Open Air Business June/July 2017

GLAMPSITES
› Lifestyle - Most small, privately-owned
sites offer this, where guests are immersed
in an experience that is unique to that
site, and the owners themselves play a
big part of this. They are usually carefully
and thoughtfully created by owners
who are passionate about their location
and whatever it is they do there – be it a
craft, farming or other vocation. Can also
include other models in this list.
› Events - festivals and wedding receptions
are ever popular, some sites are also
obtaining licenses to conduct the wedding
ceremony itself. Events require planning
applications and licensing according to
party size, entertainment etc.
› Wellness - as I’ve mentioned in previous
pieces, health and wellbeing is a fastgrowing
leisure sector. From yoga to raw
food workshops, it’s the perfect partner to
glamping.
› Sports and activities - again, another
growing leisure sector providing ample
opportunity to add a USP or additional
revenue streams to the business.
› Learning and education - the rural
locations of glampsites lend themselves
perfectly to hosting and running courses
and workshops on a variety of related
subjects.
› Corporate hospitality - more suited
to larger developments perhaps, but
some smaller operators also cater to
the corporate market, offering team
building and stress management
courses. Standards need to be high, and
each delegate will usually want private
accommodation and facilities.
› Service - this type of glamping takes
hospitality to another level, providing a
service-focussed offer usually only found
in exclusive hotels.
› Boutique - this glamping model can
include some of the above, but its primary
focus is to provide a highly individual and
specialised offer to its guests.
› Adults only - something of a niche, but I
am seeing more glamping that does not
accommodate children. While some sites
cater predominately to families, I’m not
sure that’s a model as such (most accept
small groups or couples as well) although
the ‘family safari tent’ set-up is getting
close.
SUPPLEMENTARY ACCOMMODATION
This is where an existing hospitality
business diversifies its accommodation mix
by adding glamping ie. campsites, holiday
parks, public houses, B&Bs, hotels, resorts.
For example, Hoseasons Pods, Haselbury
Mill Hotel Somerset, The Camping &
Caravanning Club’s ‘Ready Camp’ and the
YHA.
I’ve advised owners of hotels and public
houses on adding glamping to their existing
accommodation and it always works well.
They can accommodate more guests for
events and weddings, and attract guests
who wouldn’t otherwise have stayed. If you
own such a business with suitable adjoining
land, but haven’t added glamping yet - why
not?
ATTRACTIONS
I was tempted to include ‘attractions’ in
‘supplementary accommodation’ but I think
they should stand alone because their core
business isn’t accommodation. In my head,
historic properties and theme parks have
a category of their own too, but then the
principle of adding glamping to an existing
attraction is the same whether it’s 500, or
15 years old. Glamping is a natural addition
to these attractions, creating an enriched
experience for visitors, encouraging longer
stays and boosting revenue. The glamping
should ideally have a design connection
with the nature of the attraction and
add interest – rather than a ‘bolt-on’. For
example, Alton Towers' Woodland Lodges
and Warwick Castle.
LEASEHOLD
Leasehold isn’t a new concept in holiday
accommodation; many parks and caravan
sites have been selling chalets and statics
on long term leases for a long time. It is
however new to glamping, where until
now accommodation has been let for short
breaks only. I’m not sure if this will catch
on in the UK, but it’s already happening in
Europe. What will it be next, time share?
Remember you read it in Open Air Business
first!
POP-UP SITES
Unlike sited holiday glamping, this isn’t
something I work on every day so there are
better qualified people out there to expand
on this. However, within an article on
glamping business models they do require
a mention. Under this header you’ll find:
› Pre-ordered glamping, usually bell tents,
erected at regular campsites by a thirdparty
operator for guests, taken down
at the end of their stay, and sometimes
re-erected at another site for them. I’ve
seen a few such operators come and go
› Event glamping, where a village of
glamping is erected for hire at events
such as festivals and sports. For example,
‘Pop Up Hotel’ at Glastonbury Festival
› Temporary event tipi and /or
accommodations for weddings and
guests, usually on private land
› 28-day pop-up glamping, where
landowners are permitted to hold
camping on their land for up to 28
consecutive days.
VARIATIONS
Before I sign off I want to mention a few
of the alternative set-up options that can
apply to some of the above-mentioned
models.
› Site licence exemption certificate: Sites
operating with an exemption certificate are
usually run by private SMEs, and operate
in the same way as any other site with
one exception - they did not have to apply
for planning permission or a camping
and caravan certificate from their local
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