Camping/caravanning and sustainable development

«Sustainable development is a system of development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs». The concept was set out for the first time in 1987 in the Bruntland report to the UNO on the theme of world development. It was confirmed in Rio in 1992 and gained acceptance in Johannesburg in September 2002.

An excellent definition… What other form of accommodation than camping-caravanning could come under this philosophy?

With its tent and caravan pitches, mobile homes and chalets, camping-caravanning allows our contemporaries to use spaces given over to tourism without tying up their future use for new generations.

What other facility is as kind, short-lived or as well integrated into the landscape due to its horizontal spread and low height? How many authorities or developers would dedicate as much space, money and time to planting trees and maintaining the land as camping and caravanning?

It is the leading style of holiday for the French after visits to parents and friends, and is the leading style of holiday for the Dutch and other European populations, responding to the deepest aspirations of contemporary society. Most of these people live in towns or suburbs for eleven months of the year, often in high-rise homes. They aspire to and have the right to holidays at ground level, with their feet touching grass, in wooded areas in regions that contain sites of interest to tourists.

Hence the success of our type of accommodation...

It is therefore irritating that, despite consumer recognition and support, and despite the acknowledgement of its economic, social and fiscal importance, some people - the media less and less so but still certain authorities - continue to express a dislike for camping-caravanning and either give it a pejorative image or try to hinder its growth by interpreting the law in a rather tendentious manner.

The best way of dealing with such dislike and ostracism, which is marginal but harmful, is to work towards quality: quality of landscaped areas, of reception, of the architecture of the few buildings and of course the rental accommodation

The profession must, by its exemplary behaviour, fulfil the definition of sustainable development to which we give our full support. Perhaps one day we shall obtain that recognition via the international authorities…

Have a good season.