Little Black Book of Glamping 2022

BEFORE YOU START
Essential Thinking
Tips from Quality Unearthed’s Geno Cleal on
creating a successful glamping offering
First up, market research – know your product. What’s
new, what’s trending, what’s selling? You should at
least have a rough idea already.
The term ‘glamping’ is expanding and evolving
extremely quickly. What’s cool and what’s relevant
now may not be true in five or 10 years’ time. The
discerning public are continually looking for new and
interesting places to stay. There’s an ever-growing
variety of unique and unusual holiday types, whether
it’s a weird or funky structure, or a wild or crazy
location.
As the market evolves it’s important to stay one
step ahead of the trends. Study the competition,
particularly in your area. This should give you a firm
idea of what works and what doesn’t and how to price
your structure. There are so many things you can learn
and incorporate to give you a competitive edge.
In terms of the facilities and extras you offer, the
market shows that expectations are increasing.
Customers commonly expect a higher level of service
and a basic range of facilities. We tend to find the more
extras you offer – fresh flowers and local produce
in the welcome hamper, or a lit fire for guests on
arrival – the more impact it will have on your success.
Glampers are looking for a special or memorable
experience, so whatever you can do to improve this
experience will ultimately lead to more bookings.
As a general rule of thumb, price your structure
conservatively, with the aim to push the value up as
your reputation and demand grows.
TARGET AUDIENCE
You need to consider what type of holiday you’re
trying to create and who you’re trying to attract.
Whether you’re catering for families, groups or
couples, each demographic has a different kind
of expectation. Again, it is important to know who
is coming and why. What type of holiday are they
looking for?
Striking a balance between catering for different
audiences and focussing your attention can be tricky.
Catering for everyone increases your audience, but
you may end up muddying the waters. With that in
mind, it’s best to focus your marketing efforts towards
one specific holiday type.
Just like any business, you’re trying to create a
brand, and every good brand has an interesting theme
or story to tell. Whether you’ve used local materials,
incorporated historical features, or if you have a
particular penchant for badgers, telling your story is
important. It adds to the richness and clarity of your
brand. It doesn’t matter if your theme is completely
wacky as long as it offers some kind of intrigue or
appeal.
Choosing the right name is also important. A good
name should be warm and welcoming, but also
memorable and with a tie into your theme.
UNIQUE SELLING POINT
This is what sets you apart from your competitors and
is what makes paying guests want to come to your
glamping site. Maybe you’ve got a great location by
the sea, an outdoor bathtub with views over the valley,
or perhaps you claim your land is home to the world’s
largest wood pigeon? Whatever it is, utilise your
unique selling point (USP) in your marketing efforts. If
you don’t have one, you need to start thinking; what
can you do to make your place unique? If you’re run of
the mill, or just trying to recreate what’s already been
done, the gap in the market might already be gone.
LITTLE BLACK BOOK
TOP TIPS
Conker, Powys
A good basic business analysis tool is
a SWOT analysis (list strengths, weaknesses, opportunities
and threats regarding your glamping proposition). Also look
up SOAR analysis, PESTEL analysis, the Five Forces and the
NOISE analysis.
MEET THE EXPERT
Geno Cleal is a glamping expert at Quality Unearthed – a specialised glamping agency in
Pembrokeshire. Showcasing a range of unique and unusual holiday structures from safari tents to
treehouses, Quality Unearthed helps develop, market and promote glamping sites across the UK
and France. www.qualityunearthed.co.uk
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