According to experts, it is a great pity that Vacansoleil is on the verge of collapsing. They describe the Eindhoven-based tour operator as a trendsetter and strong brand that made luxurious camping holidays accessible to the normal man and woman. The company was founded in 1969 by Frans Backers in Son knows Arthur van Disseldorp of the recreational business organization HISWA-RECRON. “Frans and later his son Wim really changed the Dutch holiday landscape.”
Philips engineer Frans Backers helped develop color television, but after the summer of 1969 he changed course. In a rented touring caravan on Lake Maggiore in Italy, he and his wife Carolien decided to make camping holidays their life’s work. They worked from their home in Son and started a caravan rental at the Prairies de la Mer campsite on the French Côte d’Azur.
“A fast-growing company with courage.”
His son Wim would develop Vacansoleil into a huge travel organization and European market leader active at 600 campsites in 22 countries. “Frans and Wim recognized trends in the market. They immediately used this in their own company,” says Arthur van Disseldorp of HISWA-RECRON. “It was a fast-growing company with courage. They went to countries and places that other operators ignored, but they followed naturally.”
In 1980 Vacansoleil moved to a business premises on Ekkersrijt in Son. Son Wim Backers took over the management in 1987, after which one foreign office after another opened. The company also started football sponsorship through PSV, MVV and RBC Roosendaal. In 2001, Vacansoleil became the main sponsor of the RTL4 programme Campinglife and from 2009 to 2013 the company was the namesake of a cycling team at the highest level.
“They were the first to offer chalets that were barely inferior to bungalows.”
When Vacansoleil moved to its current building near Eindhoven Airport in 2001, it was mainly known for standing pitches and fully equipped tents at campsites throughout Europe. “But they were also one of the first to rent out fully furnished chalets that are on par with more expensive bungalows,” says tourism expert Goof Lukken.
According to both experts, Vacansoleil focuses mainly on families with children. “They therefore always set up their accommodations at good campsites with many activities. Think of good entertainment, playgrounds and beautiful swimming pools,” says Van Disseldorp.
“They could use the money.”
The company bought its own campsite near Disneyland Paris in 2003 and started its own chain. But in 2021, all five of our own campsites were sold again. “Running an entire campsite turned out to be a lot more difficult and the money from the sale was already very welcome,” says Van Disseldorp. Because Vacansoleil was also hit hard by the corona crisis.
Waiting for privacy settings…
Vacansoleil is known for placing large numbers of tents and chalets at campsites. “This keeps it affordable and makes the company an attractive partner for campsite owners,” Goof Lukken explains. “They rent out entire fields and streets for years, but hardly care for the holidaymakers, because Vacansoleil takes care of that.”
“They really changed the holiday market.”
According to Lukken, nowadays holidaymakers want to have a camping feeling, but much less want to go out with their caravan or tent. “We have been seeing this trend for 15 years and it is constantly growing. In that respect, Vacansoleil has really changed the holiday market, because they have been leading the way as a tour operator for years.” He therefore also expects that the company can make a restart or be taken over. “It is a very strong brand with a gigantic network.”
READ ALSO: Vacansoleil in trouble: bankruptcy threatens travel organization
