8 minute read
Demystifying the Glamping and RV Guest Relationship
BY TODD WYNNE-PARRY
While the Glamping and RV industries have experienced the same hockey stick pattern of growth over the past few years, there remains a misguided perception that these two consumer groups have little in common. Or alternatively, that if you are planning a Glamping operation, mixing the RV guest with the Glamping guest will be an undesirable clash of cultures. The thinking is the modern high-end outdoor lodging guest, who pays significantly more per night than the RV guest, should have exclusive domain over the destination’s well designed and curated facilities and amenities. While in some instances this approach may be warranted, in reality, the mix of these styles of accommodations can provide both a lucrative revenue enhancement and an environment that promotes our many human commonalities.
THE TWO WORLDS
The two worlds for the purposes of this article are really three. The Glamping guest being one market segment, but the RV campground guest is really made up of two sub-groups. First there is the traditional RVers, be they seasoned pros or newbies who caught the RV bug while avoiding the Covid one. These guests come in all ages, all economic backgrounds and in single, couple or family format. The other is the Nomads – the
young digital remote workers, the van-lifers and the free-wheeling empty nesters. The Nomads are predominantly traveling in couple form. I make this distinction only to highlight that the spending patterns, average length of stay, type of site required (dry, power only or full hookup) and remote working technology needs may vary between these two sub-groups. However, they both carry accommodation that requires a camp site.
The typical Glamping guest as Ryan Miller, Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer of AutoCamp puts it, “The Glamping guest is nature curious and camping hesitant.” He continues, “They want to experience nature but it needs to be easy, approachable and hassle-free.” This is probably the primary difference between the typical Glamper and the RVers and Nomads. The latter are completely fine with and sometimes even enjoy the labors of setting up and breaking down camp. The Glamping guest may generally have a shorter length of stay 1-3 nights, but this is about where the differences end.
THE COMMONALITIES OUTWEIGH THE DIFFERENCES
A few years ago while speaking with Lucas Nelson, the owner and developer of The Camp in Bend, Oregon, he expressed his concern over the potential clash of cultures that his new investment may create. His project has 32 well-appointed, full hook-up sites in the center of town. Included in that number are seven stunning vintage trailers that sell for north of $250/night. The property also has a communal fire pit and BBQ area. His fears were immediately laid to rest as night after night he would overhear guests from all walks of life and from both types of accommodation chatting about their travels, the many local mountain bike trails or the best food truck/brewery nearby. Lucas quickly identified the foremost of the groups’ commonalities – these guests were all here to enjoy Bend as a hub for its variety of outdoor activities. Therefore, sharing the multitude of ways to experience the destination was paramount to any differences in age, appearance, social status or geo-political outlook. The intensity of the shared interest in experiencing nature broke the conversational ice and eroded any potential barriers to communication. To those new to the RV or van life these interactions can be transformative and have positive long-term effects on one’s own perceptions of those outside their geographic or socio-economic bubble.
The part of the RV and Van Life that is not familiar to the Glamper is the community factor that enhances the traditional RV campground experience. Many Glamping destinations, like AutoCamp, Collective Retreats and Firelight Camps, force the community experience on the Glamping guest by having central parking and a pedestrian only campus atmosphere along with plenty of inviting communal areas. This design forces close interaction with other campers on the interconnecting pathways and at communal gathering points. The delightful surprise of interactions with other fellow campers shows up consistently in guest comment cards. The community aspect of camping is no surprise to experienced RVers and Nomads. For some this is a key driver of their lust for the open road. What new friends will they make around the next corner? What different perspectives on things will they learn through the lens of a stranger’s eyes?
One of the great things about experiencing a nature-based destination in the USA is it can still be done on a very modest budget. This makes camping and even Glamping in some instances available to a wide swath of the population. This brings up the miss-conception that these two groups have a wide disparity in disposable income. The truth is they both have disposable income and have budgeted for experiences and F&B spend while out on the road. Just because one group travels with their accommodation in tow, does not
GLAMPER
• Zero or limited camping trips • Prefers hotel level of service • Uncomfortable outdoors
• Seeks outdoor experiences • Enjoys community • Disposable income • Singles, couples and families • Books in advance • Eager to learn the local destination • Appreciates higher level of design, maintenance and security
RV CAMPER
• Experienced camper • Self reliant •Comfortable outdoors
mean they are not prepared to have a high daily spend. In the case of the Nomads they tend to stay longer and tend to have very similar spending patterns to the Glamping guest. In addition, the RVer family with the $800,000, 43-foot mobile mansion parked in the pull-through site staying for 2-3 days is not planning to skimp on merchandise, F&B offerings or guided experiences. They are.
If you do have RV sites at your property, taking the above into consideration should encourage you to dive deeper into your dynamic pricing model. That is, knowing a Nomad may stay longer and spend as much or more on your experiences or F&B options as a Glamper, perhaps looking at discounted weekly or monthly pricing schemes for shoulder or low- seasons and offering reliable WiFi will generate above expected revenues.
Speaking recently with Noah Ellis, COO of Yonder Hospitality, he confirmed “the pricing model for the RV sites at their Yonder Escalante
Above and below: The Camp, Bend, images by @cmurillophoto
property consistently trends above their competitors”. He noted that “this yield approach tends to appeal to those RVers and Nomads that appreciate the property’s high-quality designer facilities and amenities and have the ability to pay a bit more accordingly”. In this property’s case those paying north of $250/night for a vintage Airstream or a designer tiny cabin share a large pool, spa-like bathhouse, open air clubhouse and classic car drive-in movie theatre equally with RV guests. This purposeful mix of accommodation types allows for a wide range of price-points and sleeping experiences, but around the campfire all are looking at the same flame under the same stars and the price of admission to that moment is meaningless.
For those Glamping operations that would like to or do have a significant events business, the addition of RV sites can vastly enhance the profitability of this business. Shaun Bertini of Four Points Funding, owner of Camp V, initially was concerned about the potential interactions between his Glamping guests and the RV campground guests there for events. This forced “melting pot” of diverse people crescendos when events are as RV guest numbers increase. He confirms the RV sites give the property a wider pool of talent to draw from for their events and much higher guest counts than if only Glamping guest could attend. As Shaun puts it, “The diversity of guests is no longer a concern and in fact has added to the attraction of these events.”
The exciting growth of both the Glamping industry and RV camping world is in lock step with the growth in the country’s desire to experience the great outdoors and all the amazing destinations that exist inside our own borders. Therefore, as so many things in the media today seem to divide and separate us by groups, it seems incumbent upon this fledging industry to continue to create inviting outdoor destinations and design spaces that help break down barriers between all visitors to the outdoor world. Perhaps with that good mission, ironically, the great expanse of nature from sea to shining sea that physically divides us could become the place that once again reunites us.
About Todd G. Wynne-Parry
The founder and CEO of Montare Hospitality Advisors (an M&A and advisory group dedicated to the Glamping and boutique lodging sectors), Todd has more than 30 years of hotel development and acquisitions experience, having held senior leadership positions at several major hotel brands and most recently as Chief Growth Officer at AutoCamp. A dual-citizen of Australia and the United States, Wynne-Parry has lived and worked in the U.S., Asia, Australia and the United Kingdom. He was instrumental in the development efforts for IHG, Starwood and Marriott in the Asia Pacific region and for Commune and Two Roads Hospitality globally. Todd earned an MBA from Thunderbird Graduate School of International Management and his BA from Alma College. He is the treasurer of the Board of Directors of the U.S. Development Trust for Scotland’s University of Aberdeen and is an advisor to the American Glamping Association. As a devout outdoorsman and fly fisherman, he resides on the Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon, but prefers the open road towing his vintage Airstream Flying Cloud.
