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Eugenio Cignolini is a prominent leader in the hospitality revenue management space, with an extensive career spanning over decades. Driven by innovation, Cignolini has always led and delivered pricing optimisation programs with creativity and strategic thinking across hotel and campsite operations. He has paved the way for implementing dynamic pricing models that have transformed revenue performance.
Currently, as Director of Revenue Management at Human Company, Cignolini is renowned for modernising conventional campsite pricing approaches with hotel industry best practices. His dedication to strategically optimising pricing and availability is instrumental in driving profitability and establishing campsites as a leading hospitality segment. With expertise spanning major brands like Disneyland Paris and niche outdoor accommodation, Cignolini’s illustrious career demonstrates his exemplary leadership in revenue management.
In an interview with Travel and Hospitality Tech Outlook, Eugenio Cignolini, Director of Revenue Management at Human Company, offers his forward-looking vision for campsites as the next big opportunity in hospitality.
Given the unique nature of campsites compared to hotels, what would you say are the most distinct revenue management challenges you have faced specifically while working with them?
It’s interesting because the campsite business has adopted revenue management principles much later than the hotel industry – probably about 15 to 20 years later. Around 90 percent of campsites in the UK still use flat rates rather than dynamic pricing. When I first arrived, guests already knew what the rates would be next August. One of the main things we brought from our hotelier background was implementing dynamic rates that flex with demand, helping maximise revenue. This was common practice for hotels but very new for campsites.
With dynamic pricing came technical challenges; campsites don’t have enterprise software or major online travel agencies (OTA) like Booking.com tailored to them. There are small, fragmented booking channels, mainly regional and highly specialised for campsites. The big players like Expedia are still in the early stages of getting involved in the campsite booking market. Reservations via agencies remain popular, even as guests increasingly book directly online. The campsite revenue management landscape is still taking shape compared to more mature hotel practices. But the fundamentals remain the same; our focus is strategically optimising pricing and availability to drive profitability.
Could you explain some of the booking system challenges unique to campsites? How have you addressed those technical issues?
Managing campsites poses some unique technical obstacles that many hotel property management systems aren’t built to handle. A major difference is the length of stay as campers often book multi-week holidays, so the value of each campsite reservation tends to be much higher than a typical single-night hotel booking. Campsites also offer an array of 10 or more lodging types, from tent sites to luxury mobile homes. Existing software are not designed to showcase this range of intricate inventory and pricing options.
“The future of campsites lies in transforming them into all-inclusive hospitality hubs, with as many dining, entertainment, activity, and service offerings as possible on-site—this is how we will maximise revenue potential from ancillary spending.”
To address these challenges, we’ve advocated evaluating new property management system (PMS) systems tailored to campsites’ operational complexity. We have also pushed for building direct booking capabilities through our website to reduce third-party commissions. We’ve partnered closely with our developers to customise CRM and channel manager tools to reflect our diverse lodging options. It’s an ongoing process as the technology ecosystem catches up to campsites’ needs. But, by investing in the right solutions and collaborating with vendors, we are confident it will make significant strides towards the technical infrastructure to unlock revenue management success.
Given the unique challenges facing campsites, what emerging technologies do you see having the biggest potential impact on the industry?
We are eager for artificial intelligence (AI) to make a big impact on campsites, potentially even faster than internet-transformed hotels. Offering a customised, multi-week family holiday requires engaging with guests on a much more detailed level compared to a short hotel stay. As more booking shifts from travel agencies to direct online, AI could disrupt how we showcase our diverse campsite lodging options.
Rather than limiting guests to only viewing certain room types or price ranges, AI could enable responsive queries to match families with their optimal solutions from the wide range of mobile homes, tent sites, and more that we offer. Moving from static brochures to AI-driven digital interactions will be key to providing the personalised experience today’s campers expect when planning their ideal holidays. We are excited by the possibilities for AI to revolutionise the guest booking journey. By embracing these emerging technologies, we can greatly improve the camping experience for families.
How do you see campsites evolving in the future to improve the guest experience and drive more revenue?
The future is campsites replicating a cruise ship’s self-contained experience. Families staying for 14 to 21 days have a tremendous opportunity to capture their spending by offering everything from spas to cinemas to kids’ clubs right on the premises. While hotels focus on marginal ancillary gains, campsites can drive equal revenue from amenities such as lodging by providing endless on-site experiences. The campsites that will thrive are those investing in creating all-inclusive holidays that keep guests happily on-property.
What advice would you give other hospitality leaders about building a career in the campsite sector?
I would advise other senior leaders in hospitality to take a close look at the campsite and outdoor accommodation segment. As this market continues rapid growth, I believe careers in campsite management offer great potential that isn’t saturated like the hotel industry.
Campsites provide a unique holiday experience compared to traditional hotels. With the flexibility to work and holiday on-site, they can be incredibly fun places to advance your career. My advice is to step outside your comfort zone, spend part of your journey in the fresh air, and work at a campsite for a change of pace and perspective. Leading a campsite may reinvigorate your passion for hospitality in new ways. This dynamic and expanding sector presents exciting opportunities for seasoned executives to apply their skills and drive success.
