Although glamping continues to be a popular travel trend, the word itself has been used to refer to everything from camping out in a tent on a king-sized bed to sleeping in a vintage trailer on a farm.
To bring clarity to this fast-growing industry, Under Canvas CEO Sarah Dusek and Co-Founder & CSO of GlampingHub Ruben Martinez just launched the American Glamping Association with the goal of dispensing information and providing accreditation for U.S. glamping properties that meet a baseline standard.
They join World of Glamping in elevating the industry as it continues to grow.
Here’s what Dusek and Martinez had to say about glamping and the reasons they spearheaded its first non-profit professional association.
Glamping has become the “it” word in travel lately. Can you give us an official definition for it?
SD: Glamping – short for glamorous camping – is an upscale and comfortable camping experience in a tent. It is about capturing the essence of camping while trading in the hassle of setup and sleeping on the ground for luxury amenities that are accentuated by taking them outdoors.
How did glamping start? What is its history?
SD: The word “glamping,” as we know it today, first appeared in the UK in 2005. However, lavish camping has been around for hundreds of years when royalty would set up palatial campsites for summits between leaders, celebrations of the state or for explorers on intrepid adventures across continents. I have even seen photos of Teddy Roosevelt glamping in Yellowstone National Park at the turn of the century in tents filled with beautiful furniture. The idea of glamping is really not new, but our rediscovery of it has made it currently a thing.
Why do you think glamping has become so popular in the past few years?
SD: I think the primary reason is that people want to connect in the outdoors and discover the beauty in those simple moments. As our culture becomes more and more attached to technology, glamping gives people a way to get back to nature and create unforgettable moments with their friends and family.
Glamping is easy, accessible and doesn’t require travelers to own gear or spend time packing, setting up, unpacking etc. Under Canvas glamping resorts provide king size beds with plush mattresses, luxury linens, morning coffee crate delivery as well as in-tent bathrooms and showers!
Who’s going glamping?
RM: Baby boomers and millennials are looking for a change in the way they typically travel, and glamping fits well for both -- baby boomers because they have a disposable income, are looking for comfort and they’ve already done it all; millennials because they’re always looking for unique experiences.
We find a good number of people who are going glamping live in cities. They’re looking to disconnect from day to day life but don't necessarily want to travel across the country or go to Europe. They want to be able to take weekend trips within driving distance. They want to be outdoors but they don’t want to rough it. Many Americans are very comfortable with the idea of camping, and glamping offers you everything you love about camping without everything you hate about it. You get to experience mother nature and have the experiences that are around it such as hiking and fishing but be comfortable in the outdoors.
What made you decide to start the American Glamping Association?
SD: Ruben and I have had this ongoing conversation about glamping becoming mainstream and the importance of developing industry growth. As the speed of the glamping space picks up, it feels important to provide an anchor for it, to provide information, to provide standards and create more clarity for the consumer.
Creating an association that sets the bar and continues to raise it will help the glamping industry continue to remain credible and to mature in the best possible way. I believe standards are important, public health is important and, above all, incredible experiences are critical to the industry’s success.
RM: For me, it became very clear over last year that information about glamping is scattered among too many different mediums. Business and property owners are starved for information. They want to run their business better and collaborate and network with others in the field, so the idea is to provide organized resources and tools all in one place.
SD: The American Glamping Association is different in many ways from the World of Glamping, which provides a star rating system to glamping resorts like Under Canvas. The American Glamping Association will provide resources, information and accreditation for glamping companies that meet a set of baseline standards, so consumers can rest assured (from their king size bed) that they are receiving the experience they expected.
What’s been the reaction so far?
SD: It’s been fantastic. We first announced the Association in April at the first ever Global Glamping Summit in partnership with Glamping Hub, which Ruben organized. I gave the keynote, and it was there that we shared the vision, the ideas and posed the big challenges that we as an industry face. We heard great enthusiasm from so many glamping operators and associated industry partners. It was like a wave of relief was unleashed that someone was going to stand up and take ownership of directing this movement.
What are some of the standards you’d like to set for the industry?
SD: I think, as we get further down the road with the concept of accreditation, a very big piece will be creating clarity for the consumer. I’m not sure stars are the right concept for glamping, but everyone knows the difference between a five star, four star and three star hotel, and what to expect from each. Currently no such standards exist in the glamping world, and price doesn’t always help set realistic expectations for the consumer. With many glamping brands very much still in their infancy, there is so much variation. Helping create some clarity and aligning expectations will go a long way in ensuring customer happiness and helping the consumer make the right choice for them.
What are your backgrounds? How did you get involved in the glamping industry?
SD: I spent my early twenties in Africa working for an NGO. When I met and married my husband in my late twenties and came out to Montana with him for the first time, the majesty of the wide open spaces took me right back to my days spent on safari. That’s when we decided to bring the African safari experience to the U.S. In 2009, we pioneered our first small glamping resort, which was the beginning of Under Canvas.
Now, we are the largest glamping organization in the country with seven current sites in Zion, Moab, Great Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone, Glacier, Mount Rushmore and Grand Canyon and four new developments opening in 2019.
RM: I did my undergraduate study in business and my Masters in international business. After, I traveled to Spain and worked for a travel company in Sevilla where I met my business partner. We have always had a love for travel and unique experiences. We noticed that glamping was on the rise in the U.S. but there wasn’t a booking platform that brought all of these entities together. In 2012, we created Glamping Hub, the first substantial and transactional booking platform in the US. We now have over 30,000 listings and are growing, with offices in Denver and Sevilla.
What should travelers look for when they’re trying to plan a glamping trip?
SD: The key for any travel, glamping or otherwise, is understanding what you want to get out of your trip and what your real needs are. For example, if you really need complete isolation, then a glamping location that has just one very unique tent is the place for you. If you are looking for amenities and activities and opportunities to interact with friends and family, then a glamping style resort is going to be a much better fit. Any glamping trip is going to revolve around being outdoors so doing your homework on the weather in your chosen place is so important. It’s amazing how many people don’t think about weather when they go glamping and often don’t bring the right clothing.
RM: It's not just about the accommodation but also about the destination and experience. A lot of accommodations feature unique experiences such as mountain biking, fly fishing or wine tasting so look for those that interest you.
What are some of the best places for glamping? Why?
SD: For me the whole reason to glamp is the same as to go camping and that’s to be #outsidetogether experiencing nature in the great outdoors. At Under Canvas we believe that nature is the best architect, so being someplace that is naturally stunning is a great place to glamp.
RM: Some of the National Parks and what Under Canvas has at Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks are just unreal. They are so beautiful.
How do you see glamping changing/growing in the future?
SD: I hope to see glamping grow into a mainstream experience, just like going to a hotel or camping. I believe glamping is a wonderful hybrid that will grow from a niche experience to a common travel opportunity. Just like the cruise industry has exploded since its inception in the 1960’s (over 20 million people will cruise this year), I believe glamping will become more established, more normal and more part of our travel landscape.
RM: We are just at the cusp of “glamping” becoming a household term. We believe the Association will play a huge role in embedding the idea of glamping into the fabric of iconic American vacations.
