Context

The acquisition of Vacalians Group by the Permira V Fund marks a major turning point for the European outdoor hospitality industry. This transaction facilitates the exit of 21 Centrale Partners, the group’s co-founder and previous majority shareholder. While the management team and historical partners such as Promeo and Batipart remain involved in the capital, the entry of Permira provides the group with the financial firepower of a multi-billion euro international vehicle. The strategic rationale for the deal is to capitalize on the rapid consolidation of the European campsite market. Having recently launched the Tohapi brand and integrated Canvas Holidays, Vacalians is positioned as a primary platform for further industrial scale-up. The partnership is designed to transform the French champion into a truly global leisure operator, utilizing Permira’s extensive network to identify new site acquisitions and distribution channels across the continent. This investment highlights the increasing attractiveness of the "glamping" and mobile-home segments, which offer superior margins and higher barriers to entry than traditional camping. The deal reflects a broader trend of institutional capital entering the leisure facilities sector to professionalize management and optimize occupancy rates through advanced digital distribution platforms.

Target

Vacanceselect is a major European player in the campsite sector, formed by the 2018 merger between Vacalians and the Dutch group Vacanceselect. The group is characterized by its strong "Prop-Co" (Property Company) model, owning roughly 60 campsites outright. It operates a diverse portfolio of brands offering mobile-home rentals and pitch allotments across high-demand tourist zones in Southern Europe.