International Glamping Business | June 2019

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ISSUE 15 MAY/JUNE 2019

ECO TOURISM: Belgium France Italy Morocco Portugal

Is UK Glamping Becoming Mainstream?

SAFARI TENTS AND SHEPHERDS HUTS ROUND-UP

Tentrr: Disrupting the US market

INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION FOR GLAMPING OPERATORS Gl mping 00 BUSINESS

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Cover image: The SeedPod from Nomadic Resorts nternational Glamping Business is published by: Upgrade Publishing Registered address: 47 Oliver Close, London W4 3RL

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Other Publications: Holiday Parks Management www.holidayparksmanagement.com Publisher: Upgrade Publishing Steph Curtis-Raleigh e: steph@upgradepublishing.com Editor: Steph Curtis-Raleigh e: steph@upgradepublishing.com Reporter: Will Rusbridge Sales: Kathryn Kelly t: +44 (0) 7575 408580 e: kath@upgradepublishing.com Design: Dean Coulter Design on Tap www.designontap.co.uk www.glampingbusiness.com Other Events: The Glamping Show w: www.glampingshow.com e: dan.w@theglampingshow.com Global Glamping Summit w: www.glampingsummit.com e: peter.r@swanevents.co.uk © Upgrade Publishing Ltd. International Glamping Business is published 5 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.

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CONTENTS

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News

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Portugal’s eco golden visas

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USA news

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French clampers will travel

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Kate Morel

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Belgian authorities ‘define’

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glamping The case for sustainability Nitsin Morag

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Desert dreams: Glamping Morocco-style

Safai Tent Supplier round-up Shepherd Hut news

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Tentrr: The Perfect Pitch

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Product Round-up

FOLDENHOOSE AND CAMPENSUITE ARE LAUNCHED FOR THE SUMMER VRC have launched in the UK two new products for the festival and camping markets. Foldenhoose (pictured) is an insulated, folding pod which is ideal for the festival sector. Launched for the German market last year, it allows festival attendees somewhere to sleep and securely store their valuables while on site. For operators, the advantage is they can transport to and from site 5 times as many units as a fully erected one, so increasing net rental revenue. With two people, within 5 minutes a 10’ unit can be erected. There are two sizes available 10’ x 8’ or 20’ x 8’. The pods have options including beds / chair beds, personalized graphics and can be fitted with solar for USB charging points and electric lights. Prices start at £5,130.

Campensuite is designed for sites to offer an ‘at home’ experience of personal space within an insulated unit comprising a shower / toilet room and a separate kitchen with fridge freezer, electric / LPG oven and sink. It is 13’ wide x 8’ deep. The unit can be fitted with an under floor waste water tank or connected to site drains. Within the Campensuite collection there are accommodation options for families and couples. Prices start from £5,979.

VRC also supply modules for shower, toilet and cooking blocks.

Within the range we can bespoke build lodges up to 60sqm net. We can build lodges which are mortgageable and to building regulations.

Contact us: 01223 459931

email: sales@vrchomes.co.uk

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NEW STARGAZING PODS AT ALTON TOWERS There are already plenty of accommodation options available at Alton Towers, from the adventure-themed Alton Towers Hotel to the Enchanted Village of luxury lodges and treehouses.

The stargazing theme continues on the inside of the pods, with star maps and pictures hung across the walls. Outside of the pod, there are a number of telescopes dotted around the site for guests to use.

The new accommodation option, which is being marketed as a budget option for families wishing to stay at the site without breaking the bank, comes in the form of Stargazing Pods.

There are 102 pods located on the site, all of which are positioned close to one another. Alongside the pods are communal facilities including toilets, showers, baby changing and disabled facilities. There are a number of small play areas located across the site for children and a green in the middle of the site where the telescopes are located. A tipi can also be found which has a bar for guests and also offers a programme of family entertainment.

Similar to other camping pods, the Stargazing Pods feature room for four people, sleeping in a double bed and two single beds. While the pods are small in size, the space is utilised to its fullest with storage underneath the beds to keep things clean and make the most of the floor space. The pods are heated and have charging points to make sure phones or cameras don’t run out of battery.

During the off peak season, the Stargazing Pods will cost £88 per night, and during peak season, the cost will rise to £123 per night.

NEW DISTRIBUTORS FOR LOTUS BELLE & CLEANING SPECIALISTS Market-leading Lotus Belle has announced some new distribution branches around the world: Liese Gritsch in Germany and Eastern Europe: info@glampingwelt.com Jorgen Poulsen in Scandinavia and Iceland: jpp@purearctic.dk Han Te Lin in Taiwan: hanlin@gapl.com.tw Nick Young in Korea and Japan: pimlicoinfo@gmail.com Jess runs things in the USA: info@lotusbelle.com or for NZ and Australia contact Jess again on: info@lotusbelle.co.nz For those who already have Lotus Belles and want a specialist cleaner – the company recommends the Canvas Cleaning Company, based in Bridgwater, Somerset.

Specialising in Lotus Belles, they commercially clean and waterproof canvas tents and can also offer a repairs service, as well as arranging collection and delivery.

The Canvas Cleaning Company is a subsidiary of Wild Hare Events, who hold a massive stock of Lotus Belles tents in the UK and supply boutique camping to some of the best known festivals in the country.

For more details: email polly@wildhareevents.com

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that she runs from two to six (two of which are outside Norfolk) and there are plans to add even more sites next year.

NORFOLK GLAMPING SITES ON THE RISE A recent tourism survey of 1,500 British holidaymakers, showed that a third of UK families will see their holiday budget deplete as they head into 2019. Seemingly bad news for businesses in the tourism sector, it has in fact proven the opposite for UK-based Glamping sites.

Embracing the growing trend of UK residents opting for holidays and short weekend breaks within the UK, commonly known as staycations, Norfolk is seeing a rising number of Glamping sites pop up to make the most of this increase in domestic tourism.

With a staggeringly large number of sites already present in the region, it looks like more are on their way. North Yorkshire businesswoman Amber Wykes who owns the company Amber’s Bell Tent Camping has, as of 2019, increased the number of sites

The impact of the UK’s exit from the EU to the agricultural industry is also a driving factor in Norfolk’s growing use of Glamping. These changes stem from the fact that the UK will leave the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) that has subsidised British farming since 1973. This system of land-based subsidies will be replaced by one in which public money is only paid to farmers as rewards for ‘public goods’, an example of which would be environmental work.

To combat this, farms across the UK are adopting a diversification model, looking to ensure a steady income by offering a more varied range of services. Top Farm in Norfolk is doing just this by changing the Farm into a Glamping site.

Previously used for arable farming, a caravan site was added to the farm in 1976-77 by then owners Geoff and Mona Suffling. Since then the farm has been passed onto their daughter Evelyn and her husband Clive in 2001. Top Farm now offers accommodation across the 75 acre site in the form of bell tents and shepherd huts providing a steady source of income, and a more profitable use of the land.

BOOKING.COM: DEMAND FOR UNUSUAL ACCOMMODATION SOARS Booking.com, one of the world’s leading digital travel platforms, announced over 3 billion guest arrivals across all property offerings since 2007, with 750 million of those guests arriving at alternative accommodations including homes, apartments and other unique places to stay.

Some of Booking.com’s longest standing and truly unique listings globally include Lakeside Town Farm, a cozy self-catering cabin in the middle of a 300-acre working farm in the UK, which has been welcoming Booking.com guests since 2005, while properties like Honeyguide Tented Safari Camps in Kruger National Park, South Africa, which offers luxury tents with contemporary design steps from Africa’s stunning wildlife, have been welcoming Booking.com’s more adventurous customers for over a decade.

as new destinations emerge, technology evolves and travelers’ appetites for discovery and exploration only increase.

“Approximately 40 percent of our active customers booked an alternative accommodation property at some point over the past 12 months. Unique stay experiences will continue to be at the heart of tomorrow’s travel, even more so than today.”

Notably, research from Booking.com conducted with over 21,500 global travellers found that almost two-thirds (63%) believe their stay has been improved by the person

managing their accommodation going above and beyond, and 62% appreciating being able to take advantage of ‘insider’ knowledge from local accommodation hosts and providers.

Increasing traveler demand for alternative types of accommodation was also borne out in this year’s Booking.com Guest Review Awards, where nearly three quarters (73%) of all the winning properties were homes, apartments and other unique places to stay, including everything from boats and igloos to homestays and country houses.

“It’s humbling to look back at how far we’ve come, growing together with amazing accommodation providers across the globe to unleash the inner explorer in travellers looking to experience the world,” said Olivier Grémillon, Vice President at Booking.com. “It’s also exciting to look ahead to what the future of travel will bring

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alt.accom show

The HOW MUCH DEPOSIT CAN YOU KEEP IF A CUSTOMER CANCELS? The Competition and Markets Authority has warned hospitality companies against mistreating customers who cancel bookings due to unforeseen circumstances.

The Authority claims there is a lack of awareness over how much deposit can be retained when a traveller cancels a booking. A company cannot automatically keep a large deposit if the customer cancels owing to unforeseen circumstances. Such a contract may be unfair, even if written into terms and conditions.

For example, somebody may cancel a booking owing to illness or a family bereavement. If the travel company has plenty of time to re-sell the room or holiday, or if it becomes available at a peak time, then the company should refund the payment or a hefty deposit.

Any amount it charges should reflect its costs. If the company includes a blanket "non-refundable deposit" demand or cancellation fee in its terms and conditions then this could be an unfair contract, not legally binding, and unenforceable even if the customer has signed it.

Paul Latham, from the CMA - the UK's competition watchdog, said that as many as 50% of travel firms may not be fully aware of the rules. Many smaller firms may copy terms and conditions from others, potentially leading to a proliferation of unfair contracts.

The watchdog has no plans to launch an investigation into specific operators, but is working with travel trade bodies to raise awareness of the rules through its "small print, big difference" campaign.

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GLAMPING EXPERTS OFFER AN ALTERNATIVE Upgrade Publishing, the owner of the titles International Glamping Business and Holiday Parks Management, is proud to announce that is has created a new publication for the alternative accommodation sector. The new digital title, called Alt.Accom looks at non-traditional structures, which are ecofriendly and suitable for markets such as housing, local government education and the charitable sector/aid agencies, as well as tourism.

Alt.Accom will be supported by a trade show, organised by Upgrade’s sister company; Swan Events. The Alt.Accom show will take place at Stoneleigh Park, on 19-21 September, alongside The Glamping Show, which is now in its fifth year.

“International Glamping Business is nearly four years old now and remains the only dedicated glamping trade publication in the world,” says Publisher Steph Curtis-Raleigh. “Along with The Glamping Show, the team is at the forefront of the quirky accommodation sector. Last year, we established the first Global Glamping Summits in Denver and California, which Swan Events is now taking forward with a US partner. We realised that the wonderful and unusual structures we were seeing had far wider applications than just glamping. Hence Alt.Accom was born.”

Alt.Accom will only be available as a digital download and will be supported by a monthly newsletter and a new website (www.altaccom.com) . The first issue boasts an interview with Mike Reynolds, renegade architect and creator of the ecofriendly Earthship Movement. Advertising revenue will be derived from digital banners and content to support highly targeted social media and email distribution.

Contact steph@upgradepublishing.com for more details www.upgradepublishing.com

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GLAMPING CONTAINER CREATED Alternative Living Spaces Inc. in partnership with Container Guys Int. have created their first glamping project.

“It’s a “Glamping Container” – part container / part canvas. We delivered this first unit to Zion and are making another one for Zion right now and three others for Joshua Tree,” says Tony Lopez, Owner of Alternative Living Spaces, based in Las Vegas.

Tony started working with containers 3 years ago, out of his base in Las Vegas before partnering with his friend Chris Buonaiuto of Container

Guys International to turn conversions into a business. “We began with 20ft containers, mostly for studios, since then we have taken on projects for any sized containers and we turn them into all kinds of different spaces, offices, homes, gyms.

We are also getting more enquiries for retail and food vending/hospitality outlets.”

The most unusual project that Tony has undertaken thus far is a massive 45ft container which is mounted on a trailer. It weighs a whopping 30,000lbs and has a retractable rooftop deck.

Projects usually take around 8-10 weeks to complete. The first two weeks are spent finalising the design with the client.

The next two weeks are for ordering the materials (this can take longer for specialist items). Then the build out takes roughly 4-5 weeks to complete.

“Container living is definitely becoming more popular in the US,” says Tony.

“Containers are so flexible, they can be made to look any way you want. Mostly clients want them to look like shipping containers, but they can be clad to fit in with other buildings – you can do almost anything with them. We now have projects all over the country.”

GLAMPING ON RAT ISLAND Located just off the coast of City Island in the Bronx is Rat Island. Owned by Alex Schibli, Rat Island measures 2.5 acres and can be reached via a 10 minute canoe ride. Having bought the island back in 2011, for a mere $176,00, Schibli now lives there with his wife.

However after a phone call from architect Pablo Jendretski there are now plans to deck the island out with Glamping facilities to create a yoga, canoeing or fishing retreat.

While still in the early stages of planning, Jendretski Design are currently in the process of designing ideas for possible structures on the island and are looking for an investor to help create their eco-friendly vision.

Creating a site on its own island comes with its fair share of difficulties. With no running water available on the island, the site will have to rely off of rainwater, and due to the small size of available land the accommodation will have to situated close together.

Jendretski Design created a number of off-grid eco pods as a way to offer a Glamping experience and overcome the difficulties the terrain causes. The pods will have to be completely self-sufficient as no utilities are being brought to the island. To achieve this, Jendretski Design are studying the latest technologies for solar and wind power, rainwater collection and purification, as well as contained treatment systems for affluents.

Rat Island is made almost entirely of Manhattan schist bedrock with a small inlet that boats can pass through.

Because of this, and the small size of the land, it is also important that the pods can be constructed entirely off-site and then transported and installed onto the island’s rocky terrain.

While the pods will be situated very close together, the design compensates for this, allowing for privacy. Current renderings of the concept show large pods/lodges places side by side with windows at the front and the back. This means that the views will not be of the pod next door, but instead across the water to New York.

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Where is GLAMPING GOING? There is one question that I’m still asked occasionally and that is ‘what exactly is glamping?’, and it’s becoming more difficult to give a definitive answer, certainly with regard to the UK market - ask ten people in this industry and you’ll get ten different answers!

This is because the definition, business model and nature of where glamping started from has changed and continues to do so, which leads us on to the question in point here ‘where is glamping going’? Whilst I have a crystal ball in my possession it isn’t very forthcoming in this department, so here are a few thoughts about glamping past, present and future.

When glamping first showed up in the UK, around 2003, it was undoubtedly an ‘alternative’, offering a totally different kind of experience to traditional holiday accommodations. It was a back to nature, low-impact option often involving canvas structures such as yurts or tipis, and a proper ‘niche’ market attracting a limited but dedicated demographic.

Sites were small and run by individuals sharing their lifestyles through the unique experience they had created.

They had a personal and ethical investment in their business, as well as financial, and indeed most independent site owners still do. Fast forward to around six years ago and a groundswell began to form which has gone on to transform the glamping landscape - not only did the number of independent sites rapidly increase, but other types of glamping began to appear. Sites grew bigger, structures became more permanent and better equipped, guests expected more, and other hospitality sectors began to see glamping as a highreturn addition to their core business.

In short, glamping has gone from a

niche, quirky, cottage industry into something, overall, much more mainstream and commercial. I haven’t space to explore the sustainable side of this, but with new technologies and better awareness let’s hope that more new sites ‘come home’ to the ethics of glamping and incorporate sustainable practices.

At this point, it’s important to remember that the driving factor behind the growth of all types of glamping was and is customer demand, after all, nobody invests in a new business or diversification unless there’s a market for it. So, whilst the ‘traditional’ glamping experience remains popular, other glamping business models are also serving differing demographics through current tourism trends. Outdoor activities, ‘back to nature’, experiential travel, and even seeking ‘something different’, are annual growth areas of interest.

Although, to me at least, these are more than ‘trends’, they are part of a collective leisure movement which is a direct consequence of the disconnected and busy lives most of us lead these days.

Customer demand warrants further comment here because this is where things get really interesting. I’ve noticed some marked shifts in awareness and expectations by guests over the last few years, and right now we are at a significant junction. I’m going to have to generalise a little but, for example, within the independent lifestyle sector, guests are becoming more discerning around structures – their type, quality and facilities, and in the (for want of a better word) multi-unit sector, guests are becoming more discerning around the experience on offer. There are other models to consider, but it’s interesting

Kate is one of our leading consultants and wellknown industry ambassador.

Over the years she has worked with clients throughout the world, on a diverse range of projects across every business model sector. With such a unique and objective overview, Glamping Magazine asked her – where is the glamping industry heading?

that these opposing demographics are seeking to shift their glamping experience more in line with the other.

There’s no doubt that the glamping industry will continue to expand as more hospitality sectors, such as attractions and hotels, realise the potential. Almost every type of glamping business is still growing, however (again I have to generalise as there are exceptions) two factors are causing some sites to struggle a little.

One is where there is little in the way of ‘experience’ on offer, either in terms of accommodation, activities or surroundings. The other is competition, the density of glamping sites in some parts of the country can have an impact on occupancy and rental fees (especially when in conjunction with the first factor). So, where is the glamping industry going? If my crystal ball could give me any clues it would probably say that, actually, the UK probably won’t stray too far from its current course, although there will be a few ‘winners and losers’ along the way.

Overall, across the planet, glamping is really shaking up the hospitality world, and it is perfectly placed to meet this new wave of tourism needs. Although other hospitality sectors are desperately trying to capture a little of what glamping can offer, bricks and mortar are just that, fixed and detached from our natural world. I believe glamping is at the leading edge of experiential tourism, and will continue to be so for a very long time to come.

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BRINGING A SUSTAINABLE VISION

back to glamping

By Nitsin Morag

We run a successful tent-making As structure or tent makers, we sell dream company called Spirits Intent and have homes to others, and the site owners are been operating in the Glamping industry also selling their dream lives as a product. for over 15 years now. Our specific niche So Glamping is a product that we all in this market is canvas covers: we make provide, an experience of a dream life we yurt and tipi covers for campsites and create for others. work with regular clients on replacements from year to As early as 2008, I SITE OWNERS ARE year. was talking to a woman who SELLING THEIR Because of the amount of owned one of the different campsites we work DREAM LIVES AS A most renowned with, we have gained a sites in France. It PRODUCT unique insight into the had featured in industry as a whole, as we play a crucial the newspapers and this created a part in so many different ventures on the constant stream of people who visited.

Glamping spectrum.

But she said they were like vampires, all wanting to find out about her, while People often talk to us about their telling her how she was living the dream. business ideas, about what structures In reality she felt broken, like they had work for them, how they set up, and also actually sucked the joy out of that dream about their issues, even on an emotional life. She had started to feel that she was level. It’s quite eye opening. A lot of it is actually selling her life, rather than a because we treat them like family and camping experience. In the end, she some have been our clients for over ten decided to sell up. twelve years, so the trust goes both ways.

We do see the industry as like being part I am over-dramatising a point, because of a large family and at times we feel like this industry works with people in their we bring them all together, because whilst best moments, when they holiday when they compete with each other (so to they get married, or at a festival, so speak), we are their tent makers. usually there is a general positive vibe. I’m

just trying to highlight that as a vision, we could see that something was being lost in the interpretation.

The Heartland program seeks to bring back the feeling of being one tribe, to create a reality that sustains the owners and tent makers, and one that has environmental sustainability as a core.

For many years, all of this was just something that took place while we made tents for our clients. We tried to make some changes and influence the industry as a whole as early as 2009 when we made the world gathering of yurt makers. It was meant to be followed by a similar event for site owners. But as they say, life got in the way.

The Industry has grown exponentially since then, and we try to do our best helping our regular clients with support and advice, because we are all in it together. We focus a lot on collaboration because it allows us to do more, and we like taking part in more projects.

It has provided a good livelihood for us, one that is hard work, but rewarding – especially when we consider that around 800 guests might go on to enjoy each tent

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we make. Even despite the 4am starts before Easter, as our campsite clients are opening up for the season and we hold our breath until some 50 different covers match the frames we tailored them to.

Through all this, we have created a unique vision of this industry and this took us to a new exciting country; Italy.

We branched out in Italy to start our own campsite because we felt like the UK is a little saturated and the land-based link and vision of rural development was broken. In general, we felt like something was missing in all of it, a meaning.

Italy offered a perfect chance to influence a developing market in a more integrated way. Upon understanding where the country is at and experiencing those marginal mountain villages spread along the dragon backbone of the Apennines, we were inspired to do something much braver than we set out in the first place.

We decided to try to tackle the Italian depopulation and rural abandonment through the tools of sustainable tourism, and the truth is that it was not all easy!

Firstly, we discovered that Italians do not understand the appeal of going back to nature, and why should they? Everyone has some Nonna (grandma) in the countryside. So, this is where you go to get bored, not to holiday! Then there is so much countryside to choose from. It can seem like the whole country is up for grabs and especially in the mountains.

In the UK, you can’t buy 5 acres of land to develop, in Italy people were offering us castles for maintenance-fee only. Yet they themselves prefer to go and holiday by the sea and eat and drink in the piazzas, so it took some convincing to get them ignited, to get them to understand

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why people want to go and live in a tent, where there is nothing!

To further explain this issue, we need to look at why camping is so sought after in the UK, and the reasons to me are twofold. Firstly, because the countryside is a limited commodity, compared to other countries. UK planning law makes it difficult for people to build, so there are fewer opportunities for people to live in the countryside, or have a second home, as they do in Italy. Therefore, people view the countryside as somewhere to enjoy.

or simply to buy and move into.

After 4 years of work through the Heartland Association, and endless meetings, we now run a successful program in Italy. It was born out of a simple idea to have our own site, which has become a whole system for rural development through sustainable tourism.

The program aims to treat the owners as the first circle, so we try to help people to build smaller sites, with about three units.

We prefer to encourage people to open up Secondly, we may still have an attitude as an agriturismo, because this amazing towards the countryside in the UK Italian scheme is more flexible than inherited from the upper setting a classes. People do not see the WE BRANCHED campsite. It also country as somewhere you go crosses over into OUT IN ITALY to work yourself to the bone, organic farming, it is seen as somewhere you so the site BECAUSE WE FELT go to holiday, to take the air. becomes some LIKE THE UK IS A Italy is almost the opposite; sort of local anyone can build in the open LITTLE SATURATED engine selling countryside as long as they and showcasing AND THE LANDown enough agricultural the local land, but one hectare is surroundings, BASED LINK AND enough. The countryside is through food VISION OF RURAL mainly lived in by working and activity. classes, who view it as some DEVELOPMENT sort of old life they must It creates a WAS BROKEN shed. I know I am again over steady stream of dramatizing a point, because visitors that can I have not met any people who love their have a high quality, slow tourism land as much as Italian farmers, but the experience, and it allows the site owners general trend or view is of disregard to the to live comfortably in the countryside and amazing natural beauty. enjoy it because a small family can run three units easily by themselves. However, It’s as if they need someone from the if those three units were ten, the focus outside to come and help them appreciate would be on running the business and not it. This point is also why Glamping has on the lifestyle. not caught on as much in Italy, and of course there are many other factors, like We focus on elements like the amount of amazing properties transformational events, special forms of available to renovate in the countryside, farm-to-plate of organic produce, and integration with local community and tradition. For example, in Abruzzo, there are a variety of ancient grains grown by local farmers which have great healthgiving properties. We have fallen in love with some of the local wheats and have some exciting ideas about bringing them to the UK, but every place in Italy has its own produce, its own olive oil, and its own cooking, so it’s easy to see how this system can work.

Another thing we focus a lot on is volunteers, so we welcome young people from all over the world to come and take part in our project, to learn new skills

could happen much more, is using glamping as a window to living in nature full time, not just as a holiday. It could be like a revolving door taking more and more people into sustainable lifestyles, with homes in nature. There is definitely a crossover between glamping and affordable housing, which is desperately needed in the UK. and have a cultural exchange. In a way, this is one of the most successful aspects of our program. I have found that getting to people at a certain stage in their lives, before they even get to University and showing them another way can change them forever.

It can really open peoples’ eyes to the benefits of an alternative lifestyle, it’s a call for slower tourism, with stronger links to the location, with benefits to the site owners as well as the guests.

We have joined forces with a number of others in the industry, including Outstanding Tents, Featherdown Farms, hot tub, sauna suppliers and log cabin builders to help spread the word. We contacted estate agents in areas that we deem are of special natural interest and of need of rural rebirth, mainly in the Abruzzo region that we love.

So, we now also have lists of amazing properties to develop that we can offer clients and people interested in moving abroad and it’s a way for us to help people find properties that they might not have access to otherwise. Moving abroad is already a big step but often people risk not finding the right property because they don’t find the right agent.

As we work alongside a wide number of people, all of whom are experienced in the sector, this creates cohesion and means we can all help each other. People use the same architect, and buy structures from the same suppliers, which in turn gives a level of respect for each other’s operations.

I guess at some point like any successful venture, this whole system has taken wings of its own. We developed this system around a simple model, a small campsite that becomes a shop window for the local community, it sells organic end product on the site, and so the site’s own product is actually an experience of a sustainable life.

It creates a system of small sites that have their owners well-being and country living at heart, their sustainability and economic welfare first, than they also become something of an ambassador for the local village or town, working with farmers in bringing back old fruit and veg varieties that were grown in the past, weaving it with the traditional food and tradition that Italy is so rich with, and of course bringing a steady stream of visitors to place of amazing natural beauty with historical interest.

Being in the centre of this big family has given us a unique view into the industry as a whole. Often it is very driven by profit and we all forget to ask ourselves where are we going with it.

I feel that on some level we failed to create an opening in to an alternative way of life that is more sustainable as a whole, and this is what a lot of us miss, that commonality.

So, the Heartland Program that has run so successfully in Italy, is now coming to And in Italy that is the the UK market too, main tool to fight and although it's an depopulation and older market we feel GLAMPING HAS abandonment by it's a chance for us to GROWN INTO A creating a steady flow of try and do our part visitors, yet here too the MASSIVE INDUSTRY in influencing a flow has to be more sustainable IN THE UK, YET sustainable, because approach. And otherwise it overwhelms through the tools of SEEMS TO HAVE those small local collaboration and LOST A COMMON communities and they innovation we aim become overrun so to to try and focus on DIRECTION, A speak, losing their rural development SHARED VISION unique rural footprint. vision in the UK too. I feel that the AND PURPOSE Given the success of the time has come for concept we asked this industry to see ourselves – could this work in the UK its role in shaping the countryside in too? Glamping has grown into a massive another direction, if we can get planners Industry in the UK, yet seems to have to understand the scope of it too, so lost a common direction, a shared vision much more can be done. and purpose.

If one day you walk into an amazing We have now decided to try this program housing estate that looks like a Glamping in the UK too, because we see a call to site, or you find a small restaurant in a create a system for sustainable rural yurt serving organic food that uses development and regeneration through ancient local foods with some forgotten tourism. We feel it could play an actual Scottish names - you will then know this role in taking people back to nature, but program has taken root. It’s just an not just as an accommodation or holiday. alternative future for us in the UK and it is a more sustainable one.

As a first step, glamping sites can simply create a list of add-ons that are sourced To find out more: locally and sold to the client, from food www.spiritsintent.com (UK) to craft, exploring local traditions. A lot http://spiritsheartlandofintent.com of this is already happening. But what (Italy)

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SAFARI TENTS

CABANON – 60 YEARS IN THE MAKING Cabanon celebrates 60 years this year.

The company was founded in 1959, and since then, it has developed its proprietary knowledge in designing and building original and high-quality tents.

When glamping first started, Cabanon was the first to propose lodge tents, highly integrated into the landscape,

offering luxurious comfort and the greatest possible use of space for campers.

Today, Cabanon Safari or Lodge tents can accommodate between 2 to 8 people and can be equipped with several options like a bathroom and a variety of heating

systems (electrical low consumption or wood burning stove).

All Cabanon Safari tents can be either dismounted every year if needed, or stay all year-round on site, depending of our customer needs.

The company can offer wood floors of all sizes, which offer different sized decks in front of the tent. The company can offer installation services in UK, as there is a team based there.

All Cabanon tents are produced in the factory in France, signed by the craftsmen, they are made with materials sourced in North European countries mainly in France, and their raw materials can be easily traced. The models have all been designed to sustain difficult weather conditions and are tested in outdoor conditions next to the Cabanon factory in Dunkerque. All products are highly durable, and a Safari tent lifespan is a minimum 5 years but can be many times this with the correct maintenance. Cabanon tents are available all over the world. The lead time from order is 6 to 10 weeks.

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SAFARI TENTS

BOND: BESPOKE LUXURY With over 30 years of British design and manufacture BOND have extensive experience in providing bespoke structures to the outdoor hospitality industry, including their range of safari tents. All structures are produced at their Gloucestershire factory with bespoke CAD design service available. Using a unique hidden box-section steel frame the safari tents offer proven and tested structural performance and have full Structural Engineers Reports.

premium frame for exposed sites if required. Structural performance is at the heart of their design and development process.

Maintenance Very little maintenance is required throughout the year beyond regular checks to the structure, yet removing the specially designed porch roofs will provide a significant increase in wind resistance for the winter months therefore protecting the whole structure.

Lead Time Most products are made to order so BOND can generally supply your tents within 6-8 weeks from order. Of course, this means changes and bespoke adjustments are easy to accommodate.

Lifespan All materials are of the highest quality and performance offering long lasting properties. The canvas is waterproof, mildew and rot resistant ..... perfect for British weather! The covers are expected to last 10-15 years with the frames having a much longer lifetime.

Extreme Weather Conditions Bond work with structural engineers developing tents with particularly high wind-load ratings, meeting British & European standards, they also offer a postcode specific search in conjunction with the structural engineers to determine historical wind speeds of any location and a

Projects BOND pride themselves on lasting relationships with all their clients, providing a personal service throughout with ongoing support offered year on year.

Working with small family farms up to large organisations such as The Aspinal Foundation at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, BOND recently shipped 30 Safari Tents to an exclusive, and as yet rather secret, location for the Sultanate of Oman! A selection of some of BOND’s

clients can be found here : https://www.safari-tent.co.uk/clienttestimonials/.

What other advice would you give to operators looking for accommodation?

It’s fair to say that BONDs clients typically create a very high luxury finish to their safari tents providing an individual and exclusive experience for their guests. The most important advice BOND feels they give to new clients is to allow plenty of space and privacy between tents and to really go that extra mile when designing your interior layout and furnishing the tents. Creating a strong visual identity that will make your location stand out from the crowd is essential. A glamping experience needs to feel special, luxurious and most importantly unique.

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SAFARI TENTS

What makes your tents unique?

Our tents are unique because we only use the highest quality of materials. All of our tents come standard with a think frame, and 550 gsm canvas, and we apply a fire retardant to all fabrics. We help our customers from the first email, until the tent is fully setup.

How long is the lead time from order to delivery?

Our average lead time is 8 - 10 weeks.

What is the average lifespan of your tents?

With proper care, our tents could last a lifetime. But like anything, parts may need to be replaced over time. The first layer that typically needs to be replaced is the shade fly. This is part of our multi layer roofing system and takes the most abuse from the sun.

This tends to need replacing after 5 - 7 years.

What preparation must the site owner make before erecting your tents if any?

We recommend that the site owner has all of their decks in place before the tents arrive. Once they arrive, they can be immediately setup on the deck, and will not have to sit in storage.

How can your tents cope with high winds or other extreme weather conditions?

We use a 50 mm thick steel frame which helps battle wind. We also recommend to use vertical wooden poles on all of our tents.

This will help add structural integrity to the designs and for extreme wind, we can show you how to install a wind bracing kit.

Our patented cable tensioning system applies a universal tension across the entire structure, which provides a profound amount of rigidity in extreme winds. This design and level of detail is only unique to our tents.

What maintenance do your tents require in order to keep them in top condition?

We offer a maintenance guide on all of our tents. It is important

that the site owner cleans the tents much like their home. Once a month the canvas storm flaps should be unrolled, and cleaned from debris, or any critters that make it their home. We also recommend applying a canvas compound to your canvas every two years. This will restore the natural colors of the canvas, and also restore the fire retardant, and anti-rot and anti-mildew compounds.

What have been some of the most exciting projects your company has worked on We are proud to be apart of many resorts, airbnb’s, and guest houses around the globe. Below is a list just to name a few n Virgin Kasbah Tamadot - Morocco https://www.virginlimitededition.com/en/kasbah-tamadot n Tiarasa Escapes - Malaysia -https://www.tiarasaescapes.com/ n Walden Retreats - Texas, USA -https://waldenretreats.com/ n Outback Spirit Tours - Australia https://www.outbackspirittours.com.au/ n 4 Rivers - Cambodia -https://ecolodges.asia/ n Sandat Glamping - Bali -http://www.glampingsandat.com/ n Glamping Canonici - Italy https://www.glampingcanonici.com/ n Canopy Tower - Panama -https://www.canopytower.com/ n Sinya - Texas, USA -https://www.hillcountrysinya.com/ n Double F Ranch - Texas, USA https://www.doublefriverranch.com/texas-dallas-fort-worth-glampi ng/ n Unique Airbnb project in Arkansas (Coming Soon) n And many more

What other advice would you give to operators looking for accommodation?

We find it important for the client to understand to look past the price tag, and look the quality of materials, how long the company has been around, and their reputation. We have been in the tent industry for over 20 years, and have spent a lot of time crafting our tents to be made of the best materials, and setup the best way.

Nothing can replace experience when crafting the best luxury tents.

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Why all of our shepherd huts are so special.

Cabinville 2019 shepherd huts always been made of the finest construction timber and to a very high quality but thanks to our own registered 2019 design now have a lower overall height. We have achieved this by a clever CABINVILLE redesign of the wheel axle SHEPHERD HUTS assembly whilst redesigning our huts totally from scratch. This means that the hut looks much nicer and sits into it's surroundings better.We have added other design features that make our cabins stand out from all the other shepherd huts.

Our 2019 models, with the new lower wheels, are protected as a registered design. Other design features that make our huts special are bounce busting 28mm thick floors and also double glazed windows that open outwards. Outwards opening windows may not seem important but they allow the easy use of curtains and they do not take up the interior space or become a head banging hazard. Crazy to think that some other shepherd huts suppliers are still using old design opening inward windows.

Summary of 2019 design highlights. n Lower Design n 28mm thick flooring to prevent floor bounce n Opening outward windows so you can finally use curtains easily on a shepherds hut.

Cheesley Hill Farm Railway Carriages Beautiful Spaces for unique places We build beautiful bespoke railway carriages for a wide range of uses such as commercial glamping, ofďŹ ce spaces, treatment rooms or just additional accommodation without the need for lengthy planning or disruption to your home. A little bit of luxury at affordable prices. We can work with you to make any size/conďŹ guration to suit your needs.

www.chfrailwaycarriages.co.uk We are located Near Brinkworth, Wiltshire.

We welcome viewings by appointment.

Please Contact: Tim Sykes: 07986 875712 or e-mail: sykes.timothy@gmail.com

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SHEPHERDS HUTS BUILD YOUR OWN SHEPHERDS HUT …….

..... with parts, plans and step by step guide from Tithe Barn Shepherd Huts.

Tithe Barn started building beautiful, bespoke shepherds huts in 2011 and this was the main focus of their business for several years. However, they diversified into the selling of parts, having invested in patterns for their own British cast iron wheels. "Building a shepherds hut is not rocket science and we quickly realised two markets were emerging – customers who wanted a hut built for them and those who wanted the satisfaction of building their own. Working closely with a few carefully selected suppliers, we have gradually developed our range of products,

all specifically designed for shepherds huts, to create the unique “one stop shop” that we offer today!” says the company’s Sally Bradbury.

In 2018, Tithe Barn developed its 'Structural Plans and Comprehensive Step

by Step Guide to Building a Shepherds Hut' which, with literally hundreds of photographs and accompanying text, takes the first time self-builder right through the process, from building the floor on the chassis, right through to fitting the internal window sills and tongue and groove.

"We have now also put together complete bundles of products for a variety of hut

sizes. We don’t sell a “flat pack kit”, but what we do supply are all the high quality components required to build a beautiful, bespoke hut that suits your requirements and location. We can also provide you with a comprehensive list of all the additional building materials you will need to buy from your local Builder’s Merchant,” adds Sally.

With the growing popularity of all types of Glamping and with farmers’ ever growing need to diversify, Tithe Barn's bundles offer a very cost effective entry into the lucrative Glamping Market, saving up to 50% of the cost of having a shepherds hut built for you.

CHEESELY HILL FARM RAILWAY CARRIAGES After successfully renovating several old, ramshackle carriages on their farm in rural Wiltshire, Tim Sykes decided to build a new structure that could be fully insulated, water tight and built to virtually any spec required to allow for endless versatility. Whilst the new structures are built to look extremely authentic, Cheesely Hill Farm are also still able to source and renovate existing old railway carriages if preferred.

doubling the size of our standard carriage or anything in between,” says Tim. “We usually have one of the standard carriages to view and sometimes ready to take away. We are often able to help with transport to the required location. We welcome viewing by appointment at our farm in Wiltshire,” he adds.

The carriages have so many uses. Perfect as an additional space for guests to come and stay, as an Airbnb, glamping opportunity, extension to house and so on. With some modifications they could also be used as offices, art studios, hair salons, gyms, sewing rooms and much more, without the need for extensive planning and the upheaval associated with building an extension or new structure. They are also relatively easy to move, so if you relocate the carriage can come too!

“We are extremely flexible and are able to build bespoke carriages to your design or liking. This can range from adding electrics to

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GLAMPING FIRES… ENHANCING THE GLAMPING EXPERIENCE We’ve got it Covered at Glamping Fires Happy Memories for your Guests and Maximum Returns for you Safe Supply & Fit of Stoves and Flues, HETAS Approved We also specialise in supply and installation of acrylic lined wood burning hot-tubs Fire Baskets & Fuels Too

HETAS approved to install stoves and flues and fully experienced in the particular safety needs of the Glamping industry, we can offer a bespoke supply and fit service across the UK and access to a comprehensive range of stoves. Every stove/flue installation receives its own unique HETAS certification and is backed by an ongoing maintenance package.

Get in touch NOW:

01269 842620 chris@glampingfires.com or find us at www.glampingfires.com

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Could Ecotourism Be Portugal's Next Big Boom?

Portugal has just been voted the world's leading tourist destination for the second year in a row, and thanks to some recent legislation, those with offthe-beaten-track resorts could soon see a major new source of investment.

In January of this year, the Portuguese parliament voted through an expansion to the so-called “golden visa scheme”.

The program grants residency to individuals outside of the European Union or European Economic Area who are able to invest in select areas. Up until now, this has included investments of more than €500,000 in property, €250,000 in arts, culture and heritage, the creation of 10 or more jobs, as well as a number of other options. The recent vote ushered in what many are referring to as the “green visa”, which gives residency in exchange for an investment of €500,000 in “environmental projects”.

These projects can include organic agriculture, renewable energy, any project that cuts carbon emissions and, most importantly, ecotourism.

Ecotourism has been around since the 1980s and is considered the first iteration of what many people now refer to as responsible travel, ethical travel or conscious travel. It is essentially a hit back against mass tourism and focuses on imbuing travel with more environmentally friendly practices, protecting the flora and fauna of a destination and supporting local heritage and communities. The International

Ecotourism Society (TIES), which is the oldest and largest ecotourism society in the world, with more than 15,000 members, describes it as “Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the wellbeing of local people.”

With a focus on low-impact, small scale and getting back to nature, it’s easy to see how the growth of ecotourism has gone hand-in-hand with the growth of glamping — bell tents seem far more at home in the pristine foothills of a mountain range than a multi-storey hotel does. And, ecotourism certainly has grown. In fact, research into sustainable tourism in the United States found that 60% of leisure travelers — 105.3 million people — took what they called a “sustainable” trip between 2015 and 2017. Additionally, while on these trips visitors tended to stay longer — seven rather than four days — and spend an average of $600 more. Moreover, those taking “wellness vacations”, which are often tied to ecotourism and glamping, tend to spend 61% more on international trips and 164% more on domestic trips than the average traveller, according to the Global Wellness Institute.

Ecotourism has not seen as much growth in Portugal, and the EU as a whole, as it has in other parts of the world such as Asia, the South Pacific, Africa and South America. This is, in part, because the tourism sector as a whole is far more established in Europe meaning less uptake of new trends. “Europe has a very mature tourism infrastructure and change therefore comes more slowly,” according to Jon Bruno, Executive Director of TIES. That isn’t to say that it isn’t happening, however, with many tourism officials in EU countries saying that they “were already doing ecotourism before it was called ecotourism”, according to Bruno.

Portugal's tourism market is certainly a mature one, and has seen massive growth in recent years alongside the more general economic improvement of the country.

This growth has been driven in part by golden visas, with the Residence Permit for Investment scheme (ARI) bringing in about €670 million a year to Portugal — totalling more than €4 billion since 2012, according to a Transparency International report.

Portugal isn’t alone in having a golden visa scheme, with many EU countries

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“SIMPLY PUTTING THE NAME ‘ECOTOURISM’ ON SOMETHING WHEN IT ISN’T, IS BAD FOR ECOTOURISM AND VERY BAD FOR DESTINATIONS” JON BRUNO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TIES running residence — or even citizenship — investment programs since the economic crisis. Combined, they have generated an estimated €25 billion in foreign direct investment into the EU over the past 10 years, according to Transparency International. However, Portugal does seem to be in a unique position by having such a strong tourism sector, high foreign investment and a government focused on “green” initiatives — Lisbon is the 2020 European Green Capital, for example.

Combined, this could make Portugal a major driving force for ecotourism in Europe. So far, much of the investment

from the Portuguese golden visa scheme has been in property, but, if even a fraction of the amount that has gone into golden visas goes into green visas, ecotourism in Portugal could have a major financial boost.

While green visas hold much potential for the Portuguese ecotourism market, they are not without their flaws. Firstly, citizenship- and residence-byinvestment programs as a whole have been heavily criticised, with Ana Gomes, a Portuguese member of the European Parliament describing Portugal's ARI as “a corrupt scheme to

support the corrupt”. Green visas raise similar concerns as well as having the added risk of being self-defeating by encouraging companies to “greenwash” in order to secure investment. This is something that has already been seen in the ecotourism boom and can seriously impact sustainable tourism as a whole.

As Bruno says, “Simply putting the name ‘ecotourism’ on something when it isn’t is bad for ecotourism and very bad for destinations.”

With such high risks, green visas will only prove beneficial if handled in the right way. “I see that [green visas] might be good for ecotourism if, and only if, there is sufficient real oversight. I have heard that only a small portion of the golden visa funds resulted in real job gains for Portuguese people. To be really green, and to be real ecotourism, the funds raised by a green visa would need to be directed to real ecotourism projects overseen by qualified personnel knowledgeable in best practices,” Bruno says.

All said and done, the so-called green visa is as of yet untested. If they gain traction among non-EU and -EEA investors, and “the funds raised by it are used under the auspices of real ecotourism guidelines,” it could mean an ecotourism revolution in Portugal, and who knows, maybe it could make the world a little greener at the same time.

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FRENCH GLAMPING RESEARCH

Delivers Surprising Results

Courtesy of Nid Perché www.nidperche.com

64% OF FRENCH PEOPLE WILL TRAVEL TO GLAMP The Hotes-Insolites agency and the AbracadaRoom.com booking platform teamed up with the Charles Nodier Tourism School to create a survey of nearly 1000 people about French customers’ glamping expectations and we bring you the results below.

"We created a short and simple questionnaire and above all, we wanted answers from people who are fans of glamping!” says Adeline Lenoir, of Hotes Insolites. “We have also focused on questions that operators and glamping hosts wanted us to ask. For example, ‘Are composting toilets a barrier to booking? Is a hot tub essential? Would a (star) rating reassure you?’”

GLAMPING FANS IN FRANCE ARE GETTING YOUNGER The last French study in 2013 revealed a fanbase for glamping which was aged between 30 and 45 years. The new research shows that 30 per cent of respondents are now aged between 18 and 30 years of age. However, it should be noted that those over 61 years of age represented only 8/1% of respondents.

Therefore, it is clear that the industry still has a long way to go in order to convince retirees that glamping is a comfortable and accessible form of accommodation.

GLAMPING FOR ROMANCE More than 75% of our respondents were women and 68.4% of all respondents saw glamping as a romantic stay away. Not surprisingly, business travellers are not

likely to consider glamping as part of a work trip – in fact only 0.1% of respondents said they would. Therefore, it is easy to see how glampsites might find it difficult to achieve high occupancy midweek, as couples mainly book weekend trips. This highlights how important it is for French sites to target a foreign clientele, hopefully with different school holidays in order to benefit from these bookings.

SURPRISING RESULTS “We were surprised at some of the findings of the survey, which did not seem to correspond with current thinking on the glamping sector,” says Adeline.

For example regarding budget, only 2% of respondents want to spend more than Euros181 for a night with breakfast, while in France, the average budget spent by a couple on glamping isEuros190 a night (source AbracadaRoom - leading French booking site). “This makes one wonder if sites should consider lowering their rates in the medium term until the demand for glamping grows sufficiently,” adds Adeline.

“Similarly, while we thought more and more customers were looking for luxury and a private jacuzzi/hot tub, we found that only 7.3% of respondents were looking for a luxurious atmosphere and a hot tub/jacuzzi came in 5th position of peoples’ expectations for their glamping trip.”

UNUSUAL ACCOMMODATION IS THE BIG DRAW Over 60% of those surveyed are attracted to book glamping because of the style of

accommodation on offer. This proves that unusual glamping accommodation is an indispensable asset for hosts.

“Glamping breaks the codes of traditional tourism in France – sea, mountains, countryside, city,” says Adeline.

“Glamping can be placed almost anywhere and it doesn’t compete with traditional accommodation.”

Unsurprisingly, the three main forms of accommodation sought are tree houses, floating cabins and bubbles, considering that these forms of accommodation have been very popular in France for around 10-15 years.

However, fourth popular on the list was something unexpected – the buried ‘Hobbit’ style houses. Scoring lowest on the list with respondents is the tipi – which has been on the market the longest – since the millennium at least.

Another fact revealed by the research is that French people are ready to travel long distances to realise their dreams.

Almost half of those asked would drive more than two hours to reach a glampsite, while only 3% would limit themselves to one hour. In addition, nearly 65% would not hesitate to travel abroad and experience glamping there.

So, it’s time to target French customers!

If this is your wish, or if you want more information, you can contact: Adeline Lenoir: contact@hotes-insolites.com www.hotes-insolites.com Or Nicolas Sartorius: partners@unicstay.com www.abracadaroom.com/en/ Next step: we are looking for partners in Great Britain, Holland and Germany (or other European countries) to carry out the same survey and exchange results.

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GLAMPING IS OFFICIALLY RECOGNISED

IN WALLONIA Wallonia – in the Belgian Ardennes – is known the world over for its wonderful countryside. The green region welcomes tourists for more than a million overnight stays a year and many of these are spent in one of over 280 campsites. In fact, tourism in the region is growing and occupancy rates have increased from 70%-90% in some areas.

In recent years, glamping, which in Belgium is termed ‘unusual accommodation’ has grown. The appeal is to present an experience that is harmonious with nature but also blended with local and regional flavours to create

an identifiable experience for guests.

Wallonia has seen sites offer water lodges, bubbles, caravans and wagons, yurts, tipis and even railway carriages, which all come under the classification of glamping – and which demonstrate the wide range of options on offer in the region.

This has led the tourist board (Comissariat Général au Tourisme) to create a ‘glamping’ classification to those who wish to diversify into the sector, in order that they can be better promoted to tourists. The ‘glamping label’ provides a good opportunity for those who are already working within the tourism

infrastructure (such as B&Bs, campsites and others) to benefit from the support of the tourist board. Thus far, 18 operators have been awarded the official ‘glamping’ classification and those who want to find out more about applying can visit walloniabelgiumtourism.co.uk and www.campingbelgique.be (en / nl) To see those sites that have already been awarded the ‘glamping’ classification visit: http://walloniebelgiquetourisme.be/frbe/3/jaime/wallonie-insolite/hebergem ents-insolites

CAMP'AIR19 - 23/10/2019 - TRENDS AND SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT For those companies interested in knowing more about the Belgian and Wallonian outdoor tourism sector – why not visit Camp’Air – a dedicated trade fair which takes place on October 23rd 2019. This year’s show focuses on Trends and Sustainable Environment is partnered with Ecorismo – a forum for Sustainable development. The show welcomes 80 exhibitors and will provide information and discussions on ecosustainable tourism.

“We can confirm that we will have the participation of various ecological designers who will be showing ecofriendly accommodation designs. It will be a great opportunity for those

looking to invest in this sector,” says Christian Alard, show organiser.

For more information visit www.campair.be

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DESERT DREAMS: FOCUS ON MOROCCO

permaculture garden which supplies the camp kitchen making the area mostly self-sufficient with 18 tents combining tradition and comfort. The camp also has its own camels, horses and two plunge pools.

Glamping can trace some of its roots back to the Bedouin tents in the Sahara. The English word bedouin comes from the Arabic badawī, which means "desert dweller".

Our correspondent Karen Southall turned Bedouin for a trip to Morocco to see how desert camps are redefining their offer for the modern traveller.

Headed by Pierre Yves Marais, this camp offers a very unique and back-to-nature type experience in Berber-style tents and South African lodges comfortably equipped. There are various activities offered from hiking to astronomy to meditation plus camel rides, quad and buggy rides, mountain biking and cookery classes.

The Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world and covers an area of 9.4 million square kilometres (3.6 million square miles), comparable to the area of the United States. It covers about 30 per cent of Africa in total and engulfs much of North Africa.

In Morocco, the Sahara is located in the South East of the country and many tour operators will offer excursions into the desert – usually from a starting point such as Marrakech – which is also known as The Red City.

Marrakech sees around 30 per cent of its GDP from tourism and is ranked second (after Cancun) as a favourite destination for Americans. Last year over 2.4 million tourists arrived via Menara Airport and more than six million overnight stays were registered.

One such company to run glamping trips near Marrakech is Scarabeo Camp which provides two different options – the Stone Camp which offers 15 orientalinspired tents in the small rocky desert in Agafay, about 35 kilometres from Marrakech.

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The camp is set against a stunning desert backdrop and are kitted out with African woven mats, Berber rugs and Moroccan lanterns. Each has an en-suite shower tent and toilet and they are authentic, charming and comfortable.

Activities on site include bowling and board games whilst there are also options to take a quad or bike tour, dune buggy ride, camel back rides, yoga classes or simply sit back and gaze at the stars.

The second option is the Mobile Camp, which enables visitors to pick their own spot in the desert with small furnished canvas tents which are great for small adventurous groups.

Meanwhile Terre Des Etoiles is an ecolodge, also in the Agafay desert near Marrakech. This venture began as a crazy idea to develop an oasis in the middle of this desert area which stretches from the edge of the Wad N’Fiss river to the plains of Haouz. The area is home to a few natural springs and as such became the perfect location for a glamping venue.

What began with a few tents extended over the years, now includes a

Agadir, south west of Marrakech is a popular coastal resort on the edge of the Atlantic, which was developed as a result of Morocco’s focus on mass tourism which began about 10 years ago in an attempt to mirror countries such as Tunisia. The area was destroyed by an earthquake back in 1960 which saw 15,000 people lose their lives, a third of the population, and about 70 per cent of the town was destroyed. The town was evacuated and over the next few decades had to virtually rebuild itself with its port, maritime and tourist identity at the forefront. A new city centre was developed with wide avenues and modern hotel infrastructures, which now dot the beachfront offering a more upscale type holiday aimed at families looking at the all-inclusive type destination.

And it seems to be doing the trick.

Agadir recorded over one million tourists last year, an increase of over 13 per cent.

There are almost 40,000 beds registered in Agadir.

Today Agadir has a third of all Moroccan bed nights and is often a good base for tours to the Atlas Mountains. It was ranked as having the 37th best city beach by website Flightnetwork.com and its

golden sands offer something for everyone from surfing to jet skis.

and club hotels account for almost 50 per cent of this number.

Tour company Agadir Journey comes recommended and offers a wide range of trips from city visits to camel rides, buggy safaris or quad biking. They also offer a two-day glamping trip to the Sahara with bivouac camping on the edge of the desert.

Marrakech has a 30 per cent share of these beds whilst Agadir has 16 per cent followed by Casablanca with eight per cent. Of this around eight per cent (18,000) are classed as other accommodation – primarily camping, motels, cottages and guesthouses.

There are also 100 campsites listed in Morocco which are well-equipped offering tent and park up zones or often bungalows and tents to rent.

Meanwhile Morocco is keen to boost its tourism offer further. Vision 2020 was launched by the Moroccan government back in 2010 with the aim of making the country one of the top 20 tourist destinations in the world whilst doubling the number of visitors.

A Huge Growth Market With its affable hospitality, strong heritage and cultural offering, Morocco offers a unique fingerprint unlike any other in Africa. It is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after holiday destinations with a vibrant and diverse landscape.

Tourism is a huge economic boost to Morocco and is well developed with over 11.3 million tourists last year. In fact, tourism is the second largest foreign exchange earner after the phosphate industry.

A new agreement with China two years ago, saw the number of Chinese visitors to Morocco rise by a whopping 300 per cent to 200,000 visitors recorded last year.

There’s a wide range of accommodation from hotels to riads to camping with a cost that ranges from ☼20 per night up to ☼1,000 per night at a luxury level.

There are some 251,200 beds in the country whilst three to five-star hotels

Released by the Department of Tourism, the project aims to create unique, safe and affordable tourist experiences including reforms of the existing hotel ranking systems whilst increasing the number of tourism establishments. It also looks at developing eco-resorts, green resorts and desert and luxury bivouac resorts and plans to boost infrastructure in business cities such as Casablanca offering exhibition and conference facilities and restoring medinas and green spaces.

Current contribution to GDP from tourism is around 11 per cent which the government hopes will increase to 20 per cent. The sector provides employment for about 532,000 people directly (five per cent of employment in the economy) whilst expenses paid out by tourists, not including air fares, runs up to around 7bn Euros.

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TENTRR: The Perfect Pitch Sometimes an idea comes along that’s a game-changer and it occurs at the perfect time, when the technology is adequately advanced to be able to do it justice.

This is what happened with Tentrr – the brainchild of ex-investment banker Michael D’Agostino. By Steph Curtis-Raleigh Tentrr is now one of the four biggest ‘glamping’ brands in the US, as named by Arizton’s latest research report – which also estimated the value of the American market for glamping will reach $1bn by 2024.

Tentrr is now available nationwide in 25 states. It started in the summer of 2015, when Michael and his wife got out of the city and searched for fresh air, with the aim to go camping. They ended up in an overcrowded campsite that was being used for a Wiccan festival (pagan witchcraft – imagine a gathering of people in white cloaks). After a not-so relaxing night which involved, among other things, a woman streaking through the campsite stark naked – the pair decided to de-camp for somewhere quieter. They ended up in a hipster hotel but en route they saw a pretty farm and wondered – wouldn’t it be perfect if we could just go camping there?

So, Michael did his research on the US camping market and found that 40m people go camping every year and that amounts to 600m nights under canvas.

The incredible thing is that the camping scene in the US has remained relatively unchanged in 150 years – basically since the Civil War. Legislation governing the sector remains exactly the same and the business model of the mom and pop

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campsite owners continues. So, Michael started to wonder how this sector could benefit from the leaps and bounds in technology, since the introduction of the internet.

As for the accommodation itself – this is standardised throughout the US, which was a conscious decision to create the Tentrr brand. “We wanted to look at the Westin Hotel analogy,” says Michael.

“I thought – what if we could reinvent the “Wherever you are in the country, you camping experience if we could partner know that if you stay in a Westin you will with rural landowners get a heavenly bed and and benefit the local the leaf-shaped white tea THE CAMPING economies – to offer soap and a decent café. them greater resilience.

We wanted to reassure SCENE IN THE US To offer people lovely those who are HAS REMAINED private exclusive spaces trepidatious about the so that they could idea of going camping – RELATIVELY choose their own so that they think, ‘I UNCHANGED IN adventure? know what I am going to find when I arrive.’

150 YEARS – “Ever since I was a little We resisted the term BASICALLY SINCE boy in Connecticut – I glamping, however, was lucky enough to because I think it THE CIVIL WAR holiday on a farm and represents a high echelon since then I yearned for of luxury that people that kind of time away ‘on demand’. I saw associate with butlers and chandeliers and there was a turnkey opportunity. that’s not what we are about.”

“Today, I am most proud to be able to make the camp keepers into micro entrepreneurs – depending on their sites and their own personal preferences, they offer their own extras – limited only by imagination. It could be guided fly fishing for example – its hyper local and unique to the site.”

“As for standardisation within the sector, which has been spoken about recently – I think this is a huge mistake,” he clarifies.

“Just like thee are different airlines serving different markets, I don’t see why you would want to buttonhole within the realm of glamping any more than any other market variety or offer. The main

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thing is to be transparent to the customer about what they can expect.”

By creating just one type of accommodation – a fully-rigged tent, a great bed, a fire pit and camp table, Adirondack chairs, wood burning stove, loo, sun shower and grill – this enables customers to concentrate on the other things about the site that they can enjoy – the countryside and the privacy.

“The advantage of Tentrr is that we are not Airbnb where everything on the site is completely different. It takes a couple of sentences to explain what we offer,” says Michael. “My idea for the Tentrr model was to start with a simple box containing the pieces of typical

“Undoubtedly, this is a tech company, our tagline is, ‘Built in New York City, while dreaming of the outdoors’. The technology to create Tentrr probably didn’t even exist five years ago,” explains Michael. “The whole concept of this kind of sharing economy is also something relatively new. We are using the internet to link thousands of people who have never met before and creating a trusted connection. I feel lucky to have been a pioneer of this kind of business model.”

equipment – things to make the experience accessible to people even if they have possibly never camped before.”

“My idea for a bathroom was originally a garden spade to bury waste!” he jokes. “But seriously, site owners prevailed and we invented the Tentrr loo. This is an eco-friendly bucket toilet containing a gelling agent and guests just tie off a bag and dispose of it. There is no environmental impact, no odour. I was nervous how people would accept it; but the response has been incredibly positive.”

The landowners are Tentrr’s business partners and Michael is full of praise about how much they bring to the guest experience. “Many of our

“We had to overcome some key technical hurdles – such as how to use GPS to get guests not just to the mailbox of the farm, but to the exact spot in the field where the camp is located. The confirmation email provides directions to the tent itself using a GPS-enabled map that works even if the camper is out of range of cell service,” he adds.

As for expansion – Tentrr sees opportunities above and beyond the

landowners love to interact with the guests and go above and beyond what we ask of them,” he says. “Whether it’s taking a bottle of wine to the tent or rushing a dog to the vet – they are usually on hand to help when needed.

They also have their own forum where they can exchange ideas and best practice – it’s a real community.”

The Tentrr journey has seen Michael and his wife go from driving around the countryside to find perfect camping spots and discussing the possibilities with landowners – to having a full sales force and a strong customer service department. There is no doubt that this is not just a camping/glamping phenomenon, it’s a new form of disruptive technology.

billion-dollar mark that Arizton predicts in the next five years. “I think it’s great that this has become a specific segment of the camping sector but I can see that in addition to what we currently offer on private farmland, there is a huge adjacent opportunity for a slice of the existing campground market by providing a trusted solution like ours.

This could easily open up a new channel of the 24 billion dollar camping and campground market in the USA over the next 5 years.” He concludes.

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Product News THE PV LOGIC POWER BUNDLE FOR SUPERIOR OFF-GRID ENERGY With more and more caravan, glamping sites and motorhome owners wanting to take their travel adventures off-grid, the need for reliable and effective solar power coupled with impressive battery performance has never been greater.

The PV Logic Power Bundle combines the energy generating properties of a PV Logic rigid or semi flexible solar panel, the intelligence of the MPPT Pro charge controller and the long-life and resilience of the LiFOS 68Ah lightweight lithium battery to create all you need for years of trips free from electric hook=up.

The premium quality solar panels use the latest crystalline technology to capture the power of the sun ready to turn into electricity. Then it’s the turn the multi power point tracking charge controller to map the voltage from the solar panel to suit the condition of the battery thereby maximising charging capabilities.

Adding in LiFOS, featuring LiFePO4 - the latest in lithium battery technologies - delivers in excess of 2750 charge cycles, far in excess of the traditional lead acid or gel batteries. Plus, it weighs just 7.8kg!

Both the MPPT Pro and LiFOS battery come with free to download Bluetooth apps so the solar charge battery status can be monitored via a smartphone.

“The PV Logic power bundle is the perfect combination for anyone who values their freedom when travelling,” explains Adrian Williams, Managing Director at Solar Technology International.

“Going off-grid is growing in popularity all the time and the technology is now here to give travellers power without compromise.”

A booking system that works for you Leafy Fields Glamping, an award winning glampsite in Devon had tried multiple online booking systems that hadn’t performed the way they needed. Having received a demonstration of GlampManager, they could quickly see the features that their previous systems lacked and the additional benefits that GlampManager could offer them.

Andrew and Dannie from Leafy Fields commented, “We knew we needed to have a better booking system to take our business forward and improve our work/life balance after trying another system the year before and having had to abandon it we were weary of making the investment and going through the hassle again. We chose GlampManager as they demonstrated that they could give a very personal tailored customer service.”

Leafy Fields use GlampManager to support everything they do on the site.

The Booking Management side of the system drastically reduces the time

previously spent on site admin. The system features automated emails, allowing the glampsite to send personalised bespoke communication to their customers prior to their stay.

GlampManager enables the customers to pay their balances online saving Leafy Fields time by not having to chase and take payment over the phone.

Andrew and Dannie added, “We now have automated emails for customers during booking and pre-arrival taking away a lot of my admin woes. We have found the system very mobile compatible which was extremely important to us as we operate as a mobile office and could be anywhere when an enquiry comes in. The bookings pages and calendars match our

website well, converting more website visitors into bookers.”

Andrew concluded, “GlampManager have given us the benefit of their strong knowledge of the industry, excellent attention to detail and very responsive customer service. We are very pleased with GlampManager and their system really does take the stress away from managing bookings.” www.GlampManager.com

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Product News

The Magical SeedPod Deep in the fern-filled forests of Bel Ombre Nature Reserve; tucked into the bamboo groves next to the meandering Jacotier river, adventurers will be surprised to find two treetop pods have appeared, floating eerily above the forest floor.

The Seedpod is the latest treehouse initiative from award winning hospitality design company Nomadic Resorts. The pods were originally developed as a pop-up resort concept – a unique opportunity for guests to sleep outdoors and reconnect with Mother Nature without compromising their creature comforts.

At Bel Ombre, the concept was adapted for Heritage Nature Reserve to create a unique picnic experience. Visitors to the reserve learn about the endemic forest, have a dip in one of the natural pools, relax in a hammock near the campfire and then have a mosquito free lunch in the Seedpod.

In addition to its structural performance the pods can be erected on its own optional tripod and equipped with lighting, a ceiling fan, a cool box and a charging station for devices making it an ideal option for hiking trails, surf camps or silent safaris.

The pods are the fruit of years of research. Louis Thompson, CEO of Nomadic Resorts explains: “Our goal was to take inspiration from the humble seed, to create a floating hotel room that was both ephemeral and robust – comfortable but exciting to sleep in. The idea is that sleeping in the pod, is a transformative experience in its own right – a chance to spend a night in a human nest where you can see the movement of the wildlife below and hear the gurgling of the stream.

“Seeds, by their very nature, are full of potential” claims Creative Director Olav Bruin, “so we created a multifunctional interior that can easily be converted from a seating arrangement during the day into a sleeping arrangement during the night. This way we are utilizing the full potential of the relatively compact space. Over the coming years we hope to see our seedpod family adapt, expand and evolve over the coming years.”

“At Nomadic Resorts, we have struggled with the physical footprint of traditional hotel development since we created the company in 2011 – in many ways hotels often seem to destroy the nature that they aim to celebrate. Our team has been striving to find a symbiotic, harmonious relationship with the sites we develop. To achieve that we need to find a compromise between durability and sustainability, environmental integrity and guest comfort – size was an important consideration in that discussion- it is the place not the space that is true luxury. For us our little Seedpod represents a major step in that quest – it shows that E.F Shumacher was right: small is beautiful” The form of the structure was a critical consideration for the team – the natural shape of a seed is inherently aerodynamic: when their team of membrane engineers introduced the structure into their computer wind model it showed that using a small number of structural rings, combined with a new generation architectural fabric, the pod can resist windspeeds of 120kmh.

The other critical consideration was installation – the team wanted to be able to quickly and quietly install the pods in remote locations without using heavy machinery or power tools. Having worked in remote wilderness camps throughout Africa, Nomadic Resort COO Neil Hendrikz explains: “Our idea was to create a structural system that could be installed using manpower only on virtually any terrain, anywhere on the planet, within a day. That same structure, if properly maintained, could last ten years.”

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