Open Air Business September/October 2016

ACCOMMODATION
WILDGOOSE PHOTOGRAPHY
Standing
out from
the Crowd
Kate Morel has visited hundreds of glampsites in her role with
agency Quality Unearthed. Here she shares her thoughts on
how to make your site the best it can be
GLAMPING… I LOVE it. I love the
lifestyle, the quirky structures
and the amazing people I meet.
It’s nothing short of fabulous. I’ve
been fortunate to have worked
in the industry (if that’s the right
word) for a few years now, visiting
many potential sites and advising
landowners in the UK, Australia
and more recently South America.
Glamping has captured the
imagination of people worldwide
and ties in perfectly with holiday
trends and the back-to-nature
leisure movement. Like it or not, it
is definitely here to stay, at least in
some form or another.
Despite our less than
predictable climate,
glamping holidays are
enjoying huge popularity
in the UK, and demand
increases every year. As the industry
develops, several types of glamping
‘model’ are also evolving, such
as rows of pods on campsites,
corporate developments, private
developments and individual
boutique accommodation, among
others. The same criteria for
success applies to most of them;
geographical location, nature
of the site, quality and style of
accommodation, facilities, design
content and hospitality. In essence,
setting up a glamping site isn’t too
different from setting up any other
holiday accommodation, although
choosing the right structure can be
tricky, and a lack of relevant data
can make a projected return on
investment difficult to pin down.
However, there are a few things that
will almost always influence the
success of a glamping business.
LOCATION
It’s no surprise that the principal of
‘location, location, location’ doesn’t
solely apply to domestic properties.
Being in a popular tourist area close
to an existing attraction, with good
access routes and within two to
three hours of a city, all contribute.
Without these advantages we have
to work harder to entice guests to
visit, possibly offer lower rental
fees, or offer something truly
amazing. Look into who visits the
area and what they are most likely
to want - or be bold and create a
demand yourself.
SITE AND STRUCTURE
Stunning views or natural features
are natural assets and do a lot of
the work for us. Without them, keep
it simple and charge accordingly, or
offer outstanding accommodation
or an unusual activity. Some places
lend themselves to certain types of
structure; for example, woodland
settings are great for eco-pods,
while lakes can host floating
cabins. View the site objectively
and appraise its potential. Decide
whether it is likely to appeal to
couples or families, choose which
are the best spots and then find an
appropriate structure.
Always check out the
competition. Find out what
is already on offer in the
36 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM