The Sole Representative of the Profession

FDHPA 17 was created in 1963 and brings together over 250 members, representing nearly 40,000 pitches and several million tourist overnight stays.
Owners, tenants, managers, or agents of an outdoor accommodation establishment can be full members of the Federation, including campsite managers from neighboring departments who do not have their own professional association (Deux-Sèvres, Vienne, and Charente). By becoming a member of the Departmental HPA Federation, they automatically join the Regional Federation and the National Federation.

FDHPA17 is governed by a Board of Directors composed of 19 members. The Board of Directors is elected every 3 years during the General Assembly. The members of the Board of Directors are entirely volunteers and act on behalf of and for the good of the Federation as a whole.

The Federation currently employs 9 people who work on ongoing projects and missions (including a Director, a Director for the organization of the Atlantica Exhibition, a communications officer, and two sustainable development project managers).

Locally, FDHPA17 relies on four associations that bring together campsites representing the four major tourist regions of Charente-Maritime.

The Staff of FDHPA 17 Members of the Board of Directors
Image mise en avant

Outdoor Accommodation, a Driver of the Tourism Economy

With its 7,460 campsites nationwide (Source: OT April 2024), outdoor accommodation represents 114 million overnight stays, 438 million euros in investment, and 50,000 jobs. Camping notably contributes to France’s attractiveness by drawing nearly 3 million foreign tourists each year. But camping also allows millions of French people to enjoy quality tourist accommodation solutions. Today, French customers represent more than two-thirds of all campers in France.

Charente-Maritime: Key Figures

  • 2nd French department by number of campsites
  • 318 campsites, representing 4.6% of sites in France
  • 48,000 pitches
  • 83% of sites are rated
  • 8.5 million overnight stays were recorded in Charente-Maritime campsites in 2022 by INSEE
  • 6.1 nights: average length of stay
  • Over 3,000 jobs, 83% of which are full-time
  • €145 million in turnover
  • €33 million in investment

An accommodation style close to nature, in
a secure and accessible environment for all

Camping has always been a preferred holiday choice for nature lovers seeking authenticity. Thus, the profession has naturally committed to environmental protection, as the very structure of a campsite is characterized by its very low environmental footprint. Some operators go further and structure their offerings to provide 100% ecological and responsible holidays. And, beyond accommodation, some campsites develop offerings centered around responsible tourism, proposing discovery tours and short-circuit consumption methods.

The protection of people and property is an absolute priority for outdoor accommodation professionals. For the past twenty years, outdoor accommodation professionals have made substantial efforts to improve campsite safety, with the implementation of mandatory information procedures and evacuation plans for establishments located in risk areas.

The success of camping lies primarily in the commitment of outdoor accommodation professionals to remain true to the profession’s DNA: offering affordable tourist accommodation solutions to the widest possible audience. This commitment is concretely reflected in the stable entry price for camping stays over the past 15 years. Furthermore, for several years, outdoor accommodation has offered various types of accommodation, aiming to meet the comfort expectations of a new clientele.

Type of accommodation