Get Wild With Your Own Glamping Business

When it comes to business ideas, it’s always a good idea to find those industries that are on the rise. If you want to jump on a hot, growing marketing and one that allows you to stay close to the great outdoors, focus on providing a quality service, and even has some long-term investment potential then glamping might just be the answer for you. These upmarket camping sites are already starting to pop up across the country (and the globe), so moving fast is critical. Here’s what you need to do.

Know your market

When you’re starting your own business, regardless of what it is, you have to consider who your market is going to be. Glamping can appeal to two kinds of customers, primarily. For one, it’s a tourist attraction, so if your area sees plenty of people coming in from across the country, especially for its natural beauty, then getting a prime piece of wild real estate and a more comfortable way to experience it can be a great market to start building on. You may also have a more local customer base worth researching, so it’s a good idea to see if there are many locally-based wilderness adventure or exploration businesses and groups to give an indication that you could have a market.

Check out the competition

Whether a market exists in the given area and whether you can find your own place in it are two different things. There are plenty of sites to find nearby glamping businesses. They’re primarily used to help customers find accommodation but, alongside a few Google searches, they should give you an idea of how much competition you have nearby. If your area is all glamped out, then you might want to look at going a little further afield. Otherwise, you should think about defining a niche that can help you get competitive, whether it’s offering some services the others don’t or getting some land that offers much better views, especially if there are any noteworthy landmarks near you.

Find your place

To set up a glamping business, you’re going to need some land of your own. If you don’t have any good natural parks or other famous local natural areas that you can get some land adjacent to, you may have trouble attracting people to the appeal of glamping in the first place. Look for marketplaces that offer woods and forests for sale and see what kind of land is on offer locally. Not only does buying the land offer you a lot more freedom in how and where you set up your glamping rooms, but it can also serve as a good long-term investment, with the potential on profiting on the eventual sale of your land, if you plan to sell it.

Setting up your rooms

The number one concern when looking at setting up those glamping rooms is that you first get planning permission for any work you do in the area. Depending on where it is, you may have some limitations as to how much you can build on or develop the land. Choosing and building the rooms (or pods, as they’re often referred to) come next. There are some businesses that offer pre-fabricated glamping rooms that, while less customizable, do offer a cost-effective way to set up a comfortable, convenient accommodation in the wild. You also want to think about how many rooms you want on your property. There should be enough space between them that they’re convenient enough to reach but that your guests shouldn’t be too concerned with your other customers.

It’s all about the extras

Once you’ve set up and styled your rooms, you next have to think about what you offer alongside them. There’s a big difference between camping and glamping, after all, and it all comes down to offering luxury services, first and foremost. Being able to source or prepare high-quality food is a must. Amenities like queen and king-size beds, fire pits, shower houses, and generators to supply their appliances and devices should all be considered for inclusion. Many glamping businesses also offer spa-like services, from hot tubs to soak in to a massage therapist to help them really relax. If the site is near any landmarks or tourist-friendly spots, then some advice and directions for your guests can be very welcome, as well.

Be smart about your branding

Glamping reaches a very particular market: those who want both an outdoor experience but also all the convenience of a night’s stay in a hotel. Your branding has to accurately reflect both, showing the appeals of the site you’ve chosen while also carrying across the professionalism and level of service that comes with it. As the industry is very much growing, it’s not too hard to find the branding and creative design teams that can help you build the perfect website and visual style to ensure your business gets the professional sheen that it needs. If you’re in a competitive market, make sure you focus on what niche you hit that others don’t, whether it’s your unique site or your unique services.

Get the word out there

Above, we looked at websites that show you glamping sites near you that you could check to see if you had any local competition. Now, it’s time to use them to make sure people can actually find your glamping spot. Accommodation listings may be one of the primary driving platforms for your marketing, but it shouldn’t be the only channel that you use. Setting up a site and making it easier to find through search engine optimisation, building a social media community, and joining in local events can all help you drive more feet towards your glampsite.

Glamping gives you the opportunity to run a business that’s all about good service, great views, and great experiences in the great outdoors. Hopefully, the tips above give you a good idea of what you need to be thinking about if you want to start your own glamping business.

 

*This is a collaborative post.