After more than a year in the pandemic and a constant change of restrictions, relaxations, tightenings, empty promises and assumptions, we are all sick of Covid-19. With the daylight lengthening, the sun's rays already warming, and the birds chirping awake, the desire for camping trips comes with force. Indeed, the first countries are opening up, admittedly at the moment only for their own citizens, individual industries and shops. A haircut in Austria, a visit to a restaurant in Italy and perhaps soon lodging again. However, nobody can honestly tell, whether, when and how the race between virus mutations and vaccination progress can be won. In this respect we have to continue to exercise patience, longest in terms of international travel without restrictions and quarantine regulations. The German Camping Entrepreneurs Association BVCD has joined the request of the German Tourism Association DTV to the politicians to draft an opening scenario how tourism can be started up again. After all, it is not done with a date: employees have to be brought back from short-time work and a lot of work has to be done at the campsites before the opening. Therefore, proper planing  requires a schedule. However, we know that you, our appreciated guests, are champing at the bit. When you are finally allowed to set off, we would like to be prepared. Please continue to follow the news on our website as well as on our social media channels. At 36 locations in 11 European countries, we are longing to finally be able to welcome and pamper you again.

LeadingsClub

Welcome in the LeadingClub! Each month there is a lucky winner of a "feel good camping week" at a different campsite amongst the club members. The winner of the LeadingCamping week of January 2021 is Willem R. from Zwolle in the Netherlands. He may look forward to having a treat at the Camping Nature Parc L‘Ardechois in France.  Have a look what this campsite has to offer at www.ardechois-camping.com . The LeadingCard is the entrée into the LeadingsClub. The most popular benefits at a glance:

1. Every month a raffle of a full week's stay at one of the LeadingCampings, restaurant meals, wellness, sports and fun included.
2. Late check-out and pitch upgrade*
3. Preferential reception and/or reserved counter for LeadingsClub.*
4. Benefits and privileges on every LeadingCamping for club members, including overnight stays for bonus points (not on all LeadingCampings).*
5. Reserved space in leadingcampings.com website where you can control your point account, find current offers and much more interesting information.
   

* Examples of the various LeadingsClub. Offers can vary from campsite to campsite and are not available at every LeadingCamping.

Camping Awards

The award winning spring-time for the LeadingCampngs is continuing: Strandcamping Waging received the significant camping prize in platinum of the German Camping Club DCC, the Ferien- und Campingpark Havelberge the European prize of the DCC. Also at the internet portal ‘camping.info’ LeadingCampings could receive very good rankings. Camping info Award winners 2021 are: Holmernhofs Kur- und Feriencamping Dreiquellenbad (Germany), Erlebniscamping Aufenfeld (Austria), Sportcamp Woferlgut (Austria), Caravan Park Sexten (Italy), Camping- und Ferienpark Wulfener Hals (Germany), Camping Hopfensee (Germany), Union Lido – The first themed Campsite in Europe (Italy), Südsee-Camp (Germany) and Camping Hotel Wirthshof (Germany).The camping.info awards are based on the user ratings from this portal. With the help of various parameters, the evaluation ensures equal opportunities between large, well-known resorts and small underdogs, so that a fair picture of the campers' preferences arises. We are happy for the awarded LeadingCampings and congratulate. Further information:

www.camping.info  www.camping-club.de

New sign

The General Directorate of Tourism at the local government of Catalonia has decided a new label for campsites. In the future, the official campsite sign will show a ‘C’ instead of a tent. And to prevent that malicious gossip, that the letter originates from the urge to separate and means ‘Catalunya’, underneath it is written out in slightly smaller letters "Càmping". Both together takes into account the fact, that the tent is not the main accommodation at campsites any more. The C is not intended to discriminate, but instead to take into account all forms of accommodation, from the tent to the caravan and the motor home to the numerous rental accommodations at the resorts in Catalonia. At the bottom of the sign is the category of the campsite, anything from 2 to 5 stars according to the classification. Camping continues to emancipate itself as an equal form of tourism among others. Therefore, the sign corresponds in appearance, size and typography - all this is prescribed down to the used material (aluminium) in great detail - the common hotel signage. In case you want to pose with your knowledge at the next party (hopefully starting sooner than later): The sign has to be 31.5 cm high and 22 cm wide, the typeface is "News Gothic Bd Bt" in white on a background in Pantone Blue 329. Further information: www.campingsdecatalunya.org

ADAC 'Superplatz'

The ADAC Camping Guide, published by ADAC Camping GmbH in Berlin, which is also responsible for the Internet portal ‘pincamp’, is considered by experts to be the most important camping guide in Europe. Its ratings are based on objectifiable inspection results. The highest honour by the ADAC for a campsite are five stars and the associated award as ‘ADAC Superplatz’. Almost 80% of LeadingCampings again fall into this top category in 2021: a total of 28 campsites. Six LeadingCampings follow directly behind, receiving four and a half stars and the associated award ‘Camping Tip’. Meanwhile, two Leading member resorts remain at four stars: The Zugspitz Resort in Ehrwald in Austria and Hallingdal Feriepark in Norway. We do not agree with either classification. In addition, one must know, that due to Covid-19 in 2020 no campsite inspections were accomplished and instead the classifications of the previous years were taken over unchanged. In the case of the Zugspitz Resort, this is very painful, because the investments of around 20 million Euros made during the year are not reflected at all in the current classification. The new individual bathrooms, the redesign of the campsite, additional benefits in all corners and ends - hardly anywhere a new inspection is more important than here. As well at Camping L'Anse du Brick (four-and-a-half-star camping tip) the old inspection result does not really reflect the current state. There have been made many detailed improvements, from individual private sanitary facilities on the pitch to an environmentally friendly drinking water dispenser to avoid plastic bottle waste. We hope that the ADAC will include the three campsites with priority in the inspectors' itineraries. Further information: www.pincamp.de

Leading goes Malibu

With Malibu, a brand of Carthago-Reisemobilbau Ltd. in Aulendorf, LeadingCampings gets a new partner for the quality vehicle. Hannes Kiessling, the Leading quality manager, covers around 15,000 kilometres a year in the quality vehicle visiting candidates as well as LeadingCampings, doing training and benchmarking at other campsites. At the campsite, he is always the contact person for curious campers, who soon gather around the strikingly decorated vehicle. From March onwards, we are grateful to be able to put a Malibu T 430 into service as our new quality motorhome. The chic semi-integrated is compact due to 6,90 m length and manoeuvrable and nimble on the road with its 140-horsepower engine. The fact, that it weighs less than 3.5 tons’ gross vehicle weight, is indispensable for its intended use, because Kiessling drives a lot and quickly from one campsite to another. Elaborate truck toll systems would be just as much of a hindrance as traffic restrictions above this weight limit. The three blind spot warning stickers in almost DIN A-4 size, that have recently become mandatory in France for vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tons, would add a questionable dimension to the beautiful exterior design. Exactly this exterior design is currently being defined and then applied by film specialists - soon the Malibu semi-integrated will no longer be just peeking timidly around the corner as in our picture, but will be on display in full beauty.