Summer, sun, caravans and lake: The Thuringian campsites are well occupied this summer. However, permanent living on the campsite is not wanted in the Free State.
Saalfeld/Saale (dpa/th) - Despite the good bookings in the summer season, the Thuringian campsite operators are struggling with worries. "The utilization would be even higher if we had more staff," said the chairman of the association of the camping industry in Thuringia, Reinhard Schniz, the German press agency. There were already staffing problems before the Corona crisis. This trend has been reinforced by the pandemic.
Due to a lack of employees, restaurants on some campsites would have to remain closed or could only open to a limited extent. Paddle, bike or day tours could no longer be organized for camping guests in some places because of the staff shortages, said Schniz.
However, the association was satisfied with the influx of visitors to the Thuringian campsites. Above all, the places at the reservoirs such as Hohenwarte, Bleiloch or the Auma dam are in high demand during the current holiday season, said Schniz. The travel chaos at the airports with delayed or canceled flights has persuaded one or the other to vacation at the campsite. The prices on the Thuringian courses have so far remained almost stable.
According to the association, around 60 percent of the pitches in the Free State are reserved for permanent campers. The number of permanent campers in Thuringia has not changed despite the generally rising prices for energy, for example. An extension to living on the campsite, as is practiced in other federal states, is also not wanted, said Schniz. The parking spaces are not big enough for that.
"We see long-term camping more as a discounted form of vacation," said the head of the association. Long-term campers pay about a quarter less than day visitors - but they are also an important source of income for the campsite operators in autumn.
