The outdoor movement has grown massively, but glamping has enjoyed a notable surge in growth as it appeals to camping and hotel lovers alike, says Anytime Booking. It’s the winning of the hotel lover that is boosting this sector so much, attracting a whole new affluent clientele to the outdoor market, securing the glamping industry well into the future.
People have asked whether the glamping bubble has burst. However, a simple analysis of the term camping on Google shows that this is very much a fluctuating seasonal search term, but the term glamping is on the steep incline, all over Google, all year round.
“The key to staycation success is really about the value and quality of the experience on offer,” says Vanessa Glossop, Communications Director at Anytime Booking . “What seems to be playing right into the hands of glamping business owners is that the holiday destination itself seems to be becoming less important to the glamping demographic than the actual experience itself, giving them the opportunity to constantly evolve and adapt to win the business.”
Diversification has been a buzzword in rural communities and farming for a few years, but it is spreading into the glamping industry itself, moving it into other areas of tourism. Glamping has been taken into zoos (Durrell Wildlife Camp in Jersey Zoo), attractions (Chessington World of Adventures), hotels and members clubs (Soho House), churches (Champing with the Churches Conservation Trust), cities (rooftop glamping on the roof of the Shankly in Liverpool), and even industrial landscapes (crane 29 in Bristol dock).
It’s widely agreed that glamping is still on the rise, highly adaptable and one of the few businesses where it’s entirely plausible to open for trading and cover your set up costs by or before end of year two of trading. This is fabulous news for anyone considering setting up a glamping business. But to really succeed you must mull over ‘uniqueness’ and how your offering will differ from anyone else’s.
What should you be thinking about if you are launching a new glamping business?
- Less location, more experience – while the South West still comes in at number one for glamping destinations, make the most of your offering, provenance and experience. Research the type of glamping that is reaching saturation point in your area and go against the grain. Offer the little extras: thought about bush-crafting, bread-making, wine-tasting, weddings?
- Pricing – hit the right mark; your prospective visitors should already be fumbling for their debit card as they peruse your gorgeous website.
- Service and facilities – quality all the way. Look at the finer details of everything. MMFS! Make me feel special!
- Customer expectations – ignore these at your peril. Glamping customers are ‘seekers’, they all want to ‘find’ something. Make sure they don’t leave your site still looking!
- Connectivity & accessibility – a top class website with an integrated online booking management system to capitalise on online booking behaviours. Part of your success matrix must be a good PMS (property management software).
Anytime Booking will be your PMS partner; we have put years into becoming specialists in this market. We work in an agile methodology, constantly inspecting and adapting what the development priorities are, keeping in tune with the nuances and fluctuations of the glamping market. Be sure to visit us on Stand 26 at The Glamping Show to discover how we can help you run your business!
