Seven Valamar campsites have been included in PiNCAMP’s Most Wanted 2026 ranking of the 100 campsites that attracted the most interest from German users during the first seven months of the year. Valamar Camping Lanterna in Istria ranked fifth overall, making it the highest-ranked Croatian campsite on the list.
The ranking, based on activity from users of PiNCAMP.de, also included Valamar Camping Istra in 21st place, Camping Solaris in 35th, Camping Orsera in 63rd, Valamar Camping Krk in 68th, Valamar Camping Ježevac in 81st, and Valamar Camping Baška in 94th. Four of the seven properties are in Istria, while three are on the island of Krk.
Lanterna moved from fourth place in the previous ranking to fifth in 2026. PiNCAMP lists the resort as having more than 3,200 pitches and rental accommodation units.
The platform notes that campsite size alone does not determine inclusion in the ranking, with properties ranging from large resorts to smaller sites appearing among the 100 most sought-after. Factors such as location, facilities, pricing, availability, quality and the broader destination experience can influence user interest.
For campground operators, the methodology is an important consideration when interpreting the results. PiNCAMP’s 2026 ranking is based on page views generated by German users between January 1 and July 31, 2026.
According to Karlobag.eu, eligible campsites had to have at least four user reviews and an average rating of at least seven out of 10. The ranking therefore indicates online interest and consideration rather than confirmed bookings, arrivals or overnight stays. It is also distinct from PiNCAMP’s ADAC campsite classification, which uses expert inspections and a separate rating system.
Croatia was the third most represented country in the European ranking, with 23 campsites, behind Germany with 39 and Italy with 25. At the regional level, Istria accounted for 11 of the listed campsites, while Kvarner had eight and Dalmatia four.
The results also highlight the continued importance of German travelers to Croatia’s tourism economy. According to the Croatian Bureau of Statistics data cited in the source, German visitors generated about 21 million overnight stays in Croatia during 2025, representing 24.6% of overnight stays by foreign tourists in commercial accommodation.
In June 2026, German visitors accounted for 2.7 million overnight stays, or 22.1% of all overnight stays by foreign guests, with Istria recording approximately 1.4 million of those stays.
Valamar’s 2026 camping portfolio includes more than 11,500 accommodation units, with recent investments covering properties including Lanterna, Istra, Marina, Ježevac and Krk. The company has also expanded offerings such as mobile homes, glamping, larger pitches, pools and sports facilities at several properties.
Commenting on the ranking, Valamar’s Director of Camping Operations Bruno Radoš said: “We are proud that as many as seven Valamar campsites have been included among the 100 most sought-after campsites in Europe.”
For operators, the result illustrates how digital visibility can provide an additional indicator of demand in important source markets. While PiNCAMP’s ranking should not be treated as a direct measure of revenue or occupancy, sustained interest from German users may help operators assess how their properties are being discovered and compared online.
The broader Croatian results also suggest that competition for German campers extends across multiple destinations and property types, rather than being limited to a small number of large camping resorts.
