Open Air Business March 2017

ACCOMMODATION
Go on, spoil me
- health and therapies
Another growth and profitable tourism
genre is ‘wellness’ – personal health and
pampering. So here we’re offering things such
as yoga classes, alternative therapies, spas and
treatments. Large yurts are a great space for
some of these; it might be something you could
run yourself, or invite in local therapists to
work with you. If your site is suitable, maybe
consider marketing it as a retreat venue
for therapists and teachers looking
for unique places to run their
courses.
SOAK IT UP – HOT TUBS
Hot tubs really do have to be the
easiest way to boost an occupancy
rate and revenue, and not just
for glamping - for any holiday
accommodation. If a guest is
looking at two similar glamping
offers and yours has the hot tub,
you’ll get the booking. If you charge
for use (and logs for wood-fired
models) they also provide a good
ancillary income, although costs
are often worked into rental fees.
They’re powered by electric or a
firebox, and as most glampsites
are off-grid, the latter are usually
easier to install. The wood-fired
models are also made of wood and
look great in a glampsite setting,
complementing the expected
natural ambiance.
I receive regular requests for
recommendations and my usual
‘go-to’ is a mid-priced, quality tub
from Naked Flame Eco Hot Tubs,
because I’ve seen the products
and had good feedback from
owners about quality and customer
service. There are, however, plenty
of others online, do check customer
LEARNING ZONE - COURSES AND WORKSHOPS
People love to learn and try new things, so adding classes to your
offer is an effective ancillary and creates engaging experiences for
guests. Sport activities could include surfing lessons, mountain
biking, rock climbing and 4x4 driving; I know one place which
teamed up with a local airfield to offer flying lessons. But not
everyone has a head for heights, and down to earth activities such
as foraging, bush-crafts and cookery classes are very popular.
There are, however, literally dozens of fun and interesting courses,
workshops or short masterclasses we could create. They don’t
have to be on-site either, we can collaborate with other companies.
It could be something as simple as you sharing your passion
for bread-making – artisan baking is totally on trend right now,
or for those with the nose, maybe a wine tasting session with
a respected wine merchant. Companies such as Tanners Wine
Merchants, in Shrewsbury, for example, would be a perfect business
to collaborate with. They are a well-established and respected
merchant, offering professional wine tasting sessions, in gorgeous
settings.
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GETTY IMAGES
“ IF YOUR SITE IS SUITABLE, MAYBE
CONSIDER MARKETING IT AS A
RETREAT VENUE FOR THERAPISTS
AND TEACHERS LOOKING FOR UNIQUE
PLACES TO RUN THEIR COURSES”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Glamping Guru Kate
Morel has spent years
working closely with
many landowners
and organisations,
providing advice
and support to new
and existing sites.
This, along with
experience in property
restoration, design
and hospitality, gives
her a unique set of
skills and perspective
on creating glamping
developments. She
can be contacted at
info@katemorel.com
reviews and choose wisely. As
with sports equipment, guests
will expect to be compensated
if advertised facilities aren’t
available, and if a hot tub is out
of action they are likely to cancel
altogether.
PAWS FOR THOUGHT - FURRY
FRIENDS
For a lot of guests the whole point
of a staycation is that they can
take their pets with them, and they
are happy to pay a little extra to
do so. Some places charge a flat
fee, others per dog, or it’s worked
into the rental price. Occasionally,
you might find a shower blocked
with dog hair or muddy paw prints
all over the bedding, despite
requesting that pets stick to their
own beds. However, it’s no secret
among holiday accommodation
providers that accepting pets
increases occupancy. Also, don’t
forget to add dog treats and toys
etc. to the shop, and do check out
the The Dog Treat Company – their
online shop doesn’t have a checkout
trolley, it has a bowl.
You may have gathered by
now that some of the things I’ve
mentioned can rather nicely be
crafted into an effective USP.
Although we have relied on unusual
structures to provide this for us in
the past, guest expectations are
increasing in some areas. So please,
do take these ideas and apply
them, or if you feel I could assist
to create, or even reshape yours,
please drop me a line.