A Look Behind the Scenes at The Glamping Show

The Glamping Show 2020

Since its launch in 2015, The Glamping Show UK has become a firm favourite with the industry. Suppliers get the chance to show their latest products and services making first contact with owners who may become valued customers, and buyers get a chance to meet other people who have made the same journey, as well as hearing from the industry experts in the seminar programme.

So, what does it take to organise an event like The Glamping Show UK? International Glamping Business Publisher Steph Curtis-Raleigh talked to Dan Wiseman, show manager, to find out.

"The Glamping Show is always three days (this year it takes place from September 16-18) and people always seem to think I only work for three days a year! I wish! I have actually been in the exhibition industry for 20 years now and that misconception still makes me laugh.

Actually, preparation begins as soon as the last events closes and is followed by a full 12 months of sales, marketing, promotion, planning, approvals and operations.

Karen, Peter and I have worked for big companies and run huge shows all over the world but with The Glamping Show we want things to be a bit different. We want it to have the personal touch. Be successful, be enjoyable and, more than ever at the moment, be safe.”

Health and safety was of paramount concern at last year’s show. With rules and guidance from thegovernment changing on a weekly basis, there was a lot of uncertainty over whether it would be possible. The Glamping Show UK 2020 ended up being one of the few trade exhibitions to go ahead all year, Yes, last year’s show was a miracle to be honest. But we were confident that it was possible, and we involved everyone that we could think of to make sure that it was going to be safe. We followed government guidelines, overlaid by exhibition industry standards, then checked by our own Health & Safety consultant and the Venue management who had to be specially licensed by the Local Council, The County Authorities and it was all then approved by the regional Trading Standards Board and Midlands SAGE board.

And it worked. Everyone was brilliant. The exhibitors, the visitors, the contractors, everyone. They all worked together, obeyed the rules and looked out for one another. The show as an absolute joy to be at, everyone was safe, enjoyed themselves and did great business. Of course, the sunshine helped!

We have still to decide exactly what is going to happen about the seminar programme but it likely that they will all have to be done online again. We would have to erect a marquee to run them in the current rules mean that it would be the size of a football pitch for distancing and have a force 10 gale blowing through it to guarantee air change. But the online sessions worked well last year with just under 2,000 people logging on and we are all so much used to online meetings that we think we can do better.

While the vaccine rollout has proved a big success, it may yet be some time before things are completely back to normal. We are looking to run the event to the same or probably even higher safety standards given the lessons we learned last year. Recent announcements tell us that the show should all be outdoors again, that we should follow the same rules of spacing, distance and security and if we do that along with the levels of vaccination that should be in place by September, we can run another safe and successful show.

While it has undoubtedly been a difficult year for the industry, glamping is in a fortunate place with record levels of bookings for glamping structures and the prospect of continued growth in the UK holiday market for a few years to come. Glamping is so well placed to fulfil many of the travel trends that we are seeing at the moment - outdoor, reconnecting with nature, a focus on health and wellbeing as well as being sustainable and responsible travel. I am very positive about the future and can’t wait. So, if you are involved or want to be involved in the glamping industry, put the dates in your diary and plan a visit. If you are a supplier, give me a call, stand bookings are moving quickly so make certain you find the space that you want.