By Business & Finance 
Finán O’Donoghue, founder, Campsited.com
In our Ones to Watch section, we highlight some of the top movers and shakers in Ireland. This week we feature Campsited.com.
What is it?
Campsited.com is making it easier for people to find and book camping holidays. “Our technology will make it much easier for people to book camping, touring, holiday and ‘glamping’ sites online and through mobile,” says founder Finán O’Donoghue. The company has plans to launch other products to help owners and managers market their parks online. “We’ll launch the first of these products very soon,” says O’Donoghue.
From the start the company also made a decision to use their technology to encourage more people into the outdoors. “The health benefits associated with spending more time outdoors are huge.” says O’Donoghue. “We feel there’s lots of scope for us here, not least making camping more widely accessible. To kick things off, we’ve just announced that everyone at Campsited will get an extra week off, every year, to go camping!”
Who is behind it?
Campsited.com was founded by Finán O’Donoghue, after having what he describes as an excruciating experience trying to book a camping trip for his family in Europe. He spent hours trawling through dozens of websites.
None were really easy to use or had a comprehensive choice of bookable campsites around the world.
“If you want to book a hotel, self-stay rental or hostel, there are a number of websites that jump to mind immediately. If however you want to find and book a campsite where do you go?” says O’Donoghue.
Speaking with people after his own experience, Finán was struck by the number of people who had the same difficult experience. So, he decided to do something about it, and campsited.com was born.
How is it funded?
The company is funded through private investment, and more recently has received funding and support from Enterprise Ireland.
Future plans?
“We’re on a mission to make it as easy as possible for people everywhere to find and book campsites around the world. Our immediate focus however is to grow our presence in UK and Ireland, with plans to move into Europe and further afield soon after.” says O’Donoghue.
Business & Finance, Ones to Watch
Business & Finance, in association with Comtrade Digital Services, recognises Ireland’s most dynamic emerging businesses in ‘Ones to Watch’.
Ireland is alive with a vibrant start-up scene and the entrepreneurs featured are shaping the country’s economic landscape.
