LOW-COST airlines are leading a revolution in European camping holidays with so many families leaving cars at home to catch the plane that operators are fixing coach or taxi transfers to campsites.

Around 25 per cent of those taking camping or mobile home holidays in Europe now fly to a choice of destinations extending rapidly beyond France, Spain and Italy to include Sardinia, Croatia, the Costa Verde coast of Northern Spain, and Germany.

Keycamp, a leading operator in the sector, is linking with Holiday Taxis to arrange transfers from the airport to more than 50 resorts, with new destinations in 2006 including Sardinia, Cavallino in Italy and Porec in Croatia.

According to Eurocamp, sister company to Keycamp in the Holidaybreak stable, seven nights in a mobile home this summer could cost an average £106 per person, and 14 nights £170.

Eurocamp managing director Deborah Beckett says: ''The old days of cramming cars with luggage to drive for days, often through hot weather, are over for many families.

''France has benefited particularly from low cost flights, with Ryanair serving 18 airports in France alone and making it much more accessible to UK consumers who don't live near the Channel ports.''

Eurocamp is arranging local airport transfers - from £15 return - from 18 airports in Europe to its parks in France, Italy, Holiday, Spain, Austria and Switzerland.

Siblu - formerly Haven Holidays - claims to be the only UK operator which owns holiday parks (eight of them) in France. But it has mobile homes on 21 other sites in France, Spain and Italy, with an emphasis on sports and leisure facilities for adults and children.

Eurocamp (0870 3338 338); Keycamp (0870 700 0123); Siblu (0870 242 7777).

Jeremy Gates