Sardinian campgrounds ride family travel boom as bookings climb 34 percent

Sardinia's camping and holiday resort sector is riding a wave of family bookings that reflects a broader European shift in summer travel. According to tourism-review.com's analysis of data from Campeggi's 2026 Camping Report, search activity for open-air accommodation across Italy climbed 34 percent in the past year, with campgrounds and holiday resorts gaining ground faster than traditional hotels. The surge is driven largely by families traveling with children or partners: 77 percent of booking inquiries now come from multi-generational or couple-based groups, up two percentage points since 2025.

For Sardinia, the trend arrives at a moment when the island's tourism economy remains heavily dependent on coastal attractions and the luxury market of the Costa Smeralda. The rise of affordable, family-oriented open-air facilities on the island represents a new demographic entering the market — one less concentrated on five-star resorts and more focused on flexible, self-catering arrangements that appeal to households traveling with children. The data suggests that European families are reshaping their summer patterns around accessibility and space rather than prestige.

The shift carries implications for the island's interior and secondary coastal towns, where campgrounds and holiday villages have traditionally served as lower-margin alternatives to coastal hotels. If the trend holds, smaller towns and rural areas with available land for camping infrastructure could see renewed investment and seasonal employment. The booking surge also suggests that summer season length may extend, as families with school-age children increasingly book shoulder-season weeks rather than concentrating travel in July and August.