l ping m G INTERNATIONAL
BUSINESS
ISSUE 26 JULY/AUGUST 2021
Room With a View AUSTRALIA
IN FOCUS OFF-GRID
POWER SOLUTIONS
FAIRGROUND ATTRACTION: MARTHA AND REUBEN’S RENOVATION
GLAMPING SHOW UK & USA PREVIEWS INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION FOR GLAMPING OPERATORS Gl mping BUSINESS
International Glamping Business is published by: Upgrade Publishing Registered address: 47 Oliver Close London W4 3RL
l mping G INTERNATIONAL
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Publishers: Upgrade Publishing Steph Curtis-Raleigh e: steph@upgradepublishing.com Editor: Will Rusbridge
Welcome to the July/August Issue of International Glamping Business. Our focus for this issue is Australia, with articles featuring Eco Structures Australia CEO Tom Butterfield, Experience Nature Founder and Managing Director Amanda Fry, Bubbletent Australia Co-Founder and CEO Sonny Vrebec, John and Gwyn Bell of Eversprings Glamping and a look at Peninsula Hot Springs.
Sales: Kathryn Kelly t: +44 (0) 7575 408580 e: kath@upgradepublishing.com Social Media Editor: Annabelle Hilton e: media@upgradepublishing.com Design: Dean Coulter Design on Tap www.designontap.co.uk
www.glampingbusiness.com Instagram @thisisglamping
Our guide to renewables includes a roundup of some of the most innovative products on the market ideal for glamping sites and a look at how Martha and Reuben Fosberry took a Victorian fun fair stall in a sorry state of disrepair and decided to ambitiously resurrect it as a Glamping space. With the events getting ever closer, we also have previews for The Glamping Show UK and The Glamping Show US and all of the latest industry news.
Will
Editor, International Glamping Business Facebook @thisisglamping
Other Events: The Glamping Show w: www.glampingshow.com e: dan.w@theglampingshow.com Glamping Show USA w: www.glampingshow.us e: david@glampingshow.us Eco Hotel Summit w: www.ecohotelsummit.com e: contact@ecohotelsummit.com
CONTENTS
19 23 27 30
05 Industry News
© Upgrade Publishing Ltd. International Glamping Business is published 6 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.
Australia’s Evolving Glamping Industry
Going Beyond Glamping
Seeing Stars Despite Disaster
36 42 50 32
Glamping Heats Up in Australia
Once Upon a Facebook Marketplace
In with the Renewables
Get Ready for The Glamping Show
First Season Success for Eversprings
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NEWS 678% INCREASE IN GLAMPING GOOGLE SEARCHES As the pandemic took hold and international travel became more and more difficult, people began to look for a way to experience the country that they live in, in a new and exciting way. Glamping has apparently been the answer to the problem as from this time last year, searches for the term have increased by an incredible 678%. During 2021, increases in the search volume remained steady with a steep 45% increase since the last week of April. This follows another rise in interest that occurred the year before, during the period from July 2019 to July 2020, when the search volume on Google for “glamping” rose by 104%. Now offering glamping in the grounds of their Tring, Forest Mere and Mottram Hall properties, Alan Whiteley, CEO at Champneys, comments: “Over the last year,
people across the country have developed a closer relationship with nature. Whether it’s from a weekend walk in the great outdoors, enjoying some fresh air on a lunch break while working from home, or meeting up with a friend or family member for some headspace. Connecting with nature has helped improve our well-being both physically and mentally, with this connection potentially having an impact on how we wish to spend future holidays and downtime.
marketing director at Champneys, said: “We’ve seen a significant increase in Google searches for Glamping since the beginning of the pandemic, showing a clear spike in interest towards a more luxurious and relaxing escape. Following restrictions around international travel, many people have resorted to staycations, with Glamping offering a unique stay where you can experience nurture in nature - especially when combined with a pampering wellness retreat.
This shift has driven our own desire to make the most out of our idyllic countryside setting. We are inviting guests to experience the healing and restorative powers of being grounded outdoors in nature with a unique glamping stay, while the luxury of pampering treatments await nearby in the spa.”
Although international travel is set to return and life begins to feel more ‘normal’, our analysis predicts that the impact of many lockdowns has meant that people are still interested in a calm, nature-first trip, such as glamping. The data shows a clear indication that interest in glamping is on an upward trend once again, predicting a summer of relaxation, rejuvenation and reconnecting with nature.”
Commenting on the research, Kate Taylor,
DAVID LLOYD CLUBS TO OFFER GLAMPING HOLIDAYS David Lloyd Clubs, the UK’s leading health and fitness group, is applying for Abta accreditation in order to be able to offer glamping holidays. With uncertainty still surrounding international travel people are turning to domestic holidays instead. There is currently huge demand for alternative staycation and day trip options that offer the all-inclusive resort experience. So much so, that there are many sites reporting to already be fully booked for the year. By applying for official ABTA accreditation, David Lloyd clubs are ensuring that they will be able to provide short breaks for holidaymakers this summer. Further details are to be released in the coming weeks.
Steph Holland, head of lifestyle products at David Lloyd Clubs, commented: “We’re all wondering if and how we are going to get away this summer, and for many, the gym is not the first place they’d look to for a holiday. “But David Lloyd Clubs are so much more than a place to work out with our pools, spas, entertainment and kids’ clubs, and a friendly community vibe…so providing short breaks was a natural extension of our offering. “We’ve got so many exciting activities planned, with our outdoor areas turning
into resort retreats with family splash parties in the outdoor pool, beach-inspired games and pizza-making classes. “The evenings will see these areas become relaxed adult zones with cocktail masterclasses and gin and wine-tasting sessions all sound-tracked by an eclectic playlist and live-streamed music on giant screens.” She added: “Details around this exclusive new offering will be revealed over the coming weeks. This is exactly why we’re applying for Abta accreditation – with so much for everyone to do at our clubs, who needs the Costa del Sol or the Caribbean?
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NEWS
COOL CAMPING TEAM EXPANDS TO SUPPORT RISE IN GLAMPING SITES Curated camping and glamping website Cool Camping have recently expanded their support team based at their Birmingham office. There are now eight full-time support staff available to help camping and glamping operators set up on the Cool Camping platform and to answer general queries, up from just three staff a year ago. Cool Camping founder Jonathan Knight said, “With bookings running at more than three times pre-pandemic levels, demand higher than ever, and a surge in new site openings, we have quickly expanded our Customer Happiness team in order to better support new and existing site owners.” The team will continue to be led by Head of Customer Happiness Brogan Kirby, who oversaw the relocation of the support office from London to Birmingham. “With our new expanded
team, we’ve been able to quickly increase our collection of camping and glamping sites to meet demand, while also offering quicker response times and higher service levels to existing owners too” Kirby commented. “We are also trialling extended opening hours for the peak summer months, with the support team available to answer email enquiries between 8am and 7pm during the week, and 9am to 5pm on Saturday. We’ve found that camping and glamping site owners really appreciate the extra access to our team”. The expanded team also provides support for the Bedful booking system, which is operated by the same company and used by hundreds of camping and glamping sites across the UK, giving one point of contact for both platforms. Bedful allows businesses to take commissionfree bookings on their own website and manage lots of tasks, such as initiating
balance payments automatically, sending pre-arrival messages or taking security deposits. It can also share availability between other platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, Cool Camping and Glampingly. “We have also doubled our technology team so we can go faster on deploying new features requested by our glamping sites and other accommodation partners”, added Knight. ‘This will also enable us to expand our integrations to connect Cool Camping and Bedful to more systems. It’s an exciting time to be part of the glamping industry right now, during a period of such strong growth and innovation. I’m excited to see the industry mature and flourish over the next few years, and we’re proud to be helping glamping hosts make the most of the opportunity.” coolcamping.com
STAY UP TO DATE WITH VISITENGLAND’S BUSINESS ADVICE HUB VisitEngland’s free Business Advice Hub continues to be updated regularly with the latest support and guidance during COVID-19. The dedicated pages contain quick links to key resources such as the official Visitor Economy Guidance, rules on face coverings, ventilation of indoor spaces, employer toolkits and sector-specific guidance from trade associations. Find information on the ‘We’re Good to Go’ industry standard and consumer mark to reassure your customers that your business
adheres to Government and public health guidance. You can also access recordings of business recovery webinars, including topics such as the latest research, improving bookability and how to get involved in the latest VisitEngland marketing campaign. Case studies of business recovery stories showcase how tourism businesses have created COVID-secure experiences for their customers on reopening, from creating a concierge app to making changes to breakfast service.
Don’t forget to sign up to the VisitBritain/ VisitEngland enewsletter to ensure you are informed of the latest announcements for the tourism sector. Explore the Hub now: https://www. visitbritain.org/business-advice/covid-19guidance
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW WHEN CHOOSING A BELL TENT By White Duck Outdoors If you’re starting up a glamping business, bell tents can be a great choice because of how durable, functional and versatile they are. The best bell tents for glamping are made from 100% cotton canvas and treated to be water repellent, mould and UV-resistant. Setting up a bell tent for glamping often means pitching the tent for several weeks on end, which means your tent needs to be very well constructed and largely weatherproof. When exploring bell tent options, there are a few things you should keep in mind. There can be vast differences in price, quality and functionality so it’s important that you choose the one that works best for you. Here are a few things you should keep in mind while selecting the best bell tent. What Material Should My Bell Tent Be Made From? A canvas bell tent is always a good choice. Not only is 100% cotton canvas an extremely durable fabric but it’s also a sustainable option. Canvas fabric is a breathable material that allows air to flow in and out of the tent easily. This helps keep the tent cool in the summer and warm in the winters. Canvas is slightly more expensive when compared to its nylon and polyester counterparts, but it can be less expensive
in the long run. Nylon and polyester tents can wear out easily whereas canvas tents last for years. If you plan to use a stove inside the tent, it’s worth investing in one that has a flame-retardant fabric option. This acts as an insurance policy and provides that extra piece of mind. Ideally, your bell tent will also be treated to be mould and UVresistant, as well as water-repellent. What’s The Best Bell Tent Size? Bell tents come in various sizes, so you have to be careful about the quantity and sizes of the tents you need. Some glamping events have several tiny bell tents for the occasion, while others may require a small number of much larger tents. Sizes for these tents are generally measured according to diameter. They can be as small as 8 feet/2.5 metres and can go up to as large as 23 feet/7 metres (e.g. White Duck’s Avalon Optimus Bell Tent). When considering the size of your tent, you need to think about all the things you plan to keep inside and furnish it with. For example, if you plan to have a queen bed inside, you would need to opt for one that’s at least 10’, and 13’ or more to truly be comfortable. You can also try to choose bell tents that have higher than average wall and centre heights to provide ample space to stand up and walk around inside.
What Features And Functionality Does The Bell Tent Offer? While searching for the best glamping tent, also look at what features and functionality it comes with. A stove jack is an absolute necessity with a canvas tent, especially if you plan to use it through colder months with a wood stove. The frame of the bell tent should be made of aluminium or steel, so it can stand up to all kinds of weather. Apart from this, shock-absorbing, reflective guy ropes, a PE or PVC floor and a premium bug mesh are things to look out for when making your selection. Ideally, you won’t be paying extra for add-ons or features that should be a part of your tent, like windows, mesh, a stove jack, pockets and more. White Duck Outdoors Bell Tents In its complete range of canvas tents, White Duck builds two distinct bell tents, both of which are ideal for glamping operators. The Regatta and Avalon bell tents are 4-season tents designed for space and comfort. They’re made from 100% canvas fabric and are available in fire-retardant fabric options. White Duck offers its White Duck Warranty, end-to-end sales support, marketing collaborations and 24/7 support.
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NEWS CREATE MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES WITH CAMPING CABINS and every one of them. At Camping Cabins all the glamping cabins, studio lodges & BBQ huts are manufactured here in the UK. They are also installed by their trained installation teams. With so many owners up and down the country using their Camping Cabins to entice new customers to try out the posh glamping experience. Whether you are wanting to gain extra accommodation space or a BBQ cabin for customers to rent out on a nightly basis, you will not be disappointed in the quality and craftsmanship that goes into all the buildings.
Creating an inviting and unique space for your guests will ensure return customers year after year. With so many more families holidaying in the UK than ever before you need to make a lasting impression on each
A range of glamping cabins suitable for couples or families, interconnecting cabins and space to add in bathrooms and kitchens. The unique shape of these cabins and the BBQ huts is such a focal point and they come insulated for all year-round use. Built from slow grown Scandinavian redwood with double glazed windows and fitted with
a yale lock for safety. Their inhouse designers will work with you to ensure your bespoke studio lodge is perfect. Choose from a variety of windows & door options, internal paint and floor colouring, overall building size and lighting. In short, each studio lodge is designed to fit your needs and can be clad in cedar, redwood or zero-maintenance marley board. Part of the Cabin Master & Arctic Cabins group, the purpose-built factories in Derbyshire manufacture all their building and the 10-year guarantee gives you great peace of mind. Whether you already have a campsite or are setting up a new one, get in touch to see how Camping Cabins can help you create memorable experiences at your campsite. To find out more, visit their website at www.campingcabins.co.uk.
GLAMPING THROUGH THE EYES OF A LANDLORD The ever-growing popularity of glamping has presented UK landowners with an exciting opportunity for generating new revenue streams on their farms and estates. Whether it be a beautiful series of lakes, a bluebell wood, or a secluded spot, rural land holdings often have hidden gems perfect for hosting holiday makers who are looking for a connection with nature and the outdoors. Brown&Co, agricultural business consultants and land agents, have been helping their predominantly farming, estate and land owning client base explore this opportunity through a number of channels, and still see this as a positive market, especially given the boom in staycations since the relaxing of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. Depending on scale, a glamping site can utilise some, or all of the capacity of existing family and workforce on a farm. Sites can be developed over time and scaled up to suit the site and existing time commitments, whilst adding to business profitability.
Access to capital can be a limiting factor. Historically, grant funding has been available for setting up new glamping sites, through schemes such as the LEADER grant scheme and the RDPE Growth Programme. These schemes have offered up to 40% funding towards projects that encourage rural tourism, create employment, and generate business for local economies. Brown&Co have been actively involved in these grant schemes and anticipate the return of funding for rural tourism activities in the coming year. Planning permission can also be a challenge, whether it be building on a green field site, or mitigating against objections. This is another area that Brown&Co specialise in through their dedicated planning department, who are well versed in the intricacies of local planning regulations. As a landowner, having access to a perfect site does not necessarily mean that you have the time or desire to set up and operate a glamping site. A busy farm or estate may not
have spare labour to allocate to managing a new enterprise, which is why Brown&Co are encouraging some of their landowning clients to make sites available for lease to eager glamping operators. Set up correctly, there can be great synergies in relationships of this kind, with operators gaining access to land they wouldn’t otherwise have been able to, and landowners adding a welcome rental income stream to their business. To find out more, find their website at www.brown-co.com.
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NEWS DESIGNED TO IMPRESS. BUILT TO LAST or customised according to specified requirements. Their passionate in-house team of designers can also create custom designs based on a client’s concept; they can create almost almost anything that you can imagine. Their state-of-the-art factories total a productive area of 27,500 m2 where more than 300 skilled design, technical and specialist personnel are employed. This is where most of the magic happens.
Sindile - Shamwari Private Game Reserve The name says it all! Bushtec Safari incorporates technology into their products that can withstand the elements of the bush and nature. Bushtec Safari have been designing and manufacturing top quality luxury tents for over 50 years. They form part of the Canvas and Tent group, manufacturing and supplying tents to numerous glamping resorts and lodges within South Africa and around the world. Over the years, their brand has expanded and developed to such an extent that they have been able to branch out into America, Europe, Botswana as well as Asia, Australia and the UAE. Bushtec’s wide range of standard designed luxury tents can be ordered as designed
Bushtec Safari luxury tents are designed keeping in mind the importance of the environment. Their tents are eco-friendly, and can blend in with the natural surroundings effortlessly. Each tent has a light footprint, and by securing it to a wooden deck that plants into the ground, you can have your luxury tented camp without disrupting the environment at all.
Bushtec also offer the option of a full turnkey solution through their sister company, Bushtec Creations. This is where everything concerning the project will be managed and implemented by their in-house team, from planning to concept development, design, site layouts, sourcing, manufacture, and supply of all items needed including interiors, right through to deployment and project management. With their professional and experienced team, you can rest assured that your investment is in the best hands. For Bushtec, no destination is too remote, no idea too bold, no challenge too big. Bushtec Safari – Designed to Impress. Built to Last. Better, Best, Bushtec. Bushtecsafari.com
CLEAN BURNING WITH THE ADVENTURER 5 Charlton and Jenrick have 35 years of expertise which they have used to introduce a real advancement in glamping stoves with the Adventurer 5. Avoiding adaptation of portable or regular domestic stoves into glamping accommodation means easy, safe and efficient installations. Adventurer 5 also introduces easy compliance with the latest Ecodesign and DEFRA exemption emissions standards for stoves and achieves the new maximum Level 5 clearSkies certification. The Adventurer is much more than just a high quality, characterful, 86% efficiency log stove. Its 4” (100mm) flue connector and compact dimensions will fit into most small spaces. A fabulous range of accessories are available to enhance and complement the nominal 4.5kW stove including an insulated lift-off oven that can be used in combination with the included large stainless steel hot-plate to prepare a multitude of tasty meals. The hot plate is big enough to accommodate full 30cm pans and the oven swallows 22cm casseroles or half size baking trays unlike many
cooking stoves which are impractically small or don’t produce enough heat. Left or right-side warming shelves are highly practical and a fiddle rail adds enhanced pan or kettle safety as well as a touch of class. An optional stainless splashback can be used when frying. Under normal circumstances, Building Regulations document J doesn’t apply to glamping accommodation but this in no way absolves the installer/owner/operator from providing a safe and enjoyable stove installation for users of the unit. C&J fully address this in the Adventurer 5 and its accessory packages. Specifically designed to avoid a number of problems with installation in timber or other non-permanent spaces, the Adventurer 5 is available with two bespoke heat shielding options, which have been independently safety tested to EN13240 for peace of mind. Hearths are taken care of within the freestanding heatshield kit and a marine hearth to BS 8511, which can also be used in non-domestic accommodation, adds extra stability and safety when used with the attached heatshield kit. Hand fitting fireproof boarding and other features using expensive labour has become a thing of the past.
Environmental considerations are often of high priority for glamping providers and the Adventurer 5 introduces a new stateof-the-art solution for low smoke emissions which is DEFRA exempt for burning wood in designated smoke control areas. Going significantly beyond the domestic 2022 Ecodesign regulations, which limits stove flue emissions, Adventurer 5 achieves Level 5 clearSkies certification. By specifying the Adventurer, you can be assured to be using one of the very best environmentally performing appliances available. A supremely practical appliance design producing between 3.5 and 5.5kW of heat output, clean burning and an excellent fire view is sure to be a winner. www.charltonandjenrick.co.uk
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THE LAUNCH OF DARTMOOR DOMES TruDomes caught up with James from Dartmoor Domes, a newly launched glamping business in the beautiful Dartmoor countryside. James was made redundant due to Covid-19 in 2020, fortunately he was well looked after following 20 years of service but being with his family made him realise that what he really wanted was to work locally, enjoying precious time with his son. So, the glamping adventure began, and what an adventure it has turned out to be. TruDomes: Tell us about the inspiration behind Dartmoor Domes and how it all started? James: In late October we were certified and started the build. In November we dug the drainage to drain the meadow by hand and laid the water pipes. In March and April, the domes turned up two at a time, and are a really easy build. In lockdown it was just us, but I found that I could build a dome with my three young kids in a day. This is how great a product they are. Frankly we are amazed by the reviews and feedback we have received. Emma is a nurse and I worked in construction, so we have
no experience in this industry. However, our family loves the outdoors and camping, so we knew what we wanted to make. For the interiors we followed our ethics where we could. The finishing touches came from a friend of ours who came to have a look and then made and posted us bunting for our domes. I don’t know if we are unique. We are not trying to be clever or out do anyone else. We wanted to make a low impact site for people to enjoy a relaxing break. All materials were sourced as locally as possible. No machinery was used to make the site. So, it is just a hand made, off grid, back to nature experience. The best part though is we get to share our amazing location. TruDomes: Any advice for aspiring glamping business owners?
what you want to do. If it will lead you to financial stress or hardship don’t do it. Do you think you have the capacity and the skills to do it? Be honest with yourself before you start, if you aren’t you will fall over. Most importantly, who is your customer, what do they want, and does this match what you can provide? What are your values, do you believe in it? Be really clear on this.
James: Advice for others is always harder. Honestly, I would say be comfortable with
To read the full story, head to www.TruDomes.com
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Australia’s
EVOLVING GLAMPING INDUSTRY
International Glamping Business Publisher Steph Curtis-Raleigh catches up with Eco Structures Australia CEO Tom Butterfield to learn about the Australian Glamping industry. For an introduction to the Australian glamping sector, there’s no better place to start than with Eco Structures – the Australian company that designs, manufactures and supplies cost-effective, environmentally sustainable glamping accommodation, which it exports all over the world. For Tom Butterfield, however, there has never been a more exciting time to look at the domestic market. “The changing face of glamping in Australia, is dynamic and intoxicating!” he says. “Its recent surge in popularity is challenging the essence of how people travel and interact with our unique landscape,” says Tom, “It has created a new genre for tourism, and we think, it’s only the beginning! I can still recall, that less than a decade ago, people hadn’t even heard of the concept of glamping! Today, it’s
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been embraced, wholeheartedly and we’re proud to be a part of it.”
around three to five tents and have opted for a sea or tree views.
According to Tom in recent years, the local industry has become more closely aligned with the global trends, and the concept of ‘adaptive glamping’. “For example - we’re starting to see the emergence of Airstream caravans, sea containers, tiny houses and cabins, among other, new initiatives. With this, we’ve started pushing design,” he adds.
“Anything over six tents, starts to become more challenging, from an operational perspective. We also find that a layered approach provides owners with more flexibility for their business, budget and lifestyle,” says Tom.
The expansion of glamping in regional areas is also adding enormous value to local tourism and a fantastic flow-on effect for country towns. “People are starting to exclusively select ‘Glamping holidays’, over hotels and more traditional forms of accommodation – which is exciting for us and the industry as a whole,” says Tom. Finding the ‘average’ glamping site is no easy task. Part of what makes glamping such an exciting industry is that each site is unique, with owners all having their own ideas on what makes the dream glamping experience. However, Tom is finding that on average, Eco Structure Australia’s clients create a site with
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An inspiring success story is Sierra Escape in Mudgee, New South Wales. A spectacular location and breathtaking retreat. It’s hard to believe that the business started out, with just one tent! After achieving return on investment in the first 12 months, the owners quickly ordered more. The retreat, now boasts five eco-tents, operates at around 97% occupancy and is booked out six months in advance. “We love hearing these stories and working with our clients, to help them reach their full potential,” says Tom. Although people glamp for the sense of adventure and relaxation, Tom believes that it’s the design and provision of facilities, that make all the difference. “A quality bathroom and en-suite, are fundamental. We know from
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experience, that you can achieve up to 30% more on your nightly room rate, if you have an en-suite. Kitchenettes are another must, even if your business has a central facility, people like flexibility. “Whether it’s to chill their wine, make a coffee, or fix a cheese platter, choice is key. Also, our clients want to be able to operate 12 months of the year. The easiest way to do this, is to have both heating and cooling. So, we find if power is available, reverse cycle air conditioners are a must. Finally, you need a big comfortable and luxurious bed. There is never a good review, unless your guest enjoys a good night’s sleep!” Eco Structures Australia’s Eco Tents are designed with the ability to be transformed into a Cabin/ Chalet, to reflect customer preferences and market demand. “Australia is a diverse and expansive terrain, with changing climatic demands and challenges. As a result, we have developed a durable ‘low to zero’ maintenance product, to ensure that clients can focus on day-today operations and not have to undertake excessive maintenance duties. We custom design our products, to
suit the unique environments, in which they are placed,” says Tom.
threat, preventative measures are incredibly important.
The most popular times of year to go glamping differ from country to country. High season in the UK for example starts in June, with Summer, and lasts until early autumn in September. However, Australia’s seasons are at opposite times to those in the northern hemisphere with summer occurring from December to February.
“Like everywhere, strategic bushfire management is a top priority and taken very seriously, by the industry as a whole,” says Tom, “For us, no project gains approval from the local Shire, without a ‘Bushfire Attack Level Assessment’, ‘Bush Fire Management Plan’ and ‘Bush Fire Evacuation Plan’. It’s inherent to our foundations and everything we do. For CV19, our industry adopts best practice procedures aligned with State and Federal hospitality and accommodation requirements. We think, it’s important to adopt a collaborative industry approach and to work closely, with all of our business and tourism partners, to ensure that we’re achieving best practice.”
“Currently, glamping is so popular, that there is really no high or low season. Given the unique locations and facilities on offer, we find that people are keen to ‘glamp-it-up’, at any time of the year across the country. For example, here in Perth, the high season is summer - and low season, winter. However, just three hours away, in the south-west, we have the renowned Margaret River Wine region, which offers an all-year round tourism season. With its pristine beaches, vineyards, restaurants, walks and world-famous surf location – there is something for every season. Although, nothing beats sitting by a fire, sipping local red wine – after a day of touring through the vineyards. Now, that’s my kind of glamping!” As for average length of a stay at a site, “Most businesses will offer minimum two-night stays through the weekend. Over an average I would say 1 – 2 nights,” says Tom Last year, Covid 19 affected industries all over the world and in many places, brought tourism to a halt. At the time, Australia was also dealing with an unprecedented season of bushfires starting in June 2019 and continuing until March 2020 when they were extinguished or contained. With both bushfires and Covid 19 continuing to be a
With the worst behind us, Tom is excited for a return to business as usual, “Despite the challenges, we can comfortably say, that we’re currently in a tourism and glamping boom. We are 100% committed to working closely with our clients, to ensure that we are delivering outstanding travel experiences for all, in a safe and considered environment.” As has been seen in other countries, the fall in international tourism has led to a rise in domestic travel. With the unpredictable rules surrounding international travel frequently changing, more and more people are instead opting to explore the countries that they live in, in new and exciting ways, “We’re finding, that even prior to the CV19 pandemic, domestic or international visitors, were seeking travel experiences away from the bustle of city life. That said, with our international borders firmly closed for the time being – the pandemic has created the ‘perfect storm’ for the Glamping industry.
The desire to travel in the great outdoors, has resulted in a domestic tourism boom. This spirit of adventure to ‘travel in your own backyard,’ is evident all over Australia and supported by fantastic tourism campaigns. If Aussies want to get out of the city, then they now need to book 6-12 months in advance. Our own Eco Beach Resort, for example, doubled its bookings in 2020 - and is already on track to repeat this, for 2021.
About Eco Structures In 2000, Cyclone Rosita tore through the world-renowned tourist town of Broome in Western Australia. It wiped out the spectacular Eco Beach Resort, but not the strong resolve of its owner, Karl Plunkett. Amidst the rubble and ruins, Karl conceived a vision to redesign and rebuild a completely new resort, which fused glamorous eco-design, with extreme weather structural integrity. In 2009, Eco Beach Resort was reborn as a thriving tourism ‘village’ of structurally engineered, cyclone-rated, modular, demountable structures - ranging from tents, to cabins and gazebos. Karl then launched Eco Structures and changed the way that travellers interact with their natural environment and sense of place. Today, the company’s eco-tents are dotted all around the world. Eco Structures leads the way in helping resort owners and operators, to capitalise on the modern traveller’s demand for luxurious, ‘one of a kind’ natural experiences. To find out more about Eco Structures contact their UK partners at kevin@ suttonhospitalityconsultants.co.uk or visit ecostructures.com.
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PAWS AWARD Paws Holidays, founded two years ago, has won a prestigious award in Luxlife Magazine for best online pet-friendly holiday website. Sarah Ferguson from Paws Holidays says, “We are delighted to have received this award as the hard work of our team has clearly paid off – we would like to say a big thank you to everyone who voted for us.” Lockdown was a record-breaking year for families who purchased dogs, a staggering 3.2 million households in the UK have acquired a pet since the start of the pandemic, according to the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association. That means the country now has 17 million pet-owning homes, the association says. More families than ever will be searching for dog friendly holiday resorts and destinations, that will have great facilities for all the family to get involved in as well as great walks for the dog. If you would like your site to be listed as a pet friendly holiday destination head over to their website at pawsholidays.com.
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GOING
Beyond Glamping with Amanda Fry of Experience Nature
What do you offer? Luxury bespoke glamping with tailor hospitality packages and soft adventure activities. For example, our seasonal Pop-Up Hotels offer our Canoes, Cool Climate Wine & Canapes as well as forest bathing and our bush spa and our family Pop-Up at Tidbinbilla offers a series of ranger adventures which include CSI Tidbinbilla and Life as a Ranger to teach kids about Australia animals, plants and conversation.
from African Safari tents and Luxury Pop Up Hotels like Ningaloo Reef and Cape Leveque to simple farm stay bell tents and tipis. How have you seen the sector develop in recent years? When I first started in 2017, I was one of the few operators with a mobile glamping offer and now it’s really offering great revenue opportunities so you are seeing vineyards and
farm stays offering seasonal tents, business events wanting to take their staff into new places with a mobile offer and families using this to teach their kids about Australian bush by being outside and off grid. It’s a revolution and it’s wonderful. So, we are constantly innovating to stay ahead of the global trends and push boundaries. Two years ago we used mobile igloos and now we are on to the next trend for 2022.
Who is the customer?
Anyone who wants to connect to nature, loves food and wine and needs us to do the heavy lifting.
Where in Australia is glamping proving to be most popular?
As we are 90 mins from Sydney and Canberra our area is extremely popular for glamping, as is Byron Bay, Northern Territory and festivals. What we are seeing now is that it’s everywhere and very often the preferred option to hotels – the market has everything
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How are businesses bouncing back from the ongoing pandemic and what is the domestic travel demand like? Each state in Australia is different but NSW is going well as we have enough population to sustain tourism with the domestic market. It’s harder for other states if domestic borders are closed, which they have been, but the trend is certainly on recovery. If anything, this has shown Australians how amazing this county is and how much they need to see here before going abroad. I think it’s been great to remind us why we are the lucky country and such a loved destination by inbound travellers. And glamping is the absolute buzz word in accommodation right now with hotels starting to emerge to meet demand.
What are the trends you are noticing in this area of experiential stays?
We need to go beyond glamping just like
we did 5 years ago with Beyond the Cellar Door….up the ante and create memorable experiences around the luxury tent hire from fireside storytelling to nature walks, discovery and intellectual tourism to cooking over fire. The sky really is the limit and things like night photography and start gazing are now in high demand. We are also doing a lot more dining in our 6n tents as well.
What opportunities do you anticipate?
With our weather, the glamping market is here to stay and being so big we can offer off grid easily with 90 mins of Sydney or any state capital. What we are seeing is high demand for glamping away from light pollution so it sets up globally as a wilderness destination with many facets not just one. That means it’s as infinite as the operators who can imagine experiential travel. We are known as being innovative and I am loving finding new ways to create a magical moment for our customers.
About Amanda Experienced PR expert Amanda is based in the Southern Highlands and runs Experience Nature Group, which began with Wildfest - and quickly became a company specialising in glamping retreats, an annual festival and special events. After the first year she expanded with Wild Food Adventures a day tour business. Offering more than just day trips to the region, they have crafted immersive, hand-ons and creative ways to connect with people, place and produce. Guests experience pristine wilderness, meet boutique award-winning cool climate wine makers, explore historical villages, hiking trails, taste bush foods, swim in waterfalls, cycle through vast forests, be part of the paddock to plate process, unearth truffles, learn artisan crafts, harvest hops and more.
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SEEING STARS
Despite Disaster
Bubbletent Australia is an off-grid glamping site situated on a secluded part of a 1000+ acre working farm and nestled between Lithgow and Mudgee some 200km NW from Sydney. International Glamping Business Editor Will Rusbridge caught up with cofounder and CEO, Sonny Vrebec to find out more. It’s been an incredibly difficult year for the glamping industry the world over, with coronavirus making even domestic travel difficult, but Australia has had it harder than most, “Well we’ve had a one-in-a-100-year drought, followed by a one-in-a-100-year bushfire season, followed by a one-in-a-100year pandemic followed by a 1-in-100-year flood event followed by a one-in-a-40-year snowstorm followed by the worst mouse plague in a generation. All back-to-back. Suffice to say, the glamping gods are angry,” says Sonny.
“You can’t really do anything to protect yourself from all these things happening, obviously have to make sure the insurances are in place and that you go above and beyond to be understanding with guests but also to set the right expectations and just generally do your utmost to safe-guard your business but that generally comes at the front end with structuring,” he adds. Despite the biblical nature of plagues, floods and pestilence that has visited his site over the last 12 months, Sonny is still upbeat about his
business, which comprises of 3 off grid bubble tents – which are unique in the Australian market. “We have been fortunate in Australia that governments on all levels have handled these events really well for the most part and put the right measures and incentives in place to really absorb the shocks of the events which have given businesses such as ours confidence to not only ride out these events, but actually use them as times to invest and grow,” says Sonny. But one thing is for certain, we’ve learnt to make room for the unpredictable and make sure you look after yourself since there have been some really testing times.” Sonny has been operating Bubbletents Australia for a bit over three years overlooking the stunning Capertee Valley - which is the widest enclosed canyon in the world and doubles as an internationally recognized Important Bird Area, one of only 50 around the world. “We are fortunate to be the closest place to Sydney (3hrs away) that is classified as being in the band of the darkest skies in Australia. We’re near enough, but far enough,” he says.
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The bubbletents – called Virgo, Leo and Cancer, allow guests a clear view of the night sky above them as they fall asleep underneath the stars. Bubbletents are unlike anything else on the market and really give site owners the opportunity to make the most of the views at their site, creating a breath-taking experience for guests. “Well, they’re fresh and a bit different and therefore guests really enjoy them, I mean who doesn’t love the idea of sleeping under the stars after all?!” But they don’t come without drawbacks, as Sonny explains, “From an operational perspective, unless an operator is prepared to be super hands on, they’re the most difficult of all structures to operate we’ve found. They continuously need to have power supplied to them with ample back up provisions and you constantly need to have someone onsite to assist in case of that rare interruption which would adversely impact the experience if not addressed immediately. They offer no thermal benefits meaning running any heating/cooling off grid feasibly is currently impossible with the technology where it’s at, and the guest wear and tear on them is incredibly high, I know the names of all of the grandchildren of our seamstress who has repaired countless zippers for us for example...” Bubbletent Australia is an off-grid glamping
site with energy for the guests being generated through solar energy. “Our caretaker’s cottage is run from the grid and our tents are run off solar and the irony is that the cottage has a couple of dozen blackouts a year whereas the tents never do. So much for renewables not being reliable!” says Sonny. “Now with solar and battery costs being what they are and with the electricity prices in Australia being among the world’s highest, it really doesn’t make sense to go on with power options on a business-as-usual basis and not consider the alternatives. Having gone through a severe drought you gain an additional appreciation for water and what a precious resource it really is. We’ve since placed rain saver caps on our steel tanks and added guttering to all structures that were previously without. One of the things we’ve realised after seeing how quickly our land has bounced back after the bushfires is that mother nature knows best, you just have to listen and work more in tandem with it and make some smarter choices. It has definitely raised a new level of awareness. The added benefit is that sustainability in our cases has also resulted in cost savings in many areas,” he adds. With just three tents at Bubbletent Australia, the site tends to get booked up throughout
the year quite consistently in order to remain profitable, “We’re lucky that our winters are generally quite mild and the summers are generally more timid given our altitude, so we don’t tend to have seasons that are as pronounced as in the Northern hemisphere perhaps which means we get a longer season,” says Sonny. Currently in the process of expanding capacity on their site, Bubbletent Australia have also launched stargazing tours for guests that will soon be open to the general public, “There are lots of additional exciting things in the pipeline that are taking shape but we really believe in the future of glamping and for us, in our niche of astro-tourism where we can continue to create some really outstanding experiences. As anyone who has spent time under the stars can tell you, it’s hard to be indifferent at the awe of what’s overhead when experienced properly,” he adds. “However, as our tumultuous journey has taught us, it’s important to take it all in our stride and to make sure that we’re enjoying the journey. It’s good to treat it like a marathon and not a sprint also which is a lesson well learnt.” If you’d like to learn more about Bubbletent Australia, you can find their website at bubbletentaustralia.com.
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First Season Success
FOR EVERSPRINGS
Even though Perth is one of the most isolated major cities in the world, the nearest city with a population of more than 100,000 is Adelaide which is over 1,305 miles away, it still felt the effects of coronavirus, “While COVID has been an irritation there has been a very strong Government response to protecting our borders, and compared with the rest of the world we have been extremely fortunate to live a pretty normal life. While we have had a couple of lock downs, the border restrictions have tended to increase intra State tourism,” says John and Gwyn.
While the worst of the pandemic is behind us, quarantine regulations are still in effect, “Currently we allow access to Western Australia from various States in Australia (not all) but quarantine regulations are still very tight and we feel safe within our own little cocoon. As our business is built primarily on Intra State tourism we do not think that we will see much change to our business even when the quarantine boundaries are removed, and life returns to normal.”
Located in the Perth Hills in Western Australia, about 40 minutes from the Perth CBD, Eversprings Glamping features 2 bell tents set on over 100 acres of land teeming with wildlife and adjacent to two nature reserves. International Glamping Business Editor Will Rusbridge reached out to John and Gwyn Bell, the owners of Eversprings Glamping, to learn a bit more about running a glamping site in Australia. Isolation, however, does not protect against other environmental challenges as John and Gwyn point out, “Bushfires on the other hand are a whole different issue and they will always remain a constant threat in our drying climate. Our tents are pitched in clearings in the bush, but we accept that we would be unable to protect them in case of bushfire. We are very focused on a comprehensive site induction, particularly on the issues of how to respond in case of bushfire. In practical terms we constantly monitor bush fire warnings and keep in touch with guests during the bushfire season. We have 2 road egress which is useful in case of evacuation.” The reasons for starting a glamping site are unique to each owner, from utilising unused land for an extra source of income to visiting another glamping site and being inspired by the experience, John and Gwyn however, “started the glamping operation in 2020 as a response to the hole that COVID punched into our retirement plans but we have really enjoyed the experience, meeting lots of (generally) wonderful people who appreciate the serenity which we offer.” Now semi-retired the glamping is simply an enjoyable pursuit and an opportunity to share their lifestyle, “We only have a couple of tents and we could expand the operation
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if we wished as we probably have both the demand and the land to do so. We just do not want to develop a full-scale operation at our age. The tents are about 60 meters apart and share a camp kitchen and ablutions. We cater for adults only with no pets, no smoking and our clientele tend to be couples wanting a weekend away to celebrate an anniversary or the like. They like the space and our price point tends to reflect that. A recurring theme has been that they do not want to be too close to other tents or share,” they say. Originally from the North West UK, John and Gwyn have spent their working lives in Holland, France, Sweden and Indonesia before migrating to Western Australia in 1988. Having lived on the property for around 25 years Gwyn has bred many various animals and currently runs her alpaca farm and John tended to commute to Perth for business purposes. “We have 100 acres on the fringe of a historic logging village (Mount Helena), part pasture and part bush. We border State forest on two sides and smaller blocks adjoining the village on the other. The village of Mount Helena has about 4000 residents and we have the basic amenities in the village, including a supermarket and a great oldfashioned country tavern etc. We have a nice Mediterranean type climate but at our elevation it can be decidedly chilly during winter, particularly after a nice day with clear skies. High season is definitely Spring (October) and Autumn (May) while it has been quiet in Summer (January) and we close
in Winter (June). As this has been our first season, we have been primarily booked at the weekends and had capacity during the week,” says John and Gwyn. When it comes to glamping accommodation, bell tents are an iconic option. Low start up costs mean a high ROI, and compared to other types of accommodation types, set up is a breeze. “When we were toying with the notion of glamping, we considered tiny cabins etc, but at our age we did not want to over capitalise and we felt that Bell tents were both romantic and relatively affordable if we did not like the venture. I do not think that after the first season that we would change that decision. All the infrastructure had to be temporary and easily removable.” Amenities at the site include, “a proper flushing toilet and plumbed in large shower. We originally toyed with the idea of composting toilets and have no regrets that we ultimately decided to go with a “proper” leach drain system. This is a decision that has been universally supported by our guests. We have a well-equipped, shared camp kitchen, each tent has its own table and chairs, various sitting areas around the campground area and a fire pit during the cooler months - with some trepidation I might add because of our paranoia over bush fire risk. City folk do not always understand the dangers of bush fire, even when it is cool.” John and Gwyn made the decision to run the glamping site off-grid as while there are
power lines close by they couldn’t justify the investment required due to the hook up and distribution costs, “We have solar powered camp lighting and have yet to figure out a safe way of providing heat to the tents when it gets cold at the beginning and end of the season. Other than the tent heating issue, being off grid has not proven to be a problem to the guests.” With the site just closed for the winter, John and Gwyn are already thinking about the plans they are going to put in place moving forward, “Our focus next year will be to try to increase occupancy midweek and we have plans to increase amenity rather than expand the number of tents. We have to agree the ongoing plans with the Local Council who, on the one hand want to encourage tourism, but on the other cannot help overwhelming businesses with red tape and costs for permits etc… maybe that is just an Australian issue!” Having proven to be a good decision to make the foray into glamping, John and Gwyn are happy with how their first glamping season has gone, “We started in October 2020 (our spring) and have just closed our site for winter in June 2021. We make no pretensions at being experts at glamping, yet we have learned much in the past 8 months and we do not, for one moment, regret our decision to offer glamping – we should have done it years ago!” To find out more about Eversprings Glamping, find their website at everspringsglamping.com.
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GLAMPING HEATS UP IN AUSTRALIA as nature delivers ‘next level’ comfort, luxury and warmth An inspired glamping design in Victoria’s spectacular Mornington Peninsula, has created a new level of sustainable comfort, luxury and warmth, as guests enjoy the benefits of Australia’s first, thermal eco- tent floor, heated by natural hot springs.
Incorporating a geothermal ‘hydronic’ flooring system, and seamlessly blending the tents into its pristine environment, the new development, sets about redefining wellness-tourism, in the Australian glamping sector. Only a 90-minute drive from Melbourne, is the breath-taking Peninsula Hot Springs and Day Spa: an award-winning, geothermal retreat, that was founded by brothers Charles and Richard Davidson, in 1997. Their vision reflects time spent visiting Japan’s traditional ‘onsens’ and draws on hot spring designs, across five continents. In addition to a day spa, cafe, yoga, ice cave,
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and over 70 bathing and wellness experiences, the property recently partnered with Eco Structures Australia, to introduce 10 new Glamping tents, in January 2021. Eco Structures was approached to adapt its tent design, to include a custom concrete flooring system, to facilitate the heating process, from the geothermal waters, of the property. Interestingly, Australia has many of these hot spring locations – due, in part, to the Great Artesian Basin, which underlies almost a quarter of the continent. According to Eco Structures’ International Business Development Manager, Tom
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Butterfield, the project was both exhilarating and rewarding, as the team embraced the unique design challenge: “There’s nothing we love more, than working with a client, to overcome obstacles and creatively push the boundaries, to achieve win-win outcomes. Innovation and embracing the unknown, are all fundamental to our approach. We thrive on it! Initially, we thought that the location of the tents alone, in such a pristine and abundant landscape, would be enough to set this world-class retreat, apart.”
However, the concept of incorporating a thermal flooring system, from the ebb and flow of nature - was simply, next level. “Our architectural and design team worked seamlessly with the site engineers and construction experts, to custom-design the concrete floors to precision. The result was outstanding and a credit to all involved. When guests arrive to their tent in the cooler months, it’s as if they’ve been welcomed by a warm hug from nature! The plummeting temperatures, characteristic of this region in winter, are all but forgotten, as guests disappear into a luxurious cocoon of cosiness and warmth, generated from the ground-up. The flooring system is quiet, energy efficient and doesn’t impact on the exterior aesthetic. Guests can even alter the temperature settings, depending on the outside temperature. Although there is reverse cycle, split-system air conditioning there’s nothing like a nurturing heated floor, within a canvas tent. We’ve been fortunate to work with many clients on innovative and heartstopping projects, but this combination of ancient hot springs, and holistic wellness, has definitely been a highlight. We’re very proud to have partnered with the team at Peninsula Hot Springs and encourage everyone to put this stunning destination, on their ‘zen’ bucket list!” Reflecting on the opening, Peninsula Hot Springs founder reinforced the importance of balance and a close connection to nature, to ensure the ultimate guest experience: “Our journey has been inspired by ancient inspired global bathing and its healing properties,” said Charles. “In this rapidly changing world, people are looking to reconnect with nature and find tranquility, without external distractions. Our water is infused with natural minerals and trace elements that can both detoxify and rejuvenate, mind, body and spirit. It rises from around 637 metres below the ground, to flow into our pools. Nature has given us a rare gift, to work with. The design, had to respond to the sensitivity of the environment and leverage the efficiency opportunities of the project. What we did, was utilise a series of pipes underneath the tent floors to circulate warm water, in order to heat the concrete in each tent. The floors then, simply heat up the objects (or people), increasing the overall warmth and comfort for guests. We set about achieving a unique design for our tents, and thank the team at Eco Structures, for their expertise and role in making it all happen.” For further information on global eco-tents and design - visit ecostructures.com, or email kevin@suttonhospitalityconsultants.co.uk. For Peninsula Hot Springs bookings and enquiries visit: peninsulahotsprings.com.
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P L A N N I N G S E R V I C E S n Glamping Consultancy n Architectural Design n Pre-planning n Full Planning
Crown and Canopy - Finalists in the Rural Business Awards for the South-West Region 2021/22 l Best Rural Professional Services Business category l Sustainability and Environmental Impact Award
INFO@CROWNANDCANOPY.CO.UK WWW.CROWNANDCANOPY.CO.UK
Expanding Your
GLAMPING BUSINESS
So, you’ve done the hardest part of setting up your glamping venture, securing planning permission, installing your structures and attracting a steady stream of guests. Now business is up and running smoothly, you may be thinking, what next? Most glamping sites in the UK are relatively small and it’s often this that adds to the charm of a place, however, expansion of your business, even if only gradually can ensure a more sustainable income and make use of otherwise unproductive areas of land. With more spaces and more guests, you can also consider a more holistic offer. For example, outdoor dining experiences, alternative therapies or nature-based activities such as foraging or wood carving all offer added value for guests. Once you’ve established your reasons for expansion Crown and Canopy can help you with the whole process, from developing your plans to submitting planning applications and even building new structures. Reasons to Expand your Site n Phased approach to development n Initial planning permission for temporary structures allowing consideration for permanent spaces n Making best use of unproductive/un-used areas of land n Using expansion in glamping units to contribute to or encourage a rewilded area of land
n Utilising established infrastructure n Business success allowing for re-investment n Scaled up venture allows for delivery of multi-faceted site with added value experience elements. Crown and Canopy’s Services
way, finding the balance between retaining the natural beauty and peace of the site, and scaling up to bring in more revenue is key to investing wisely. To support you to make the right decisions Crown and Canopy can help you with:
Planning Crown and Canopy compile full planning applications for large and small developments and pride themselves on taking a low impact, sensitive approach to developing in rural areas or more sensitive areas such as AONBs and National Parks. Along with development of Design Access Statements and compilation of pre-planning and full planning applications, Crown and Canopy can organise: n Full suite of architectural plans n Preliminary ecological appraisals n Biodiversity enhancement plans (with all developments resulting in biodiversity net gain) n Landscape and visual impact assessments (key consideration in sensitive areas) n Foul and surface water drainage assessments Financing your expansion Financing the next phase of your development is an important consideration. You may be keen to keep it small or be seeking investors to create a more significant development. Either
n Financial Forecasting - Produce financial projections for clients of their glamping ventures using their unique and purposebuilt profit and revenue projection programme. n Grant Funding Applications - Produce full grant funding applications for rural diversification and tourism infrastructure schemes. n Total Project Financing - Work with various investment firms that will fund all projects large and small including projects of a temporary and permanent nature. n Business Modelling - Crown and Canopy regularly design and business model entire ventures establishing total estimated investment costs and income expectations based upon our industry knowledge and annual research. To find out more, visit their website at www.crownandcanopy.co.uk or email info@crownandcanopy.co.uk.
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Once upon a
MARKETPLACE... by Martha Fosberry
The story of how Martha and Reuben Fosberry took a Victorian fun fair stall in a sorry state of disrepair and decided to ambitiously resurrect it as a Glamping space. We began dreaming up our second Glamping space after making the decision to move away from using our stargazing Lotus Belle tent, due to its seasonal nature. We knew we wanted a second all year-round glamping space to enchant our guests. With shows like George Clark’s Amazing Spaces making a stir in the bijou accommodation industry and beehives, hobbit holes and even horseboxes being converted and coming on to the Glamping accommodation market, we knew we had our work cut out for us. I began to search the internet high and low for boats, gypsy caravans, ice cream vans - you name it! All with the intention of dreaming up a glamping conversion to match the cream of the crop. Nothing seemed to feel like the right fit though, including the two-tonne fishing trawler I tried to persuade Reu to have shipped from France... Thankfully, he is the voice of reason in our partnership and I dropped that one (only after contacting two or three international transport companies). Eventually, after weeks of searching I stumbled across a humble and rather weather-beaten Facebook Marketplace listing that pricked my attention. It was an unhappy-looking Victorian fun fair stall that had seen better days. The roof canvas was bright yellow and stood ragged atop a garishly contrasted sky-blue wooden frame, paint-flaked and panels blown, it was love at first click for me.
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My mind was instantly filled with romantic ideas about the history of this sorry old stall. The delight it would have witnessed and miles it would have travelled in its 100 plus years. It was on offer for £250 and sat in its sorry state of repair in a reclamation centre in Shropshire. Without consulting Reuben, I made a cheeky offer of £200 and snapped it up. I just knew in my gut that the bones of our newest adventure were lying in that reclamation yard. As it happens it was also laying in a puddle... a big one. When we arrived with our two children aged under 3 to get the stall in the pouring rain, Reuben was questioning my sanity. We collected its pieces up from various locations around the yard like diligent weather-beaten archaeologists. A soggy cross frame here, a broken roof brace there, and the cherry on top - a mouldy canvas that smelled a bit like cat wee. I have to admit; even my love for our newest purchase started to dwindle as spiders ran from the woodwork being loaded into the car like rats from a burning building.
Where we are now: Three years later, with two slightly older children we have begun restoration in earnest with the hope of having the newly restored funfair stall up and open for Autumn 2021. Being dry and warm for three years has done the old girl the world of good and it allowed us to see at last what could stay and what needed to go to make the structure viable. We knew this would not be an easy project but are blessed with the support and ingenuous mind of Reuben’s dad Kelvin, a retired architect and all-round construction genius!
Back to basics: The first step was to strip the flaking lead paint off of the main frame. My husband Reuben carried out this laborious task and as work got under way it was apparent that each layer revealed every paint job the stall had ever had in its life, finally seeing the light day for the first time in over 100 years. It felt quite magical, each colour told a story of the stall’s history. At seeing this archive unfold in front of us, we were unsure if we wanted to repaint the whole stall moving forward, recreating the original red and gold traditional fairground paintwork that disclosed itself in vivid patches underneath. I insisted that this was not something to cover up and that the stall would remain this way, a museum to its history and a glorious celebration of all the adventures it had been on.
Out with the old, in with the new: Once Reu had stripped back the structure to the desirable patina, it was time to remove the old panelling at the base to make way for replacements. The original panels had all been damaged blown and misshaped well beyond repair. With Boris’s long-awaited news confirmed and the business set to reopening to the public on the 12th of April, our attentions suddenly turned to readying our existing spaces that had been lying dormant for the best part of 12 months. We started scratching our heads about the best location to work on the stall because despite our four beautiful acres we rather lack space to make noise and mess without compromising guest experience.
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It was agreed that the panels would wing their way to the South East with Reuben’s Dad Kelvin, where he would replace them, while the remainder of the structure stayed behind for further work. Reu & Kel would talk most days and video chat as the renovations developed. The process of inserting the new curved panels was painstaking, with Kel even having to resort to soaking wooden beading for the panel edges in his hot tub (much to my mother-in-law’s delight!) to bend them into the curved panel shapes. You can see in the images he used a layer of polystyrene insulation between the marine ply outer layers. He then coated the panels in a white weatherproof base coat ready to be repainted by me with decorative works inspired by vintage funfair artwork. Once Kel had finished, he returned to Hereford to reunite the frame with its roof. Some of the metal and timber work had decayed beyond repair so new fixtures and fittings were made to replace those but every effort was made to keep the original where possible. Kelvin even found some imperial nuts to fit the original bolts in amongst his jumble of left-overs from old projects. There was much deliberation over what form the roof structure and materials would take because of its relative age and strength, so Kelvin came up with an idea; to better structurally support the roof and tighten the whole structure as a whole – a central ring with radiating rods was created out of bespoke steelwork. Once it was up, it worked beautifully, pulling the whole structure rigidly together.
Where to go from here: With the new structure finally taking shape on site at The Moon & I, our attention is turning to coverings. We have approached a number of custom canvas manufacturers (if there are any out there in the community interested in the project please do get in touch!) to create bespoke roof and side canvases. Our hope is that the roof can be made with special star-gazing transparent sections in areas to allow guests to fall asleep beneath the stars. We are also hoping to have alternating panels of two different colours to give a nod to the original fun fair roof it would have had in days gone by. We are so delighted to be embarking on the next stage of this project and even more delighted to have you all along for the ride! We will be documenting the build over on our YouTube channel ‘The Glamping Diaries” launching in August 2021. You can also keep up to date with the renovations and catch up on our latest adventures via our blog site www.theglampingdiaries.co.uk also launching in August. We will have monthly features giving you campfire tales from our five fab years as Glamping site owners some heavenly, some horrifying!
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DandyDura® the Market Leading Polypropylene Matting in the UK n Pre-cut sizes and bespoke shapes n Available in seven Colours n All weather n Durable and reusable n Easily Handled Email: info@marqueefloors.co.uk Website: https://www.marqueefloors.co.uk/ Phone number: 01787 372988 Quote the code: DANDY10 and receive 10% off our range of cushions and throws
MARQUEE FLOORS BY WILLIAM ARMES
Marquee Floors by William Armes are market leaders, supplying marquee matting to the hospitality and outdoor event industry for more than 50 years. Their bestselling DandyDura® matting offers the perfect all-weather flooring for marquees, teepees and outdoor structures. Made from durable polypropylene, the matting is immensely strong yet lightweight - easy for storage and transportation. Properties include being UV resistant, water resistant, and bacteria resistant; the matting can be re-used time and again. Available in rolls, cut lengths and bespoke shapes and sizes. Most recently, Marquee Floors has seen a surge in popularity in the hospitality sector with pubs and restaurants offering outdoor socialising and dining.
DandyCoco is their made to measure traditional woven unbacked coconut matting, made from natural fibres. This matting is eco-friendly, flame retardant, bio-degradable, extremely durable and has excellent insulating properties against sound and temperature, making it an ideal choice for covering large outdoor areas. DandyCoco is most popular for use in marquees, party tents, gazebos, cricket pitches and country cottages. Marquee Floors has also launched Likelawn® Artificial Grass. Extremely hardwearing yet soft underfoot, Likelawn® Artificial Grass can be laid on any surface and is 100% weatherproof. Its durable backing has perforation holes to allow drainage and can be easily cleaned. Ideal for use all year round, they can offer rolls and cut lengths in any size.
the Glamping sector. Brand new to 2021 Marquee Floors has extended their glamping range to include double faux luxury sheepskins, faux hides and luxury rugs, complementing their existing range of sundry items for the luxury glamping experience. As we fast approach the 2021 Glamping show, Marquee Floors are planning their show specials, and will communicate their fantastic shows deals nearer the time. Quote the code: DANDY10 and receive 10% off their range of cushions and throws. To find out more, find their website at marqueefloors.co.uk or email info@marqueefloors.co.uk. Image courtesy of Yorkshire Yurts
Although Marquee Floors are well known for providing all kinds of flooring solutions, they are being asked more and more by our client base about quality products for
FULL DESIGN SERVICE WITH RIVERSIDE SHEPHERD HUTS Based in Worcestershire building bespoke huts for customers and celebrating their 10th Anniversary having built over 200 huts, Riverside Shepherd Huts were the first hut company to offer a full steel frame hut for durability and strength with a 30-year guarantee. They are fully insulated so you can enjoy the hut all year round, designed to suit your exact requirements, and can be delivered anywhere in the UK or Europe. When Riverside Shepherd Huts first started making huts they found that pretty quickly customers all required something different, so they immediately set about offering a full design service to suit the customer, from exterior cladding of either corrugated or larchwood, all with the traditional look of a shepherds hut with the curved roof and cast iron wheels. Interiors can be anything you want, Riverside Shepherd Huts work with the customer to find out what they initially would like to use the hut for, then work out
a size to suit; anything from 10ft up to 30ft in length including up to 10ft wide.
small kitchens. Schools and pubs have also benefitted from having the extra space.
With growing families and the need for more space, a hut can offer another room for you. The hut is delivered and put into place without much requirement for groundworks dependant on your personal set up. You open the door and it’s all ready to be used, so no need for builders to be around you for months on end, disrupting the peace and quiet of the house. This also saves moving to a larger property. If you do move, you can take it with you giving you the option to downsize further.
Riverside Shepherd Huts have found some customers contacting them to have the interiors changed as their requirements have changed from when they originally had the hut. All easily completed by their skilled team who have experience in boat building and oak framed houses. To find out more, visit riversideshepherdhuts.co.uk.
Over the years Riverside Shepherd Huts have supplied a variety of huts to customers from their very first for a lady to play bridge in with her friends, to helping farmers, landowners and glamping sites diversify by renting a hut out with all the facilities required including a bathroom, beds and
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IN WITH THE RENEWABLES Whether you are an off-grid operation or wish to save money on your energy bills, there are many solutions on the market that can make life easier and greener. Annie Hilton rounds up some of the innovative products on the market ideal for glamping sites.
SOLARISKIT solariskit.com What products and services do you supply to the glamping sector? SolarisKit supplies a unique, flat-packable solar hot water collector based on an attractive prismatic shape. Our solar collector can convert sunlight directly into hot water to reduce the consumption of electricity and gas for the glamping sector. What are the benefits and do they support off-grid operation? Our solar collectors can save glamping site owners money through energy savings, while also reducing their carbon footprint. Heating water is energy intensive and expensive, especially if using LPG gas in off-grid applications. Our visually attractive and easy to transport solar collectors provide a new way to turn sunlight into energy savings. We are currently developing a complete solar hot water system which does not require a pump and therefore no electricity. It
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is targeted at off-grid applications in the developing and emerging regions like Africa and Asia. SolarisKit is on a mission to provide affordable, clean energy everyone to everyone. How long will they last on site and do you offer any warranties? We offer a two-year warranty on our solar collector, but the collectors will last for years. The collectors have been tested to stringent European standards and are manufactured in the UK. SolarisKit is also an ISO 9001 quality endorsed company. How quick/easy are they to install? We like to call ourselves the IKEA solution to solar hot water, so we have worked hard to make sure our solar collector is as easy as possible to install. Our collector can now be assembled in around 20 minutes without requiring a single tool. We have created simple to
follow instructions and an accompanying step-by-step video to make it easy to assemble your solar collector. The collectors are compatible and safe to use with plastic ‘push-fit’ style piping (e.g. John Guest Speedfit) making it also quick and easy to install the necessary piping to the hot water storage tank. How much do they cost to run? Once installed, our solar collectors cost very little to run. A small pump (~60W) is typically installed to pump the water through our solar collector for storage in the hot water tank. When there isn’t enough sunshine to heat the water completely using our solar collectors, existing heating methods can still be used making sure your visitors always have hot water. By installing a solar hot water system, glamping site owners can save a lot in energy costs, while also looking after the environment. If you are interested to find out more, please contact the SolarisKit team!
GREENENERGY
DHYBRID dhybrid.de/en/
What products and services do you supply to the glamping sector? DHYBRID offers turnkey solutions for the energy supply of resorts and lodges that want to reduce their electricity costs, increase independency from generators or the grid and become more sustainable. What are the benefits and do they support off-grid operation? Our microgrids not only reduce CO2 emissions and improve the efficiency and quality of the power supply, they are also quiet because they essentially use solar energy. This is a particularly good fit for destinations that focus on the experience of nature and high standards. The microgrids can be connected to the grid or operated completely independent of a grid, for example on islands. On request, we can monitor the systems online. How long will they last on site and do you offer any warranties? The systems are designed for long term utilisation. The solarmodules come with a 25-year performance warranty. The
DHYBRID Energy Management System (DHYBRID UPP) and Battery Energy Storage System are offered with long term performance warranty with up to 10 years. We have already installed over 70 microgrids worldwide, all systems are in operation and reliably supplying energy.
How much do they cost to run? The exact costs depend on the energy demand and the operator’s requirements. In general, however, we can reduce the cost per kilowatt hour by 30 to 80 percent compared to power supply with conventional diesel generators.
How quick/ easy are they to install? The components such as containerised storage systems come fully installed and tested to the site. Upon arrival on site our local team can commission the system. Installation and commissioning range between 1-2 weeks depending on project size and complexity. Many tasks can be monitored and controlled online from our headquarters.
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GREENENERGY
PORTABLE POWER TECHNOLOGY portablepowertech.com All our systems can incorporate solar panels and based on the location of your site, the size of your system, whether your site is run just in the summer months or year-round and the appliances being used - we can help you utilise the panels in the best way.
What products and services do you supply to the glamping sector? We provide off-grid power solutions when getting mains power to your property or glamping site is impractical or unnecessary. Glamping guests may want to turn off all their devices and get right back to nature, some may want to retain as many creature comforts as possible, but most will reside somewhere in the middle. Everyone needs light and energy it’s just a question of how much. The solutions we offer can be tailor made to whatever level of power is right for your site. Whether you want to provide your guests with basic lighting and phone charging facilities to an all singing and dancing luxury glamping pod with fridges, hair dryer and TVs, we can help! We talk you though the appliances and services you want to offer your guest and from this information we can work out how much power you will need and specify the right system for you. This could be one of our range of easy to use portable Powerpacks or a custom solution that we can tailor make for your site.
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We don’t expect our customers to know all there is to know about off grid power, that’s our job! We have over 20 years’ experience providing off grid power solutions all over the world and we use this knowledge to take the headache of power off your shoulders and create a system that will work for you What are the benefits and do they support off-grid operation? There are many benefits from having an off-grid power system but the overriding one for sites always seems to be cost. It can cost an extortionate amount to get mains power out to glamping sites and as time goes on, sites are becoming more remote and unique, proving extra challenges in adding mains power. A custom system from us can not only save you from the logistics of adding mains power it also can also save you an awful lot of money without compromising the experience you want to offer your guests. How long will they last on site and do you offer any warranties? We can work with each of our clients to make a system that will work for them. For our customers with lower power needs, a popular option currently is to have a powerpack that will run everything in their accommodation for a three-day stay (with added extras for those power-
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hungry guests!) and then either recharge the powerpack from mains between guests or swap it out for a second fully recharged unit. We also have many popular sites that have great solar capability and our powerpacks are fully recharged by solar only- we can help you decide if this is a viable option for your site. If you wanted a system that runs with no intervention at all- we can help specify each element of that system and supply it all to you. The warranty with all our products is a minimum of 1 year from purchase. How quick/easy are they to install? To install the powerpacks, it’s as simple as carrying it to your accommodation and plugging in what you want to run! We have had customers who have built the powerpacks into furniture or hidden them in cupboards and we love this idea! It keeps the system separate from the aesthetic of your accommodation and stops your guest having direct access to them. Custom systems for sites that require more power than an all in one powerpack will take more work to install but this is all dependant on the size and complexity of the system you choose. Our best advice is to have a chat with us about power in the early stages of your site planning so if you need to make room for more panels than expected on your roof or find a space for your inverter/charger you have all the information at the start rather than trying to retrofit a system. We are always here to help advise with installation. How much do they cost to run? If you have a fully solar based off grid system, then the only cost to run will be the upfront costs. If you have a portable powerpack that you are charging by mains, this will cost you pennies!
GREENENERGY
ENERGY SOLUTIONS energy-solutions.co.uk What products and services do you supply to the glamping sector? Easygrid 5000 Easygrid 10000 Easygrid 15000 What are the benefits and do they support off-grid operation? The Easygrid solution is designed specifically for off-grid providing a solution to areas with no grid connection. It also supports renewable inputs from solar and wind, further reducing the use of diesel generators. The system is designed to give an on-grid experience.
How long will they last on site and do you offer any warranties? The system comes with a 5 year warranty on the power electronics and 2 years warranty on the batteries. How quick/easy are they to install? Easygrids are delivered ready to go, simple to install as they are specifically designed to be plug and play with minimal expertise required. How much do they cost to run? This is difficult without knowing the exact installation location and load requirements. In answer to this question given the only
other option would be to run a Generator 24/7 consuming diesel and producing emissions. The Easygrid solution provide power from store energy harvested from solar panels and wind turbines, if the batteries deplete and there is no renewable energy then it will autostart the generator to supply and recharge the batteries. It is not uncommon during the summer months for the generator not to run for several days, in the winter months as the renewable output reduces then this increases. Most of our installations would reduce the generator run time by as much as 75% resulting in reduce Diesel, servicing cost against a normal 24/7 runtime.
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GREENENERGY
LEOCH BATTERY leoch.com What products and services do you supply to the glamping sector? Leoch is a global battery manufacturer and the biggest lead-acid battery exporter in China offering a variety of batteries for usage at the glamping sector. We manufacture a wide range of deep cycle and dual-purpose lead-acid batteries based on different technologies such as maintenancefree AGM, Gel, Hybrid Gel, Dual Purpose AGM, lead carbon and now also lithium-ion batteries. What are the benefits and do they support off-grid operation? All these technologies offered are specially designed and manufactured with glamping needs in mind, offering a wide variety of benefits for hybrid or off-grid usage such as a wide range of cycles which in cases exceeds 3000 cycles at 60% DoD* (Depth of Discharge), high PSoC (Partial State of Charge) resilience, wide operational temperature range and incredible performance. *Data are model dependent How long will they last on site and do you offer any warranties? We offer a wide range of options for our customers with service life
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ranging from 3 up to more than 10 years*, depending on the usage profile and model choice. All Leoch batteries are covered by standard 1 year warranty covering a wide range of needs to meet the budget and profile of each individual user. *Data are model dependent How quick/easy are they to install? Leoch designs all batteries to make them as user friendly as possible. It is always suggested for a professional and authorized technician to install the batteries but even basic DIY users can easily use Leoch batteries, as the case is with any Lead-acid or lithium battery. Leoch Battery UK can support the users in any inquiry they might have for any newly purchased Leoch battery. How much do they cost to run? Our batteries offer excellent value for money. Multiple ranges achieve different TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) values but comparing with the competition Leoch stands on the top of the value charts. Offering maintenance free batteries Leoch batteries require the initial Capex (capital expenditure) for purchasing and installing them and after that it is easy as 1-2-3 go.
GREENENERGY What products and services do you supply to the glamping sector? As experts in the solar power to off-grid buildings and outdoor spaces, our Hubi range of lighting and power kits offers a range of options for the glamping sector. For individual tents, pods and shepherd huts, Hubi Retro is plug and play kit that comes complete with vintage style filament bulbs to deliver a bright, warm light. There’s a choice of ceiling lights, table and floor lamps to provide the lighting solution to suit your glamping requirements. For bigger structures, or for more power to run other equipment such as a camping fridge, there is the Hubi Power Station range. What are the benefits and do they support off-grid operation? In being totally self-sufficient of mains electricity, the Hubi range gives your guests the essentials, such as lighting after dark, with the benefit of being deep into the countryside and using only renewable solar power.
SOLAR TECHNOLOGY solartechnology.co.uk How long will they last on site and do you offer any warranties? Hubi kits are built to last and come with a two year warranty. The Solar Power Stations have a five-year warranty.
you can be up and running in under an hour. You don’t need any special electrical installation skills or equipment. The Solar Power Stations are very similar. We purposely build them that way so you can just connect and go!
How quick/easy are they to install? Hubi Retro kits are plug and play and
How much do they cost to run? Once purchased, the Hubi range costs nothing to run.
Highest Quality Geodesic Domes for the Glamping World
Visit www.pro-domes.com to configure your perfect dome info@pro-domes.com 07827 614404 / 07581 216244
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Get Ready for
UK
“For anyone who has, or is considering, a glamping business, The Glamping Show is an essential 3 days where you can learn about all the latest and greatest products on the market as well as hearing from industry leading experts sharing their knowledge. No matter what you’re looking for, you’ll find it at The Glamping Show!” Steph Curtis-Raleigh, International Glamping Business Publisher. Discover With over 70 suppliers already signed up to appear at this year’s event, The Glamping Show puts all of the latest products and services that the industry has to offer at your fingertips. Visit the show and come away with everything that you need, and a few things you didn’t know that you needed. So far, 15 of these suppliers are making their Glamping Show debut, meaning that they will be exhibiting products and services never before seen at the show. The Glamping Show Team are always on the lookout for the best new companies in the glamping industry and this year is no different. The Glamping Show serves as a platform for product launch and innovation. With products being released and services being unveiled at the show, visit the event to see how the industry is evolving. Make sure to stay up to date with all of the latest Glamping Show news to keep up with all the latest deals and offers, exclusive to visitors of the show, from attending suppliers. The Glamping Show Team have been
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working hard to make sure that every corner of the glamping sector is covered by suppliers exhibiting at the show. The event serves as a one stop shop for all of your glamping needs. So, whether you are in the initial design stages of your site, or are just looking to refresh your accommodation interiors, The Glamping Show has what you need.
Everything you need for your glamping business: n Air cooling & purifying n BBQs n Bell tents n Booking agents n Booking systems n Cabins n Charity n Coir matting n Cool boxes n Design & development n Domes n Electrical services n Finance n Financial Services n Fire Pits n Firewood n Furnishing n Groundscrews
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n Hot tubs n Landscape design n Lodges n Matting & flooring n Modular buildings n Planning n Pods n Portable Power n Safari Tent n Septic Tanks n Shepherd Huts n Spherical pod n Stoves n Tented structures n Tipis n Treehouse n Vacation rental tablets n Waterless toilets n Yurt
Listen Finding the right advice from the right people is essential for your business but finding information that you can trust can sometimes be a struggle. The Glamping Show Team aims to take out all of the hassle by selecting a panel of the most experienced and most respected experts in the glamping sector to deliver the Glamping Show Seminar Programme.
All talks will be led by industry leading experts who are willing to share their years of experience and knowledge. From accommodation manufacturers discussing the advantages and disadvantages of each accommodation type to owners of globally recognised glamping sites sharing the secrets of their success, these are the people who have made the UK glamping industry what it is today. So, be sure to make the most of the opportunity.
Speakers: n Sarah Riley - Inspired Courses n Rob Farrow - Glamping Association n Suzi Drew - Belan Bluebell Woods n Kate Morel - Morel & Co n Rob Craine - Diversity n Tim Rees - Quality Unearthed n Kurt Jansen - Tourism Alliance n Ed Busby - Crown & Canopy n Billy Codd – Vehicle Charge Installs n Sarah Orchard www.get-fully-booked.com n Barry Davies - Davies & Co n Ross Calladine - Visit England n Emma Reed - Reed Studio n David Brown - FarmStay n Judith Norris The Rural Planning Practice n Kelly Chandler Kelly Chandler Consulting n Tally Wade - Open Air Business n Tom Dixon - Canopy & Stars
Learn These invaluable talks will cover every aspect of running a glamping site, from the nitty gritty details of getting set up, to guides on how to offer world class customer service and everything in between. No matter what difficulties your business is facing, the answers can be found in The Glamping Show Seminar Programme.
Topics covered so far: n What I Wish I’d Known Before Starting My Glamping Business n How to unlock the secret potential of Pinterest, Facebook® and Instagram n Safety, mandatory registration & Accreditation n An essential guide to your legal obligations as a host n Launching on a shoestring n A Guide to Treehouses n How ecology can boost your business n What guests are looking for in 2022 n Tourism trends - how our tastes and buying habits are changing
n Sustainable Development - the plan for the future n How glamping is changing n Changing demographic of start ups n Where can I charge my car n Fully booked until Nov 2022 - How we did it n How to win free web traffic and direct bookings n How to have your lifestyle business and keep your lifestyle n Top tips on getting Planning Sorted & reducing Rates bill n Visit England – what we are & how we can help you
Pre-Glamping Show Workshop Steph Curtis-Raleigh, Publisher of International Glamping Business and co-organiser of Eco Hotel Summit will be holding a day of talks for those setting up glamping businesses. Alongside a panel of guests who have already set up or are setting up glamping businesses, Steph will discuss subjects such as: n Cleaning and laundry n Kitchens and bathrooms n Difficult guests and how to deal with them n Managing reviews n Planning and the 56-day rule n Scaling up n Wellness and retreats and more “The Glamping show was instrumental in the process of setting up our business. The quality & diversity of stands were both incredibly visual & inspiring! Also, equally important was the opportunity to discuss our plans with those producers. We then had the opportunity listen to expert talks and even a coffee break became networking with people from all over the UK. To have a ‘one stop shop event’ with everything you need for wherever your business is at the moment is really special.” Suzi Drew owner of Belan Bluebell Woods. Whether you are just starting up, or have been operating for a while, this goldmine of information and inspiration is what you need to take your business to the next level. So, make sure not to miss The Glamping Show 2021! For more information, or to sign up for The Glamping Show 2021, visit their website at theglampingshow.com.
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