Glamping
Glamping, short for "glamorous camping," is a modern form of camping that combines the experience of nature with luxurious accommodations and amenities. This trend originated in the United Kingdom in 2005 and has since gained popularity across the globe, particularly in the United States. Unlike traditional camping, glamping often features high-end amenities such as king-sized beds, kitchens, and heated bathrooms, making the outdoor experience more comfortable and accessible.
Glamping sites can range from canvas tents to yurts and tepees, with varying levels of luxury, including options with attached bathrooms and gourmet meals prepared by staff. Activities such as horseback riding and fishing are commonly included to enhance the outdoor experience. As of 2024, glamping can be quite expensive, with prices varying significantly based on the accommodations offered.
The glamping industry has expanded to include unique structures like treehouses and eco-friendly domes, as well as glamping options at events like music festivals and sports gatherings. The market for glamping is diverse, attracting a wide range of age groups, from millennials to baby boomers, and is increasingly focusing on sustainable practices. With its rapid growth, glamping is transforming the way people experience the outdoors, making it an appealing option for travelers seeking both adventure and comfort.
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Glamping
Glamping is a type of camping that involves amenities such as king-sized beds, kitchens, and heated bathrooms not found in traditional camping. A portmanteau for "glamorous camping," the term glamping was first used in the United Kingdom in 2005. Resorts offer the option, modeled after luxury African safaris, to allow visitors to experience outdoor travel and activities with the comfort of upscale accommodations.
Overview
In 2006, the Resort at Paws Up in Montana was one of the first resorts in the United States to offer upscale tents along with its ranch accommodations. Starting with three large canvas tents, the option included beds, robes, and slippers. The glamping option grew in popularity, and by 2015, Paws Up had thirty tents across its thirty-seven-thousand-acre ranch by the Blackfoot River. Butlers serve s'mores at night along with gourmet meals, and tents have attached bathrooms and heated floors. As a further sign of the increased popularity of the concept as an industry in itself, in 2018, the nonprofit organization American Glamping Association launched. The association, which offers membership, was created to provide a dedicated resource for businesses and consumers, including services such as helping with accreditation processes to guarantee standards.
Glamping uses different kinds of tents, including yurts (circular Mongolian structures with fabric covering a lattice framework) and tepees (cone-shaped tents using weather-resistant materials with wooden poles holding them upright). At resorts with permanent glamping sites, most of the work required of traditional camping, such as pitching a tent and preparing food, is reserved for the staff, and housekeeping is available during one's stay.
The range of glamping accommodations varies according to structure style and amenities. A tepee may contain basic cots for sleeping and lack a bathroom, while a luxury tent may offer a living space, a soaking tub, and a wood-burning stove. Activities such as horseback riding, fishing, and river floating are sometimes included in glamping packages to allow guests to experience nature. Glamping can be expensive. As of November 2024, prices ranged from $255 per night for a basic tepee setup to $7,500 per night at the Ranch at Rock Creek in Montana for a large luxury tent complete with meals and activities.
Besides tents and resorts, alternative structures offered for glamping include treehouses—with running water, electricity, and full-sized furniture—and eco-friendly domes and pods. Caravans, such as Airstream trailers and luxury recreational vehicles, have attracted road travelers, and natural structures, such as caves, serve as glamping sites.
Event glamping has grown out of the travel realm, with outdoor music festivals and sporting events among the venues that have incorporated glamping into their offerings. In 2014, the Indianapolis 500 debuted a glamping site inside Indianapolis Motor Speedway. For a cost of $650 to $1,100 for nearly five days, fans could enjoy tents with real beds and accent furniture, semiprivate showers, a common area, and a large projection screen. In 2016, the Vertex Festival in Buena Vista, Colorado, offered three high-end camping options, ranging from $1,599 for a tent to $2,449 for a cabana. Each included a mattress and bedding. In the United Kingdom, aging festival-goers with children take part in glamping at family-friendly events.
In the mid-2020s, glamping was a 3.1 billion dollar industry that was most popular in Europe but was growing steadily in the United States and Asian Pacific markets. Although people aged eighteen to thirty-two dominated the glamping market, it was also seen as a viable option for multigenerational travel and was embraced by millennials and the baby boomer generation. Emerging trends in glamping included all-season glamping and an increased focus on eco-friendly and sustainable options.
Bibliography
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