campsite
A campsite (mostly private, occasionally also run by the community) is a demarcated (often fenced) area on which camping is possible, i.e. H. So staying with tents , caravans or mobile homes . This usually happens in the context of leisure activities (e.g. vacation, weekend); occasionally people also live more or less permanently on campsites, e.g. B. Fitters (see also residence (Germany) , second residence , commuters ).
description
Campsites are generally located in regions of tourist interest, be it in scenic areas or near (rarely in) larger cities.
They almost always have (more or less complex) sanitary facilities; often they have additional facilities such as shops, restaurants , increasingly, recreational facilities such as fitness center , swimming pool , fitness trail , boules / petanque -Platz, Swingolf / minigolf Plant, children's playground . It is not uncommon for guests to be entertained ("animation", e.g. organized sports competitions, guided hikes, child care, evening entertainment). Such additional offers are very often limited to the main season.
A distinction must be made between campsites for permanent campers (campers who use their caravan like a holiday home ) and for traveling campers. There are permanent campers that do not accept guests or tourists passing through. There are also campsites only for traveling tourists who do not rent out spaces for permanent campers. Mixed forms are common. In camping guides , sites are often referred to as multi-stage, holiday or permanent camping sites. The naturist campsite is a special form .
Many campsites also offer rental accommodation (tents, caravans, mobile homes, wooden huts, bungalows).
There are campsites all over Europe and beyond with a very wide range of offers. It ranges from the small, simple (mostly inexpensive) meadow to the full range of facilities with a pool area, supermarket, restaurant and entertainment for all age groups and interests. There are often paved areas for motorhomes (with grass pavers ); Caravans and tents are usually on unpaved meadow ground.
Various so-called camping guides appear annually (including the ADAC Camping Guide Northern and Southern Europe, DCC Camping Guide Europe of the German Camping Club and the ECC [Europe Camping + Caravaning]) with descriptions of several thousand campsites in Europe.
Sanitary facilities on campsites
On campsites there are usually facilities for personal hygiene and toilets . Because the facilities for dishwashing, laundry washing and drains for the on- board toilets are usually spatially adjacent, they are usually also counted among the sanitary facilities.
The range of embodiments of the sanitary facilities on campsites is very large. There are (only rarely) campsites with more archaic equipment up to a standard that can compete with upscale hotel complexes, whereby the prices are correspondingly broad.
The sanitary facilities are generally available to all campers. With a few exceptions, the costs for their use are included in the space fee. However, individual facilities are sometimes rented to individual campers (private cabins with complete "bathroom facilities") or parking spaces are equipped with individual sanitary facilities.
Many campsites also offer sanitary facilities for campers with limited mobility ( wheelchair users ).
On larger campsites, the sanitary facilities are often spread over several buildings. It is not uncommon for the quality of the facilities in the various buildings to differ significantly (different age and renovation status). Often the offer is adapted to the occupancy (some of the facilities are then closed).
In order to evaluate the sanitary facilities of a campsite, the number of objects related to the size of the site, their functionality and appearance as well as cleanliness must be taken into account. Occasionally, this can lead to misunderstandings in the interpretation of such ratings. B. a camping guide, if these evaluation criteria are met very differently (e.g. devaluation despite ultra-modern, squeaky clean facilities, because far too few of them are available or certain facilities are missing).
have a shower
Showers are usually located in cubicles and usually have a lockable door. They should provide a place to put clothes, towels and toiletry bags on shelves that are protected from splash water.
Dishwasher and laundry facilities
Such cleaning options are often found on the outside walls of the sanitary building outdoors. Most campsites also have washing machines and dryers (for a fee), and less often dishwashers .
Toilets
Around the Mediterranean, toilets are occasionally (partially) also designed as standing toilets . It is not uncommon to bring toilet paper with you. Urinals are often not visually separated. This is why buyers are placing increasing value on built-in toilets in caravans and motorhomes .
Hot water
Warm water, at least in the showers , has long been standard. The water temperature was often preset; today, however, adjustability by the camper is once again considered a convenience feature. The hot water supply is usually included - an extra fee is often only required for using the showers ( chip , shower token or chip card ; the latter records the shower duration for later billing) in order to limit the usage time to a reasonable amount (a few minutes) ; less often for other facilities (dishwashing) These usually only cost a surcharge if it is z. B. is electrically heated water (mostly from devices with more than 18 kW power consumption), otherwise unmanageable costs for the operator of the campsite would result.
sink
Sinks can be open or in cubicles. Especially in southern regions, only cold water is often offered. Wash troughs are rarely seen.
Legal
In Germany and Austria, the minimum equipment of campsites is determined by the camping ordinance of the respective federal state. These ordinances require, among other things, a certain minimum number of toilets, washing facilities and water connections, depending on the number of permitted accommodations, but also specify, for example, the minimum width of the access roads.
Camping outside of camping and mobile home sites ("wild camping") is subject to different regional regulations and is generally not permitted. Further information can be found in the Camping article .
Classification
Many countries have an official classification system - mostly stars - for campsites. The criteria are different from country to country, hardly comparable with each other and also differ from the ratings in camping guides. In some countries the classification and the signposting of a classification is mandatory, in others it is voluntary.
Situation in Germany
In Germany, the Federal Association of the Camping Industry in Germany, together with the German Tourism Association e. V. has set up a classification system to improve and ensure the quality of the infrastructure, services and services on offer at camping and leisure facilities in Germany. The guidelines and evaluation criteria were developed in cooperation with practitioners and consumer associations in 2000 and have been continuously adapted to changing demand.
There is no obligation to classify, campsites voluntarily submit to the controls, the results of which are reviewed every three years. Criteria such as size, accessibility, cleanliness of the sanitary facilities, toilet facilities or the overall condition of the stands and paths are evaluated in the categories of reception and service , sanitary facilities and stand locations . Depending on the result, the campsites are awarded up to five stars, whereby the stars have the following meaning:
| Number of stars | meaning | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Easy | Simple and functional in terms of equipment and overall impression |
| 2 | Appropriate | Functional and good in terms of equipment or overall impression, with average comfort, facilities with good quality |
| 3 | Comfortable | Overall equipment or overall impression with good comfort, facilities of better quality |
| 4th | First class | First class in the overall equipment or overall impression, with high comfort, facilities in high and well-kept quality |
| 5 | Exclusive | Exclusive in the overall equipment or in the overall impression, with high-quality / first-class comfort, generous facilities in a special quality |
Web links
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ Campsite classification from the Federal Association of the Camping Industry in Germany and the German Tourism Association , accessed on February 6, 2013