Landvergnügen is now also available in Austria as Landvergnügen. How this came about is explained in an interview with Bauernleben founder Franz Roitner and Ole Schnack.
With its expansion into Austria, Landvergnügen is taking its first step towards internationalization. In the interview, Franz Roitner and Ole Schnack explain how the merger came about.
Ole and Franz, how did you first meet?
Franz Roitner: I contacted Ole even before founding Bauernleben and asked for some advice. That was in 2020, and the idea was to connect motorhome travelers with farms. I’m a motorhome traveler myself and grew up on a farm, so I know both worlds. I had already tried out Landvergnügen two years earlier and wanted to bring the concept to Austria. And it worked well. By now, we have connected more than 500 hosts with several thousand travelers.
What ultimately led to the merger?
Ole Schnack: A year ago, we discussed how we could further develop our concepts, also in the context of our collaboration at FEFI. Internationalization has been in my business plan for many years. However, I don’t think I would have had the courage to take that step on my own. Such a move needs to be well thought out. With Franz, I found the perfect partner for the DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) market. For me, this is an exciting process, especially since the ongoing digitalization makes it much easier to implement at this point in time.
Franz Roitner: The expectations of both guests and hosts have increased in recent years. Travelers want an easier way to contact farms and would like to know in advance if a spot is available. On the other hand, some hosts may not be able to accept campers for a week and don't want to be contacted during that time. There are many ideas on how to improve the connection between guests and hosts, and digital solutions are a great way to manage this. My belief is that you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. With a strong partner like Landvergnügen, which has a larger team and a bigger market, we can develop much more easily.
Ole Schnack: Over the past few months, Franz has already become a part of our team. Fortunately, physical distance hardly matters anymore, thanks to digitalization.
What does the merger mean for hosts and travelers?
Franz Roitner: The merger will make a big difference for hosts in Austria. While we have more than 500 hosts, we don’t have enough motorhome travelers to bring them sufficient guests. I’ve received a lot of feedback from hosts saying that the concept works well for them, but they rarely receive visitors. Bauernleben is known in Austria, but there hasn’t been any real growth perspective. With Landvergnügen’s larger network, more travelers will come to Austria, increasing direct farm sales for hosts. And that’s ultimately what it’s all about.
Ole Schnack: I also see our role as one of destination management, just as we do in Germany—making regions more visible that are further away from tourist hotspots like Tyrol or Carinthia. Through our communication in Germany, we want to make less well-known regions, such as Burgenland, more attractive to travelers. Bundled into one product, it will be easier for German guests to discover these areas. If we can inspire even five or ten percent of our customers to visit, it will already be a great benefit for farmers in Austria. And of course, it’s also a win for travelers, who will have access to a larger network. I see our big mission as bringing guests to farmers in Austria.
Franz Roitner: Exactly. We have fantastic farms in our network that produce high-quality products in stunning regions that many in Germany don’t even know about. That’s what we need to communicate.
Ole Schnack: The agricultural sector in Austria is incredibly traditional and of very high quality. Many farms still practice old craftsmanship. I think of cheese dairies, speck, and wine. Who else can do that? I’m really excited to introduce these farms to our Landvergnügen travelers.
Austrian hosts will now only be available in the Landvergnügen app. What are the benefits of this transition?
Ole Schnack: Most guests still call the farms to make a reservation, so they won’t experience a major change. The only difference is that Austrian farms will no longer be listed in the book but only in the app. Starting next season, Austrian hosts will also have the option to handle short-term digital booking requests if they choose to, making guest management much easier. This means they may receive fewer, or even no, phone calls at all.
Franz Roitner: Unlike a book entry, the app allows farms to update their information in real-time throughout the year—such as changed opening hours of their farm shops. With their own photos or community-contributed images, their profiles become even more attractive.
You both appreciate good food. What culinary discoveries have you made in each other’s networks?
Franz Roitner: I remember my first Landvergnügen trip in Baden-Württemberg in 2018. I bought fresh Zebu beef from a farm shop and prepared it in my motorhome that evening. The quality was sensational. Later, the host came by with a schnapps for a chat. That wonderful experience was one of the reasons I brought the concept of farm camping to Austria two years later.
Ole Schnack: I could talk about the many special discoveries in farm shops. These culinary treasures are hard to find anywhere else—whether it’s homemade Landjäger sausages, cheese, oils, wine, beer, or the countless types of spirits I come across. The culture of a country is expressed particularly well through its regional specialties. But honestly, it’s often the seemingly simple products that excite me the most—milk fresh from the cow, fruit picked straight from the bush or tree. It doesn’t get any fresher than that. Every time, it’s a fantastic experience.