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Report on the conference of 5, 6 and 7 February 2003
Palais des Congrès - La Grande Motte
STILL THE SAME CHAIRMAN! !
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Wednesday 5 February, 9.00 to 12.30:
STATUTORY GENERAL MEETING OF THE LANGUEDOC ROUSSILLON CAMPING AND CARAVANNING FEDERATION
In the presence of Guylhem Feraud, chairman of FNHPA and Maître Vezian, FHPA LR legal representative.. |
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"I would like to be replaced in a year's time, two years at most." In 2001, same time, same speech, Bernard Sauvaire had laid his cards on the table… Due to a lack of "takers", the chairman of the Languedoc-Roussillon regional camping and caravanning federation is going to have to remain chairman of the Languedoc-Roussillon regional camping and caravanning federation for a little while longer.
Being cautious, he did not set a deadline this time, so, considering the lack of candidates to succeed him, and perhaps above all the great form shown by the Aigues-Mortes site owner during SETT, especially during the federation's statutory general meeting, there is every reason to think that he'll be there for some time yet.
In common with every proper statutory meeting, the meeting attended by Guylhem Féraud, chairman of FNHPA, was first of all an opportunity for taking a broad look at the federation's activities in 2002. Of particular note was the great success of SETT, which welcomed 215 exhibitors and 3000 visitors from ninety-five departments and from abroad, particularly from Spain.
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A tour of the departments |
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The vice-chairmen of the five departments in the region then spoke on matters specific to their own departments.
Highlighting 'the exemplary attitude of campsite managers towards their customers during the events' Philippe de Nanteuil announced that none of the campsites in the Gard affected by last September's floods would be closed.
Jean-Paul Gély set out the threats to campsites in the Lozère situated in the Gorges du Tarn and de la Jonte, which have just become listed.
Marc Trinquelle emphasised the dynamism of the HPA in the Aude department, where an application to open a campsite is registered every week and where the lengthening of the runway at Carcassonne airport will, in the future, "make the Dutch and Germans our local customers".
Roger Pla expressed his pleasure at the absence, this season, of untimely government inspections, which had been legion in the Pyrénées-Orientales in previous years.
Lastly, Robert Giner explained how a GEIQ (Employers' Group for Insertion and Qualification) had been set up in the Hérault. Under the scheme, some ten young people were currently undergoing training in the skills required for camping and caravanning sites.
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A federation run like a company |
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Then Bernard Sauvaire made his speech. Having demonstrated, with figures to prove his point, the independence of the federation, which is "run like a company", without penalising members (subscriptions have gone up by only 7% in the last ten years, while other budget headings have gone up by 70%), he insisted on the need to carry on improving the quality of services to customers.
He highlighted the consensus with the national federation. He then congratulated Roger Pla, who has been chosen as an adviser by Arlette Franco, MP for the Pyrénées-Orientales and recently appointed by the Prime Minister to carry out a study of training in the tourist profession.
He asked the campsites that suffered damage in September to draw up their limitation specifications before the end of March; this was a condition set by the Prefect as part of their authorisation for opening. He talked about the problem of accommodating seasonal staff and some possible solutions. Then, in presenting the regional federation's price survey, he alerted his audience to the price distortions that the survey shows up, which may lead to "a lack of understanding on the part of the customer". |
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Quality: don't let yourselves be divided |
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Lastly, he discussed the question of the region's membership of the national "Camping Qualité" scheme.
Bernard Sauvaire showed his open-mindedness towards this potentially thorny issue: "the survey that was carried out amongst members (fifty-nine responses, i.e. 13%, fifty-five of which were against membership) shows a lack of motivation on their part. However, he explained, as our board of directors voted in favour of membership of a quality scheme but not of its promotional aspect, we shall carry out another survey ".
In answer to Jean Gassier, ex-chairman of FNHPA, who expressed his disapproval from the floor, stating that the first survey had been sufficiently eloquent to require no further action on the matter, Bernard Sauvaire concluded: "Though I work for what I think is vital to the defence of the profession, the status of mobile homes, sports law, flood zones, and so on, these scheme is not part of my brief. But there is no problem, despite what some people might say. We need simply to stand together as a profession and not allow ourselves to be divided on subsidiary issues."
Guylhem Féraud promised that, in order to avoid the "promotional aspect" of the quality scheme, the matter would be raised in the national committee. |
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Messages from André Soulier |
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He is considered to be one of France's great specialists in the world of tourism and was a driving force in the development of camping and caravanning in the region. At the regional HPA's annual general meeting, Lozère's André Soulier, now a young pensioner as, at the end of 2002, he retired from his job as regional representative for tourism in Languedoc-Roussillon, received a warm tribute and a standing ovation from members of the tourist industry in the room.
He used the occasion to send a few strong messages to the region's campsite owners: "Population growth in the region is the strongest in France. The problem of permanent campsite accommodation is going to be raised. You have in your hands some of the answers to the problem. On the other hand, in Languedoc-Roussillon, the Government is going to support a strong initiative to redefine the coastline. As professionals, you need to be involved in this initiative."
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Content 2003 |
