Camping experiences of nature in Sithonia, Halkidiki

Abstract

This article provides an overview of organized camping as a form of tourism by business enterprises in Sithonia, Halkidiki from its early appearance in the 1970s until today. In specific, it explores how experiences of nature that camping sites offer combine with other cultural activities, ‘suitable’ for this type of tourism. The ethnographic research in organized camping sites and the online survey of relevant business websites show that campsites in Sithonia are categorized, respectively, as “natural”, “family” and “youth”, indicating that tourist experiences of camping sites vary significantly. Furthermore, the analysis of online photographic representations of camping sites, where images of nature coexist with images of modernity as a necessary component of camping sites, highlights the constitution of the imaginary of nature in campsites as a commodity. © Ethnologhia On-Line, 2016.