5 minute read
Brazil Goes Glamping
By Gerden E.
The Brazilian glamping sector is steadily developing, thanks to the ever growing demand for premium leisure activities among Brazilians and improving local economics.
Glamping has been relatively slow to take off in Brazil, despite the huge potential for development with the tropical climate and the diversity of biomes – not to mention the incredible landscapes. Although the first experiential hospitality ventures of this kind have existed for some time (in the Amazon for example) – the majority of glamping now operating has opened in recent years.
The Pandemic has certainly been one of the major drivers of glamping businesses in Brazil as figures show the number of sites has significantly increased since 2020. This growth has continued and the demand for ecotourism has been spurred on by the Brazilian Government and the regional authorities, who can see the potential. There are some serious economic problems facing the people of Brazil, such as high inflation and high fuel costs, like many other countries so tourism is a definite benefit.
Currently, there are around one thousand glamping sites throughout Brazil – so clearly there is a massive potential for the market to grow. The structures within the glamping sites are varied, from relatively simple to extremely luxurious. Most standard accommodation types are covered – treehouses, tents, chalets, cabins and more!
According to Lukasz Gieranczyk, CEO of Quero Passagem, a bus ticket marketplace that serves all of Brazil, glamping in Brazil is definitely on the rise. He says, “Here in Brazil, we are not at the level of West yet, but the COVID-19 pandemic has made many Brazilians choose to spend more time in the countryside or in nature. For now, the market is expanding at a rapid pace. Although most accommodations here are not classified as luxurious, they are still in the glamping category due to the level of comfort and services offered, with excellent facilities in remote locations.”
In contrast to previous years, when the biggest demand for glamping in Brazil was observed primarily from foreign tourists, now increasing numbers of Brazilian people are choosing glamping for their vacation and leisure time.
Vanessa Mariño is a Venezuelan who has worked in the ecotourism and glamping sector in the Amazon for 25 years. In a recent interview with the O Globo business paper in Brazil, she noted the increase in domestic demand for glamping since the pandemic and predicted it would continue to grow.
In contrast to previous years, when the biggest demand for glamping in Brazil was observed primarily from foreign tourists, now increasing numbers of Brazilian people are choosing glamping for their vacation and leisure time.
This is also confirmed by official statistics. According to a Yearbook of the Brazilian Luxury Travel Association (BLTA), the share of wealthy Brazilians traveling throughout Brazil currently accounts for 90.7% of the overall demand for glamping and glampsites; unlike 2019, when Brazilians represented only 59% of demand. That led to the growth of profits of most of Brazil major glampsites.
At present, among the major glamping destinations in Brazil are Jalapão State Park, in Tocantins, the Rio de Janeiro city of Paraty and mountainous areas of Minas Gerais, São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul.
Historically the development of glamping is observed along the Atlantic coast of the country and the Amazon river.
In recent years, the development of glamping has become one of the priorities for the authorities of many of Brazil major states.
An example is Ceará’, one of the 26 states of Brazil, located in the northeastern part of the country, on the Atlantic coast. which in recent years has become one of the major glamping destinations in Brazil.
Currently there are a number of luxury glampsites being located in Ceara with the most known probably Dom Luxury Glamping, which consists of 7 geodesic domes, as well as Rancho do Peixe in Jericoacoara with up to 26 bungalows built on suspended decks, covered with carnauba straw and surrounded by coconut trees and dunes.
Ceará’s Secretary of Tourism, Arialdo Pinho, says of glamping in Brazil, “It is a new market that is being established, it has a very strong appeal for ecological issues. He added that while this market is already strong in African countries, Switzerland and Norway, its development is also ongoing in Brazil in general and the state of Ceará in particular. In case of Ceará, most of local major glampsites are located along the Atlantic coast.
In the meantime, according to the Correio Braziliense business paper, in addition to Ceará, the same plans were announced by the authorities of the Brazil capital – Brasília. With the highest per capita income in the country, according to experts, Brasília is fertile ground for the so-called luxury market includiing its glamping sector. This is despite its location far from most of Brazil tourism destinations and Atlantic coast.
For most of Brazilian states the development of glamping is important due to the attraction of huge income flows to regional budgets, creation of new jobs and the reduction of unemployment rate, as well as the overall improvement of economic situation in their regions.
According to local analysts, in recent years the demand for glamping has significantly increased among young Brazilians.
This has been recently confirmed by the president of the Brazil National Campers Association Nilva Rios who said, “The demand for growing was already growing, but the pandemic accelerated it. If in the past the industry was very focused on those who were retired and had more free time currently we are seeing this change for younger people and families with children. During the pandemic, this profile changed.”
It’s fair to say that your average glamping operator is more environmentally conscious than most businesses. Many have a commitment to sustainable practices and responsible land management while increasing numbers are opting for off-grid energy solutions.
