Monday 8th January 2024
Create Opportunities for Fun!
A well run campsite is a place where people go to relax and have some fun away from restrictions of home and hotel holidays, getting out in the fresh air, where kids can let off steam, parents can enjoy al fresco meals, its always great to try out your latest bbq purchase and enjoy chatting around a fire pit. You just don`t get that in a hotel! So creating a happy and relaxed atmosphere is something a lot of campsites like to do. It boosts their bookings because strangers make friends on the campsite who then return to meet up next year. Word of mouth recommendations are always useful but using social media effectively will give potential campers a chance to get a `feel` for your campsite. So make use of lots of photos, publish some favourable video interviews with campers and a video walk around the site will really help if added your website. Show peoople the dog walking areas, shower and toilet facilities, and good reviews from previous campers go a long way too. Even a small childrens play area will encourage young families to book. Its great to offer some areas under cover, in case it rains, and some shaded areas, in case the sun is beating down. If you have the facilities, a nice nature walk is a big draw, too.
Choose Your Campsite Hosts With Care!
A great campsite also has a lot to do with the campsite management team making an effort to be friendly and helpful, and dealing with any problems promptly and courteously. You could also think about offering more opportunities for socialising on your campsite. There is a need sometimes, for an `ice breaker`on smaller sites in particular. Firepits and barbecues are always popular at campsites but for safety reasons are often not allowed at bigger `official` campsites - but smaller campsites can really make the most of this. You can make some extra money by providing and delivering wood for your campers to have their individual barbecues, or have a dedicated firepit area in the campsite letting campers choose the option when they book. Having an accoustic `social evening` with bbq on a Saturday where campers are invited to do a turn or simply enjoy a group chat around the firepit, is a great way to build up the atmosphere on the campsite and get people making friends who want to return, perhaps re-booking as a group. Some campers like to camp alone, but others are looking for a bit more in the way of social interactions such as games rooms, bars, and events - your website can have a whole portfolio of photos of people enjoying themselves.
Keep Your Campsite Facilities Clean and Stocked!
It might seem obvious, but keep your showers and toilets clean and check on them regularly, stocking with toilet paper and emptying bins. At peak times kids can block a toilet up very quickly, or your drainage system might not cope well. Consider renting some temporary toilet facilities for high season, to ease the pressure on your drains! Keep your grass mowed where tents will be pitched, and if its wet, protect the grass around taps and washing up facilities so people don`t have to wade through a sea of mud. Campers often run out of stuff, so if you run a small campsite even a small shop stocking essentials, such as free range eggs from the local farm (or your own chickens) offer cream teas with scones and cream, wine, a freezer for people to re-freeze their ice packs ( can be a good way to add an extra attraction and a small extra income. Its also great to have a private Glamping pod set up for people who don`t want the bother of bringing a tent! Booking a fish and chip van visit on a Friday night is also a good idea if you have enough campers at peak times too.
Save Expensive Campsite Booking Fees
The best way to get more people booking who have never been before is to make it clear what you are offering and the prices you are charging. You may have signed up to a booking platform where you are competing with other campsites, and be paying per booking quite a large percentage of your fees with payments going initially to the booking agent. This isn`t ideal. Once you have got your campsite on the map, as it were, you can slowly move away from expensive booking platforms and have your own booking page for your pitches, where repeat bookings are easily managed for free. Your camp site booking system can be set up to handle all the usual questions automatically, so people can book knowing what they have paid for clearly. This leaves managers more free time to deal with any more urgent issues or stock up the tea room and get the fresh coffee on, or whatever else needs doing at your camping site. View our packages section, to sign up and receive our full support, or if you are still wondering how pitch booking systems can help you, call us if you have any questions!
