The green representation in the outdoor hospitality. A cultural analysis of green campsites in contemporary France

Since the dawn of time, camping has always existed. It is now seen as a significant field of tourism studies, especially with the expansion of green tourism. However, little is known about the representation of green campsites in France. Hence, this research focuses on the cultural values that are transmitted by them, as well as their online representations on French websites. This thesis analysed twenty-two websites through an inductive approach by employing a discourse analysis methodology which included both textual and visual analysis at the same time. Subsequently, coding and theming allowed the researcher to identify clear patterns which could be observed. Observations resulted in three main themes encompassing firstly, ‘back to nature in green campsites’; secondly, campsites as ‘places to socialize’ and thirdly, as places that meet ‘high standards and expectations’. The cultural values all revolved around nature, which is therefore the anchor for the others values. In a nutshell, well-being, respect, sharing, conviviality, safety and uniqueness are some of the values transmitted by the green campsites through their texts and pictures displayed online. On a theoretical level, this paper contributes a recent view concerning the camping sector in France, as well as a relevant insight for the management and marketing of outdoor accommodation by empirically assessing discourse surrounding the green camping sector, using established models. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the impact such values may have on social practices. Furthermore, the results indicated that there is a clear trend towards green tourism, and that it can be studied more deeply in further research.