Center Parcs

Center Parcs began in 1968, when Dutch entrepreneur Piet Derksen opened a holiday village called Sporthuis Centrum at De Lommerbergen, near Reuver in the Netherlands. Derksen, who had already built a successful chain of sporting goods stores, had one simple idea: to bring people and nature together.

From tents to a European network

What began as a collection of tents gradually evolved into lodges, and Sporthuis Centrum became Center Parcs. By the time the concept crossed the North Sea in 1987, with the opening of Center Parcs Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, villages were already operating across the Netherlands, Belgium and France.

An idea that keeps expanding

Center Parcs today operates dozens of parks across Europe, each set within protected natural surroundings and built around a mix of accommodation, subtropical swimming pools and outdoor activity. The group's offering typically includes:

• Subtropical swimming paradises, a Center Parcs innovation that reshaped the indoor pool concept
• Forest lodges and cottages set within protected nature reserves
• Activities ranging from cycling and climbing to spa and wellness facilities
• Ongoing investment in expansion, including new lodges at existing parks

More than fifty years on

Now part of the Pierre & Vacances group, Center Parcs continues to operate under Piet Derksen's original idea, giving families a place to reconnect with nature and with each other, much as it did at De Lommerbergen in 1968.

Culture

• Bringing people and nature together: the founding idea behind every Center Parcs village
• Family first: a workplace culture built around teamwork and support at every level
• Learning on the job: many team members join without experience and are trained and funded through qualifications
• Sustainability and renewal: nature, sustainability and innovation as guiding pillars

Human Resources

Center Parcs takes pride in training and developing its people, often supporting team members through qualifications they would not otherwise have had access to, from lifeguard certification to advanced food hygiene and management training.

• Fully funded training and qualifications for many entry level roles
• Structured development paths from seasonal roles into longer term careers
• A diverse, informal team culture across all parks