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Information for campsites

What is ANWB Camping doing in the current crisis?

  • We have published a special list of FAQs on the corona virus to help campers. We are keeping this list regularly updated. You can find the Dutch text here: https://www.anwbcamping.nl/informatie/coronavirus
  • Our Member Service Centre (Leden Service Center) is open every day to respond to campers’ questions. We use most of the questions asked to update our FAQs for campers.
  • The ANWB launched an ongoing research project on 16 March to survey current attitudes and feelings in the Netherlands on the subject of holidays. This has already shown that the Dutch are still very keen to take a holiday but are waiting to see how the situation develops. Camping is mentioned a lot as a holiday option which people expect to choose. We will be providing regular updates here on the information we obtain from this research.
  • Since March 16th all our team members have been working from home, but they are still available every day to answer your questions. You can contact them at: camping@anwb.nl
  • We are working on further improvements to our website and booking procedures.
  • We are continually adding information to our database and are using it to provide more comprehensive and detailed information on the individual campsite pages.

What can your campsite do to prepare for the period after the crisis ends?

ANWB Camping aims to help you to prepare as well as possible for the end of this crisis. We are developing a wide range of communication and marketing activities so that – when the time is right – we are ready to go and serve the market once again; providing visitors to anwbcamping.nl with the best possible information and advice to help them find the right campsite for their holidays. We are pleased to report that the number of visitors to our website remains very high; a clear sign that people are still looking for and finding out more about camping and campsite options.

Our recommendations:

  • At this moment, we are unable to process and publish all the information we receive about changes to campsite opening periods or restrictions affecting campsites or their facilities. In this regard, we are referring customers to the websites or social media platforms of the campsites themselves. We recommend checking local/regional regulations and instructions, which vary from country to country and place to place. Please make sure this information is up to date.
  • Encourage existing customers to postpone their booking/holiday rather than make a cancellation.
  • Adopt an understanding and sympathetic attitude to customers who have to cancel their bookings. Also make sure that your campsite’s arrangements and conditions are clear if you are issuing vouchers to customers so they can make bookings at a later date.
  • Encourage people to make new bookings by making your cancellation policy more flexible Examine the possibilities we offer to improve your campsite’s ranking in the search function on anwbcamping.nl.
  • Make it possible for people to already book for 2021 by providing and publishing your rates and availability for next year.
  • Make use of this period to update your information and photographs, etc. The post-corona period will be a busy one, so now is the perfect time to make sure you get as many bookings as possible by doing the work needed to present your campsite at its very best. If you need help updating your information with our ‘check & change’ service, please feel free to contact us at camping@anwb.nl.
  • Think about postponing the end of your season if you have the necessary permits/permission to do so. People are still very keen to take a holiday this year but will now want to do so later than normal. Staying open for one extra month later this year could compensate for some of your lost income in the spring.
  • Keep in touch with customers who have already booked and take a pro-active approach to keeping them informed about the current situation at your own campsite with regard to whether you are open (again) and any restrictions affecting your facilities.
  • Think about offering a special discount or discounts, or more attractive terms and conditions before the new wave of booking starts. You can use our Camping Key Europe (CKE) discount programme for this. Use our ‘check & change’ service to join our discount programme or to publicise any new discounts you are offering.

Voucher or credit arrangements

For those of you thinking of using a voucher or other credit system to attract future bookings to replace ones that are or have been cancelled, we have the following advice:

Make sure you provide your customers with very clear information about the applicable terms and conditions:

  • Period of validity: above all, make sure the voucher or credit is also valid for 2021. This will increase customer acceptance of the offer of a voucher or credit.
  • Where and how can it be used: be clear about where and how the voucher or credit can be used. Will it be valid for your campsite only, or also at other campsites in cases where your campsite is part of a group?
  • What happens once the period of validity has expired: if the customer does not make use of the voucher or credit, how long will they have after the voucher or credit is issued to get their money back?

  • What happens with any cash amount left after use? If the voucher or credit is used for a new booking that costs less than the amount of the voucher or credit, will the customer get a full refund of the remaining amount? Please note that the agreement of the specific customer is always required if you offer them a voucher or credit for payments they have already made.

    Other issues you should consider:

  • Make sure you keep good records and details of the voucher or credit arrangements you make, and always confirm these with the individual customers.
  • You could also modify your booking and cancellation terms and conditions so that these voucher or credit arrangements become a permanent part of the service you offer.
  • Make sure that all the relevant information and the terms and conditions are published clearly on your website.
  • Make sure that people can indicate that they wish to use their voucher or credit when they make an online booking.
  • If your campsite is not located in the eurozone and the customer lives in the eurozone, specify the amount of the voucher or credit at the value of the euro at the time when the voucher or credit is issued. This way you can avoid any disputes about subsequent exchange-rate differences.

As from May 2020 it will be possible to use a voucher or credit as payment when making a booking via anwbcamping.nl.

If your campsite can be booked via anwbcamping.nl, campers may use the vouchers or credits issued by you as a means of payment. Payment of any additional amount can be made using one of the standard methods, and you will only pay commission to the ANWB based on that additional amount! We will be sending you an invitation to make use of this opportunity.

Your campsite is closed, but can ANWB Camping help you decide when to re-open?

  • That decision has to be based on what your – local – government authorities decide.
  • anwbcamping.nl is still receiving thousands of visitors and page views every day, but the number of bookings has decreased considerably. Current booking behaviour is, of course, primarily influenced by governmental guidelines and instructions.
  • We are studying the search and booking activities of the visitors to our website every day. We can use this to help you get a better idea about the things that campers are interested in right now.
  • Depending on the current or future status of – local – government guidelines and instructions in your area, it is worth considering the possibility of testing the market now by making your cancellation policy more flexible or offering potential customers a really attractive deal.

What does your insurance cover?

Standard business insurance policies do not provide cover for pandemics. This means it is highly likely that most businesses will not be covered at all for the current situation. However, there are some significant differences when it comes to insurance, so it is best to ask your insurer for more information.

Can you change your cancellation policy?

Bookings made via anwbcamping.nl are always subject to the booking and cancellation terms and conditions of the specific campsite. This means you may change these at any time. Please note, however, that you may not make any new changes in your terms and conditions applicable retroactively to bookings made before those changes came into effect. The terms and conditions applicable at the time when the booking was made remain in full force and effect. However, in the current exceptional situation, you may modify your terms and conditions if the changes benefit your customers. Examples here include providing them with a voucher or credit facility. But you may not do this unless the customer agrees as well. In other words, all such changes must be accepted by both parties.

Will anwbcamping.nl cancel all your bookings automatically if your campsite is/has been forced to close by the government authorities?

No, anwbcamping.nl does not manage any bookings. This is the responsibility of you and your campsite. You must always contact the customer(s) directly if any cancellations are required/made.

[Disclaimer] The situation changes daily. No rights can be derived from the information provided on this page.