Glamping Business Americas | July/August 2021

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BOOKING SYSTEMS COMPARED

y t i n i f n To i ! d n o y e b d n a THE TIMELESS APPEAL OF VINTAGE TRAILERS AN INTERVIEW WITH CAMPV GLAMPING

TERRAMOR KOA’S GLAMPING BRAND

WHAT WE LOOK FOR IN A ROOM HONEYTREK

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN GLAMPING ASSOCIATION



Glamping Business Americas is published by The Glamping Show USA and Upgrade Publishing Address: 1129 Maricopa Hwy B150 Ojai, CA 93023 USA Publishers: Upgrade Publishing Steph Curtis-Raleigh e: steph@upgradepublishing.com

Welcome

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elcome to our July/August issue – which is packed with resources for the glamping operator! Our product focus for this issue is booking systems, so you can compare the features from the main suppliers. We have a fascinating feature on Terramor – the glamping brand launched by Kampgrounds of America, written by our contributing editor and friend Mike Gast. Anne and Mike from HoneyTrek bring us a low-down on what makes the perfect guest accommodation and they should know – they have been on the move since they got married in 2012! We look at sustainability and what you as a hospitality provider can do now to be more eco-friendly, as well as studying what guests want now as we start to emerge from lockdown and learn to live with the ongoing challenges of COVID. We also bring you an update on what you can expect from The Glamping Show in

Editor: Will Rusbridge e: editor@upgradepublishing.com Reporter/social media: Annie Hilton e: media@upgradepublishing.com Advertising sales: David Korse t: 1-805-258-2836 e: david@glampingshow.us Design: Melissa Douglass i for detail www.ifdetail.com www.glampingbusinessamericas.com Instagram @thisisglamping Facebook @thisisglamping Events: The Glamping Show USA w: www.glampingshow.us e: david@glampingshow.us The Glamping Show w: www.theglampingshow.com e: dan.w@theglampingshow.com © Upgrade Publishing Ltd. Glamping Business Americas is published four times a year. No reproduction of any part of the magazine is permitted, nor storage in a retrieval system without prior consent of the publisher. No commercial exploitation is permitted. No warranty is implied in respect of any product or trader mentioned herewith. Prizes offered in competitions might be substituted with ones of similar value.

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October this year. Excitement for the event has skyrocketed, with registrations for visitors running more than 200% ahead of the last face-to-face event held in 2019. So, make sure not to miss out and register now. We look forward to seeing you there!

David Korse

CONTENTS 05

Industry news and products

33

A short guide to vintage trailers

11

Letter from Ruben Martinez -

35

Sustainability, and what it means

AGA co-founder

for your glamping business

15

Guest experience by HoneyTrek:

40

Bring on The Glamping Show

Rooms to remember

USA 2021

19

Todd Wynne-Parry on 10 honest

41

Booking Systems

questions to ask yourself about your

glamping project

46

Online booking engine best practices

27

KOA’s Terramor glamping resort

with Gemma Todd-McVinish

by Mike Gast

29

CampV – Giving Vancorom

Artistic Licence

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NEWS & PRODUCTS USA TODAY 10BEST GLAMPING SPOT AWARDS The USA Today 10Best travel experts select the top 20 nominees in contests covering food, lodging, destinations, travel gear, things to do and many more. Then it’s up to members of the public to vote for their favorite entries in the hopes of getting them to the top 10, and maybe even the coveted number 1 spot. The “Best Glamping Spot” category includes 20 glamping spots that offer some of the best locations and amenities in the United States. The 20 nominees for the awards last year were whittled down to the top 10 by votes from members of the public with Little Arrow Outdoor Resort - Townsend, Tennessee taking first.

The top 10 for the Best Glamping Spot (2020) were:

1.

Nominees for this year’s award are:

• Alpenglow Luxury Camping – Glacier View, Alaska

• Asheville Glamping – Asheville, North Carolina

Little Arrow Outdoor Resort Townsend, Tennessee

2.

Collective Retreats - Multiple locations

3.

Conestoga Ranch - Garden City, Utah

4.

Black Tree Resort - Lake George, Colorado

5.

Sandy Pines Campground Kennebunkport, Maine

• Conestoga Ranch – Garden City, Utah

6.

Under Canvas - Multiple locations

• El Cosmico – Marfa, Texas

7.

Asheville Glamping Asheville, North Carolina

• Fancy Camps

8.

Alpenglow Luxury Camping Glacier View, Alaska

• Autocamp – Multiple locations • Black Tree Resort – Lake George Colorado • Collective Retreats – Multiple locations

• Firelight Camps – Ithaca, New York

9.

• Inn Town Campground – Nevada City, California

• Lake Placid/Whiteface Mtn. KOA – Wilmington, New York

• Little Arrow Outdoor Resort – Townsend, Tennessee

The Resort at Paws Up Greenough, Montana

10. Lake Placid / Whiteface Mtn.

KOA - Wilmington, New York

2020 WINNERS, LITTLE ARROW OUTDOOR RESORT

• Maine Huts & Trails – Maine

• Out N’ Abut Treehouse Treesort – Cave Junction, Oregon

• The Resort at Paws Up – Greenough, Montana • Royal Gorge Cabins – Canon, Colorado

• Sandy Pines Campground – Kennebunkport, Maine • Under Canvas – Multiple locations • Ventana Big Sur – Big Sur, California • Zion Wildflower Resort – Virgin, Utah

Voting for the award closes on Monday, July 19th at 12:00pm EDT, so if you want to make your voice heard, head over to 10best.com/awards/ travel/ and find the “Best Glamping Spot” section to cast your vote. Winners will be announced on Friday, July 30th, so make sure to check back then. g l a m p i n g s h o w. u s | G l a m p i n g B u s i n e s s A m e r i c a s | 0 5



NEWS & PRODUCTS BIG AND SMALL OAK BY DE WAARD Leading tent brand De Waard is delighted to announce their arrival in North America with a new partnership with EJH Events and Distribution ltd. The company will also be exhibiting at the Glamping Show in October. This uniquely designed accommodation is completely contemporary. Its large windows and rollable doors make sure guests can enjoy the outdoors life, with no compromise on comfort or quality. The Small Oak offers space for four

people, with the Big Oak accommodating 6, both with ample room for a living area, kitchen, and bathroom. The optional insulated inner tent offers a simple way to extend the rental season. The tent can be furnished entirely according to your wishes. You can do this yourself or through one of De Waard’s trusted partners. De Waard proudly controls all aspects of the manufacturing process of these quality, largely handmade, triple stitched, environmentally

sustainable structures. De Waard also offers repair services, and all products are designed for a long lifespan, with interchangeable parts for repairs to help minimize investment after the initial purchase. De Waard’s origins date back to 1948. As well as the Big and Small Oak, De Waard also has the Round Holly, Strong Willow, and Giant Fir in its range of tents designed specifically for campsites, mountain resorts, glamping resorts, hotel groups, and festivals. You can contact EJH via their website ejhevents.ca.

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE GLAMPING KIND One of the most extraordinary, extra-terrestial glamping experiences is currently on offer in Joshua Tree, California. It is an original Futuro House, one of only 85 in the world (19 of which are in the USA). It is now transformed into an off-grid glamping experience. AREA 55 utilizes solar power, outdoor hot showers and private restrooms and an outdoor kitchen. The door can be lowered using a wireless remote and the house is set in its own 5 acres. The property is listed on Airbnb.

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NEWS & PRODUCTS UNDER CANVAS ACADIA OPENS

FURTHER FUNDING FOR COLLECTIVE EXPANSION Peter Mack’s Collective Retreats has raised a further $23m this month, in order to expand. The luxury glamping brand has seen a 90% increase in bookings in the first 6 months of 2021 compared to the year before driven by the pandemic. Collective Retreats has raised $43m, to date and offers lodging in five locations, including Vail, Yellowstone, Governors Island in New York and a ranch in Wimberley, Texas. The new funding will help Mack acquire new properties in Aspen, the Green Mountains of Vermont and Sonoma County, California. It plans to open those retreats in 2022. There are also plans to open 25 further new locations over the next four years. International expansion is also being considered. The company is also looking at developing a new modular unit with a tent attached which will provide heating and air conditioning for seasonal locations. The $23 million funding round was led by New York-based Fireside Investments and outdoor marketplace Outdoorsy with participation from existing investors, including Washington D.C.based Revolution Ventures’ Rise of the Rest Seed Fund.

Under Canvas opened its latest camp this summer on 100 acres of waterfront in Surry, Maine – close to Acadia National Park. Under Canvas Acadia joins other glamping offers in the area including Terramor Outdoor Resort in Bar Harbor. The camp is set along Patton Bay and the Union River, with views of Mount Desert Island

and Cadillac Mountain and comprises of 63 tents in seven configurations, including two Cadillac Mountain suites – with two double tents joined by a deck and featuring a firepit. Under Canvas now has 9 sites, including another new camp in Utah which opened this year near Arizona’s Lake Powell and Grand StaircaseEscalante National Monument.

ECO HOTEL SUMMIT SUCCESS The Eco Hotel Restart Summit co-organized by Glamping Business Americas publisher Steph Curtis-Raleigh took place online last month. The event focused on the changed hospitality landscape and altered priorities of guests due to the ongoing pandemic. Speakers included Luca Franco and Graeme Labe of Luxury Frontiers, Cristián Roberts Castro, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, CREO Capital, Paul Gardiner CEO Mantis Collection & Bear Grylls Location Based Entertainment and our very own columnist Todd Wynne-Parry of Montare Hospitality

Advisors. The team are now organizing a series of ‘speed networking’ sessions for those wanting to make contacts in the green hospitality sector. Email steph@ecoresort.network to be added to the mailing list.

THE AVALON OPTIMUS BELL TENT IS FULL OF POSSIBILITIES The 23’ Avalon Optimus bell tent is one-of-a-kind in terms of spaciousness and versatility without sacrificing function, measuring 12 feet high at its center, over 6 feet high at its doors, and 3 feet high at its walls. It is made of 10.10 oz Army Duck Cotton Canvas, and treated with a PFC-free, odorless water repellent, mold and UV-resistant finish. It’s also available in a flame-retardant fabric option. As with all other White Duck tents, the Avalon Optimus Tent comes with a stove jack, windows, bug mesh, pockets and a ground sheet. This means you’ll be able to install a stove to stay

warm when it starts to get cold out. The incredibly spacious interior, 10 windows and 3 doors/entrances allow glamping operators to create a truly unique getaway. The walls of the Avalon Optimus Tent can even be rolled up, so that nothing comes between the guest and the outdoors. The most spacious and versatile glamping tent yet, the Avalon Optimus Tent also comes with an electric cable outlet for guests to stay connected while camping. For more information visit: www.whiteduckoutdoors.com

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Letter from AGA founder: NEW TO THE GLAMPING INDUSTRY? HERE ARE THE TOP PRIORITIES FOR NEW OPERATORS: BY RUBEN MARTINEZ

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here is no better time to develop than the present and through the AGA we are constantly working with operators and first time glamping business owners to help them find their version of their finish line. Even though no operation is the same and every business owner is looking to provide a unique experience to their guests, there have been several themes that have emerged over the years that are critical for new and expanding operators. As an operator, you are required to constantly wear and interchange multiple “hats” which are demanding on their own and you will be constantly juggling and sorting through a changing priority list.

“The most popular way to raise money for new operators is through a friends and family round, but be prepared for everything that comes with taking money from people you know and interact with on a consistent basis.” ACCESS TO CAPITAL

Here are the key items to think about and prioritize as you go through the planning process.

PERMITTING The most time consuming aspect of the initial process is choosing the correct property, because without the property there is no glamping. While there are several creative ways to acquire and lease property, the one large checkbox that is needed across all projects is to ensure that the property is properly zoned and permitted for the scope of the glamping project. Starting early is highly recommended as every county approaches these projects differently and this process typically takes longer than expected. Don’t be afraid to bring in local experts as well, because in the long run it will save you time, money and sanity.

The ability to access capital has gotten a bit easier over the years but that does not mean that it is easy. If you need to raise capital for your project there are more options now than ever but there are several key items to consider. The most popular way to raise money for new operators is through a friends and family round, but be prepared for everything that comes with taking money from people you know and interact with on a consistent basis. Banks for the most part are still categorizing these projects as higher risk so starting with a local credit union or a bank that you have history with is a great place to start those conversations. And until you have momentum and an active proof of concept, institutional investors will typically shy away from the project until they can be confident that there is a scalable aspect to your business.

PHASED APPROACH Don’t be afraid to take smaller bites. Often we have this grand vision of several properties and a full scale operation, but Rome wasn’t built in a day and the projects that have a smaller footprint to start but have speed to market are seeing some great early returns. Know that it is ok to execute a phased approach that allows you to leverage existing units and to validate some of your assumptions in a more contained manner and then roll out your second and third phase appropriately.

MENTOR If you haven’t been there, find those that have. A majority of the new operators we work with have never been in the hospitality space, so finding a mentor that has walked the path before you is a powerful and underutilized tool. In this industry we often feel that we have to go in this alone because in our traditional network we don’t have access to those with relevant glamping experience. But when you search it out you will find an industry of creative and hard working individuals and a community that knows what it is like to walk in your shoes so therefore is more than willing to help you along the way.

For more info please contact: https://americanglampingassociation.net/ info@americanglampingassociation.net

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s’mores, and look at the stars. If you have the space, but not the funds for a professionally made firepit, there is no shame in the good ole stackedrock ring. If you’re short on space or have forest fire concerns, gas firepit tables are an upscale and safe way to give guests that campfire feel. In the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, we stayed at The Ridge Outdoor Resort and they had limited outdoor space for each site, but with a safari tent that had a fabulous deck and click-on firepit, we felt we had it all.

THE INTERIOR Inviting, functional, clean, and stylish, are all attributes to strive for when decorating a glamping structure. Meet guests’ basic needs while delighting them with thoughtful touches and you’ll always have happy campers. The essentials: To guide your decor shopping, use this furniture and accessory checklist: doormat, rug, comfy bed, stylish comforter, clothing storage, waste and recycling baskets, mirror, seating, and ambient and task lighting. Even if your sites don’t have power, guests are going to need light and a way to charge their phone. Firelight Camps in Ithaca, New York solved this with Bare Bones Living Lanterns that are charming, shed ample light, and have USB ports to charge devices. If you offer a grill or outdoor kitchen at the site, make sure guests have the tools to enjoy it. When we stayed at Arapaho Valley Ranch, our wall tent had a hutch stocked with everything we needed (plates, silverware, pots, pans, cups, coffee percolator, cooking utensils, and a cooler) to have fun cookouts and coffee sessions. A word about storage: You work hard to create a beautiful space, but if you don’t have a place for guests to put their stuff, it can start to look like a tenement. At minimum, you should offer a luggage rack and coat rack, though an armoire is great for those who like to hang their clothes and others who just want to shut the door on their exploding luggage. Look and feel: Unlike the woodsman cabin, glamping has a lighter and more contemporary look. That, of course, can and should be interpreted in a thousand ways. To help you hone in on your camp’s style, go down the Pinterest rabbit hole. Just search the word “glamping” and let the imagery wash over you, while paying attention to the most popular photos and saving the ones that resonate with you. Take inspiration from other camps, but use your imagination to make it your own. Think about what’s unique to

Outdoor Resort, photo by HoneyTrek

your region. Is it known for a certain flower, bird, mountain, music, or chapter in history? What’s the story behind your specific piece of land and its predecessors? Visit your regional museum, talk to the locals, and shop at nearby antique stores. Channel an interesting element or character and let it guide your look. In San Miguel de Allende, street art is central to this central Mexican city’s style, so at Glamping San Miguel they commissioned an artist to create a mural across the room. At the Farm Sanctuary, an upstate New York non-profit that rescues abused farm animals, each tiny house is named after one of their most beloved animals and decorated with their respective goat, cow, or turkey-themed accents.

THOUGHTFUL TOUCHES Even if interior design is not your strong suit, thoughtfulness can be. Here are a few touches to let guests know you anticipated their arrival with love and care. A personalized welcome: We know you have prepared your room for hundreds of glampers, but each guest wants to feel it was made just for them. Write a handwritten note—it will instantly endear them to you. Your message could be as simple as a framed chalkboard that says “Welcome Smith Family” or as elaborate as Honaunau Farm with a watercolor card, vase of flowers, and basket of freshly picked fruit. If your property has a bounty of wildflowers, a small bunch or even a single stem in a bud vase makes the room feel fresh and romantic without any added cost. If you really want guests to raise a glass to your fantastic hospitality, give them a bottle of wine. Guest guide: A good guest manual sets the tone for the stay. It’s an opportunity to tell your guests about the camp, your journey to create it, and how to make the most of their time. Include maps of the area and your property. Hand-drawn versions add whimsy, and at their best feel like a treasure hunt. In addition to on-site activities, list your favorite nearby restaurants, shops, hikes, and swimming holes; guests always appreciate local insights.

glamping, or poetry give guests a reason to lounge in the hammock or deck chair. A vintage board game and a deck of cards invites laughter and healthy competition. We loved that Hoshinoya Kyoto put out a calligraphy paint set so we could try our hand at Japanese characters. At Woodstock Way (in the New York town of the famed 1960s music festival) they had record players with albums curated by local artists, and it had us playing DJ and dancing around the room. (Stay tuned for more fun on-site activity ideas in the Guest Experience by HoneyTrek column!) Remember that it’s only when guests’ needs are met, that they can appreciate the finer details and fully enjoy where they are. Design your space with intention and from the heart and guests will fall in love.

About Mike & Anne Howard Traveling for 9 years across 62 countries, Mike and Anne Howard are global travel experts with a specialty in glamping. They launched HoneyTrek.com to chronicle their journey and have since written National Geographic’s bestselling book Ultimate Journeys for Two, as well as Comfortably Wild—the first travel guide on glamping in North America. Earning a Lowell Thomas Journalism Award for their guidebook and a seat on the American Glamping Association Board of Advisors, they work hard for the glamping community. Established tent manufacturers to budding glampgrounds have partnered with the Howards for their multifaceted skill set as photographers, writers, influencers, and consultants to improve their guest experience and share it with the world. Visit HoneyTrek.com/GlampingExperts

Diversions: Help guests unplug with some oldschool pastimes. Beautiful books about the area, g l a m p i n g s h o w. u s | G l a m p i n g B u s i n e s s A m e r i c a s | 1 7



10 HONEST QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF ABOUT YOUR GLAMPING PROJECT BY TODD WYNNE-PARRY

The folks on cabin porch - Yonder Escalante/Photo: Nomadic People

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he glamping sector of the hospitality industry is experiencing a rush of new players. These include many who have never worked in hospitality, but now have a vision for an experiential accommodation development. Much of my time these days is spent working with these visionaries and entrepreneurs during the formative stages of their projects. This article touches on the key questions I ask early in these engagements, but some of these are still relevant post-opening or even at the stabilization phase of a project or a brand portfolio.

1. WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? I am using the plural form here (we) because the visionary will not be able to achieve their dream without a support team or at least a few employees. At some point they will have to persuade someone to assist, invest or work with you. Having a credible “why” will be an essential foundation for this discussion. Your “why” can be anywhere on the spectrum from “just want to make money” to “creating a better world and an amazing lifestyle in the process”. Either way, “Why are we doing this?” is a great place to start. The answer then should be an on-going guiding principle for all stakeholders.

2. WHAT IS THE VISION? The visionary or visionaries need to be very clear about the general and the specifics of the vision. The general vision could be “to create a sustainable oasis for adventure travelers near state parks”. The specific or the “how” of this vision could be that “each guest will be accommodated in a safari tent with ensuite bathrooms and have access to a 3-course gourmet meal”. The vision must be in line with the “why” and strike the balance of being economically viable (of course) and deliverable at each location. The vision also needs to be achieved in each season and across all guest profiles. That is, each property should be able to stand alone financially, the guest experience should fulfill the vision in each season and for each guest segment whether it is a couple, a family or a group participant.

3. WHAT IS THE PRICE POINT? It goes without saying this is a key question and one that can be difficult to answer. Currently, there is limited data in the marketplace on what people are willing to pay to stay at comparable glamping or eco-hotel property. In addition, stateof-the-art revenue management technology with dynamic pricing models keep rates fluctuating throughout the seasons and between weekends and mid-weeks. It is advisable to invest in an

Photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash

independent market feasibility study to confirm your room rate expectations. Positive results of such a study can then be used in the process of securing both equity and debt for your project. Our work on such studies is growing due to both the excitement around the industry and the need for institutional investors to have sophisticated analysis and supportable projections.

4. WHO ARE YOUR GUESTS AND WHY WILL THEY STAY WITH YOU? This is a foundational question that many visionaries struggle to answer. Yet this answer will literally guide your facilities and programming direction. It needs to be answered in the context of both demographics and psychographics. An equally important follow-on question is: Who will be staying at your property in the off-season, mid-week or during slower demand periods? Will it be small social or corporate groups? If it is, you may need to consider meeting space, clustered accommodation units or separate communal fire pits. Will it be digital nomads? If so, you will need to include co-working space and great wi-fi into your facilities program.

5. DOES THE PROJECT STACK UP FINANCIALLY? As most small businesses fail due to a lack of cash reserves, this question could also be: Do you have enough cash to weather the ramp-up period? Having a financial cushion in this sector of the industry is critical as the properties are subject to the irregularities of nature. Fires, floods, and severe weather systems are the norm, not the exception. So having both practical and financial back up plans are essential in the world of outdoor experiential accommodation. This is the one question where brutal honesty is required. Do you have enough money?

6. DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT LEADER? I have seen hotels in tough markets located in “C” sites with “B” level properties and “A+” General Managers that consistently outperform their competitive set of hotels. It is an understatement to say the GM is a key position. This person should be a brand ambassador (meaning they live and breathe the company vision), with the ability to attract, develop, and retain an effective team while maintaining a positive work culture.

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7. IS YOUR PROPERTY ABLE TO OPERATE YEAR-ROUND OR ONLY SEASONALLY? This is a perplexing question for some of my current projects. In many cases the answer is quite clear that the property will only be open seasonally. In this case, all plans, logistics and employees will be aligned with this abbreviated opening schedule. In other locales, the question is not that easily determined and the cost/benefit of staying open through the off-season needs to be carefully analyzed. Currently, in several US destination markets the high or shoulder seasons are extending annually. I believe this trend will continue as domestic guests are seeking more local adventures. Additionally, international guests chose to visit based on when they can travel regardless of the destination’s prime season.

8. IS YOUR SITE DESIGNED SYMBIOTICALLY WITH NATURE? This was a major topic at the recent Eco Hotel Restart Summit. This challenging question is aimed at pushing developers to work with the land, its topography, precipitation patterns and micro-climates. Ideally, your act of developing the site will not be a negative to the local environment or community. That is, the goal is to design your property to have as light an impact on the land as possible. As a developer in this sector, it should be

taken further than that. Have you re-introduced native flora or fauna to the site or enhanced any of its micro eco-systems? This is a challenging question you can ask annually to make sure you are being the best custodian of your section of this Earth.

9. ARE YOU LISTENING? Are you reading the guest survey comments and acting upon them to actively improve the guest experience? What about the employees? Are you keeping tabs on the pulse of the team’s esprit de corps and rectifying consistently raised issues? Are you listening to the local community? Are they pleased you have entered the market and are providing patrons to their shops and other services? Listening is very difficult, but it is essential to on-going and sustainable success.

10. ARE YOU HAVING FUN YET? Seriously. Are you having fun with this project? Are you and your team members keeping realistic work/life balances? Are you eliminating toxic

“Your team culture will directly affect the guest experience and therefore determine if you are realizing the vision.”

employees or toxic relationships in the workplace? Is the culture of the property light, supportive and quality driven? Your team culture will directly affect the guest experience and therefore determine if you are realizing the vision. Sometimes when I ask the above questions, there is a blank stare from my clients. This indicates that the question I have asked has not been contemplated or has been ignored. These questions are raw and honest. But the industry sector needs a robust and sustainable pipeline of new successful properties. So please drop the ego, be real with yourself and ask these tough questions. Your noble and altruistic vision depends on it.

About Todd G. Wynne-Parry The founder and CEO of Montare Hospitality Advisors (an M&A and advisory group dedicated to the Glamping and boutique lodging sectors), Todd has more than 30 years of hotel development and acquisitions experience, having held senior leadership positions at several major hotel brands and most recently as Chief Growth Officer at AutoCamp. A dual-citizen of Australia and the United States, Wynne-Parry has lived and worked in the U.S., Asia, Australia and the United Kingdom. He was instrumental in the development efforts for IHG, Starwood and Marriott in the Asia Pacific region and for Commune and Two Roads Hospitality globally. Todd earned an MBA from Thunderbird Graduate School of International Management and his BA from Alma College. He is the treasurer of the Board of Directors of the U.S. Development Trust for Scotland’s University of Aberdeen and is an advisor to the American Glamping Association. As a devout outdoorsman and fly fisherman, he resides on the Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon, but prefers the open road towing his vintage Airstream Flying Cloud.

The drive-in shot- Yonder Escalante/Photo: Aleks Danielle

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KOA’S TERRAMOR

GLAMPING RESORT OFF TO A FAST START DESPITE OPENING DURING A PANDEMIC BY MIKE GAST

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hen Kampgrounds of America Inc. decided to build an exclusive glamping resort a few years ago near Bar Harbor, Maine, KOA leaders felt the company’s 60 years of experience in family camping would provide a distinct advantage. After all, with 520 campground locations across North America KOA has long been the world’s largest provider of traditional family camping. The company also claimed to be the largest provider of glamping experiences in the world, with thousands of glamping tents, teepees, Deluxe Cabins and other accommodations on their existing parks. Kampgrounds of America created a new brand for glamping called “Terramor” and set out to transform an existing KOA campground near the gates of Acadia National Park into an exclusive 64-tent showpiece glamping resort. They were all set to open in May 2020.

Then came COVID-19. “All of our plans went out the window that spring,” said Whitney Scott, chief operating officer for KOA’s Terramor operation, and KOA’s chief marketing officer. “We didn’t get to open as we had planned. It was difficult to hire staff, and guests were just not able to get there.” The pandemic’s effect on the global supply chain also left Terramor waiting for everything from sheets to lampshades. Staff raced to put on the finishing touches, and Terramor finally opened for business on August 1, 2020 with 64 stylish glamping tents (all but four with full bathrooms attached) as well as a newly constructed lodge that rivals anything you’d see at a top-end ski resort. “Overall, we ended the year with more than 77% occupancy, which is great considering where we started from,” Scott said. What KOA now has in Bar Harbor is a glamping experience that somewhat bridges the gap between a high-end version of traditional g l a m p i n g s h o w. u s | G l a m p i n g B u s i n e s s A m e r i c a s | 2 5



camping and a full-blown, do-it-all-for-you luxury glamping resort. Yet even though KOA brought nearly six decades of campground management experience to the table, creating the Terramor glamping experience brought a few surprises. “We learned that there are different expectations for guests looking for pure luxury compared to those who are looking for something a little more rustic,” Scott said. “We were surprised by what was seemed extremely important to a glamping guest that we just wouldn’t be important to campers on the traditional camping side.” For instance, traditional campers expect to either bring their own firewood, or purchase wood at the store when they arrive. “At Terramor, we learned that providing free wood upon their arrival wasn’t going to be enough of an upgrade,” Scott said. “We had to adjust to the demands of the glampers. Now, wood is completely free all during their stay. Wood seems like a small thing, but it’s an example of how we had to constantly be looking for ways to upgrade our services to meet glamper’s expectations.” Terramor managers also didn’t escape many of the challenges faced by traditional campground owners. In fact, some of those challenges were magnified. “We quickly found out that Terramor was very likely the first outdoor experience for many of our guests,” said Scott. “Our guests really didn’t know how to behave in an outdoor setting.” As an example, Scott said that glampers are often unaware of how sound carries when your accommodation is made from canvas. “They just aren’t aware of how noisy staying in a tent can be,” she said. “Sound-wise, tent glamping is a lot less private than staying in a hard-sided accommodation, no matter how much space there is between tents.” Scott said Terramor staff now sends out a special SMS text reminder message to glamper’s phones every night that says, in effect, “Enjoy the sounds of nature tonight, instead of the sounds of each other.”

STAFFING DURING THE PANDEMIC KOA also discovered that staff skills on a traditional campground didn’t translate well to the Terramor Resort. “We found out that we had to have a more hotel-trained staff than a campground-trained staff,” she said. “That was true even with the food services we provided. Glamping food services has much more in common with a nice restaurant than what you would traditionally find on a campground, so you have to staff accordingly.”

Staffing challenges brought on by the pandemic also forced Terramor to adapt its meal offerings. Glampers are now offered an extensive complimentary “grab and go” breakfast that includes cereals, oatmeal and fresh local pastries and muffins. Lunch became a pre-packed picnic lunch, ready to go in its own cooler. “The idea is that we wanted to encourage guests to be off the property during the day, exploring the area,” Scott said. “They are in Bar Harbor and right next to Acadia National Park. There is a lot to see here.” Dinners at the Terramor Lodge are prepared by a kitchen staff using a counter service model with a menu that focuses on local ingredients and flavors. The wood-fired pizza oven at the Lodge is also always available and is always busy throughout the evening, she said. A bar at Terramor also provides local microbrews, wines and custom cocktails. Scott said the summer of 2021 has been the true “launch year” for Terramor, and managers and staff are still learning as they go. “We now know that Terramor is much more like a hotel operation, but in the outdoors,” she said. “Those traditional ‘back of house’ items that a guest never sees at a hotel are areas that we are focusing on now with Terramor, too. We have had to expand our resources to provide things that we now know a ‘glampground’ needs that likely a campground does not.”

MARKETING TO A NEW OUTDOOR GUEST “We know that there is a leisure traveler who is very interested in the glamping experience, but not necessarily the traditional camping experience,” Scott said. “We see our niche for Terramor as a glamping customer who wants a bit of a traditional camping experience, but doesn’t want to get their shoes too dirty,” she laughed. “They want a refined experience in the outdoors, and they are willing to pay for that experience.” Terramor is currently charging a $400-per-night average rate, and seeing very little rate resistance. “Our Net Promoter Score has risen all of the way to 68, so we know we are on the right track,” she said.

MORE TERRAMORS ON THE WAY

be looking to expand and provide the Terramor experience in many more places.” She said while national parks are always likely targets for new Terramors, the concept won’t be limited to adjacent park locations. “We will be looking for more Terramor sites around points of natural interest,” she said. “We want places that are certainly ‘in-demand’ destinations that people want to explore but don’t have the level of experience that Terramor offers.”

Scott said KOA has plans to eventually add several more Terramor locations each year as the brand expands. “This is really our test year in Bar Harbor,” said said. “We are still trying to figure out how this brand expands, and what elements are important for every Terramor location to have. But we will

Mike Gast was the Vice President of Communications for Kampgrounds of America, Inc. for the past 20 years. Now, he’s on to new adventures, helping others tell their stories through his freelance company, ‘Imi Ola Group. You can reach Mike at mike.imiolagroup@gmail.com.

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So, I think this location chose me!” says Natalie. CampV officially opened in April 2021; Covid slowed down Natalie’s plans for the site, but there was a silver lining, “The pandemic delayed our opening as the availability and cost of materials went up towards the end of the construction. We had to pivot, but on the flip side more people began venturing to this remote part of the State and discovering how much there is to explore.” Art is an integral aspect of the experience offered at Camp V that draws people from all over the world. The idea for this was created by Natalie and her business partners Bruce and Jodie Wright, who are founders of an architecture firm, “We met at an incredible project they had just completed in Telluride 12 years ago,” says Natalie. “We always connected on our involvement in the local arts in Telluride and kept coming back to the conversation that we needed to spread this to the other [rural] communities and how important the arts are to community building. On a basic level, we all really enjoy sending each other inspiring art and it’s been super fun to bring some of these ideas to life and work on future ideas.” Natalie hopes guests will connect with the history of the land as well as with the artistic interpretation. “I think interacting with art is such a personal experience that we hope it brings curiosity and joy at the most basic level. On a higher level, we want to start a conversation about how rural communities deserve access to art - amazing art. We started a non-profit called WE Arts (or West End Arts) and our mission is to bring people together and start a conversation about the history and future of these small rural communities… many of which were based in the extraction industries… what is life like after the coal mines shut down? We believe art is a great avenue and connector to a new path.” A lot of the art on site has been repurposed from what could be found in the area. Upcycling, which is growing in popularity across the globe, is important to Natalie, “It has been a major tenet and goal of ours. At the property, we reused as much as we could - there was an old vintage bus

we turned into a lounge and most recently an artist came and transformed in to a speakeasy art lounge - we bought an old water tank from the town and it is now a sound chamber for singing… the local coal power plant is in the process of being dismantled and we bought pieces and transformed them into art so this part of history can be restored - we are in the process of turning the old sheds into workshops. The bus is probably my favorite!” There are a number of different accommodation types available at CampV, including 12 historic cabins which have been fully restored, “The cabins were built in 1942 by the mining company. They were completely gutted and have all the modern amenities and touches. They were built to be modeled after an East Coast Main Street, so we had to play with the existing layout and topography of the property to add additional accommodations.” says Natalie. “We developed the lower 12 acres of the property along the river as a primitive camp that features a magic bus lounge, swimming pond and art structures. There are 3 new airstreams, 3 glamping tents and 8 full hook-up sites called

Hook Up Town. We felt it was important from the beginning to offer a variety of options and price points to be inclusive and diverse. The lower river camp is so peaceful and wild that we have maintained the peace and wilderness aspect of sleeping next to the river in a tent. The Airstreams and Glamping Tents were chosen to create an opportunity for guests to try other ways to experience and sleep at the property and to give options for larger groups when they buy out the entire property.” As well as the public art on display throughout the camp, the site also features star gazing (the community was just designated as a Dark Sky community), communal fire pits, a bath house, local food boxes, WiFi, record players (in cabins) swimming pond with floating docks and canoes. As well as operating as a glamping site, CampV also hosts a number of events each year with an emphasis on connection and quality time, “Burning Van is our premier event that feels like a mini Burn experience, but with the water experience (the swimming pond and river). We’ve had a Fashion Show, Mountain Film movie series, spoken word mixed with music experience and fun and intimate concerts. Much of the process has been organic and come to us through relationships or word of mouth. It’s been such a fun journey to have friends reach out and support us by making introductions to their amazing friends. So far, it’s all been such a perfect fit to host them at CampV.” Plans for the future are looking bright and include not only CampV but also WE Arts, “For CampV: unique programming, community events, being open to how we need to evolve to best serve our supporters and the community. We also want to continue to build our non-profit WE Arts public art presence at CampV and the surrounding community.”

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A SHORT GUIDE TO

VINTAGE TRAILERS

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stay in a vintage trailer would best be described as glamping rather than actual “camping.” Most people are drawn to the iconic shape of mid-century aluminum and the warm wood interiors of a trailer manufactured before the bicentennial. Memories of camping as a child or just an appreciation for the past can stir emotions and desires. Admirers and dreamers can satisfy their yearnings to play in the past by purchasing a vintage trailer or by renting one. Owning a piece of travel history does not fit into everyone’s lifestyle. RV Resorts and AirBnBs have realized the demand for travelers that want a glimpse of yesteryear. Many are offering the vintage trailering experience as an option for curious temporary tenants. For old souls that do not have a vintage trailer, they can have a similar experience renting one in an upscale park, on a private farm, or remote

desert hilltop. Travelers may opt for a vintage trailer stay for a special occasion or a unique stop on a road trip adventure. For people curious about the nostalgia of an old trailer, many are likely to fall in love with the mid-century styling and want one for their own. If restoring, maintaining, and storing one does not scare them away, staying in a trailer for a few nights will give them an idea if they would like to own their own vintage trailer. We encourage them to visit a rally during the open house to see many different models of RVs and get a feel for what they like. They may even find one for sale. Before the 1970s, trailers were crafted from natural wood and had a warmer retro feel. From the 70s on, cheaper plastics and veneers lined the interior, and streamlined body styles gave way for a boxier, easier to mass-produce exterior styling. The charm of handcrafted pre-war coaches would be a thing of the past. After WW2, the abundance

of aluminum used for riveting together planes for the war effort found a new use as siding for camping trailers. Hundreds of small companies popped up. Many were building the “canned ham” trailers that were iconic shapes on the horizon in the 1950s. This style of trailer remains popular today. Unfortunately, their wood frames and lack of a bathroom probably do not make them the best candidate for a glamping lodging rental.

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“Silver Twinkies,” like Airstreams, Streamlines, Silver Streaks, Avions, Argosy, and other similar trailers, have aluminum frames and siding. The aluminum construction resists water damage more than the wood-framed trailers and can make for a sturdier trailer. All campers have plywood subfloors. Therefore, regardless of wall frame construction material, old trailers are susceptible to leaks and dry rot. Wood frame and subfloor repairs are doable. You can hire this type of work or tackle it yourself if you are handy. We recommend spending a little more money to find something in better condition. Spending a little more upfront may save you some time and grief if your plan is to restore a trailer. If you are adventurous, have some skills, and a vision of a custom build, try to locate an abandoned project that has already been gutted. This will save you work, money and time. The twinkie shape of the trailer brands mentioned earlier does have a downside. The rounded walls typically mean shorter ceilings

and lower windows. The aerodynamic shape is excellent for traveling, but a Spartan trailer may be better suited for lodging accommodations. The Manor models of the 1950s were typically used as park models. Their boxy shape and substantial front windows make them airier and more spacious inside. The larger models over 30’ are less appealing to the vintage camper crowd. Because of this, they may be more plentiful for a permanent park fixture. The flat wall and ceiling panels are easy to replace. (Builder tip: Save the original curved corner pieces for patterns. These can be tricky to make new from scratch. The shape is irregular, and you will save a lot of time tracing an old one. If not, build a template with poster board until you get a shape that fits.) There are hundreds of brands of vintage trailers, and they are all serviceable. Choose styles you like and have fun decorating them. You can go traditional, modern, or choose a themed trailer. Each type will appeal to different guests. Adding a vintage trailer or two (or more) to your property will open you up to a traveler with the vision of glamorous camping that does not include dirt. You may find restorable park model trailers in older mobile home parks or storage yards or the classifieds at www.vintagecampertrailers.com. Unfortunately, an actual original vintage trailer may be too fragile for the general public. Some retrofitting and updating will probably have to be done to make an old trailer user-friendly. Outfitting each trailer with extensive plumbing and cooking fixtures can be difficult and expensive. Shared kitchen space and/or bathhouse will free

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up space inside of your campers. Smaller trailers can be utilized as private sleeping bungalows and for guests to have a personal retreat area. This setting gives it the “campy” feel and a social environment for friends, groups, and those looking for adventure. If you have space, a vintage trailer could become the centerpiece of your property. Who knows, we might get you hooked and see you at a rally.

About the authors Paul Lacitinola and his wife Caroline have watched their kids grow up in the vintage trailer hobby for over 12 years. They are fortunate to own vintage trailers and glamp at vintage trailer rallies year-round. They host several events every year called Trailerfest, Glamperfest, and Boot Camp. Boot Camp is a vintage trailer restoration learning experience where participants learn how to restore vintage RVs from the pros. The other events have crazy themes, food trucks, live bands where long weekends are consumed playing in the past. With 100-300 trailers attending, they get together with as many as 600 of their closest friends at the sold-out rallies! The Lacitinola’s have authored two books on the hobby and have published the Vintage Camper Trailers Magazine since 2011. www.vintagecampertrailers.com www.buyvintagetrailers.com www.periodevents.com


y t i l i b a n i Susta

AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOUR GLAMPING BUSINESS

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lmost from the start of the lockdown, people started to prize the environment and environmental issues more than before. There may be a number of reasons for this – firstly in the midst of a crisis it’s easier to accept that crises can happen. When we are cocooned by routine, we feel protected from change. But there’s in fact nothing more certain in life than change. It’s also the case that restricted access to the outdoors made us all appreciate the healing power of nature and how much we need it. The thought of fewer planes polluting the skies and fewer cruise ships polluting the seas made us feel that by

doing nothing we were doing something to make the planet heal. Stories on social media abounded of dolphins being spotted in Venice canals and wolves returning to urban streets – some were true, some were not, but they captured the mood. In the longer-term as we emerged – overseas

In the wake of COVID-19, economic volatility, exposed inequalities, the climate crises and social justice movements, businesses have been challenged to their core. This is driving many leading firms to reconfirm their commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, ESG and racial justice

travel remained out of bounds for most of us and therefore we were forced to look at our own countries for staycations. We found treasures on our own doorsteps. We learned to appreciate our surroundings, to slow down and think more about how we wish to travel in future.

causes. A few leading firms are taking these pledges even further and setting new work standards that align with their values and enable them to govern the translation of these values into practice. The World Economic Forum

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A 2020 global survey by management consultancy firm Accenture said that consumers “have dramatically evolved”, and that 60% were reporting making more environmentally friendly, sustainable, or ethical purchases since the start of the pandemic. Accenture added that nine out of 10 of that percentage said were likely to continue doing so. Meanwhile, a study by research group Kantar said that since Covid-19 sustainability was more of a concern for consumers than before the outbreak. And 65% of global respondents told a survey by pollsters Ipsos Mori “that it is important that climate change is prioritized in the economic recovery after coronavirus”. Source BBC News

WORK/LIFE BALANCE This has probably been the most transformative aspect of the lockdowns, for those who are lucky enough to have access to computers and the internet and are able to work from home. We can now expect an explosion in creative workspaces as we learn that careers can be managed from anywhere. The Digital Nomad movement will be huge as people take their work with them, rediscover the joys of slow travel, living and working around the world and creating new communities with like-minded nomads. It’s also a massive opportunity for hospitality providers as brands such as Selina.com have already proved. There is no doubt that we are mentally prepared to restart our lives and businesses in a more conscious way, to do more with less and think about what is good for us and the planet. Importantly, when we consider how we are doing mentally – we can understand how our guests of the future will be feeling too and we can design our hospitality offer to be sensitive to those needs. It’s no coincidence that spending on wellness has grown at double the rate of any other type of hospitality spend. We are not only feeling

more stressed, we are also more aware of the fact that we are in need of looking after, that it’s OK to not feel OK and we are willing to spend more time and money on feeling better about ourselves.

Our latest research shows that consumers care deeply about wellness—and that their interest is growing. In a survey of roughly 7,500 consumers in six countries,1 79 percent of the respondents said they believe that wellness is important, and 42 percent consider it a top priority. In fact, consumers in every market we researched reported a substantial increase in the prioritization of wellness over the past two to three years. We estimate the global wellness market at more than $1.5 trillion, with annual growth of 5 to 10 percent. A rise in both consumer interest and purchasing power presents tremendous opportunities for companies, particularly as spending on personal wellness rebounds after stagnating or even declining during the COVID-19 crisis. At the same time, the wellness market is getting increasingly crowded, creating the need to be strategic about where and how companies compete. McKinsey & Company: Feeling good: The future of the $1.5 trillion wellness market Once you have developed a business ethos that makes you happy and that respects the people around you and the planet, you need a team to help you to turn this into a reality. In hospitality, this is more important than ever, because you cannot be everywhere at all times connecting with the guest at every point of contact. Your staff need to be the embodiment of your ethos – your business partners need to have skills that can move your business forward and maybe talents you don’t have yourself. Trying to do everything yourself may be tempting for small businesses but it is actually a recipe for disaster. Value your time as though you were paying yourself by the hour.

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Sense of place is also important in the context of providing experiences. From city hotels to resorts, hotels are increasingly offering a sense of place in response to the trend to offer more authentic and meaningful experiences. Examples include: • cultural and destination immersion, as well as active involvement in local activities and engagement with the local community; • an appreciation of the natural environment with guided tours of the local habitat with conservationists, naturalists and ornithologists; • and understanding of the local history and culture.

“Your relationships will either make you or break you and there is no such thing as a neutral relationship. People either inspire you to greatness or pull you down in the gutter, it’s that simple. No one fails alone, and no one succeeds alone.” ERIC THOMAS, THE SECRET TO SUCCESS A SENSE OF PLACE The location of your hospitality business is another major factor which will determine your

success. As an environmentally friendly glamping site – respecting the environment is a given but it should also be a major factor in how you design your resort, what local building materials you use, what local craftspeople you employ, how you connect with your community and neighboring businesses and how you let your guests connect with them as well. When all of this comes together in harmony, that’s when the magic happens. Through a sense of place and respect for the history of the land, we know of glamping sites that are involved in conservation, rewilding of flora and fauna, who have revitalized communities which were dwindling as the youth left to find jobs in cities. We hear stories of education and drug rehabilitation programs, preservation of historical monuments and so much more. These stories inspire the staff who work in the hotels, the guests and the wider world to believe that positive change is possible and achievable.

For luxury hotel brands, providing a sense of place through experiences is also an opportunity to demonstrate key characteristics of luxury such as authenticity, craftsmanship and exclusivity; and in so doing, create unique brand experiences. Six Senses, for example, has always been about providing a culturally local experience. The group’s aim is to integrate this into each of their properties through “…brilliant design that incorporates regional architecture and landscaping. This results in an extraordinary cultural offering with a strong sense of place.” This is carried through all that Six Senses does from sourcing of local information for guests from books about the local environment, its history, culture and traditions, as well as the natural habitat. Hospitalitynet Luxury Hotels and a ‘Sense of Place’: Brand Identity and Experiences by Susanne Godfrey

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FINDING THE MONEY The brutal truth is that without money, many wonderful sustainable glamping sites will not get off the ground. However, if you have the selfbelief, the great ethos, the supportive team which have been outlined in our previous sections – your investors will be much easier to win over. Eco Hospitality is currently enjoying a lot of interest among investors and developers, so we can expect a great deal of competition in the sector over the next few years. What does this mean from an environmental standpoint? It possibly means there will be more projects using ‘green’ and ‘eco’ to market themselves with varying levels of justification. It also means that a lot of investors will be looking for larger amounts to lend for higher returns. Ultimately it means that some worthy businesses may not make the cut and some less than worthy ones will but no matter how hard we want to succeed – it’s really important to be honest with ourselves. Is the idea really different?

Is there a market for it? Does the business plan stack up? Is the land in the right location? While it’s essential to have passion – it’s also essential not to let that passion blind us to weaknesses in our plan that investors may spot and could ultimately lead to heartbreak and failure later down the line.

security as they start to travel again. We need to soften our approach and offer them flexibility and guarantees that they will be safe when they stay with us. Now is a good time to think about the stories we are telling and if they are right for the world we live in now.

TELLING YOUR STORY

NEVER STOP LEARNING

From the very first step of your journey in establishing a sustainable glamping business, you will be required to communicate what makes your idea special. By doing this you will bring others on board with your vision, family, friends, partners, investors, staff and ultimately guests. You will need to keep on telling that story, on social media, in your marketing and to the wider press in order to be successful. But not everyone is a natural storyteller and people need different stories for different times of their lives. Right now, we need to talk to our guests in a different way – we need to offer them more

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If you fail, never give up because F.A.I.L. means “First Attempt In Learning” - End is not the end, in fact E.N.D. means “Effort Never Dies” - If you get No as an answer, remember N.O. means “Next Opportunity”. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam


fresh perspective which can disrupt things for the better. Who would have thought that tented camps and resorts – essentially fancy camping – might be the luxury trend to watch in hospitality a decade ago?

WHAT WE CAN DO NOW There are a number of things that glamping sites can do now to fight climate change and support our communities and guests coming out of the pandemic.

1. Remove all possible single use plastics from our operations – including those that are ‘hidden’

2. Reduce reliance on fossil fuels and switch to Renewable Energy Sources

3. Look at how accessible our hospitality businesses are and do better

4. Examine our policies on racial, gender and sexual discrimination and how effective they are

5. Educate our guests to respect the environment and help them understand our communities and support them by encouraging the use of bikes, electric vehicles and public transport

Perhaps the greatest weapon we have against the climate crisis, as well as the other great problems of the world is education. To keep on learning is to be open to new ideas, to stay young in our outlook and to understand the world from an other’s point of view. The great visionaries of our hospitality industry and many other industries are people who never stop learning from others, no matter how successful they already are. We learn from success but there’s no doubt we learn more from our mistakes and once we

recognize that we can see that they are steps on the path to success. Keeping an open mind is not always easy but it is essential when it comes to understanding the needs of our guests, the different cultures of the world and the demands of running a business. Whether your glamping vision is big or small – experience is not necessarily a pre-requisite for success – but it definitely helps. Sometimes, though a lack of specific industry experience can mean that people look at a situation with a

6. Encourage guests to visit in low season or as digital nomads

7. Support carbon offsetting and carbon removal and encourage guests to do the same

8. Study the policies of our suppliers and only support those who share our ethos.

9. Do not encourage our guests to visit attractions that are not environmentally friendly or engage in cruelty to animals

10. Make a declaration at Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency and stick to it.

Read this excellent article: Three Steps to Decarbonize Your Hotel from Paloma Zapata, Chief Executive Officer, Sustainable Travel Internationa, May 09, 2021

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Bring On

THE GLAMPING SHOW USA 2021 “There is no other opportunity in the Americas (let alone the US) where visitors can see and experience a larger range of products and services targeted specifically to the business of glamping. It would take weeks (or months) to accomplish the same research, diligence and shopping as can be accomplished in just 2 days at the show. If you own a glamping business, or are thinking of getting into the industry, this really is an event that cannot be missed.” Steph Curtis-Raleigh, Glamping Business Americas Publisher.

T

he Glamping Show USA is getting ever closer and is set to take place from the 5th to the 6th of October 2021. The first US based, face-to-face glamping show since the pandemic, the event will once again be held at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds Event Center in Colorado. The 2021 show is shaping up to be the biggest and best yet, having grown by more than 100% over the last face-to-face event that was held in 2019, with several more commitments expected soon. The Glamping Show USA team have made sure that suppliers exhibiting at the event will cover every corner of the industry. Acting as a one stop shop event, no matter what you’re looking for, you’ll find it at The Glamping Show USA. International exhibitors have also increased, and this year represent the US, Canada, Mexico (first time), England, Ireland, Netherlands, South Africa, Australia and Japan (first time), making this a truly global event. Visit the show to be inspired by products and services that you might not have otherwise known about. Of the 60+ suppliers who are already exhibiting at the show, 27 of them are new for this year. This means that they will be exhibiting products and services never before seen at the event. The Glamping Show USA team are always on the look out for the best new companies out there and this year is no different.

From 4-5pm on the opening day (October 5th) there will be an afternoon reception for all visitors and exhibitors, providing a great opportunity to talk to, ask questions of and share experience with your peers. Learning from people who have gone through, or are going through, the same processes that you are adds another perspective and is invaluable when growing your business. The conference program will also be back and includes 8 ‘must attend’ B2B sessions tackling everything you need to know to make your glamping business a success. Led by a world class faculty, these industry leading experts are willing to share their knowledge and experience, so make sure not to miss out. Sessions include:

• Guest experience: The keys to an unforgettable stay • How to use market and feasibility studies to support your success • Adding events to boost your bottom line • Breathe new life into your social media Strategy • Technology to move your business forward • Governmental hurdles and how to maneuver through them • Building asset value. How to build your business for future success • Land planning and site selection

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For the first time ever, a half-day workshop targeted at those new (or relatively new) to the glamping industry will be held a day before the event on Monday the 4th of October from 1-4.30pm. Entitled Glamping Business Basics and sponsored by the American Glamping Association, the workshop is designed specifically for those in the planning and start-up phase and offers a ‘big picture view’ of what you need to consider as you translate your glamping dreams and vision into a reality and where to find the resources to help. Excitement for the 2021 event is higher than ever. Registrations for conference delegates and expo-only visitors is running more than 200% ahead of the pace of registration from the last face-to-face event held in 2019. So, make sure not to miss out and secure your place at The Glamping Show USA 2021. To sign up for, or to find out more about, The Glamping Show USA 2021, including all of the suppliers who will be exhibiting at the event, conference session descriptions and speaker biographies visit the website at glampingshow.us. David Korse and Sally Matteson co owners of The Glamping Show USA


BOOKING SYSTEMS Finding the right reservation system for your glamping site is one of the biggest decisions you will need to make for your business. It takes the headache out of keeping your own paper record or calendar and means you can seamlessly link with other listing sites without fear of double bookings. It also means that no matter how busy you are, you can keep track of your bookings on any internet enabled device. Glamping Business Americas compares some of the market leaders on your behalf. g l a m p i n g s h o w. u s | G l a m p i n g B u s i n e s s A m e r i c a s | 4 1


CAMPSPOT campspot.com Why should site owners choose your booking system? Built by campground owners for campground owners, our platform was designed to cater precisely to the outdoor hospitality industry. Campspot created the optional lock site feature, pairing it with an automated grid optimization algorithm that stacks a park’s grid and fills nightly reservation gaps without manually having to move people around. Our robust rules engine allows parks the ultimate flexibility to manage each site to their choosing. Campspot offers a modern and intuitive online booking experience for a park’s guests to increase bookings and avoid wasted time on the phone. The overall ease of use on the back-end makes taking and managing reservations a breeze with minimal training. Can site owners host the booking software on their own website, or is it accessed exclusively through yours? Campspot is a web-based application that provides a customer-facing booking platform for each property we serve. This platform is accessed via a URL hosted through Campspot that the property can use to link to a “book now” button on their own website, display through social media, or link to any other web interface. In this way, the booking software is available for access by campers through the park’s website (with a simple redirect) without the park actually hosting the system. Each consumer platform homepage is branded to the site. What are the costs for site owners using your booking system? For use of our online reservation and management software, we charge properties just $2 per reservation made through their consumer booking platform within our system. For any bookings made at a particular park through campspot.com (our marketplace), we charge 10% commission on each booking. How do users add and update their glamping site information; what support is available? Because Campspot is a cloud-based reservation system, campers can access real-time reservation availability at their fingertips. All information is available on demand for campground operators across any internet connected device without a limit on number of devices or users for a particular property. As such,

it’s very easy to update site type descriptions, site type photos, and site type names for the different accommodation types available at one property. Each park is assigned a dedicated account manager to be their main resource and point of contact throughout the life of the working relationship. In the case of booking software being used across multiple websites, what happens in the instance of a double booking? Because Campspot is a cloud-based reservation system, campers can access real-time reservation availability. If inventory is listed elsewhere (such as a cabin on Airbnb), the park could put an admin hold on those sites within Campspot to ensure no double bookings. When it comes to pricing, how much customization is available? i.e. high/low season pricing, whole site bookings compared to default single pitch prices. Administrators have complete control over rate management for their property and our team is also happy to advise on the best strategy for each business model. Dynamic pricing is a popular feature that can be utilized within Campspot as well. Dynamic rates can also be used to lower prices during slower seasons and mid-week days to increase occupancy — it’s a common misconception that dynamic pricing always involves an increase in rates. Many sites offer optional extras such as welcome packages or activities from third party suppliers - can this be handled through your booking system or will it have to be done separately? A major benefit to our reservation software is the ability to sell add-on rentals and promote events directly within the online booking workflow. While our system doesn’t integrate directly with a third party excursion provider for

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direct booking (e.g. a zipline activity), there are other opportunities to promote events, rentals, and discounts from within. Is there any way to identify troublesome guests so that owners are alerted if they try to make a repeat booking? Within our software, administrators can utilize our blocklist functionality to label troublesome guests and prevent them from booking in the future. How much control does the site owner have over guest information? In the case of a group booking, is it possible to request information on all the party, or just the person making the booking? Campspot handles groups multiple ways. One person can book for the entire group and the park can add additional guest info to the reservation. Another option is creating a group with a “wagon master” and having each site claimed and paid for by each guest. Is there integration available with other online camping/glamping travel agents? While Campspot doesn’t directly integrate with other online travel agencies (OTAs) or platforms, we developed our own camping-exclusive marketplace where owners can advertise their properties to an untapped market of new campers and drive additional revenue — 92% of campspot.com visitors are booking at properties they’ve never stayed at before. Users of our reservation software automatically are set up with a listing of their property on our marketplace: campspot.com. An integration to other OTAs is currently in development. What is the cancellation policy for your booking software? There is no long-term agreement with Campspot. We are month to month with no penalty or cost to stop using the software.


NEWBOOK newbook.cloud Why should site owners choose your booking system? NewBook is an all-in-one property management suite founded by a multi-generational RV park owner and operator in 2010. Inclusive of a property management system, online booking engine, channel manager, automation, guest communication tools and more, NewBook offers everything you need to seamlessly operate your business in one central platform. We are trusted by over 50,000 users worldwide and have helped businesses boost their bookings by up to 600%! Can site owners host the booking software on their own website, or is it accessed exclusively through yours? We offer a fully integrated online booking engine with customized branding designed to match your website. We provide a booking link, that will take guests from your website, directly to your customized booking engine. This creates a sense of trust with users, as they do not need to navigate to an unfamiliar page to make their booking. Alternatively, we offer custom and template websites where the online booking engine is hosted through NewBook. What are the costs for site owners using your booking system? Our pricing starts from $124.95/month for our cloud-based property management system, online booking engine, and channel manager. Each NewBook subscription is tailored based on

the size of the property, number of users, and preferred features. We focus on tailoring each package to suit the property’s unique needs. How do users add and update their glamping site information; what support is available? Users can easily manage and update their glamping site information within the NewBook property management system without the assistance of our support team. Because this is integrated with the online booking engine, all information is updated in real-time. NewBook provides free 24/7 support from our three global offices located in California, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Our friendly team offers on-the-spot assistance and NewBook clients are provided with free training tutorials, over 900 knowledge base articles, and free productivity meetings to maximize potential. In the case of booking software being used across multiple websites, what happens in the instance of a double booking? With NewBook, you will no longer have to worry about double bookings. The integrated nature means that all information is synced and updated in real-time. When it comes to pricing, how much customization is available? i.e., high/low season pricing, whole site bookings compared to default single pitch prices. Pricing and rates are completely customizable and can be updated at any time. As a result, you can quickly and easily control and adjust rates for seasons or specific nights. There is also the option to offer package deals or last-minute booking specials, allowing you to boost your

occupancy rates in the off-season. Additionally, one of the most popular revenue management tools we offer is dynamic pricing. This is designed to maximize your revenue based on your current occupancy rates (supply and demand). Have you ever looked at booking a flight and then a week later the price increased? This is the perfect example of dynamic pricing. It is completely automated and configured in NewBook. Recently, one of our clients increased their yearly revenue by $161,000 just by using dynamic pricing. Many sites offer optional extras such as welcome packages or activities from third party suppliers - can this be handled through your booking system, or will it have to be done separately? With NewBook, you can offer your guests a range of extras right from your booking engine! This includes add-ons (like breakfast or firewood), activities, local tours and attractions, facility hire, appointments and more. We also offer site selection, which allows guests to select their preferred site or glamping tent when making a booking to personalize their stay. Is there any way to identify troublesome guests so that owners are alerted if they try to make a repeat booking? If you happen to encounter a problematic guest, you can easily blacklist them from your property. This eliminates the ability for the guest to make an online booking, and NewBook will notify staff if the blacklisted guest tries to make a booking over the phone or in-person (and will specify the reason for it). Is there integration available with other online camping/glamping travel agents? Yes. NewBook offers a channel manager, which provides the ability to connect with hundreds of third-party online travel agents, including Airbnb, Expedia, Booking.com, TripAdvisor, Vrbo, Pitchup, Spot2Nite, and more! What is the cancellation policy for your booking software? To ensure each property has enough time to experience and learn about the features in our system, there is an initial 12-month lock-in contract. After the first year, only three months of written notice is required for cancellation.

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ROVERPASS roverpass.com Why should site owners choose your booking system? Roverpass is an effective tool for campers to successfully complete their booking online. Our state-of-the-art booking technology streamlines the process of making reservations, making it faster and easier for owners to provide online booking options to their guests. Can site owners host the booking software on their own website, or is it accessed exclusively through yours? Owners can easily host RoverPass’ booking software on their own website. Installation is simple and can be done in just a few minutes. The application is unintrusive to any existing design and appears as a simple “Book Now” button for guests to easily locate. What are the costs for site owners using your booking system? Simple price of $2 per reservations, whether through the book now button on the owner’s website, or if entered into the Reservation System. All campgrounds are also added to RoverPass. com and the RoverPass Distribution Network for campers looking to book. A booking through the RoverPass Marketplace incurs a small fee per transaction, however, owners can choose to automatically accept or review any incoming reservation. How do users add and update their glamping site information; what support is available? Owners have control over their property through the owner portal where they can update their information, edit rates, and manage their bookings. All new owners who purchase reservation management software are onboarded with a dedicated account manager for the first 30 days after launch. Afterwards they have full access to RoverPass customer support where email and phone support is provided. Owners who opt-in to only list their sites on our marketplace or those who use our basic reservation request system still have access to email and phone support from our customer service team. In the case of booking software being used across multiple websites, what happens in the instance of a double booking? Double bookings are unlikely when all reservations are managed on our convenient

calendar. However, in the event that it does happen, owners are able to cancel and can reach out to support for quick assistance with a refund for a double booking. RoverPass also is launching a channel manager for our owners to keep track of their bookings across multiple platforms. Odds of double bookings from the channel manager will be extremely slim, but owners will also have the option to move one of the reservations to another comparable site - or cancel the reservation (and work with customer support as necessary). When it comes to pricing, how much customization is available? i.e. high/low season pricing, whole site bookings compared to default single pitch prices. RoverPass is able to offer seasonal, holiday, and special event pricing. The setup will initially be taken care of in onboarding, but owners will always have freedom to update their rates as they see fit. Many sites offer optional extras such as welcome packages or activities from third party suppliers - can this be handled through your booking system or will it have to be done separately? Yes - RoverPass has the ability to create add ons that can be sold via the check-out flow. Owners can customize various packages as needed. Is there any way to identify troublesome guests so that owners are alerted if they try to make a repeat booking? The owner has the ability to add notes to any reservation, that includes notes about troublesome guests as well as a guestbook section for all of their travelers. If/when any troublesome

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guest wants to rebook, the Campground is welcome to decline the reservation or cancel a reservation from a troublesome guest at any time - without penalty. How much control does the site owner have over guest information? In the case of a group booking, is it possible to request information on all the party, or just the person making the booking? Currently, each reservation requires the information of one guest. However, there is an additional section on the reservation where further notes can be kept should the owner want to collect information about other guests in the party. The owner also has the ability to send messages through RoverPass to the traveler and has access to both their phone number and email. Is there integration available with other online camping/glamping travel agents? Currently RoverPass is integrated with its own marketplace, TOGO RV, Roadtrippers.com, Airbnb, Expedia, & Booking.com. RoverPass does intend to continue to integrate into more channels so that we can drive more demand to our customers. What is the cancellation policy for your booking software? RoverPass recently updated to new structured cancellation policies that give owners and travelers the ability to cancel online and provide clearly defined refund choices. Owners have 5 options to choose from, and each policy has a window in which the reservation is 100% refundable, then 50% refundable, and then becomes non-refundable. (Image for clarification)


RMS NORTH AMERICA rmsnorthamerica.com Why should site owners choose your booking system? RMS is specifically designed to meet the unique property management needs for glamping business owners. The RMS system helps property owners streamline operations, increase bookings and revenue, and optimize the guest experience. With more than 35 years of experience, we offer a highly configurable, cloud-based system that gives owners, managers, and staff more freedom and flexibility. The robust feature set includes: Online Booking capabilities, Multi-Property Management, Channel Management, Rate Management, POS functionality, Housekeeping tools, Guest Portal, Guest Loyalty Program, Email Marketing, Mobile Check-In, Enterprise Reporting, and so much more. RMS gives you the tools you need to run your business seamlessly, so you have more time to focus on your guests Can site owners host the booking software on their own website, or is it accessed exclusively through yours? Yes! Site owners can host the RMS booking engine directly on their website without a redirect. The RMS Internet Booking Engine (IBE) provides a clean, detailed, and simple booking experience for visitors whether it’s embedded on a website or accessed using a ‘Book Now’ button to link from the website. RMS also provides professional website services, helping businesses transform their websites by maximizing web traffic. The IBE can seamlessly integrate with their newly designed website while improving search engine optimization to increase bookings. What are the costs for site owners using your booking system? The cost for the RMS system depends on various, unique factors, but is priced as a monthly subscription with additional modules and options available. RMS aims to offer our users a competitively priced and robust system that will help their business grow. Site owners can schedule a demo and request a personalized quote at www. rmsnorthamerica.com/glamping-demo How do users add and update their glamping site information; what support is available? With our cloud-based solution, updating site information is as easy as logging in. All new RMS users receive hands-on training from a dedicated

onboarding specialist, so owners and staff are empowered to run their glampground as they see fit. All RMS clients get access to free 365/24/7 support with highly experienced staff. If a client needs a training refresher or help getting new staff up-to-date, additional dedicated training options are available. We also offer site owners a wealth of online resources that include videos, how-tos, and visual representations of setup options. In the case of booking software being used across multiple websites, what happens in the instance of a double booking? RMS is acutely aware of the problems double-bookings can cause. With RMS, whether a reservation is booked through the Internet Booking Engine (IBE), one of our hundreds of Online Travel Agent (OTA) integrations, or in person, the entire system shows updated availability in real time across all sales channels. When it comes to pricing, how much customization is available? i.e., high/low season pricing, whole site bookings compared to default single pitch prices. RMS software was built to accommodate parks with complex rate structures and needs. Our many rate management tools provide automation and help site owners maximize their revenue by enabling them to create various, unique rate structures and modify those rates to increase profits. For example, to accommodate seasonal fluctuation, our powerful dynamic pricing tool enables site owners to create pricing rules that automatically adjust rates based on supply and demand to maximize yield or occupancy. Many sites offer optional extras such as welcome packages or activities from third party suppliers - can this be handled through your booking system, or will it have to be done separately? Site owners can sell welcome packages through the RMS Internet Booking Engine (IBE) along with optional extras and upsells, such as firewood or s’mores packages to name a few. If site owners are interested in allowing thirdparty suppliers to directly sell activities or packages through the booking engine, this could

potentially be explored using our open API. Is there any way to identify troublesome guests so that owners are alerted if they try to make a repeat booking? Yes! RMS contains numerous fields that are designed to tailor information in the system to each individual clients’ needs, including the Banned List field. The Banned List field enables site owners to flag and keep records of troublesome guests. If this field is flagged, then when that guest makes a reservation with contact details matching the existing guest record, their profile will display in red text in searches and on their profile. How much control does the site owner have over guest information? In the case of a group booking, is it possible to request information on all the party, or just the person making the booking? Site owners have a ton of control over guest information. For extra flexibility, RMS allows site owners to create custom fields in addition to the built-in fields. Fields can be configured and set as mandatory, read-only, hidden, and more. Site owners can collect information on each individual in a group booking as well. Is there integration available with other online camping/glamping travel agents? Absolutely! RMS is equipped with a channel manager that serves as a two-way integration with many Online Travel Agents (OTAs) and channels for easy and efficient inventory distribution. Our channel manager has over 50 direct OTA connections, including airbnb, booking.com, Pitchup, and Spot2Nite, in addition to hundreds of connections through our Global Distribution System partners. What is the cancellation policy for your booking software? There are a few policies to consider in our contract, but our cancellation policy can be summed up pretty easily. Setup and Installation fees are due upon signing, prior to installation and are non-refundable. Service cancellations must be received in writing and require a minimum 30-day notice.

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Online booking engine

s e c i t c a r p t s e b BY GEMMA TODD-MCVINISH

A

pproximately 700 million people will be booking accommodation online by 2023. As technology advances and guests’ expectations rise, it is essential to provide a seamless online booking experience. Not only is a user-friendly experience important for guests, but it also means you will convert more bookings and secure more revenue for your business. With so much information circulating in the industry, it can often feel overwhelming to keep up with the latest trends, so here are some simple tips to turn your website into your most valuable booking channel.

DON’T PROVIDE TOO MUCH CHOICE

INTEGRATED ONLINE BOOKING ENGINE

MOBILE-FRIENDLY DESIGN

An integrated online booking engine is hosted within your website, meaning it reflects your branding and establishes trust. A non-integrated booking engine can often make guests uneasy about placing their booking and making payment as it navigates them to an unfamiliar page. Integrated is seamless, professional and guests will be less likely to book through an online travel agent, saving you money on commissions fees.

Ensure your booking engine is easy to navigate and follow by keeping your accommodation options to a minimum. By providing too many site types or rate options, it can quickly become confusing. Keep in mind that people digest information better in threes, so try splitting your glamping tents and sites into three tiers, such as budget, premium, and luxury.

86% of travelers are disappointed by their experience with Online Travel Agents whilst using a mobile device. Have you browsed your website and booking engine on your cell phone? You may be surprised that it looks quite different from the desktop view. If it’s tricky to navigate, contact your website designer to get it rectified – it can be the difference between someone placing a booking or abandoning their cart.

SELL THE EXPERIENCE During the check-out process, you can cross-sell with add-ons (such as breakfast or firewood) and activities or tours you may offer. Package deals are also a sure way to increase your average spend per booking and really add value to your guest’s stay. For example, you could offer a couples glamping experience that includes 2-nights’ accommodation, a bottle of local wine on arrival, and a romantic candlelit picnic dinner.

DYNAMIC PRICING Dynamic pricing is intelligently designed to maximize your revenue based on your occupancy 4 6 | G l a m p i n g B u s i n e s s A m e r i c a s | g l a m p i n g s h o w. u s

rates (supply and demand). This allows you to optimize your occupancy during the off-season and maximize your revenue in high-demand periods. Have you ever looked at booking a flight and then a week later the price increased? This is the perfect example of dynamic pricing. It’s completely automated and generally configured within your property management system.

OFFER SITE SELECTION Provide a personalized experience with the option of site lock during the booking process. Your guests will be able to view your property map and select their preferred glamping tent or site for a small fee. Get started with these simple tips and rest assured your guests will have a great user-experience and first impression of your glamping business.

“Have you browsed your website and booking engine on your cell phone? You may be surprised that it looks quite different from the desktop view.”


Our mission is to drive growth opportunities for new and existing glamping businesses by leveraging our strong network, providing tools and resources and presenting custom solutions to your one of a kind business. The association serves those that are thinking of starting their first glamping business all the way up to the industry leaders. We provide access to a strong network that becomes the key foundational element to all organizations. Built by industry leaders to help elevate each and every new business to reach their full potential. Membership takes two minutes to complete and become a member today to gain access to member benefits such as: F Weekly member meet up calls with industry leading guest speakers F Industry discounts and exclusive events F Members only internal communication channel F Industry advisors F Networking F Advocacy F Consulting

e: info@americanglampingassociation.net

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