry is no stranger to challenges, but perhaps one of the most prominent challenges in recent years is that of a changing global climate. Some aspects of this are subtle, such as the trend for holidaymakers to seek cooler locations in a bid to escape the increasingly sweltering conditions in traditional destinations. Other aspects are much more dramatic – such as extreme weather.
Flooding is a devastating and seemingly more common consequence of extreme weather that is facing the open-air tourism industry. Extreme weather patterns appear to be happening more regularly in Europe, with countries including Spain, the United Kingdom, Poland, Czechia, Austria, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and Greece all having experienced significant recent flooding that has damaged infrastructure, livelihoods, and in the worst cases, people’s lives.
Flood damage is bad enough for standard buildings in urbanised areas, but when it comes to campsites and holiday parks, with modular and temporary accommodation types such as mobile homes and tiny houses, things can be doubly destructive.
A problem hiding in plain sight
Campsites and holiday parks around Europe are very commonly located close to water. Because of that, there is naturally a possibility that flooding could cause a problem. But that possibility has become a reality much more often in recent years.
“Research that we’ve conducted shows that 30 per cent of all UK residential and holiday parks are now at risk of flooding,” explains Simon Gilliland, the Chief Executive Officer of British company Flood Technology Group, which has created a special flood defence system for mobile homes. “This equates to more than 1,100 parks in all, or 143,000 individual caravans [mobile homes] and lodges. Of those at risk, 19,000 are residential park homes and 124,000 are holiday caravans [mobile homes] or lodges.
“Our research reveals that, whilst 61,000 of the affected properties are afforded some level of protection by existing flood defences (those maintained by national government and local authorities), 82,000 have no formal flood protection in place at all.”
These damning statistics are similar across many European countries. In France, it is estimated that 24 per cent of campsites are located in flood risk zones (representing about 155,000 mobile homes), and roughly 43 per cent of campsites in Catalunya, Spain are located in areas of hydrogeological risk. Not only is the percentage of mobile homes under threat of flood damage quite high, but the business risks are even greater.
“For obvious reasons, many campsites are located by the sea or along rivers – places that are increasingly exposed to climate-related flooding,” explains Jean-Charles Ratel, Business Developer for HabiLev’, a French company that has also created an innovative flood defence solution for mobile homes.
“Authorities are responding by implementing more and more Flood Risk Prevention Plans (PPRIs), which impose significant restrictions on operators, and in some cases, lead to administrative closures.
“At the same time, insurers are pulling out of the market. Today, some campsite owners operate their rental fleets without insurance on the core business asset. Given the level of investment and outstanding loans, a major flooding event could result in bankruptcy.”
Giving birth to smart solutions
So, the threats are clear, but how do we combat them as an industry? Well, as you might expect, many innovative companies have thrown their efforts into this issue.
French firm HabiLev’ has created a system that can elevate a mobile home of up to six tonnes in weight up to two metres above the ground. It describes its product as a robust and reliable system that protects structures from flooding without human intervention.
Jean-Charles continues: “Like many innovations, it began with a chance conversation. Gérard Sempéré, an engineer and consultant in hydromechanical systems, was discussing a hydraulic lifting solution used in the boating industry with a friend who manages a campsite. The friend casually remarked: ‘Wouldn’t it be amazing to have something like that to lift mobile homes during floods?’
“The idea stuck. Gérard explored the concept further alongside his consulting work. By early 2023, the system had been modelled in 3D. A market study followed, a patent was filed, and the company Habilev’ was founded.”
HabiLev’s system gained traction in the market very quickly, and on its second-ever appearance at the outdoor tourism trade show SETT in Montpellier, it won the SETT d’Or Innovation Award.
“The reception has been overwhelmingly positive – from both professionals and institutions. We’ve received strong support from the National Federation of Outdoor Hospitality (FNHPA), and from key players in the industry,” says Jean-Charles.
Another winner at the famed SETT d’Or awards comes in the shape of FloodFrame, which offers a simple and cost-effective solution to shoring up mobile homes against rising waters.
FloodFrame’s system consists of a waterproof ‘suit’ that can be customised to the specifications of the accommodation. It is then buried around the perimeter of the mobile home, about one metre from it. When flood waters rise, an automated mechanism frees the sheet, with pressure causing the sheet to unwind towards and around the walls. It can also be activated manually if required.
It was developed in collaboration with the Danish Technological Institute and the Danish Hydraulic Institute. The Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark supported its development.
Another company that believes lifting mobile homes is the best answer to this issue is Flood Technology Group from the United Kingdom, quoted earlier in this article. Founded in 2023, this company has created what it calls the Flood Adaptive Platform, which lifts a mobile home via jacks that can be installed either on the outside of the building or within the walls.
Simon Gilliland, the company’s Chief Executive Officer, explains: “Flood Technology Group is a leader in the emerging and innovative field of flood adaptive technology. For example, its Flood Adaptive Platform, a mechanical jack system that’s designed to detect and react to flood conditions by automatically elevating above the rising water, works in harmony with the natural environment.
“Unlike traditional solutions for mitigating flood risk, such as engineered flood walls and embankments and land raising, which often increase flood risk elsewhere, the Flood Adaptive Platform does not displace flood water, allowing it to flow unimpeded where it always has. It also works seamlessly with FloodAdapt, a flood early warning system that can be customised to any site at risk of flooding. FloodAdapt provides highly accurate updates to support the timely and safe evacuation of people before flooding actually occurs. It uses unobtrusive, state-of-the-art, smart water sensors, which are deployed at strategic locations around a site.”
The other obvious solution to combating flooding is that of barriers – there are several companies who specialise in this. Swedish company NOAQ has created a range of quick-to-install flood protection barriers that don’t require any complicated installation – they can be deployed in minutes by just two people, making them ideal for campsites.
Another Swedish company that provides a similar barrier-based solution is Geodesign, which provides barriers made of steel that offer benefits including low dam heights, minimal deployment time, and even stackable crate designs.
And when barriers or lifting the mobile home are not enough, then why not make the mobile home itself waterproof? That was an idea launched by IRM, part of the Bio Habitat Group, in 2021. It created a mobile home capable of withstanding up to one metre of flood water while still maintaining all its functions thanks to smart design implementations, such as painted wooden flooring, marine plywood walls, low kitchen cabinets in lacquered galvanised steel, polypropylene chairs and sofa, water-repellent bulkheads.
Many of the key elements like heating and electric panels were placed on the ceiling, the refrigerator was placed on the worktop, and the walls feature honeycomb panels without glass wool so that they do not retain water. This product was a pioneering one that changed the perception of what is possible with a modern mobile home.
The innovations to tackling the ever-present problem of flooding don’t end there – British company Caravan Floats Ltd has created a range of floating base systems that allow mobile homes to float safely on the surface of flood water. They can lift up to 35 tonnes and have the added benefits of being easy to install (in around two hours), reusable and transferable between units, and requiring very little maintenance thanks to no mechanical parts.
The bigger picture
Flooding has always been a problem in the open-air tourism industry, and it probably always will be. As it looks like it may become a more frequent one with changes to the global climate, the industry must consider whether products or product designs to protect against flooding must now become the standard.
“Yes, we’re convinced of it [that flood defence products will become standardised in the industry]. Our system offers clear advantages over today’s float-based solutions,” says Habilev’s Jean-Charles Ratel.
“What we’re doing is protecting the plot, not just the mobile home. The system is guaranteed for 25 years under a maintenance plan, but with proper care, it can last up to 50 years – long enough to serve several generations of mobile homes. It requires no civil engineering work, complies fully with French regulations (the wheels remain on the ground), and avoids the need for expensive elevated terraces with six to eight steps. Installation is straightforward – either on existing pitches or new ones.
That feeling that flood defence products will become as ubiquitous as decking or stylish furniture for mobile homes is shared by Flood Technology Group’s Simon Gilliland. He concludes: “We believe that this technology is the way forward for the holiday and residential park sector.
“By applying our innovative technology to mobile homes and holiday lodges, we can support the safe development of prime plots of land adjacent to bodies of water and in areas of flood risk, thanks to its proven ability to keep people and property safe throughout a flood event. This is particularly important in flood-prone and coastal areas, where the impact on tourism hits business owners hard.”
One thing is certain: flooding is a problem we cannot erase entirely, no matter what happens with the climate, so it’s important that companies like those featured in this article continue to innovate.
