7 blog posts from Glamping Show 2020 speakers you need to read

Over 40 speakers will be gracing the (virtual) stage at The Glamping Show’s online show this year, so, naturally, there’s plenty of great writing to dive into from the headliners. Here are seven of our favourites, plus links to their spots on the Glamping Show schedule.

Sarah Riley champions direct bookings

Hospitality and glamping consultant Sarah Riley of Inspired Courses recently wrote about the importance of direct bookings as a remedy for the costly commissions charged by online travel agents (OTAs).

“The OTA's business model is based on the fact the guest and service provider do not communicate until they arrive at the accommodation, and this is bad for everyone apart from the OTA!”

Sarah also highlights how removing the middleman cuts out the risk of campers being given out-of-date information by OTAs. This also benefits campsites and glampsites, as last-minute bookings can be managed more effectively based on real-time availability.

Sarah’s talk at The Glamping Show 2020 — ‘What I Wish I'd Known Before Starting My Glamping Business’ — curates insights on what works (and what doesn’t!) from camping experts around the globe.

Iain Beaumont on the future of events

“A huge part of why people attend outdoor events is down to the experience,” writes Venues & Ventures founder Iain Beaumont. “And although it is always going to be different during a pandemic, the emotional and sensory aspects still need to resonate with guests.”

Iain’s article — published on the Open Air Business website — delves into the re-emergence of events in the coming months and years, touching on the UK government’s £1.57bn support package for cultural reignition and the importance of building confidence and trust with customers.

“It can be as simple as a video walk-through of a venue [or glampsite] highlighting the key measures that you are taking, through to more innovative approaches where you try new concepts and ways of operating to overcome some of the barriers that are currently holding people back.”

Iain will be helming an introduction to digital marketing for camping businesses at The Glamping Show.

Emma Whitlock: don’t let the rise of staycations become a rise in littering

It’s certainly been a ‘staycation summer’, as COVID-19 diminished the appeal of international travel. Whilst that’s doubtlessly a good thing for British glampsites, rising visitor numbers in the UK’s countryside also has a not-so-silver lining: increased littering.

Emma Whitlock from Keep Britain Tidy is discussing ‘Green Key’ as part of the 2020 Glamping Show schedule: an endorsement given to campsites and other accommodation businesses who commit to certain sustainability practices.

A post on the Keep Britain Tidy website from May nods to the concerns around a surge in littering as staycations continue to rise in popularity. The crux is: take your litter home with you, or dispose of it in the appropriate facility. Don’t ruin nature for the rest of us!

Invest in tech: apps for the accommodation industry

“From contactless check-in to ordering food to monitoring your hotel room’s account, apps help holidaymakers maintain social distancing and travel more safely.” Andy Boland from web and software development agency SimpleClick details the short-term and long-term benefits of glampsites and the wider tourism industry investing in tech in his blog post: ‘Why digital apps should become a permanent fixture in the travel industry’s new normal’.

SimpleClick’s Director, Claire Thorpe, will be talking SEO — search engine optimisation — at The Glamping Show, with a focus on Google’s new-found favouring of websites that are easy to use and accessible for a wider variety of people.

The advice Claire will be sharing will help glampsites rank higher on Google searches, leading to more direct bookings (when you appear above the travel agency sites!) and, as a result, more revenue. Plus, building a better user experience into your site can only be a win for everyone.

Jakie Jewel loves autumn glamping as much as we do!

We’re big advocates of glamping during the colder months — our Lotus Belle tents are, after all, designed for warmth, coziness, and stoves like this woodburner. So it fills us with similarly fuzzy feelings to see Jakie Jewel from Classic Glamping endorsing autumnal camping!

“Autumn brings new activities perfect for a glamping weekend. Blackberry picking, stargazing, photography in the gorgeous autumnal light, countryside walking, and adventures around every corner.” Doesn’t that just fill you with cozy anticipation?

Jakie’s talk at The Glamping Show covers Classic Glamping’s ‘field to finish’ approach to creating glamping sites, from planning and building to launching and — especially important for the ‘new era’ — hygiene in a campsite environment.

Tim Rees on climbing trees

We’re also big advocates of climbing trees! The Quality Unearthed website has a solid guide on how to do it right.

“There are four points on your body that come in contact with the tree’s branches: two hands and two feet. At any one time, it’s good practice to have at least three of these points supported by branches.”

Tim Rees, Director of Quality Unearthed, is talking sustainability at The Glamping Show — a topic we all need to keep on the top of our minds.

Kelda Bassett: don’t forget ‘business as usual’

Tru Domes founder Kelda Bassett, who’ll be heading a showcase of her company’s geodesic domes during The Glamping Show, has the post-coronavirus world on her mind. One of the latest blog posts on the Tru Domes site lists some key advice for reopening glampsites.

Some of the points are things we’re all already likely thinking about, including heightened hygiene measures, staff re-training, and rearranged layouts to meet social distancing guidelines.

One thing that jumped out at us, though, was the mention of the ‘business as usual’ stuff: remembering to uphold the unique aspects of your site that make it worth visiting. Keeping visitors safe is the #1 priority, but don’t lose sight of your business’ key values.

What have we been up to?

We’re at The Glamping Show as an exhibitor (catch us at spot 360). We might not be speaking, but we’ve had a lot to say in recent months! Recent posts on the Lotus Belle blog include ‘5 Reasons Camping is Good for You’, ‘8 Places in the UK You Can Go Glamping in a Lotus Belle’, and a master guide to camping stargazing in the UK.