PiNCAMP Awards 2026 – outstanding performances at the highest level
Every year, the glamorous PiNCAMP Gala marks the festive start of the CMT in Stuttgart. An evening when the European camping family gathers to celebrate exellence, courage and vision. Protagonists from all corners of Europe accepted the invitation and experienced an unforgettable gala evening dedicated to the golden 1920s.
Charming, confident and with growing showmaster calibre, Cornel Straver hosted the evening, while around 350 guests enjoyed an exhilarating mix of elegance, emotion and enthusiasm.
“With the PiNCAMP Awards, we honour the trendsetters of the European camping industry. This award has a similar status for the camping industry as the Oscars do for the film industry”, emphasised Uwe Frers, CEO of PiNCAMP. A high-calibre jury of ten international camping experts selected the nominees and winners from hundreds of submissions. The awards were presented in the categories of Sustainability & Environmental Awareness, Innovation & Progress, Rental Accommodation, the Young Talent Award for exceptional achievements by young people, and the Hall of Fame Award, which honours a lifetime’s work.
We are particularly proud to congratulate numerous partner companies on their well-deserved nominations and awards again this year. Being voted among the top three out of more than 28,000 European campsites is a great honour – a visible sign of quality, commitment and forward thinking.
In the category “Sustainability & Environmental Awareness”, we congratulate the deserving winner De Lemeler Esch Natuurcamping. We are more than delighted that our Croatian customer Camping Kovacine has also made it up into the top 3. With initiatives such as plastic-free camping and actively raising guests’ awareness of environmental issues, they are making an impressive contribution to responsible and sustainable holidays.
The award “Innovation & Progress” went to our long-standing customer Union Lido Mare from Cavallino-Treporti in Italy – warm congratulations! For over 70 years, this campsite has stood for continuous development and innovation. The jury was impressively convinced by the visionary water park “Speedy Island”, which combines multi-sensory experience with play, emotion, innovation and sustainability.
In the “Rental Accommodation” category, we congratulate Camping & Resort Sangulí Salou from Spain. At the same time, we would like to highlight an outstanding Austrian project, which was part of the nominees: Ferienparadies Natterer See set new standards in luxury camping with its newly designed “Secret Koi Garden”. A harmonious overall concept, permeated by the theme of koi, creates a retreat for guests who value privacy, design and the highest level of comfort.
The Young Talent Award went to Dominic Cloudt from Dünencamping Amrum – an award for fresh ideas, commitment and the impressive potential of the next generation.
The most emotional and highest award of the evening, the Hall of Fame Award, went to our Slovenian customer and long-standing friend of our company: Lidija Koren. Often working behind the scenes, she has played a key role in establishing and shaping the Slovenian camping tourism. Her tireless efforts during the flood disaster in 2024, when she actively supported colleagues and guests, made her achievements even more visible. Uwe Frers’ moving laudatory speech impressively underlinded that this Hall of Fame Award is more than deserved.
Dear Lidija, we are incredibly proud of you and your decades of work!
Finally, we would like to express our utmost respect for the entire European campsite industry: the ever-increasing quality, spirit of innovation and strong awareness of sustainability make camping a very special form of holiday today.
We look forward to another festive evening at the PiNCAMP Gala 2027 as part of the CMT and wish you a successful 2026 season until then. See you soon!
