Make Waves | International Glamping Business | Jan 2023

GlBUSINESSmping

Off Grid

AND ON POINT

INTERVIEW

WITH BRENDAN O’MOLONEY OF TENTHOUSE STRUCTURES

GLAMPING TECH

TO DRIVE REVENUES

MARKETING

KNOW-HOW

GOOGLE ANALYTICS CHANGES EXPLAINED

our first issue of 2023 and here’s hoping it is a year of opportunity for you all. Times are undoubtedly tough for many businesses at the moment, with pressures from fuel prices and the high cost of living. Therefore, wherever we can save time and money or come up with new ideas to increase bookings it is especially welcome.

This issue, we bring you some information on booking systems – an invaluable way of presenting your site to a larger audience. We also bring you a feature on balancing your marketing spend and ensuring you spread your marketing evenly across all channels, including social media – with a special mention of changes coming to Google analytics later this year.

Tech is also a focus in this issue – it is a fact that glamping is largely an online business, made possible by the internet. There are some neat new developments featured – including bad weather insurance, powered by climate analytics and glamping pods created by 3D printing. Or if your tastes are more about disconnecting – we have a feature with a new company, Off Grid Travel, that partners with landowners to create zero carbon glamping sites, and learn what green technology they implement.

Steph

Publisher, International Glamping Business

KAMPAOH SECURES €14M FUNDING TO DOUBLE IN SIZE THIS YEAR

Spanish glamping group Kampaoh has secured €14m of financing to expand across Europe.

This is the third round of investment for the company within the last three years, following funding of €300,000 in 2020 and €5m at the end of 2021.

The latest financing is comprises – €12.5 million in debt provided by Alter Capital, Zenon Asset Management and BBVA, with €1.5 million which has been raised as a bridge round from existing investors including JME Ventures, Axon Partners Group and Encomenda Smart Capital.

Kampaoh wants to use the fresh capital to increase its accommodation by more than 200 per cent from the current figure of 1,200 to around 4,000 units this year and double the number of sites from 40 to 80, expanding into four countries in Southern Europe, including international

markets such as Portugal and France.

In addition, the glamping startup is aiming to exceed €30 million in sales this year, having sold more than €8.8 million in 2022, as Kampaoh seeks to establish itself as a national and international reference point for the segment.

It is reported that Kampaoh’s latest financing will serve as a prelude to a larger round totalling €150 million, which is already being negotiated and is expected to close between June and September this year.

The larger round could enable Kampaoh to achieve its ambitions of reaching 30,000 nature-based accommodations and achieving 225 million sales in the next three years, as well as expanding into potential new markets such as Italy, Croatia, Germany and the Dominican Republic.

Founded in 2016, Kampaoh seeks to provide a nature-based lodging option for guests that still want the usual comforts of a hotel or an apartment in campsites located on beaches or in forests or mountain destinations.

The accommodations, some of which are made out of bamboo and wood, cater to lone travellers or groups of up to six people, and can be fixed or moved. They are also equipped with beds, sheets, bath towels, cleaning and replacement services, tables, chairs, carpets, an electrical system and lighting, kitchenware and portable refrigerators.

Kampaoh currently offers campsites in locations across Spain, including Andalusia, Valencia, Castilla La Mancha, Navarre, the Basque Country, Catalonia, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia.

“It is a great honour and pleasure to receive this award,” said Olja Nicholl, CEO of Nicholl Group, the Company behind the project. “The core value of the Lala Vineyard glamping brand is sustainability. It is charmingly local

LALA VINEYARD WINS TOP AWARD TRUDOMES AND GLAMPITECT ANNOUNCE NORTH AMERICAN PARTNERSHIP

and experientially different, offering unique wine makinginspired experiences. The concept highlights the history of viticulture, unique traits of the environment and specific location it is in, while offering a luxury camping experience.”

“Although the company is set for worldwide expansion with its two agritourism brands, we are proud to have chosen Serbia as our first location for its natural beauty and stories yet to be discovered by international travellers,” concluded Olja.

British dome manufacturer, TruDomes, has announced a new North American Partnership with glamping design consultancy, Glampitect North America. The two companies will now be working together on dome projects across the US and Canada, supporting glamping entrepreneurs in their business ventures. Already well-established throughout the UK and Europe, TruDomes launched a US-based operation in October, setting up facilities in Utah including a headquarters in South Jordan and a warehouse in Salt Lake City.

TruDomes President and CEO, Kelda Bassett, said:

“TruDomes’ partnership with Glampitect North America is another significant step in the growth of our business in this

region. We already have a very successful partnership with Glampitect’s UK operation. TruDomes’ 40 years of experience in design and manufacturing is superbly complemented by Glampitect’s outstanding expertise in planning and establishing a successful glamping business, encompassing every stage from conception to completion.”

Nick Purslow, Managing Director at Glampitect North America, said:

“Our partnership with TruDomes has its roots in the UK, with our UK branches building up an excellent relationship over the years. It was the easiest decision in the world to extend that partnership to our

North American branches. “

TruDomes’ warehouse in Salt Lake City is stocked with a range of geodesic domes ready to ship anywhere in the country. Designed for sustainability, ease of installation and year-round use, the domes are manufactured from aircraft-grade aluminium and available with a wide range of bespoke features. Following its official launch at October’s Glamping Show USA, TruDomes’ US-based operation has secured clients across the country, with high demand from glamping businesses ordering domes in preparation for the 2023 season.

The National Tourism Organization of Serbia recognized the significant contribution to the promotion and development of new tourism products in Serbia by giving the top award to Lala Vineyard Glamping Resort at the 2022 annual tourism awards held in Belgrade.

HOT TUB WATER-TESTING MADE EASY

Back in 1885, Joseph Lovibond made an instrument to measure colour and called it the Tintometer. Nearly 140 years later his company is one of the leaders in both colour and water testing.

The Lovibond range includes water testing equipment, both digital and visual, and all the necessary reagents and hardware needed to give accurate and reliable readings.

Over the last few years, hot tubs have become very popular in the glamping industry. Unfortunately, when it comes to looking after the water in a hot tub potential owners are not always told everything they need to know, about the risks, potential dangers, and pitfalls. The operator is responsible in ensuring the water is safe, sanitised, comfortable and fit for use. Lovibond offers a number of systems to make regular testing of the hot tub water as easy as possible to enable park managers to ensure they are following guidelines and keeping the users as safe as possible. The company also provides training on all aspects of water testing and are happy to provide advice and assistance by email or phone.

Any site providing a hot tub has a duty to make sure the water is safe for the users. Sites must follow the HSE Guideline HSG282 which outlines what needs to be carried out to reduce the risk of infectious diseases especially Legionella. Water should be treated and tested regularly to ensure it is safe. Free of charge online training is also available.

BEDFUL LAUNCHES UK’S FIRST INTEGRATION WITH HIPCAMP

Popular UK property management system (PMS), Bedful, has announced a new integration with Hipcamp, the world’s largest provider of outdoor stays. The new, instant, availability integration means that hundreds of glamping site owners who use Bedful everyday will now be able to share their availability in real time, making it easier to maximize occupancy rates and avoid booking clashes.

The new, two-way, integration uses an application programming interface (API) to share information instantly between Hipcamp and Bedful. Transferred data includes booking names and IDs, detailed guest information, booking prices, and more, as well as Extras, such as food hampers or firewood. There is no additional Bedful subscription fee charged to the glamping businesses for using the service.

Formerly known as ‘Cool Camping’ in the UK, until the two brands merged in May last year, Hipcamp is one of the world’s fastest growing marketplaces for camping

and glamping holidays. The new HipcampBedful integration comes just days after Hipcamp also announced an integration with Resnexus, one of the largest property management systems in North America.

“Ever since Hipcamp launched in the UK last year we wanted to make it easier for Bedful hosts to reach a bigger audience,” said Bedful spokesperson, Lucy Clinch. “Listing on Hipcamp is free and simple and now our integration means hosts can link availability with the rest of their holiday business seamlessly. Information is shared instantly and far more comprehensively than with iCal, the software typically used for basic integrations. What’s more, there is no added cost to our Bedful subscriptions, meaning our prices remain unchanged for the fourth year in a row.”

“We want to make hosting on Hipcamp simple,” said Hipcamp’s UK Country Manager, Jonathan Knight. “Bedful is the most popular PMS amongst our Hipcamp hosts in the UK and France, so this is an

Lovibond testing systems allow the water to be checked easily and quickly for essential key parameters such as:

n Free and Total Chlorine

n Bromine

n pH

n Total Alkalinity

All the kits are supplied complete and ready to use. They use premeasured reagents which when added to the hot tub or pool water sample form a colour the intensity of which is proportional to the amount of substance being tested. A typical test procedure would be:

n Take a sample of the water to be tested in a sample cell, place in photometer and zero the unit

n Add tablet reagents and allow colour to develop

n Return cell to photometer and read Record result and take appropriate action

All our equipment is covered by a comprehensive 24-month warranty.

www.lovibond.com

important and exciting integration for us. Hosts using Bedful will now have a faster service with more data than previously, while, on Hipcamp, they’ll find an audience of millions more campers across the UK and around the world.”

The Sustainable Hospitality Networking Event RETURNS TO MONTENEGRO

Treehouses in Costa Rica? Barrel pods in a German vineyard? Bubbles in Australia? Floating pods in the UAE? Lodges by the Zambezi? If you have the idea, we have the people to help make it a reality.

Eco Resort Network 2023 is a 3-day event for eco resort and sustainable hospitality professionals to network and share best practice. This year, it will be held at the 5-star Lazure Hotel in Montenegro on May 24 & 25 – with a third day on May 26 to continue to explore the country and visit Oblun Eco Resort, which is currently under development.

This is a must-attend event if you:

n Need inspiration and advice

n Want to meet suppliers or find global distributors

n Would like to find investment

n Want to make new connections to drive your business forward

n Would like to tour an eco resort being built

n Enjoy first-class hospitality

n Want to see the beautiful country of Montenegro

There is no other networking event for the eco hospitality industry like this. Our goal is that you will not only leave Montenegro equipped with more knowledge of the sector, but also having made genuine partnerships.

Be privy to exclusive talks from renowned members of the hospitality industry, including Sarah Dusek (Under Canvas), Brendan O’Molony (Tenthouse® Structures), Robyn Woodhead (White Desert Antarctica) and Luca Franco (Luxury Frontiers). Expect new products and services, a field trip to see an eco resort being built, boat trips, wine tasting, world-class dining, and more.

Tickets to attend are €1,200 (approx. £1,050/$1,300) and include the Welcome Reception with drinks and canapés on May 23, plus excursions after the conference, boat trips and dinners – as well as the extra trip on May 26 to visit Oblun Eco Resort, and enjoy a tour and dinner at Europe’s largest vineyard, Plantaže.

Following the first Eco Resort Network event held in Slovenia in May 2022, we are aware that over 20% of delegates have pursued new business opportunities directly as a result of the connections they made. These include approaches from investors, distribution agreements, strategic partnerships and sales of goods and services. This does not include the many new friendships, referrals and

recommendations which resulted from spending quality time among like-minded people.

The number of delegates who are rejoining after attending in Slovenia goes to show there is an appetite for a boutique, sustainable hospitality event that combines learning with exploring.

The combination of curating a highly focused group of high-end delegates, pleasant surroundings and the chance to visit an eco resort as part of the event has proven to be extremely popular.

Delegate spaces are limited – we are offering just 80 places to ensure this remains an intimate event. Reserve your place now and get 15% off your hotel booking at www.ecoresort.network

Glamping ZERO CARBON

Sustainability and glamping usually go handin-hand, but Off Grid Travel has taken it to a whole new level. At a time when guests are growing more conscious of their carbon footprint, how do you cater for both them and the environment? International Glamping Business’ Annie Hilton spoke with Fiona van Aswegen, Scotlandbased member of Off Grid Travel, to find out.

Fiona Van Aswegen

What is Off Grid Travel?

Off Grid Travel is an eco travel company which offers zero carbon holidays set in beautiful and remote places.

We design and build our own accommodation, which is completely off-grid and is imaginatively designed to bring our guests closer to nature.

Our aim was to combine new design technologies with natural settings, always putting conservation and a connection to nature at our core. You should step into our buildings and immediately feel more relaxed – these are “healthy buildings” built from sustainable timber and insulation from recycled newspapers. Heating is from a wood burning stove and there are no mains connections at all – and yet it’s still luxurious with power, heating, lighting, a flushing toilet, fridge, and hot shower.

As a company, we recognised that people wanted to spend more time connecting and having more immersive experiences. Holidays set in healthy buildings deep in nature have a positive and meaningful impact on mental health and wellbeing.

Who are the people behind the brand?

We are a really small team with backgrounds in nature and adventure

tourism, hospitality and wildlife conservation, low carbon manufacturing, interior design and alternative energy. Each member is passionate about what they do and has brought complementary experience, expertise and energy to developing new ways of exploring nature.

How important is sustainability to the company?

Sustainability is, quite simply, at the heart of everything we do. From the way we build and how we bring our buildings to site, to the technologies we use, as well as every single detail you find on the inside. Our linens are organic and locally sourced, our duvets and pillows are Scottish-made from recycled plastic bottles that were collected from ocean waste, our towels are British and made from recycled plastic. We don’t tumble dry or iron anything during the laundry process, reducing our power consumption.

We source everything as locally as possible and tell guests the story behind everything we use and do because this helps them to feel involved in the process. We hope that, after staying with us and seeing just how comfortable they can be using some alternative solutions, they might feel inspired to make a few changes when they get back home.

Tell me a bit more about your destination – how did it come to fruition?

Our first destination is Cambo Estate, near St Andrews in Scotland. What serendipity brought us into contact with this wonderful place! Not only is the location simply breathtaking, right on the sea with amazing beaches forming one whole boundary, it is also run with an ethos completely committed to sustainability, the local community and having a positive impact.

The mobile phone signal there is intermittent at best and there is no wifi… We love that! Guests also have complete privacy as our buildings never sit next to one another – or even visible to each other. Guests can cook on the fire pit or on the BBQ, they can laze on the deck and gaze up at the stars or they can simply enjoy watching deer, squirrels and all the native birdlife. On the inside, we wanted to show just how luxurious an off-the-grid experience could be. Huge windows draw your eyes to the incredible views, and every last detail has been sourced for quality and sustainability.

Since the initial talks we have loved the partnership we have with this destination. They have been completely behind us and supportive of our mission to create genuinely off-grid, luxury accommodation.

How could land owners use Off Grid Travel to diversify?

Off Grid Travel is one avenue to diversify into tourism. We offer financing options for the buildings themselves and then, once onsite, we manage all the marketing and reservations whilst the landowner manages day-to-day operations.

We are a brilliant solution if someone has land that has beauty but no power, sewage or other infrastructure – because that’s exactly what we have based our designs around. Our buildings don’t need those things, especially when our guest experience is all about disconnecting from busy lives, taking a step back and letting yourself be immersed in nature. The structures will last 80+ years and are designed in such a way to be moved and/or repurposed – so if your business changes, these assets can move and change with you.

Can you tell me more about the accommodation and the manufacturing process?

We have two designs in production currently:

our Bothy and our HideAway. Both are rated carbon zero and are built from sustainable, home-grown Scottish timber. We build offsite in a factory near Inverness, operated by our sister company. They use advanced techniques to design out waste – when our first Bothy was created there was just one black bucket of waste!

Our designs conform to caravan regulations and our buildings sit on recycled pads, so there are no permanent foundations. This means our buildings can be brought to site by tractor and trailer and removed just as easily, leaving no lasting impact on the ground at all.

What green technology do you utilise?

We use many alternative energy sources and innovative waste treatment solutions. It always depends on the location. Solar with a backup generator is one reliable way to generate power, but wind and hydro are never ruled out.

We survey each site together with the landowner and assess which off-grid technologies are best suited for that location. We use natural water sources and rainwater harvesting if required. We continually research and innovate. If better solutions become available, we test them, assess them and adopt them.

What else do you offer for the glamping industry?

We are a team of highly experienced travel and building design professionals who offer a tailored support package for our landowner partners. We work with them to plan their tourism objectives; we take care of the

planning permission process and support them through the implementation and growth of their new business.

Our partnership model involves taking care of everything a landowner needs to get started and is inclusive of all interiors, soft furnishings, appliances, energy solutions, kitchen, bathroom and furniture.

Off Grid Travel’s designs are ideal for couples, solo travellers, families or groups. We offer private experiences set deep in nature, but with all the creature comforts. Let guests listen to the log fire crackle, watch the stars, soak up some silence and feel the positive impact of nature.

What are your plans, and goals, for the future?

We have many! But we really look forward to seeing new Off Grid sites across the UK in inspiring locations. We are also working behind the scenes to extend our product range, and it’s safe to say that our imagination knows no limits in our ambition to design creative accommodation that enhances the natural experience. Things in trees, things that float, things made of glass – who knows what our team will come up with!

It is safe to say that we are committed to staying at the forefront of green technologies. It is an incredibly exciting time in the arena of alternative energy, with so many new solutions coming to market that will be game-changers. We will be right there at the forefront, trialing them, assessing them and using them wherever we can.

Find out more at offgrid-travel.com

Building Your in 2023 DIGITAL FOUNDATION

As a Glamping business owner, you are most likely familiar with OTAs (Online Travel Agencies). In the last decade, we have seen sites like Booking, Expedia, and Airbnb overtake the traditional travel agent and become trusted sources for adventure seekers. While OTAs can be helpful in filling up your glamping sites, they also may dominate digital searches, making it seem impossible for your websites to show up in search results organically.

This article will provide a step-by-step guide on building a solid foundation to minimize your company’s reliance on OTAs and funnel more traffic through your website in 2023.

Step #1: Data is Knowledge and Knowledge is Power

When it comes to making strategic marketing decisions for your business, analyzing online data is the key to success. Setting up an analytics foundation enables you to gain valuable insights. Learning how to understand that data empowers you to make decisions that can lead to increased efficiency, effectiveness, and profitability in your direct online bookings.

Whether you are running your marketing inhouse or have hired an agency, understanding the data will empower you as a business owner to ask the right questions and make the best decisions for your business.

Step #2: Own Your FirstParty Data

First-party data is the information obtained about your users while they are visiting your website or other digital properties. This can be as simple as demographic information, commonly visited pages, email addresses, etc.

Another way to collect first-party data is by taking action when your guest is on your

property. Gather as much information as you can including emails, names, and phone numbers. Many like to capture this information through a guest form at the signin or Wi-Fi log-in page.

Step #3: Build a Digital Foundation

Here are the tools you should take control of as soon as possible to ensure you are controlling your first-party data:

Google Analytics: Confirm both Google Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4 are installed and running on your site. As of July 2023, Universal Analytics will no longer

track traffic from your site. It is imperative that GA4 is installed correctly on your site as soon as possible so you will be able to see historical data as your 2023 season ramps up. Unless you are savvy with Analytics, you may need to reach out to your marketing team or an agency to be sure GA4 is in place and tracking data on your site.

Direct Booking Systems: Confirm your booking system is integrated with Google Analytics. At our agency, well over 50% of the audits we do show that user data is either misaligned or flat-out wrong. Most reservation systems have an integration available with Google Analytics. Taking the steps to confirm your booking data is reliable is the main building block to informing your future marketing decisions.

Directory Listings: Confirm you have a directory listings management/reputation monitoring system running and that you are receiving notifications regarding your business name, including reviews. Keeping a close eye on what the market is saying about your business is crucial to maintaining the positive reputation you’ve worked so hard to achieve.

Google Business Profile: Make sure your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is up-to-date and is consistently monitored for new features that are consistently released by Google. Keep in mind that a recent article from Google stated that in 2022, over 10% of search queries will come from voice searches. This highlights the importance of keeping your Google Business Profile updated and optimized for voice search to stay ahead of the competition.

It is essential to ensure that your foundation is set up properly to enable you to collect accurate first-party data.

Step #4: Balanced Traffic Sources

Now that your data is in a place where you feel you can trust what you’re seeing, it’s time to start analyzing. One of the larger mistakes we see small businesses make is applying too much credit or too much blame to one particular marketing channel. A healthy marketing plan will be well-balanced and allow space for prospective customers to come from many channels. In other words, if Facebook is sending your site a ton of traffic, while PPC and organic are almost nonexistent, you have an imbalanced source of traffic and are too heavily reliant on that one source.

Step #5: Embrace Multichannel Attribution

Multi-channel attribution refers to the practice of identifying and assigning credit to different marketing channels that contribute to a customer’s conversion or purchase. This allows you to better understand which channels are most effective and allocate your marketing budget accordingly.

An example of this would be; a customer who clicks on a Google search ad, then clicks on a Facebook ad and finally makes a purchase on a company’s website. With multi-channel attribution, the company would be able to identify that both the Google search ad and the Facebook ad played a role in the customer’s purchase and could assign a portion of the credit for the sale to each of those channels.

A good rule of thumb is to plan on creating between 4-7 touchpoints before expecting a new reservation or conversion. There are so many ways a potential customer can be influenced by your brand, both online and offline, that it’s increasingly important to monitor and measure each channel for how they assist in driving the conversion.

In conclusion, Glamping business owners must take a proactive approach in order to compete against OTAs in the digital landscape. By investing in a solid digital foundation and understanding the data collected through analytics, businesses can gain valuable insights and make data-driven decisions that can lead to increased efficiency, effectiveness, and profitability in direct online bookings. By taking these 5 steps, Glamping business owners can minimize their company’s reliance on OTAs and boost their visibility in search results.

thexcitegroup.com

The Author

Michael Klabon is a Partner at The Xcite Group, a digital marketing agency based out of Denver, Colorado. They specialize in partnering with small to medium size businesses and helping them navigate the variety of services available in the digital space. They have a passion for the outdoors and are proud of their work with more than 40 outdoor service providers. If you have any questions, reach out to michael@thexcitegroup. com

The Future is LIGHTWEIGHT

Over the past 15 years, the Tenthouse® Structures brand has become recognised as one of the market’s most innovative, full-service tent architecture and technical design firms. From visionary design to sustainable luxury, Tenthouse® Structures is a dedicated team of highly skilled textile structure architects, engineers, technicians, and lightweight building specialists, captained by CEO Brendan O’ Molony. Read on to learn more about the proud sponsors of the Eco Resort Network 2023 event in Montenegro this May.

Our mission is to engineer superior wilderness fabric structures that are optimised to site, ensuring a safe, comfortable, and sustainable total product experience. Introducing nonconventional lightweight buildings into the standards will allow our industry to flourish. The future is lightweight.

As the Founder and CEO of Tenthouse® Structures, Brendan and his 40+ strong team of dedicated and highly skilled tenttensile architects, engineers, technicians, and lightweight building specialists have steadily crafted the Tenthouse® Structures brand into being recognised as one of the most innovative firms in the market.

Headquartered in South Africa with an international sales & marketing office in Singapore and a global supply chain, Tenthouse® Structures has developed over 60 international properties in Africa, the USA, Europe, the Middle East and Australia.

Some of their most prestigious, awardwinning projects include Camp Sarika (Amangiri), Mombo and Little Mombo, (Wilderness Safaris), Royal Tent Palazzos, (private client), Xigera, (Red Carnation

Hotels), Noka Lapala, (Lepogo Lodges), Thorntree River Lodge, (African Bush Camps), and Duma Tau Camp (Wilderness Safaris).

Brendan’s passion for designing and engineering eco-dwellings is surpassed only by his love for travel. Raised in South Africa and with over 26 years of handson experience, Brendan has been deeply involved in creating several iconic and multiaward-winning luxury, tented lodges and architectural fabric structures in some of the world’s most remote wilderness locations.

With his extensive experience and an uncompromising passion for detail, Brendan has recently completed his Master of Engineering in Membrane Lightweight Structures at the University of Krems en Donau in Austria. Ultimately allowing him to take his vision for innovative

environmental design and seamlessly integrate it with guest experiences that are deeply embedded in nature.

“Our mission is to engineer superior wilderness fabric structures that are optimised to site, ensuring a safe, comfortable, and sustainable total product experience. Introducing non-conventional lightweight buildings into the standards will allow our industry to flourish. The future is lightweight.”

Through this vision, Brendan and the Tenthouse® Team help bridge the gap between extraordinary design concepts and their low-impact environmental execution, while still delivering on rigorous international quality standards and local building codes.

Learn more at tenthousestructures.com.

Brendan O’Molony

BOOKING SOFTWARE A Guide to

You’ve done the hard work: you bought the land, built the accommodation and hired the staff – now guests just need to find you. Choosing the right booking platform is an integral part of the business, and yet it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the number of providers out there. International Glamping Business’ Annie Hilton got in touch with a few to find out what makes their system different, and how it can work for your site.

What makes your platform unique?

Hipcamp is the world’s largest provider of outdoor stays, covering North America, Australia, the UK, and France, and continuing to expand rapidly. We’re passionate not just about camping and glamping, but about connecting outdoor enthusiasts with farmers, vintners, smallholdings, and country estates. Our mission is to get more people outdoors and we believe that, by doing so, it will better protect outdoor spaces.

Can site owners host the booking software on their own website, or is it accessed exclusively through yours?

It’s not possible to share our calendar interface on your own website just yet but Hipcamp integrates with other leading independent booking systems that can help you do this, including real-time integrations with ResNexus in North America and Bedful in the UK.

Do you offer owners any other services e.g. marketing?

Hipcamp has a ready audience of millions of potential guests and we aim to help hosts showcase their glamping site as best as possible. We have over half a million followers across our Instagram channels alone, as well as an active community on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, and Twitter. Listing on Hipcamp provides a lot more than just the ability to take bookings; it’s also a place for your business to be found by good-natured outdoor enthusiasts, a place for you to garner reviews and feedback, a place for guests to share photos of their stays, and a place for you to learn tips from other hosts. Additional

benefits include comprehensive liability insurance, property damage protection, and a professional photography program, helping you get professional photography of your space for free.

Is your platform mobilefriendly?

Yes! Hipcamp is widely recognised as one of the most mobile-friendly websites in the industry and many of our hosts manage their glamping sites on their mobile phones more than on their desktop. Along with our website, Hipcamp also has a hugely popular app in North America and Australia, which is set to launch in the UK this spring.

What are the costs involved; is it commission or subscription-based? There is no subscription, no set-up fee, and no upfront fee. It’s free to list on hipcamp. com and you only pay 12.5% (+VAT) commission on the bookings you receive.

How much pricing customisation is possible?

We try and strike the right balance between providing versatility for our hosts and an easy, user-friendly system for campers to search. There’s loads of flexibility. You can add high and low season pricing, different rates for weekends and weekdays, set fixed arrival and departure days, and add a minimum or maximum length of stay. Adding Extras, like food hampers or bags of logs, is easy and you can make some Extras compulsory, if, for example, you charge club membership fees to stay at your site.

What is your cancellation policy? Hipcamp has a range of six cancellation policies, from the super flexible, where a camper can cancel at any time, to the super strict, where the camper needs to give more than a month’s notice for any cancellation and only receives a partial refund. You decide which policy best fits your business. Our cancellation policies have been tried and tested. They’re clear, concise, and easy to understand, which is why both hosts and campers have so much confidence in them.

Is there any way to identify troublesome guests, so they cannot make a repeat booking?

Yes, we have several functions to help if you have problem guests – as well as our friendly Support Team, who are always on hand to help you. It’s not just Hipcampers who get to review their stay; hosts can review Hipcampers too. This creates a useful network between hosts. You can also ‘flag’ your review to our team in instances where a camper has caused serious issues such as property damage, allowing us to further investigate the issue.

What inspired the creation of your platform; who’s the face behind the brand?

My co-founder Kristian and I have a love for the outdoors but couldn’t find one solution that covers the whole outdoors. While working at Google, we saw a huge spike and demand for outdoor stays. That’s why we started Campanyon in 2021 with the ambition to become the leading platform in Europe for campsites, RV spots, glamping, treetop houses and other unique nature stays. Within two years, we have more than 3.000 locations across Europe and Australia, with around 1,000 of them being glamping. With our experience of marketing, tech and the RV industry from Google, Indie Campers, and Sixt, we assist our hosts with any and all marketing and technical needs. Our goal is to be a companion for our hosts and campers – hence the name Campanyon.

What makes your platform unique?

We have become the fastest growing platform for nature stays across Europe and offer stays in more than 20 different countries. We support 10 languages to serve users from all over Europe and the world, both on our website and with live support for guests and hosts.

We do more than just connect offer and demand – we’re here to help the industry grow. The partnerships we are building in the glamping industry give our hosts the possibility to buy new glamping accommodation at a discounted price. Our marketing efforts reach new audiences to grow demand for outdoor stays.

Lastly, and as important, we want that growth to be sustainable. That’s why 1% of our revenue goes back to the planet.

Can site owners host the booking software on their own website, or is it accessed exclusively through yours?

The Campanyon booking platform is accessed through Campanyon, but we do offer our hosts the option to add a booking button they can place on their websites. We don’t demand

exclusivity and hosts can keep using their own booking software alongside ours.

Is integration possible with other booking platforms?

Campanyon offers iCal synchronisation and direct integration with Ctoutvert/Secure Holiday and Newbook. We also synchronise calendars with Airbnb, Hipcamp, Vrbo, Google Calendar, Avail Calendar, Smoobu, Sirvoy, and are open to integrating other solutions.

We can also synchronise your listing with other platforms for increased exposure. Through Campanyon, you are then present on Google Vacation Rentals and some of the largest free camping apps in Europe, as well as other smaller players.

Do you offer owners any other services?

We offer our hosts help with the following:

n Google Ads

n Facebook & Instagram ads

n SEO optimisation

n Access to a partner network of 2.6m campers

n Presence in advertorials in both local and some of the biggest media outlets

n Network of nature influencers

n Photography

n Local support

What are the costs involved; is it commission or subscription-based?

Campanyon is a commission-based platform, where only 5% commission is charged from the host per booking, and currently no fee for campers.

What happens in the instance of a double booking?

We are always in close dialog with our hosts and campers, ensuring everything goes as it should technically and that calendars are synchronised across platforms. If a double booking does happen, our hosts are usually able to handle it themselves – but in case of unhappy campers, we help them find another location for the date or a discounted night for another date at the host. That discount is covered by Campanyon, of course.

How much pricing customisation is possible?

n Single pitch price

n Price for extra guest

n Price for different age groups (e.g. children)

n Price for weekdays and weekends (choose between Friday, Saturday, Sunday)

n Price for different high-seasons (from and to dates)

n Extras: Custom extras, pets, cleaning fee, etc.

n Discount for early bird, long stay and last minute bookings.

n Discount for 2, 3, 4, 7, 14 nights

n Coupons code upon request

Is there any way to identify troublesome guests, so they cannot make a repeat booking?

Campanyon includes a responsible camper guide for every booking and we incentivise guests and hosts to leave reviews. If any trouble comes up during a stay, that booking is flagged and we make sure to follow up and be a companion for both guests and hosts to understand the full story. When it’s clear that guests showed inappropriate behaviour, we block them for repeat bookings.

How much access does the site owner

The site owner has access to the following guest information, in addition to a chat.

n Full name

n Country

n Email

n Phone number

n Vehicle number (optional)

n Country

n Birthdate

Information for other guests is in the development pipeline.

What is your cancellation policy? We offer the following cancellation policies:

n Super flexible: 24 hours before check-in

n Flexible: Less than 7 days before check-in

n Moderate: 14 days before check-in

n Strict: Less than 30 days before check-in and more than 14 days, 50% refund.

Who We Are

Guesty is the world’s leading property management software. Hospitality brands, glamping operators, professional hosts, and vacation and property managers all use Guesty’s platform to automate and streamline their operations including reservations, guest communication, operational tasks, cleaning management, and more.

The platform is designed to seamlessly manage and promote modern campsites –from yurts to high-end tents to airstreams –giving operators back their time to focus on providing guests with five-star experiences and growing their business.

How it Works

Guesty integrates with all the major booking OTA channels, including Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, misterb&b, Tripadvisor, Expedia, Agoda, Trip.com, Hopper, Google travel products, direct booking websites and more. Guesty’s open API allows operators to manage glamping and RV listings on any channel, with step-by-step guidance from the company’s dedicated onboarding team.

How can you automate your glamping business operations with Guesty?

Guesty can help you automate several of your glamping and/or caravan park management operations, including pricing, payment processing and reviewing and communicating with guests.

Guesty’s Channel Manager simplifies channel onboarding and maintenance, providing a unified overview of distribution performance. Maximize channel capabilities while increasing exposure & bookings – all without ever having to juggle between multiple dashboards.

Revenue Management Tools manage and automate rates and availability from a single dashboard to boost revenues. They integrate dynamic pricing tools to adjust base rates according to real-time market performance and leverage automated pricing rules to fill occupancy gaps and adjust seasonal pricing.

Automate the guest experience with pre-stay, in-stay, and post-stay guest communication using Guesty’s Unified Inbox. Centralize all guest communications from email, OTA inboxes, SMS, WhatsApp, and more in one place.

What is the Guesty Marketplace?

The Guesty Marketplace of third-party partners directly integrates into your business operations, with 120+ partners offering tools to solve every last need of your business, including Operto, PriceLabs, Brivo, Duve, Safely, YourWelcome, Wheelhouse, Aloware, Autohost, EZcare, HKeeper, KeyData, Minut, Ximplifi, Zapier, RemoteLock, Breezeway, Beyond, and more.

What are additional features and services that Guesty offers?

n Guesty’s Direct Reservations Suite allows hospitality operators to create a customized

reservations website & engine to accept direct guest bookings, communications, promotions and brand value.

n Roles & permissions allow operators to control access and functionality across their team, granting member access according to position and seniority. Allow teams to manage the business on-the-go via a dedicated Guesty mobile app.

n Damage Protection by Guesty ensures peace of mind for operators, protecting property from damages occurred during stays, without coordinating directly with the guests.

n Multi-Unit Management and MultiProperty Type Management.

n Accounting by Guesty, a trust-based accounting tool designed for hospitality regulations.

n GuestyPay, native payment processing directly in platform and built for the industry.

What makes Guesty stand out?

Guesty is the world’s largest and mostfunded property management platform for the short-term rental, glamping and hospitality industry. The company employs a world-class R&D team with over 200 engineers who are constantly innovating and evolving the product. Its employee base is spread across 14 global offices, with dedicated customer success teams assisting North America, LATAM, the European Union and APAC region.

How much does Guesty cost?

No matter the size and location of your business, Guesty has a solution and offers custom pricing models tailored to individual business needs. Interested businesses can schedule a demo and create a custom pricing plan. Guesty has helped its users increase their listings by 100% annually, boost their revenue by 150% annually and save an average of 100+ hours weekly.

What makes your platform unique?

If you want to take bookings on your website, as well as by telephone, email, and via other online platforms, Bedful is the easiest booking software to use. Bedful is extremely userfriendly, but also very powerful and flexible. For example, our flexible pricing allows for every kind of rates structure and we also provide handy tools like upselling extras, taking security deposits, and automating messages, such as a friendly ‘welcome’ message to guests. We also get great feedback about our support team!

We have a team of seven amazing Customer Happiness specialists based in Birmingham who are always happy to help with any issues or questions.

Is your system more suited to larger or smaller sites?

We have both large and small sites using Bedful – our largest hosts have over 200 units, but we have plenty of hosts that only have one treehouse or cabin. The system works equally well for both types of hosts.

Is integration possible with other booking platforms?

Yes, Bedful integrates with other booking platforms either by using iCal software or an API. Bedful is the only booking system in the UK to have a real-time integration with Hipcamp (the world’s largest provider of outdoor stays), which is the most frequently used integration we offer. Hundreds of our hosts also choose to integrate with Airbnb, booking.com, Tripadvisor, and others.

Do you offer owners any other services e.g. marketing?

Our aim is to provide owners with the best possible booking software for their business. That means we’re constantly developing our system and providing phenomenal customer support, but we don’t offer additional services like

RAINIER OUTDOOR – HANDCRAFTED PREMIUM STRUCTURES

Rainier Outdoor is your home for handcrafted yurts, canvas cottages, canvas tents and teepees. We have been providing premium quality products to customers since 1896.

The Eagle yurt, our premium, luxury model is the most beautiful and reliable yurt on the market. With sizes ranging from 16’ to 33’ diameter, the rafters are made from hand-selected Douglas Fir and side walls are constructed in individual sections, making them easily interchangeable onsite. All fabrics, side wall and roof membrane are resistant to UV rays and water, and are mildew resistant and flame retardant. The standard Eagle yurt can reach up to 210 psf,

and is engineered to withstand 115+ MPH wind.

The Raven yurt is built to the same standards as the Eagle, but value engineered for affordability – in sizes ranging 16’ to 30’ diameter. Rafters are made from Douglas Fir wood that is kiln-dried, sanded smooth and then finished with natural oil. The side wall is one continuous piece, requiring window placements to be determined at time of order. Standard Raven yurts can reach excess of 150 psf, and are engineered to withstand 115+ MPH wind.

Rainier Outdoor’s Canvas Tents use only premium materials. Army Duck fabric is

marketing templates or social media management. We believe the best possible way for people to market their business is by working with the best in that field, which is why we provide real-time integration with online travel agents (OTAs), like Hipcamp. Hipcamp is a great way for glamping sites to get seen by the largest possible audience and we receive tons of positive feedback about how important our integration is.

What are the costs involved; is it commission or subscription-based?

There is no commission on bookings and we charge a very competitive annual subscription fee. Packages starting from just £21 per month plus VAT. Pricing is on a sliding scale depending on how many glamping units are on the system, and there is a handy pricing calculator at bedful.com. There is no initial set up fee.

highly water repellent, while breathable. It is a tightly woven, 100% cotton duck that’s cool in the summer and warm in the winter. When it rains, the fibers swell to make the tent even more water repellent.

Our Lakedale Cottages combine the features of our Wall Tents and Yurts in one cost-effective shelter. Every cottage features a durable Douglas Fir frame, fabric shell made of Army Duck canvas (FR, MA, WR), up to two doors and six windows with different design options, and a vinyl rain fly. Choose from a variety of 20 size combinations with window and door customizations.

A design centuries ahead of its time, the teepee is the ultimate mobile shelter built to withstand all weather extremes. Army Duck fabric gives your teepee longer life, as it’s treated for mildew resistance and flame retardant. Seams are double needled and lapped to shed water down the slope. Our teepees are made with brass grommet pinning holes, staking loops and reinforced corners on all smoke flaps.

POWER & TECH A Guide to

Discover off-grid power solutions to save money on energy bills, the latest innovative technology to elevate your site’s offering, and even how you can 3D print your accommodation to reduce environmental impact.

cpes.co.uk

Who We Are

Caravan Park Electrical Services (CPES) are market leaders in the design, manufacture and installation of electrical distribution systems for camp sites, glamping retreats, holiday parks and touring parks throughout the UK.

What We Do

We have a highly experienced and dedicated team who are available to handle your enquiry, design, quotation, production and installation of the most up-to-date electrical distribution systems for your park. If it’s supply-only you’re looking for, we have a knowledgeable team who are happy to give design advice and liaise with your electrician. For larger developments, our specialist sales engineers are able to lead the project.

Alongside a completely bespoke design and build service, CPES offers a complete 360 solution from sourcing components & accessories to manufacturing a vast range of products including; connection units, mains & distribution panels, multi-way service bollards, EV chargers and lighting products.

Caravan Park Electrical Services also have a dedicated Testing and Certification department. Our NICEIC Qualifying

Supervisors are able to oversee and sign off reports, as well as provide remedial work quotations.

How can CPES reduce owners’ running costs?

With energy prices at an all time high, saving money where possible has never been more important. Our portfolio of products offers a selection of low energy and solar lighting options in both high and low level, as well as a range of metering solutions.

Upgrading from traditional lighting to a modern LED equivalent could save up to 70% in energy consumption. A popular low level lighting choice for many glamping retreats is our Woodland Eclipse. This traditional yet modern lighting post offers a stunning addition along pathways and roads. Milled from ‘green’ timber, the natural material means the wood will age overtime to suit the surrounding environment.

Alternatively we have our solar range which features the high level Woodhall Street Light and low level Spalding Bollard. Both manufactured using the very latest solarpower technology providing long-lasting illumination, even throughout the darkest winters!

Regarding customer energy usage, the days of a standard rate charge for a guest’s stay are gone, with most sites now charging for individual consumption. The metering solutions at CPES range from read-only to SMART metering technology, meaning we really do have something to suit everyone! A popular choice at the moment for a glamping retreat is the Alpha RFID Pre-Payment Metering System. The meters are supported by a computer software which allows you to upload credit to a reusable payment card. The customers are able to take their card to their meters for credit upload, as well as return it back from the meter to their card. They’ll then be able to bring the card to the office where the credit balance can be read in the software. This means all consumption will be accounted for, and your customers will pay for what they use.

To find out more about CPES, visit cpes. co.uk

Sensible Weather is a climate technology and insurance company that partners with outdoor hospitality businesses to reimburse guests when bad weather impacts their stays. We talked with Sensible’s Founder & CEO, Nick Cavanaugh, PhD, to learn more about how their innovative Weather Guarantee is helping glamping businesses generate incremental revenue and increase guest satisfaction.

Where did you get the idea for Sensible Weather?

I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, near Seattle, and have always loved to ski. While working as a hedge fund quant in New York City, I was further from the mountains—but was using cutting-edge climate analytics to make bets on how the weather would impact energy, agriculture, and weather derivatives markets. During ski season, I would use our platform to determine which resorts were likely to have the best snow, and book travel accordingly. This helped me maximize my limited time off, and this personal use case sparked the idea for Sensible: How can we leverage sophisticated climate analytics to de-risk the weather’s impact on investments in vacations, ski trips, or any other outdoor experience?

So, I founded Sensible Weather in 2019 and we launched in 2020 with our first product, the Weather Guarantee.

How does a Weather Guarantee work?

Weather Guarantees give guests more confidence to book outdoor hospitality

reservations knowing they’ll be reimbursed 100% for experiences that don’t meet expectations due to rain or other adverse weather. If bad weather is forecasted to occur during an outdoor experience, Sensible automatically texts the customer a link to easily collect their reimbursement the morning of that experience. Guarantee payments are processed immediately via electronic payment services like PayPal or Venmo, with payouts based on the number of hours the experience is negatively impacted by weather. For example, three hours of rain during a camping trip would result in an automatic 100% payout of the cost of the reservation—and the guest is still able to visit the campsite so long as it hasn’t closed due to severe weather! The merchant partners with whom we integrate get the benefits of increased customer satisfaction and loyalty, as well as a share of revenue on the Weather Guarantees sold through their channels.

Why is glamping a good fit for Weather Guarantees?

The outdoor hospitality industry has been a natural fit for us and a first-mover to embrace our climate tech. We’ve found that Weather Guarantees increase online conversion by eliminating booking hesitation in the shoulder seasons, and decrease cancellations when rain is in the forecast. Our revshare commission is built into the Weather Guarantee’s price and helps operators generate ancillary revenue. We’re lucky to work with a number of great partners in the business, including Campspot, AutoCamp, Collective

Retreats, Campsited, Yonder Escalante, Tentrr, and Reserve America.

What kind of attach rates are your partners seeing for Weather Guarantees?

For Tentrr, our first partner in the US, around 30% of guests added a Weather Guarantee to their reservation when presented with the option in 2022.

What are common misconceptions about Weather Guarantees?

That guests need to cancel their reservation in order to get reimbursed for their trip. Weather Guarantees are not a cancellation policy. We want you to go and enjoy your trip, and we’ll reimburse you for the days when it rains.

Please tell me about your partner marketing and growth plans. 100% of our sales happen through partner channel integrations. Our continued growth is a function of new partners we onboard as well as the growth of existing channels. Because of this, we are dedicated to supporting our partners and creating better experiences for their customers, first and foremost. Our 2023 partnership roadmap is heavily focused on European partners and we’re excited to announce new integrations with our first UK and EU-based camping and glamping partners in Q1 2023.

Interesting in partnering with Sensible Weather? Contact them at partnerships@sensibleweather.com

HOW OUTDOOR HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES ARE USING CLIMATE TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE THE GUEST EXPERIENCE AND DECREASE CANCELLATIONS

Nick Cavanaugh, Founder

BLUE SKY THINKING FROM AZURE

3D Printed Glamping

What is the background of the company?

Ross Maguire and Gene Eidelman founded Azure in 2019 in Los Angeles, California, bringing over fifty years of combined experience in property development across three continents. With a vision to revolutionize the construction industry by building faster, more economically, and with a positive environmental impact, they began exploring the possibilities of 3D printing technology.

How did you come to look at the glamping sector?

As it turns out, their unique designs were highly sought after for short-term rentals, and when one glamping resort owner reached out to them with interest in a new product to attract “glampers,” Azure saw a perfect opportunity to expand into the glamping market.

What are the advantages of a 3D printed unit in terms of environment and practicality?

One of the key advantages of Azure’s 3D printed units is their sustainability. By using recycled plastic polymers, they are able to prefabricate units 70% faster and 30% less expensive than traditional construction methods. Plus, the construction sector is the

largest global consumer of raw materials and is responsible for 20% of the world’s total carbon emissions, so by using recycled plastic, Azure is helping to reduce the industry’s impact on the environment.

What is the process for an operator when ordering a unit?

Operators can design their units to their specifications using Azure’s Design Configurator feature on the website, and then connect with consultants via Zoom to finalize their order.

What is the approximate lead time for delivery?

Currently, the lead time for shipping the unit is 2-5 months, depending on unit size. Shorter for 10X12 feet studios, and longer for larger units that contain bathrooms and kitchenettes. Azure is working to reduce backlog as they bring more 3D printers online and open additional facilities.

What maintenance or site preparation is required?

Maintenance and site preparation are minimal, including creating a stem wall perimeter foundation and utility hookups, which takes one to two days. Every 15 years, an owner can have a new UV coating applied to protect the units from degradation from

the sun for another 15 years. Where can you buy one from now and where can we see your product on display?

Azure’s units can be ordered through their website, azureprintedhomes.com, and currently have orders from 24 US States, Canada and Costa Rica, with plans to expand globally. Customers can see model units in our Los Angeles, CA showroom, and soon will be able to experience staying at the units at two California glamping resorts.

Would you be interested in talking to distributors in other countries?

The company is open to talking with potential investors and distributors worldwide.

www.azureprintedhomes.com

Ross Maguire & Gene Eidelman

Telford based, Lifos Advanced Battery Systems is launching the Fort PV, the UKs first portable battery storage system with solar inside. It means cleaner power generation, reduced diesel usage and less pollution. Another valuable step towards cleaner, greener sites and festivals.

You are a new company with a new product – tell us more.

The Lifos Fort PV is a renewable power system in a box. It has the latest lithium battery storage and comes complete with its own solar panels. The Fort is easily transported and deployed to any site looking to reduce their environmental impact or aiming for net zero emissions.

What is so unique about the Fort PV?

n The silent running of the Fort is perfect for glamping sites and night-time running. It puts an end to noisy polluting diesel generators.

n Perfect for remote off-grid locations or sites that need temporary extra power. At the end of an event or the season the Fort’s solar panels can be packed into the back of the unit and easily moved to another location or stored until next required.

n The solar panel system comes packed with 18 x 190wp solar panels giving 3.42kW array. Each panel comes with its own kick-stand support, making it easy to set up and connect to the Fort PV box.

n The Fort also comes with an industry-leading 5 year warranty. For more intense energy demand, the Fort PV can be coupled with diesel gen sets and, by ensuring optimal running times, can reduce diesel usage by up to 40%

n The Fort comes with a smart data management system. It allows you to monitor the performance of your asset and provides useful information about energy generation and carbon savings to support any ESG reporting requirements.

When will we see Lifos products?

The Lifos Fort PV is available to order in February for delivery in May. With 11kW, 23kW and 35kW storage options and 11kVA single phase output, the new Fort PV can deliver power to multiple glamping sites from the one box. If more power is needed, multiple Forts can be combined or can be connected to alternative power sources.

Battery Life Cycle and Recycling are hot topics. What is the Lifos approach?

Sustainability is at the heart of what we do. Our engineers are using smart technology and their expertise to improve long term performance and deliver more sustainable storage solutions. We are designing hybrid solar compatible batteries to help drive down carbon emissions and fight climate change and using longer life, renewable components to create more sustainable product life cycles.

The LIFOS Fort is the first major step in this direction and sets the benchmark for more sustainable, environmentally friendly batteries.

All Fort customers have the option to join our unique Lifos 7 Year Switch program. Exchanging for a brand-new battery at the end of year 7, extending the life expectancy of your asset to 15 to 20 years. An outstanding return on your investment, all backed up by the Lifos Tech Support Team.

What have you got planned for the future?

As battery specialists, we have recently updated our range our Lifos-Go range of portable leisure batteries for the caravan, campervan and marine sector. We will also be launching further products in the Fort range in August 2023.

For more information contact Lifos Advanced Battery Technology at lifos.co.uk

Who We Are

Portable Power Technology (PPT) believe that no one should be left in the dark, even if you’re off-grid, off-line, or off on your next adventure.

As power solution specialists, we curate and provide reliable power systems for all sorts of applications. Service vehicles, caravans, boats, even completely off-grid locations like holiday homes and glamping sites. No matter the power requirement or wherever you are, you can trust that we’ll be here to keep you powered.

What We Offer

Our expert knowledge and high-quality products can bring to life the glamping experience you want to offer. Glamping can be anywhere from a step up from camping, to an all singing, all dancing hotel room in a field. Wherever your site falls on this sliding scale, we’ll help you achieve it off-grid.

We are a solutions company first and foremost, so we want to make sure that any system we provide is perfect for our customers’ needs. We work with each site to specify an ideal power system based on their unique application, factoring in: space limitations, weight restrictions, budget, site location, recharging options, length of glamping guests stay and, most importantly, the appliances that need power.

These details are vital in communicating what type of experience you want to offer.

Once we understand your goals and ideas, we can then provide the power system to make them a reality.

How it Works

We’ll ask questions about your application and then look at the best options available.

If your site only needs lighting and phone charging for example, then we can offer you a simple, all-in-one powerpack. Should you wish to offer a few more services than just basic lighting, then we have a wide range of powerpack sizes to scale up to the appliances you want to run.

If you need even more power, then we can separate out all elements of an off-grid system (batteries, inverter, charger) to create a flexible system that fits your needs.

Knowing the wattages of your appliances helps to gauge how much energy they will consume and this is essential in building the right power system for your glamping accommodation.

How do I know what system is right for me?

All our systems follow the same principle: find out how much power you need and create a system to deliver just that. Along the way we’ll also share tips and tricks to make your off-grid accommodation as energy conscious as possible – this can include buying the lowest power consuming appliances possible, or thinking about different types of power sources.

We’ll work with you to plan your system and use our expertise to make sure you have a solution that’s efficient and easy to use.

Will solar work for me?

Solar can be added to everything we offer and can be a great addition to an off-grid glamping site. That being said, relying solely on solar in the UK can be very difficult and, in reality, should be thought of more as a supplement to your system rather than something you depend on.

All our all-in-one powerpacks can have solar added directly to them and this can be used to extend the run times, before needing to hook up the powerpack to mains for a full recharge.

What are the potential running costs?

Every site will have its running costs (unless you plan on spending a small fortune on solar!) but we pride ourselves on the efficiency and competitiveness of our systems, ensuring that your energy costs are as low as possible.

GLAMPSAN – WASTE HANDLING SOLUTIONS

Glampsan offers an ‘evolution’ of toilet and waste handling solutions: there’s something to suit every customer and every need and we’re consistently adding extra products to the range. From humble beginnings in 2010 supplying waste tanks for the portable toilet industry, from 2016 we found ourselves being asked to provide those same products for the glamping and leisure sectors…hence the reason we formed our www.glampsan. com division and website. From three products in 2010 we now have 1003 or so in the range.

We provide a full range of solutions, starting with composting, separating and low-volume flush toilets to simple waste collection tanks - above or below ground - to capture grey and black water for later removal by a waste collection company. The latter is a quick, efficient and flexible way to offer a waste storage solution, especially whilst you may be waiting for planning permission to come through for more extensive infrastructure to be installed.

If you want to avoid storing waste in a collection tank, you might need a sewage lifting station. We partner with Saniflo® for their range of sewage lifting stations, which offer a fantastic solution for the glamping industry.

Next in line is a sewage treatment plant. We concentrate Glampsan’s efforts on the typical sizes required by smaller glamping sites. These 2, 3 and 5 person Portapura®

units are designed and manufactured in the UK specifically for glamping sites, holiday homes, static caravans, site offices, site toilets, garden rooms and small leisure developments.

Brand new from Glampsan in 2023 is our CampPlus range of en-suite bathroom pods. For camping and touring site applications in the main, these units are available in single and twin formats and allow sites to offer guests “camping with style” with their own private en-suite!

We design and manufacture many of the products ourselves: but more unique is the way we help and consult with customers to find the right solution for them. We are renowned for our customer service and we help customers make informed decisions.

The huge growth in the demand for staycations before, during and after the pandemic has created a group of customers who know a lot about farming but don’t know a lot about how to manage the water and waste that is created by their own glamping customers. That’s where Glampsan helps.

There is no one, single product which suits all, as customers will have differing budgets, requirements, site conditions and ideas on what they want to offer their own customers. But there’ll be something in our range which will fit, whatever the application.

It depends on the complexity of what is required: for example, a simple waste collection tank will be a different price from a sewage treatment plant, as will every other product in our range.

We have a comprehensive range of helpful documents and support from product partners. Many products are plug and play; some may need some groundworks support which can be sourced locally.

Yes, and this varies from product to product. Our customer service ethic feeds through to trouble shooting and warranty.

www.glampsan.com

WOODPECKER TUBS – ADDING THAT ‘MOMENT OF LUXURY’ TO YOUR BUSINESS!

Are you sitting comfortably? It’s time to relax, unwind and think about how your 2023 is going to shape up when it comes to the offerings you have available for new and existing clients in your business settings.

In the midst of a global economic crisis, where literally everything has gone up in cost – whether that is fuel, food, electricity, or even the cost of hosting guests at your glamping or camping sites – then there is a need to think about how you can add a ‘moment of luxury’ for guests to enjoy, whilst at the same time competing for the same ‘slice of the pie’.

Now, we aren’t saying to be frivolous with your money, but rather to think about the ways in which you can grow your business, to make it more appealing to a different audience, instead of it being a ‘run of the mill’ holiday setting.

Here at Woodpecker Tubs, we create hot tubs with you in mind; whether it’s

a 2-person roll top tub like the Ofuro, or the Elite or Prime models accommodating 4 or more people, or one of the newest innovative models on the market like the ‘eye’ or square tubs.

Each tub has been designed based on what our customers want and the extensive research we have carried out, enabling you to be at the heart of your bespoke journey. Meaning, you are able to leave with a hot tub that is powered ‘off-grid’ using a wood-fired burner that saves on electricity, or alternatively using electricity (or ecofriendly solar power) to allow LED lighting or a jet system that adds a ‘jacuzzi’ option for your guests to enjoy.

That being said, whilst our core business is definitely (as the names suggests) hot tubs, we have again gone on a similar journey to our customers, whereby we look at the way in which we can “add on” to our offerings. These add-ons have been that ‘something different’, in the form of saunas that come in all shapes, sizes and configurations, and

accommodation units in time for 2023 and beyond!

It is important to ensure that we stick to our bespoke offerings for our clients, and this is exactly what our team prides itself on: offering products that fit in to your environment, and offering that ‘moment of luxury’ for guests to enjoy. It’s something that will enable you to attract more guests, and garner those much-needed bookings.

The demand for unique and luxurious outdoor experiences has led to an explosion in the popularity of glamping in recent years…and this trend is showing no sign of slowing down. Discover the Luxury Lodge 40 and an exclusive promotion from Glamping Innovations.

Not just another Safari Tent?

Completely the opposite. The Luxury Lodge 40 is designed to raise the bar when it comes to quality and performance. A robust frame made of 100 mm spruce and pine supports the fire-retardant 660-gram PVC roof, along with an inner tent made from high-quality KA-46 canvas from Ten Cate. It’s this unique combination of supreme quality materials that makes this model a solid longterm investment for any site.

“We are really pleased with the safari tent which easily withstood two major storms in the first week of being installed. The build quality is excellent and we are already getting extremely positive feedback from our guests.”

- Cuttermoon Glamping

What makes this Safari Tent so distinctive?

Space, space and more space. With a large veranda totalling 15m2, this safari tent has a combined usable area of 55m2. All this space makes room for a sizable living area,

COULD THIS BE THE ULTIMATE FAMILY SAFARI TENT WE’VE ALL BEEN LOOKING FOR?

bedrooms (sleeping up to 6), storage, fully fitted kitchen, bathroom with toilet and rain shower as well as a fantastic bar area to sit back and relax in.

Space and comfort go hand in hand which is why these features come as standard, along with a beautifully finished interior. But, for those looking to go the extra mile, a bespoke option is available allowing you to adapt the space to suit you and your guests specific needs.

This at one-with-nature family space has already made an impact in the industry, with

Glamping Innovations reporting it’s their most popular tent.

Prices start from £6,800. With a 2 year warranty and life span of approx 10 years, this solid investment is set to see your site through many seasons to come.

To help sites get ready for the new season, International Glamping Business has teamed up with Glamping Innovations to offer readers a 10% discount on orders placed before 31/3/2023. To order, visit www. glampinginnovations.co.uk and quote IGB2023 when inquiring.

TENT CLEANING AND REPAIRS

The Canvas Cleaning Company is the UK’s leading commercial canvas laundry specialising in cleaning, waterproofing and repairing all types of bell tents, Lotus Belles and canvas awnings. Our in-house seamstress has over 30 years’ experience and carries out repairs from small patches to full zip and panel replacements.

The Canvas Cleaning Company is a subsidiary of Wild Hare Events Ltd, the largest supplier of Lotus Belle tents in the UK. The company was looking for somewhere local to clean and waterproof their tents but felt that nobody understood the product as well as they did. Afer a year of research, development and testing the Canvas Cleaning Company was born!

At the moment, the company can service Bell Tents, Lotus Belles, canvas awnings and other small canvas structures. They are developing a new programme for yurts which will be announced in due course.

Each item is washed individually and the company conducts thorough pre and postwash inspections. The Canvas Cleaning Company takes care of the shipping process from start to finish

Each item is fully waterproofed after washing with industry-leading technology and verything is photographed pre and post wash.

The company can also offer a dry first

and store service, so if someone has a wet takedown, their tents can be safely stored before washing, meaning mildew won’t develop. In addition they employ an experienced seamstress who can carry out any type of repair, from a small patch to full panel replacements

The Canvas Cleaning Company service covers the UK and Europe. They are approved for Inward Processing which means there are no import/export duties or taxes to pay. Items can be couriered for as little as £50 each way. Turnaround usually takes a week but the company does get booked up well in advance.

thecanvascleaningcompany.co.uk

VPF Homes has been designing and manufacturing mobile homes of the highest quality for over 20 years. These homes have a contemporary look and feel, and are built to last.

We use only the best materials that Italy has to offer, such as porcelain stoneware and ceramic flooring, concealed systems, RVG window frames with double glazing iron chassis with 18 mm plywood platform, sandwich walls with high thermal-acoustic insulation, and the wall cladding with traditional washable plaster.

VPF not only stands out for the quality of its products, we understand that each campsite and tourist village has its own unique “personality” that is largely influenced by the environment and landscape of the location. This is why we take great care to study the various housing modules in the most personalised way possible, taking into account both the aesthetics, and the use of material that are chosen with the greatest meticulousness – always providing outstanding Italian design.

These qualities have made the VPF brand a trusted reference for users of mobile homes

OUTSTANDING ITALIAN DESIGN FROM VPF HOMES

and other prefabricated structures. Our catalogue includes open air bars, gyms, shops, receptions and, above all, spas, which are becoming increasing popular and are now seen as a valuable addition to many structures.

VPF offers a variety of models, including the Compact line, which is a mobile home designed with the use of light that crosses the integrated patio, illuminating its harmonious and simple shape. The intent of the project is to create unique spaces dedicated to relaxation that can be enjoyed anywhere, even in an exclusive dedicated reading corner. Great attention has been given to both the interior and e xterior design.

LUXURY TENTS, THE BUSHTEC WAY!

Break away from the norm and allow yourself to stand out. Glamping has become the hottest trend in hospitality worldwide. However, there is a lot more to glamping than merely the general concept, especially when it comes to tents of the calibre of Bushtec Safari. Bushtec Safari’s luxury tents offer the best quality materials, various customisation options, with beautiful designs and styles. It’s not only the tents that have proven to be popular, but the experience in their entirety that comes with it. Guests feel more connected to nature when spending their vacation staying in a luxury tent. It also plays a big role in sustainability and contributes to environmental impact, which is important to most travellers globally. In essence, luxury tented resorts are the new

go-to destinations, offering luxurious and comfortable accommodations, as well as unique experiences.

Backed by our award-winning factory, Canvas and Tent, we have over 1000 tent designs available to choose from. With a variety of roofing options ranging from hyper tensile roofing to our ever-popular 4-layer roofing structures - customising your ideal tented solutions have never been as easy!

Bushtec Safari tents are designed and manufactured for year-round use to withstand various weather conditions such as extreme heat, cold, snow, and high winds. The tents are also suitable for different landscapes, whether it be desert, beach, mountain, or forest.

Iron is space, a model line created with the aim of organising spaces in the best way possible, outlined by modern and fascinating geometric designs. The vivacity of colours with modern, spacious, and bright environments are a beauty to behold. Particular attention has been paid to the materials used – all of great quality and made in Italy. The exterior is totally liveable, even in the new exclusive solarium on the upper floor.

The Futura line was conceived with a vision of the most advanced technology in the field of applied domotics.

For a more complete view of the VPF homes range, visit vpfcase.com.

Driven by our commitment to customer service and quality, it is our dedication to each project that ensures the end product is delivered flawlessly, with attention to detail at every stage of the process – from concept to completion. We source the best quality material and utilise the latest technologies in manufacturing. Everything is done with a wealth of in-house experts, ranging from a passionate workforce and talented teams consisting of our engineers, architects, draftsmen, interior designers, and project managers, all aiding us in exceeding these objectives.

We have offices and partners in the USA, Europe, the Middle East, and Australasia, and our bespoke products can be found on each continent. We have our showrooms globally in the USA, Europe, South Africa, and Botswana, where clients can view some of our standard luxury tents. Suited for even the most remote locations, our tents are designed to fit into any environment, allowing guests to spend unforgettable nights under canvas.

We design to impress and build to last. If you can imagine it, we will create it.

Better, Best, Bushtec.

www.bushtecsafari.eu

THE DYRT’S 2023 CAMPING REPORT FINDS CAMPERS EVOLVING, PROPERTY MANAGERS ADAPTING

The Dyrt, the No.1 app for camping information and booking, has released the 2023 Camping Report, an in-depth and comprehensive look at the industry. The report is compiled from a survey of The Dyrt camper community, which gets 30 million visits per year, as well as a survey of camping property managers across all 50 states.

“We’re still in the midst of a camping boom that began in 2020, but the big story now is how campers and property managers are adjusting,” says The Dyrt CEO Kevin Long. “It was five times harder to book an available campsite in 2022 compared to just three years earlier, and campers are looking for new experiences. Property managers are getting very creative by adapting, expanding and creating a wider variety of options.”

The report found that 80 million Americans went camping last year and that campsites

were nearly twice as scarce as they were in 2021. Glamping increased 10 percent in 2022 and campers continued to work remotely from the campsite at the same rate – just under 25 percent – despite many companies returning to the office.

“Through the process of gathering information for this report we spoke to a wide variety of property managers who have bookable inventory on The Dyrt, and included quotes from them throughout the report,” says The Dyrt founder Sarah Smith. “We also identified trends among segments of the increasingly diverse camping community such as race, sexual orientation, age and household income.”

For example, survey respondents who selfidentified as BIPOC (black, indigenous, people of colour) went glamping for the first time last year, 50 percent more than the survey average. Survey respondents who self-

identified as LGBTQ+ listed “tent” as their primary camping type 23 percent more than the survey average.

The survey also found that property managers are responding to high demand, with 48.6 percent raising their rates in 2022 and 46.4 percent planning to raise their rates in 2023.

“The Dyrt’s users may comprise the country’s broadest demographic profile of the camping public. So when The Dyrt’s users have their temperature taken, it pays for other industry participants to take notice,” writes RVtravel. com, describing The Dyrt’s annual report on the camping landscape as “the statistically most meaningful picture of what it’s like to go camping in America that the industry has produced to date.”

Read The Dyrt’s full 2023 Camping Report at reports.thedyrt.com/2023-camping-report

TRUDOMES REACHES FAR-FLUNG LOCATIONS WITH DEMAND FOR ULTRA-STRONG DOMES

British dome manufacturer TruDomes is expanding its presence into the far-flung corners of the world as the company serves demand for glamping accommodation that can withstand extreme weather.

With a growing number of glamping sites set up in remote and wild locations to attract adventure-seeking tourists, durability and strength are high on the list of priorities for many site owners. TruDomes’ design and manufacturing quality has placed the company in prime position to meet that need with geodesic domes which offer market-leading robustness and longevity. American Institute of Architects refers to the geodesic dome as the “strongest, lightest and most efficient means of enclosing space known to man”. The connected triangles that make up the structure give them unrivalled strength, and the spherical shape means there are no large, straight areas that can perish in the wind – allowing domes to hold their own in even the most challenging conditions.

TruDomes has enhanced that built-in advantage with the use of aircraft-grade

DYESTER

With remote work becoming the norm due to an explosion in new technology, a more versatile and eco-friendly lifestyle arrangement has emerged on the social landscape: Domespaces.com. According to Barry Sendach, an expert and CEO of Dyester Corp., there’s a boom in the dome space, with keywords ‘domes as a home’ trending at an alarming rate.

He says, “Domes are becoming more important as a source of housing. The way people live and work along with the skyrocketing prices of traditional housing have caused people to search for alternatives. This, coupled with the rising cost of daily living, food, gas prices, supply and demand issues,

aluminium struts, rather than steel, which means they are rust-free and lightweight, yet strong. Last year, the UK experienced its biggest storms in over 30 years, with recordbreaking wind speeds which famously tore through the shell of London’s Millennium Dome. TruDomes’ domes fared far better, with customers reporting how well their units stood up to some of the most testing conditions ever seen at British campsites. With their reputation for strength and stability, TruDomes has been popping up in remote parts of Canada, the USA and Scandinavia. A tourism company which runs a Porsche driving experience on frozen lakes in Sweden chose TruDomes for their light but sturdy construction and high quality 650 g/m² PVC shell, with a lacquered finish designed to withstand extreme weather and

resist temperatures as low as -40 degrees celsius.

The same PVC is resistant to up to 70 degrees C and resistant to UV discolouration compared to inferior PVC, making TruDomes equally reliable in extreme heat. The domes are available with air con units, solar extraction fans and roll-up windows for increased comfort in hotter climes. Those attributes have attracted orders from sunspots across Europe, Asia and the Americas.

To find out more about TruDomes’ extremely impressive range, visit trudomes. com.

Barry Sendach, who also manages an array of other alternative housing living arrangement options for sale online such as (Domespaces. com, Yurtspaces.com, andcontainersinmotion. com, continues, “People are living in everything from shipping containers to tent structures.”

in addition to inflated rent prices, is leaving people scrambling to find a more efficient way to increase quality of life.”

Domes are a simple, affordable alternative, easily assembled, come in all shapes, sized and colors, fully customizable up to 30,418 sq ft. and can be decorated the same as any home, with accessories like swimming pools, hot tubs, game rooms, dome tunnels to attach to other domes, and loft spaces that can be easily installed, as domes can be used vertically as well as horizontally. Plus, they are really cool to look at and live in. Parts are replaceable and if you want to move your dome, it can be taken down and moved, easily transported from one location to another.

Dyester.com offers all types of domes, PVC and steel, hard shell fiberglass and polycarbonate, glass domes and plastic. Dome prices start at under $4,000 and go up over $100,000, depending on size and features. They can be used for recreation, special events, as an office space, for schools, as a yoga or dance studio, gym space, religious space, photography studios, immersive theaters, and even music production. Domespaces.com offers a large variety of domes for all types of applications.

TREAT WEEDS WITHOUT CHEMICALS WITH WEEDINGTECH

Foamstream from Weedingtech is the world’s leading chemical-free weed treatment. Using the precise application of hot water insulated by a specially formulated organic foam, weeds –together with seeds and spores – are targeted, resulting in the death of the plant and reduced re-growth which in turn reduces the number of treatment cycles required per year. The L12 system, which delivers Foamstream can also be used for other tasks such as high-pressure cleaning and lower pressure rinsing of furniture and play facilities.” The foam treatment itself is also versatile, able to treat both weeds and moss, and effective in all weather conditions. “We’re currently using Foamstream to combat moss on a stud farm and we can do this in all weathers and completely eliminate the moss in one treatment, without the use of any toxic chemicals that could harm the animals,” says Pat Galvin of WeedItGreenIreland Ltd which carries out non-chemical treatments of both weeds and moss for domestic and commercial customers across Leinster, Ireland.

www.weedingtech.com

KUBOTA EU LAUNCHES ONLINE KUBOTA GROUP SOLUTIONS HUB

Kubota has launched an online communication website called Kubota Group Solutions Hub. This new platform, freely accessed via www.kubota-group.eu, is an initiative from Kubota Holdings Europe (KHE) to bring together innovative customer solutions from multiple brands under the Kubota Group umbrella. These include Kubota, Great Plains, Kverneland, Vicon, Fede and ROC.

The Kubota Group Solutions Hub brings together various stories about customer solutions with technologies that enable users to successfully overcome industry challenges, under the themes of innovation, sustainability, connectivity, automation and efficiency.

Each story describes the challenge faced and the solution provided from each brand, along with videos and customer testimonials. And at the conclusion of each story, there is a description of how these solutions specifically contribute towards the achievement of the

United Nations’ sustainable development goals.

Visitors to the site can discover various stories shared by Kubota’s tractor, construction and engine divisions, as well as from Kverneland Group (Kverneland, Vicon and ROC), Great Plains Manufacturing and Fede. This new platform also enables the various Kubota Group companies to progressively ramp-up communications towards key industry events, for example the forthcoming Agritechnica event that will take place from 12-18 November 2023 in Hannover, Germany.

Explore the Kubota Group Solutions Hub at kubota-group.eu