6 Reasons Why Glamping Is Here to Stay
Glamorous camping - or glamping - is very trendy right now. But trendy things have a habit of going out of fashion.
That's why we call them trends!
But glamping is here to stay. The idea of hotel-level comforts in the great outdoors isn't a fad. Instead, it's something so simple and so brilliant that it's astounding it didn't catch on sooner. Here's six reasons why glamping is here to stay.
1. Glamping Has Been Around for a While Already
When did this whole glamping thing start, anyway? People have been yearning for home comforts in the wild for decades now - perhaps even centuries. But if you research Google Trends - a tool that estimates how many people are talking about a given topic online - you'll find that the term "glamping" first gained popularity in about 2007. That's more than 10 years ago now. Trends - or fads - don't tend to have such staying power.
2. Glamping's Popularity Is Only Increasing.
Again, if you look at Google trends, you'll find that interest in glamping has risen year by year since 2008:
The annual dips are seasonal - people are less interested in glamping in the winter than they are in the summer. But every subsequent summer, the interest grows. On the whole, people still seem more interested in "camping" as a topic compared to "glamping". But Google Trends demonstrates that seasonal interest in camping has been falling for a while. Now it appears to have plateaued:
Camping and glamping can coexist peacefully, of course. There'll always be adventurous travellers who want a genuinely rough & ready experience in the great outdoors. But if these trends continue, in the next few years interest in glamping will exceed interest in camping. So if you're a campsite owner, now might be a good time to convert your campsite into a glampsite.
3. Glamping Appeals to Certain Key Demographics.
According to figures released by Glamping Business Magazine, the glamping demographic can be broadly split into two groups: couples aged 25-35, and families. Rather than forcing lifelong campers to change their ways, glamping has risen in popularity because it appeals to a group of people who may never have considered an outdoor holiday before. These are people who love nature but who don't want to deal with the hassle of traditional camping. Glamping therefore ticks quite a few boxes. You might, then, describe glamping as something that would have to be invented if it didn't already exist.
4. The Next Generation Is Already Getting a Taste of Glamping.
Another important aspect to consider - because it appeals to families, every year more and more children are experiencing glamping. Glamping's fun, especially for children. It offers all the thrill and excitement of camping but with warmer accommodation and a comfortable bed at the end of the day. So every year, growing numbers of children are making memories of fun glamping trips that'll last them a lifetime. When they're old enough to choose their own holidays, or even to take their own children away, it's no stretch to say that they'll consider glamping among their options. After all, they always enjoyed glamping as a child...
5. Glamping Means That a Staycation Is Not a Compromise.
A staycation is a holiday in your home country. For generations, this might have conjured memories of grim B&Bs and drizzly campsites. But thanks to glamping, a staycation can be something else entirely. It can be that rarest of things - a unique, genuinely comfortable, genuinely thrilling yet genuinely relaxing adventure. Staycations grew in popularity after the 2008 recession. The consequences of Brexit might make the idea of holidaying on home soil even more appealing, as unfavourable exchange rates and the need for visas make travelling abroad expensive and impractical. Glamping provides a whole new world of opportunities for staycationers. Depending on the site and accommodation you choose, you can enjoy a relaxing and adventurous experience to remember without ever leaving the UK. So for at least as long as people choose to staycation, there will be glamping.
6. Glamping is Evolving.
The main reason why it's wrong to think of glamping as a fad is that fads don't really change. When it comes to travel and leisure, fads are usually activities that offer something unusual that people have never tried before. The problem with this is, once this new thing's been tried, it's not new anymore. Once people start looking for the next new and exciting thing, the old fad will be abandoned and eventually forgotten. This is not the case with glamping. The core idea behind the concept - essentially, "comfortable camping" - can mean different things to different people. And the experience that we thought of as "glamping" in 2007 may be unrecognisable to the glampers of today. Glamping will only continue to evolve as customer expectations shift over time.
For example, we recently asked independent glamping advisor Kate Morel for her opinions on what the future holds for glamping.
She said:
“As part of my work as a consultant I keep a sharp eye on how the glamping industry is progressing. Part of this is monitoring guest expectations, and they are certainly developing. “One thing that is increasingly important is better quality bathroom facilities. In response to customer demands, existing glampsites are upgrading to flushing loos and smarter shower facilities. Some are even adding roll-top baths. “New sites are adding them as standard, so unless a glampsite is offering a ‘grass-roots’ experience, one of the best ways to add value and increase occupancy is to make sure the bathroom facilities are tip top”
This explains why there's been such an increased demand for our range of showers for glamping.
Want to Join the Glamping Revolution?
All signs indicate that glamping is here to stay. There has never been a better time to transform your land into a lucrative glampsite. And we have just the thing that'll make that transformation as easy and cost-effective as possible. It's called the Sanifos 500, and it was the undisputed star of our stand at both the Glamping Show and the Farm Business Innovation Show. It's simple to install, and it will singularly transform your land to meet the needs of your new glamping customers. Get in touch for a friendly chat and a free consultation. All glamping images in this post taken from our Let's Go Glamping Pinterest Board. Header image from TripAdvisor.
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