This is where a Web Booking Engine (WBE) comes into play. A booking engine allows campsites to manage online bookings directly through their own website. With a WBE, guests can easily search for vacancies, see real-time prices and book camping without having to call or email.
In this article, we look at what direct booking on your website is, how it works and why it's an invaluable investment for campsite owners looking to streamline their business and increase their revenue.
What is a booking engine?
A booking engine is a digital system that integrates directly into the campsite's website. It allows guests to search, book and pay for their stay online themselves. Just like when you book a hotel room or an airline ticket.
Traditionally, many campsites have relied on telephone bookings, email enquiries or, for some, external booking sites (OTAs, online travel agencies) such as Booking.com and Expedia. But relying on these channels often means high commissions and less control over bookings. With their own online booking system, campsite owners have full control over pricing, availability and payment terms in real time.
How does a WBE work?
When an online booking tool (WBE) is implemented on the campsite website, it works like this for the guest:
- Seeking accessibility: The guest enters the desired dates and immediately receives an overview of available pitches, cabins, caravan, tent or motorhome pitches.
- Choosing accommodation: Guests can see details of different options, including prices, photos and amenities.
- Adding extra services: Possibility to add, for example, bed linen or breakfast.
- Confirm and pay: The guest fills in his/her details and pays according to the rules set by the campsite owner (e.g. payment in advance or payment on site).
- Confirmation will be sent: The booking is automatically registered in the campsite's system and the guest receives a confirmation by email.
With a modern booking engine, this whole process is smooth and automatic, making it easy for both guests and campsite owners.
Guests today have higher expectations. Let us show you how we can take your business to the next level.
How does online booking work for campsites?
Being able to book accommodation online has become a given for travellers, but for campsites it is still a relatively new development. With an online booking engine directly on your website, guests can easily book their stay without having to call or wait for an email response. Everything happens in real time.
Direct access to availability and prices
One of the main advantages of direct booking on the website is that guests can immediately see which pitches or chalets are available during the selected dates. The system is always up to date, eliminating the risk of double bookings or staff having to manually check availability.
Booking of different types of accommodation
Many campsites offer a combination of:
- Tent sites
- Motorhome and caravan pitches with or without electricity
- Cottages of different sizes
- Premium or themed accommodation (e.g. glamping tents)
A booking engine can manage all these accommodation types and present them in a clear way, allowing the guest to easily compare their options before booking.
Additional services and packages
In addition to booking a seat, guests may often want to add extra services, for example:
- Electricity connection
- Hire of barbecue or bicycles
- Bed linen and towels
- Access to spa or other facilities
With a WBE, these services can be booked directly with the accommodation, which both increases convenience for the guest and creates more revenue opportunities for the campsite owner.
Automatic confirmation and payment
Once the booking is finalised, a confirmation is automatically sent to the guest's email. If the campsite owner has chosen to require prepayment, this can also be handled directly in the booking system, reducing administration.
By offering seamless online booking, campsites can not only increase their bookings but also improve the guest experience even before they arrive.
Seamless integration with other systems - PMS & payment solutions
For a camping business to run efficiently, it is not enough to have a booking engine - it must also be able to communicate with other systems. This is where the integration between WBE and the Property Management System (PMS) plays a crucial role.
What is a PMS and why is it important?
A PMS (reservation system) is the system used by the campsite owner to manage bookings, check-ins, payments and other administrative tasks. If the booking engine and the PMS are integrated, this means that:
- All bookings are automatically entered into the system and no manual input is needed.
- Availability and prices are updated in real time, eliminating the risk of double bookings.
- Staff get full control of occupancy and guest information in one place.
Automated payment management
Modern online booking with PMS allows the campsite owner to set their own rules on how payments are handled. Examples of different payment models:
- Full payment on booking
- Part payment in advance + balance on site
- Flexible cancellation policy where a certain percentage is paid upon booking and the rest is paid upon arrival
By interfacing the direct booking system with a payment system, these rules can be handled automatically, making the payment process both smooth and secure.
Easy administration and better guest experience
As the booking engine and the PMS are always in sync, staff no longer need to manage bookings manually. All information is in one place. This saves time and reduces the risk of mistakes.
For example, a campsite using Modular Visit can automatically synchronise bookings, prices and payments between its WBE and PMS. This allows both staff and guests to have a smoother experience, from booking to check-in.
WBE PMS Self-service Dialogue Analyses POS
All online bookings are managed in the same platform as the PMS. A single true source for your data.
A powerful platform that combines your PMS, WBE, POS, CRM and channel manager. All systems and data in one place.
Checking in and out, making payments, updating information, adding extra services. Everything is easily managed by the guest.
Improve your guest communication. Information, reminders, suggestions for extra services and marketing. All easily automated in our powerful communication suite.
Reporting tools with great flexibility to create the reports and statistics you need.
Payments on site, online payments. Card, Swish, bank transfer, Apple Pay, etc. All included.
A platform.
For all systems.
Online booking in your PMS.
All online bookings are managed in the same platform as the PMS. A single true source for your data.
All in one place.
A powerful platform that combines your PMS, WBE, POS, CRM and channel manager. All systems and data in one place.
Let the guests help themselves.
Checking in and out, making payments, updating information, adding extra services. Everything is easily managed by the guest.
Communication that engages.
Improve your guest communication. Information, reminders, suggestions for extra services and marketing. All easily automated in our powerful communication suite.
Get insights from your data.
Reporting tools with great flexibility to create the reports and statistics you need.
All types of payments.
Payments on site, online payments. Card, Swish, bank transfer, Apple Pay, etc. All included.
Data collection & optimisation - understanding guest behaviour
One of the great advantages of a modern booking tool is that it doesn't just manage bookings. It also collects valuable data on guest behaviour (link to this article). By understanding what visitors are looking for and which accommodation they are most interested in, campsite owners can optimise both their marketing and their offers.
What data can be collected?
For example, a WBE can show:
- Which dates are the most popular - helps the campsite owner to identify high and low season.
- What types of accommodation are booked most often - facilitates the planning of future investments.
- Which additional services are most in demand - providing the opportunity to create more attractive package deals.
- What pages guests look at but don't book - shows where there might be room for improvement (e.g. clearer prices or more information about the accommodation).
How can campsite owners use this information?
By analysing data, campsite owners can adjust their pricing, improve marketing and create more attractive offers. For example, a campsite that sees that certain dates have fewer bookings can adjust prices or offer discounts to attract more guests.
If a campsite notices that many visitors are clicking on campsites but not booking, it could be a sign that the price is too high or that guests need more incentives, such as included breakfast or longer cancellation time.
By using a WBE with built-in analytics, such as Modular Visit's complete campsite booking system (link or CTA), campsite owners can get these insights instantly without having to manually collect and analyse data.
Pricing and seasonalisation
Pricing is one of the most important factors in optimising revenue at a campsite. With a WBE linked to the PMS, prices can be dynamically updated to reflect real-time demand.
Dynamic pricing - adapt to demand
With an online booking engine, campsite owners can automatically adjust prices based on factors such as:
- Occupancy - if a particular weekend becomes fully booked, the price may be increased for the last available places.
- Seasonality - higher prices in high season and discounts in low season.
- Booking behaviour - if guests often book at the last minute, it may be wise to offer limited-time offers.
Seasonal pricing
The campsite's pricing can also be automatically adjusted according to the season. Example:
- Summer season: Higher prices for cabins and pitches during July and August.
- Low season: Discounts to attract guests in spring and autumn.
- Weekends and public holidays: Prices may be automatically increased during popular periods such as Midsummer or the autumn holidays.
Full control over prices and discounts
With the Modular visits booking engine, the campsite owner can:
- Add time-limited price reductions, e.g. 10% discount if summer booking is made before 1 May.
- Automate pricing so that different bookable categories (caravan, cabin etc..) are priced in line with each other.
- See how pricing affects booking patterns and adjust accordingly.
A solution like Modular Visit makes it easy to manage all these aspects directly through the PMS, ensuring that all prices are automatically updated in the WBE without the campsite owner having to manually adjust anything.
Summary & why campsites should invest in online booking
The camping industry is evolving rapidly and to meet today's expectations, campsites need modern tools. A Web Booking Engine (WBE) is a natural part of this evolution as it allows for smooth booking management, automated payments and optimised pricing. Directly via the campsite's own website.
But a booking engine is only one piece of the puzzle. To truly simplify operations and maximise revenue, campsites need a booking system that not only manages bookings, but also syncs with other key parts of the system.
Modular Visit - a complete solution for campsites
With Modular Visit, campsite owners get an end-to-end solution where the booking engine (WBE), PMS and payment system are fully integrated and synchronised in real time. This means:
- Direct bookings via the website - without intermediaries or commissions to external booking sites.
- Automatic sync with PMS - all availability and pricing is always up-to-date.
- Flexible payment processing - possibility to set up everything from direct payment to instalments in advance.
- Seasonal and dynamic pricing - automatically adjust prices according to demand and occupancy.
- Data and insights - understand guest booking behaviour and optimise offers accordingly.
- Everything in one place - a single platform where the campsite owner has full control of the business.
With a comprehensive solution, campsite owners no longer have to jump between different systems and manually manage bookings. Instead, they get an efficient, smart and automated operation where everything works seamlessly - from booking and payment to check-in and communication with the guest.
Is it time to take the next step?
For campsites looking to modernise their operations and provide guests with an easy and professional booking experience, a modern online booking engine is an obvious investment. But even better is to choose an end-to-end solution that manages the entire flow, from initial booking to check-out.
With Modular Visit, campsite owners get just that: a system that simplifies everyday life, increases bookings and gives full control over the business.
Want to know more about how it works? Contact us today and we'll help you find the right solution for your campsite!
