As spring approaches, many campsites are preparing for a new season. As the first rays of sunshine warm your site, you face the challenge of deciding which investments and adjustments really need to be prioritised. This month, we spoke with Gezina and Hendrik-Jan from Camping Varsenerveld. They shared insights about their family business and the choices they make to improve their site. Continue reading and discover how they combine tradition and innovation to provide comfort to their guests and grow the number of visitors.
Preparations for a new season do not start at a fixed time. "It often happens automatically," says Hendrik-Jan. "You start something and it then leads to the next project." Camping Varsenerveld, located in the Vechtdal, just three kilometres from Ommen, has been a place of peace and nature for generations. "My parents once started with a holiday home," says Gezina. "That was in the 1970s. Later, a farm campsite was added." The family campsite has grown into a beloved spot for motorhomers and campers who appreciate the charm of the countryside. Hendrik-Jan and Gezina run their campsite themselves, with love for the farmy and a keen eye for improvement. "It's a family business," says Hendrik-Jan. "Our children don't necessarily want to take it over, but they do contribute ideas. And that's worth a lot."
Sometimes an improvement starts with something small. "We had an old fertiliser spreader at the beginning of our driveway," says Gezina. "We removed that, and then we thought: the entrance could be wider." That led to a bigger project. "We put up new signage and built a passing port," says Hendrik-Jan. "Now even American tour buses can turn here." And the family contributes ideas too. "My little brother texted from Asia: 'Will there also be bushes along the passing port?'" Gezina, laughs."So, yes, off we went, planting bushes."
Other adjustments arise out of necessity. "We saw a subsidy for solar panels and asbestos removal," says Gezina. "That was an opportunity, so we got to work." But that also brought complications. "We shared a power line with the neighbour, and when we installed solar panels, the power kept popping out," Hendrik-Jan explains. "It turned out we were on a long 400-metre line, and the power outages happened because we were both feeding power back into the grid at the same time."
The solution? A major upgrade: "We had a new power cable installed and also renewed the electricity, wifi and water pipes as well," says Gezina. "That was a golden move, just before the energy crisis. Moreover, we now get feedback from our guests that the internet here is better than at home.'' Gezina adds, "We are attracting more and more people who also come here to work remotely. Since my stroke, I am in a wheelchair so I am more homebound. It's nice to get to know people this way and have interesting conversations.''
The future brings new plans. "In 2026, we will renew the workshop's thatched roof," Hendrik-Jan says. "We are already thinking about it now, because nowadays you have to plan everything well in advance.
Some improvements arise spontaneously. ''During the installation of the new electrical infrastructure, an extra cable was laid at my request, in the pasture for our cows, behind the farmyard. One day, one of the guests came to ask me if he could park on this unnumbered piece of land. Yes, why not? Now, this has become a very popular, numbered spot.''
However, not everything is based directly on guest feedback. "We definitely listen, but make decisions based on our instincts," says Gezina. "What would we like ourselves? What do we want for our guests?"
Trends also play a role. "Some modern motorhomes have a rear entrance where they attach a tent," explains Hendrik-Jan. "That didn't fit well with our standard spots. So we created new spots especially for these kinds of motorhomes."
Sometimes it's the small things that make a difference. "Hendrik-Jan used to prune the garden himself, but using the chainsaw didn't always go well," laughs Gezina. "One day I noticed that suddenly all the flowers were gone. Now we leave that to the gardener."
Although many improvements are being made, Hendrik-Jan and Gezina carefully consider price increases. "We don't raise prices just like that," says Gezina. "We look at the market and inflation, but we still want to offer quality without burdening our guests with excessive costs."
Hendrik-Jan adds: "Above all, we also want to provide good service. We do this by keeping an eye on the changing market. For example, we have a charging point for electric cars, because more and more people now have electric cars, of course."
Hendrik-Jan largely takes care of the maintenance on the site himself. After many years of working hard work in the dairy industry, he suffered from a burnout. "That forced me to slow down, but it also allowed me to focus more on the campsite," he says. "Now I spend a lot of time on maintenance, mowing the lawn and keeping the yard tidy. Every year I plant new bulbs and flower seeds around the site." And this really pays off for the campsite. ''People really call in advance to ask if the flowers that Hendrik-Jan planted will be blooming this year,'' says Gezina proudly.
An important part of preparation is having insight into wo who is coming and where they will be staying. "We use a booking platform, including Campercontact," says Gezina. "It helps a lot. I can see in advance how many motorhomers are coming and which spots have been reserved."
For Hendrik-Jan and Gezina, this is a relief: "Especially with groups, such as friends traveling together with motorhomes and caravans, it's very inconvenient. That way, we can assign them to the right spots right away." It also helps to see trends in visits. "People are increasingly coming in groups of friends or alone" says Gezina. "These kinds of insights help us with the planning."
There are several tools that can help you get your campsite ready for the season. For example, like Gezina and Hendrik-Jan, you can work with a booking system to get an overview of your occupancy rate. Via Campercontact, you can easily receive bookings from guests. Would you like to stand out even more? Then a visibility package on Campercontact is a smart choice. This allows you to promote your campsite and generate more traffic through our platform. This will ensure that your campsite is ready for a successful season!