How to Start a Glamping Business

Did you know that more than half of all campers are millennials?

If you are thinking about starting a glamping business, it is important to know who your target customers are. By creating services and developing marketing campaigns that will be of interest to those who are younger, your business is more likely to be successful.

We have created a guide to help you understand how to start a glamping business that will be profitable and personally meaningful. Keep reading and we will tell you all of the important details.

What Is Glamping?

Glamping is a type of luxurious camping. The word itself is a combination of the words “glamour” and “camping.”

People tend to associate glamping with luxury travel. Travelers around the world are becoming more interested in glamping because they want to spend time in the outdoors without needing to give up their modern-day comforts such as hot showers, heating, and exquisite meals.

It’s common for people who run glamping businesses to outfit their accommodations with things like flat-screen televisions, expensive beds, air conditioning, and even jacuzzis.

Even though people have started using the word “glamping” within the past few years, luxury camping is not a new phenomenon. Thanks to services such as Airbnb, more and more people are interested in this type of camping.

Starting a Glamping Business

It’s not as difficult as most people think to start a glamping business. Startup costs tend to be lower than they are for those who choose to open a hotel or retreat center.

Before you take action to open your glamping business, you’ll need to do some strategizing. By putting lots of thought into your business strategy, it will become easier for you to attract the right kinds of guests.

Develop a Glamping Business Plan

There are a lot of people who own vacation rentals who mistakingly think that all they need to do is set up a few tents on their land, add a few comfortable beds, and promote their business on their social media channels.

If you want your business to thrive, don’t make this mistake. Instead, take time to sit down and write out a business plan.

A good business plan includes a summary of what your business is about. At the very least, you should write a mission statement, explain who your ideal customer is, and what you are going to offer them.

It is also a good idea to perform a market analysis. You can do this by researching what other glamping businesses exist in your community. If there are several other glamping businesses nearby, find out what kinds of services they offer and what they are charging.

Once you understand who your competitors are, it will be easier for you to find a way for your business to stand out from the others.

A good business plan should also include a marketing strategy and an operations and logistics plan.

Get Your Finances in Order

If you already have enough money in savings to set up your glamping business, you’re still going to need to create a budget. Figure out what your costs will be, and define how much revenue you expect your business to bring in.

If you don’t yet have enough money to start a glamping business, you’re going to need to get a loan.

You could get a loan from your bank if you’ve carried out successful investment ventures in the past. Keep in mind that smaller banks and credit unions tend to offer the best interest rates to their borrowers.

If your business already has other rentals, you might be able to use these assets to secure a favorable secured loan. If you are still in the process of starting your business, you should try to get a start-up loan.

Build Your Glamping Sites

You should try to make your glamping sites as unique as possible if you want to attract many clients. Consider decorating each glamping site in a unique way and giving an interesting name to each site that catches people’s attention.

You should try to choose glamping sites that offer stunning views. If you need some inspiration to do this, check out the accommodations at the Zion Glamping Resort.

And don’t forget to get the proper permits before you set up your glamping sites.

Start Marketing Your Business

One of the most important pieces of glamping business advice is to start marketing your glamping business as soon as you can. It can be helpful to list your accommodations on popular platforms such as Airbnb.

You should also create your own website. Upload photos of each of your accommodations and describe why each of them is unique.

You’ll need to attract visitors to your website. You can do this by creating regular blog posts. If you don’t like to write, consider starting a podcast or a YouTube channel.

Whenever you create a new piece of content, share it on your business’s social media channels. Consider offering discounts to people who follow your business on social media if you want to start bringing in revenue as quickly as possible.