The Ultimate Guide to Starting Your Own Glamping Business

Have you ever dreamed of owning your own business in the great outdoors? Starting a glamping business may be the perfect opportunity. Glamping, or "glamorous camping," combines the thrill of camping under the stars with the luxury and comfort of a hotel. As a glamping business owner, you get to help guests experience the beauty of nature without roughing it.

If you love the outdoors, hospitality, and helping people create lasting memories, a glamping business could be a rewarding venture. All you need is a scenic location, stylish tents or cabins, and a passion for customer service. With the growing popularity of experiential travel and staycations, the glamping industry is poised for growth. Now is the time to turn your dreams of escaping to nature into a successful business.

The Glamping Market Landscape

The glamping market largely targets affluent travelers and experience seekers looking for unique getaways in scenic, natural settings. Glamping appeals to those who want to disconnect from their busy lives and reconnect with nature without sacrificing comfort.

The glamping industry spans mass market, luxury, and local markets. Mass market glamping sites offer stylish tents or cabins at mid-range prices, appealing to a wide range of travelers. Luxury glamping sites provide high-end, customized experiences at premium prices for wealthy clients. Local glamping businesses focus on attracting visitors from surrounding areas for short getaways and staycations.

No matter the market segment, the common thread is providing a memorable experience in a peaceful outdoor environment. By choosing a specific target audience and tailoring your amenities and services to their needs, you can establish a successful glamping business. The demand for local, curated travel experiences continues to rise, fueling opportunities in this growing industry.

Developing Your Glamping Product

The heart of your glamping business is the experience you provide to guests. Your "product" includes the location, accommodations, amenities, activities, and services that make up a visitor's stay. To stand out, focus on high quality and a memorable, curated experience that taps into your target audience's desires.

Choose a stunning natural setting that appeals to your desired customer base. Offer stylish tent or cabin accommodations with comfortable beds, furnishings, linens, and decor. Provide amenities like hot showers, bathrooms, Wi-Fi, fire pits, grills, and fully equipped kitchens or kitchenettes.

Develop a menu of optional activities to enhance your guests' experience like hiking, biking, kayaking, yoga classes, stargazing tours, wine tasting, or s'mores by the campfire. Provide extras such as locally-sourced snacks, meals, or beverages.

High-touch customer service is key. Greet guests upon arrival, give a tour of the facilities, and provide recommendations for the area. Be available to assist with any needs during their stay. A concierge service can help book activities and extras in advance.

Your glamping product is an opportunity to be creative in designing a unique getaway experience. Focus on high quality at every touchpoint, from the location and decor to the activities and customer service. An exceptional experience will generate word-of-mouth marketing and repeat customers to build your business.

The Economics of a Glamping Business

Operating a glamping business comes with substantial upfront costs to develop the location, purchase equipment and supplies, and build accommodation facilities. However, the potential for high profit margins and return on investment makes glamping an attractive business opportunity.

Your largest ongoing costs will be the cost of goods sold (COGS), including expenses to maintain the location and accommodation facilities, amenities, activities, staffing, marketing, and general operations. COGS may range from 40-60% of revenue depending on factors like the quality of amenities provided and staffing levels.

Pricing strategies vary based on your target market and the quality of experience offered. Mass market glamping sites may charge $100-$300 per night. Luxury glamping can range from $300-$1000+ per night. Offering packages that bundle extras like meals, activities, and gifts can increase customer spending and your profit margins.

An ideal location, memorable guest experience, premium amenities, and excellent reviews can justify charging at the higher end of the pricing spectrum. However, you must deliver a high-quality experience at any price point. Focus on providing good value to match your rates.

Marketing Your Glamping Business

A successful marketing strategy is essential to attracting guests and building your glamping business. Focus on the following areas:

Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Optimize your website content for search engines like Google to rank higher in results for terms like "glamping near me." Provide location information, photos, and details about your amenities, activities, and pricing.

Social Media: Create profiles on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to raise brand awareness and engage your target audience. Post photos and videos of your location, tents/cabins, amenities, activities, and happy guests enjoying their experience. Run social media ads and contests to boost engagement.

Direct Marketing: Build an email list from your website and social media to stay in touch with interested travelers. Send newsletters with special offers, new amenities or activities, seasonal events, and more. Offer discounts and promotions exclusively through your email list.

Online Travel Agencies: List your glamping site on OTA websites like GlampingHub, Pitchup, and Hipcamp which specialize in camping and glamping accommodations. These platforms have large audiences of experience-seeking travelers looking to book unique outdoor getaways.

Local Partnerships: Partner with nearby wineries, breweries, farms, activity outfitters, and tour companies to cross-promote to each other's customers. Offer package deals that include extras from your partners to add value for guests.

Public Relations: Pitch your glamping story to travel media, bloggers, and influencers. Invite them for a complimentary stay in exchange for an honest review and coverage to tap into their audiences. Appearing in publications and blogs can significantly boost your credibility and visibility.

Paid Advertising: Use Google Ads and social media advertising to target travelers interested in glamping getaways. Focus ads on your location, amenities, and any current special offers or events. Pay-per-click and retargeting ads can be an affordable way to increase traffic and bookings.

Sales Strategies and Processes for a Glamping Business

To generate sales, focus on the following strategies:

Direct Bookings: The majority of your bookings will come through your website and phone calls. Make it easy for guests to check availability, view photos and details about your accommodations, amenities, and activities, and book instantly online. Provide a phone number for questions and booking by phone.

Online Travel Agencies: Actively manage your listings on glamping booking sites to keep them up to date with current rates and availability. These platforms do charge commissions of up to 20% but significantly expand your visibility and pool of potential guests.

Packages and Special Offers: Offer bundled packages that include extras like meals, activities, gifts, or event tickets. Run special promotions like 25% off midweek stays or third night free to drive sales during off-peak seasons. Promote offers through your website, email list, and social media.

Upselling: Train your staff to upsell guests to more premium accommodation options, additional amenities or activities, meal packages, or other extras during the booking process and check-in. Educating guests about all you offer encourages them to enhance their experience for a memorable stay.

Repeat Guests: Aim to provide such an exceptional experience that guests return again and again. Keep in touch with past guests through newsletters and special repeat guest discounts or perks. Loyal, repeat customers are key to the long-term success of your glamping business.

Partnerships: Work with local tourism boards, hotels, tour companies, and activity outfitters to cross-promote and sell add-on packages. For example, partner with a nearby resort to offer a package including a stay at your glamping site and access to the resort's amenities like golfing, spas, or fine dining. Partnerships open up new sales channels to reach each other's customers.

Operations and Execution

Operating a glamping business requires efficient processes and systems to ensure a high-quality experience for your guests. Key areas of focus include:

Staffing: Hire friendly, service-oriented staff to assist guests during their stay. Staff should have knowledge of the local area and available activities to provide recommendations. For larger glamping sites or those with food and beverage service, additional housekeeping, maintenance and kitchen staff may be required.

Check-In and Check-Out: Develop streamlined procedures for welcoming guests when they arrive and settling their bill when they depart. Provide tours of the facilities and accommodation during check-in. Make the check-out process quick and easy so guests can get on the road without hassle.

Housekeeping and Maintenance: Implement cleaning procedures and schedules to ensure all accommodation facilities, amenities, and public areas are well-maintained. Conduct regular inspections of tents, cabins, bathrooms, activity equipment, and the grounds. Perform necessary repairs and upkeep in a timely manner.

Food and Beverage: If offering meals or snacks, follow all health and safety regulations. Source high-quality, locally-produced ingredients. Train kitchen and wait staff on menu items, special dietary needs, and customer service.

Safety and Security: Install proper lighting, signage, fire response equipment, and security measures to keep guests and their belongings safe. Provide information on how to access emergency services if needed.

Reviews and Feedback: Monitor online reviews on sites like TripAdvisor and Google to address any issues and make improvements. Survey guests during and after their stay to ask about their experience and satisfaction. Make changes based on feedback to optimize operations and provide the best experience possible.

Legal Requirements and Regulations

Operating a glamping business comes with legal and regulatory requirements that vary based on your location and amenities offered. Be sure to research all permits, licenses, zoning laws, health and safety regulations, employment laws, and insurance needs required for your specific business. Some considerations may include:

•Permits and licenses to operate a tourism or hospitality business. Permits for building any permanent structures.

•Zoning regulations for commercial use of the land and any restrictions on types of structures or amenities allowed.

•Health department regulations if offering food and beverage service or activities like kayaking or rock climbing.

•Business licenses, sales tax collection, and income reporting requirements.

•Employer regulations including workers compensation, payroll taxes, overtime and minimum wage laws, and anti-discrimination policies.

•Liability waivers for guests to sign before participating in any activities.

•Property and liability insurance to protect your business in the event of injuries, accidents, natural disasters, or other unforeseen circumstances.

•Policies and procedures to properly handle guests' personal information and payments to comply with privacy laws.

Failure to comply with legal and regulatory requirements could result in significant fines and penalties or force you to cease operations. Do thorough research on the obligations for your location and business model to ensure you start and operate legally. Consult legal counsel if needed to clarify any uncertainties.

Start Your Glamping Business Adventure

If operating an outdoor hospitality business in a stunning natural setting appeals to you, starting a glamping business could be a rewarding path. The growing demand for local, experiential travel and staycations means the glamping industry is poised for continued growth. By focusing on a specific target market, providing high-quality accommodation and amenities, developing memorable guest experiences, and executing effective marketing and operational strategies, you can build a successful glamping business. While there are substantial costs and legal requirements involved, the potential for profitability and lifestyle benefits make glamping an attractive business opportunity for nature and hospitality enthusiasts. Now is the time to turn your dreams of escaping into nature into a thriving business adventure.