The Congrés de Càmpings de Catalunya , organized by the Catalan Camping Association and supported by the Tourism Agency of Catalonia, took place on April 25 and 26, 2024. The first congress of its kind was a successful premiere. Numerous camping entrepreneurs from the regions of Barcelona, Lleida, Girona with the Costa Brava and Tarragona with the Costa Dorada took part. They met at Camping Vilanova Park in Vilanova i la Geltrú with Spanish and European experts from tourism, business, politics and science.
“Shaping a greener future” – Catalonia’s camping industry wants to become more sustainable
The main goals of the congress were to strengthen Catalonia as a (camping) destination, to connect industry experts and, above all, to promote the sustainability of campsites. Particular attention was paid to future strategies and concrete measures on how campsites can optimise energy and water consumption, counteract climate change and preserve natural resources. The president of the Spanish Camping Association, scientists, tourism experts, a meteorologist and other experts were guests at the lectern and in panel discussions.
Representatives of camping associations from Catalonia, France, Italy and Denmark discussed the challenges and opportunities for campsites in times of climate change and digitalization. In an international panel, moderator and entrepreneur Ralph Heinze spoke to "opinion leaders in the European camping industry" about future directions.
Megatrend Sustainability – Discussion of European camping opinion leaders
On the podium: Uwe Frers, CEO of PiNCAMP , Ramon van Reine, CEO of ACSI, Josipa Cvelic-Bonifacic PhD, Assistant Professor at Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management Opatija and initiator of the study program: Study Master Of Sustainable Outdoor Hospitality Management, and Martin Rolletschek, environmental engineer, consultant and auditor at ECOCAMPING. Martin Rolletschek highlighted the growing importance of campsites that conserve resources and improve their quality and carbon footprint - using the example of the more than 210 campsites in eight European holiday countries that have been awarded ECOCAMPING. In Catalonia too, ECOCAMPING will use its many years of experience and expertise to support committed campsites in becoming even more sustainable.
ECOCAMPING also offers solutions for guests' growing demand for environmentally friendly camping holidays and for digital marketing, as Martin Rolletschek demonstrated at the Catalan Camping Congress - with the four-language web portal ECOCAMPS . Here, guests can find their favorite sustainable campsite and can easily select according to region and individual criteria.
