Campsite operators in Brandenburg expect an enormous rush of vacationers and a continuing camping trend this summer. "Many campers who would otherwise have gone abroad will largely opt for Germany this year," said Vice President of the Federal Association of the Camping Industry in Brandenburg (BVCD), Jörg Klofski, the German Press Agency.
When it was foreseeable in mid-May that camping was possible again in summer after the first corona-related measures, the number of bookings had already skyrocketed. "A lot of colleagues unplugged the phone so that it was idle," said Klofski.
Campsite operators complain of losses at Pentecost
After the first openings to Ascension Day, the industry gradually increased its capacity utilization, reports Klofski. First of all, the provisions relating to the sanitary area would have put operators through the line. Many campers who did not have their own shower or toilet in the caravan did not come at all. Accordingly, the operators recorded less sales.
The further easing on the pitches relaxed the situation for the operators, said Klofski. "At Pentecost, the occupancy rate at our campsite was already 70 percent." Nevertheless, the cancellations of traditionally large groups at Pentecost would have opened a large sales gap for him compared to the previous year.
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Camping rush on German pitches
Now the summer business and thus the time with the highest turnover for the industry is approaching. "The summer holidays are always well booked, but these requests are spread over months," said Christian Günther, managing director of the Federal Association of the Camping Industry in Germany. After the first easing, the inquiries were now very concentrated within a few days. According to the association, many members were formally overrun. Jörg Klofski recommends those interested in camping to reserve well in advance. Travelers who want to spontaneously search for a campsite run the risk of going empty-handed.
In Brandenburg, the Spreewald and the area around Potsdam have long attracted most campers, says Klofski. The region around Rheinsberg on the Mecklenburg Lake District and the Lusatian Lake District are also popular.
The most popular "travel group" for Klofski and his colleagues are the Saxons, who each year put a large part of their sales into the coffers of the campsite operators. According to Klofski, they represent the largest group of visitors to the Brandenburg campsites. "The entire industry is happy when school holidays start in Saxony," said Klofski.
Camping industry in Brandenburg with high growth
The Brandenburg camping industry has recorded high growth for years. According to information from Tourismus Marketing Brandenburg (TMB), almost 1.4 million overnight stays were counted at the campsites in Brandenburg in 2019. This corresponds to an increase of 7.5 percent compared to the previous year and was a new record.
According to the TMB, there were 172 campsites in Brandenburg in 2019 with around 42,000 beds. According to TMB, the majority of the campsites in Brandenburg are on the water. This is a strong criterion, especially for families with children, but also for water sports fans.