Even though Easter is quite early this year, that doesn’t stop the campers in Heilbronn-Franken. On the contrary: the places are fully booked.
“Extraordinary” – that’s what Isabel Kummer from thesperrfechter campsite in Oedheim (Heilbronn district) calls it: Despite the early Easter this year, they are fully booked over the holidays. And they are not alone. The Oberes Leintal campsite in Schwaigern and the Breitenauer See campsite near Obersulm (both in the Heilbronn district) are also enjoying unusually high occupancy.
Fully booked long in advance
In previous years, people tended to come spontaneously, “when the weather was nice,” reports Isabel Kummer. There were also, of course, the anglers who were “indestructible”, no matter what the weather was like. Not so this year. People had already booked the last place four weeks before the Easter holidays. A look towards Corpus Christi and Pentecost also shows that things are getting tight.
30 percent advance payment is now required. This was copied from the Netherlands, where advance payment has long been the norm. And this is now also necessary, because short-term cancellations always happen, but of course they are annoying, explains Kummer. Especially if other visitors have been canceled with the message that they are fully booked – and then acquaintances see empty parking spaces.
Unusual for Easter: There is no more space available at thesperrfechter campsite at Easter. SWR
It is also full at Breitenauer See
Mike Striebing, manager of the Breitenauer See camping park, is also surprised at how full the space is at Easter. Here people booked two to four months in advance. Around half are regulars, the other half are here for the first time. May is actually the strongest month – thanks to the many public holidays.
Camping community is growing
For Gitta Stauber from the Oberes Leintal campsite in Schwaigern, however, it is normal that there are no free spots left at Easter. Some would book a year in advance. She also notices that the camping community has grown significantly in recent years. For many people, camping simply offers the advantage of being more independent, especially with children. “Open the door and get out” – in which hotel would that be possible, says Stauber.
It’s still too cold for tents
What applies to all three campsites: The tents are still clearly in the minority, and it is simply too cold for most campers. But Stauber reports that it’s “crazy” how the number of visitors traveling with bikes and tents in trailers is increasing. And Mike Striebing from Breitenauer See is observing how tents on the roof of cars, for example, are becoming increasingly popular.