The 2022 travel trends and what this means for glamping

By Hari Seddon Mar 28, 2022

It’s no surprise that many of us are swapping our summer holidays abroad for a staycation in the UK in some of the country's most glamorous glamping sites! "Glamping Wins Out Over Luxury Hotels with a Booking Boom for 2022" says International Glamping Business magazine, and we’re glad to hear it. Glamping isn’t the only trend though, so read on to find out more!

Ethical travel

Ethical travel has always been high on our priority list at Lotus Belle. We’ve seen a lot more mentions recently in the media and on the news, as people want to feel good about their trip and do less harm to the planet. As a result of the increased messaging around sustainability and becoming ‘environmentally conscious,’ a number of glampsites are transitioning to becoming ‘eco-retreats’. There, everything from the decor of the interior of the tent to the way they provide water for the guest showers and bathrooms will make the lowest possible indent on the planet. 

As part of our mission to rid the world of disposable tents we have chosen the highest quality materials, components and manufacturing processes. This together with the elegant design, affording maximum headroom, adds up to a highly desirable, flexible, portable and durable living space that you can enjoy over and over again and that, with care, lasts years and years - we have customers with tents now a decade old and still going strong. View our collection of tents here.

For holiday makers

Looking at travel on an environmental level, the most damaging part of a conventional holiday is the flight itself. However moving forward into 2022 we are all starting to prioritise what we want from our travels. Many of us are choosing to staycation rather than vacation, to reduce the impact on our planet. Some advice: Do your research - Search for terms like “where to go camping in the UK this spring”, “environmental camping” and “sustainable camping UK”. Ask questions - Message or email a few of the glampsites on your list before you book, and ask them what sustainable facilities they have.

For glampsites

Perhaps you could consider offering an incentive to your guests to come by train and leave their cars at home. If a large amount of luggage is required, are you able to provide a minivan from the nearest station to reduce the amount of cars being used? There are many ways you can help to reduce the carbon footprint. Some advice if you’re looking to transition into an eco-friendly luxury campsite:

  • Ask your audience - Ask your followers on social media what changes they’d like to see and what they’d be looking for from an eco glampsite.
  • Set your goals - Once you’ve found out what your guests would love to see at your site, set up a plan to carry out the steps to achieving this goal.
  • Start small and build up - action immediate changes like providing things like recycling facilities. Are you able to compost food scraps on site? Once you’ve got to grips with that, how about recycling your water?
  • If you haven't already done so - are there shifts you could make with the tents towards solar energy? Take a look at our powerpacks and solar panels for your tent.
  • A lot of importance in the move towards sustainability and becoming more eco-conscious is placed on tree planting. Grasslands and meadows often get overlooked, when in fact they are incredibly important and support an enormous amount of wildlife and diversity of species. There has been a real shift of late in moving away from mowing quite so aggressively in gardens and parklands. Are there spaces around where your tents are pitched in which grasses and wildflowers could be allowed to do their wild thing a little more?

There are now organisations such as The Greener Camping Club where you join as a member or eco-glampsites and a tree is planted for every member enrolment.

Longer trips and slower travel

Luxury camping is well-suited to city residents as they can basically drive to where they want to stay! (hello even longer, long weekend away!) And that’s one of the (many, many) reasons why we love luxury camping as much as we do - The minute you step into the car to travel to your chosen glampsite, the holiday begins! 

Before the pandemic, many of us may have had goals to travel to as many destinations as possible and cross place after place off our lists, but the last 2 years have stopped us in our tracks and made us reassess what’s important. If culture is what you’re seeking, then choose to slow down, stay a few extra days, and soak it all in. Slower travel to our chosen holiday spot and a longer trip away is set to be a huge trend for 2022.

Digital nomads 

If you’re not familiar with the term, being a ‘digital nomad’ basically means travelling whilst you work which means you’re not using up any of your allocated annual leave. According to Kayak, 40% of Generation Z are planning to embark on a “workcation” at some point in 2022. This supports the growing demand for flexible working following 2 years of Zoom meetings and working from home. Work as usual by day, explore the countrysides, cities and surroundings in breaks and evenings.

This trend is predicted to grow , even we’re tempted! When friends and colleagues start to share their images of their new working lifestyle abroad, surely others will hop on the bandwagon. With so many co-working spaces and areas with WI-FI where there wasn’t before, it’s more possible than ever.

Some advice if you’re a glampsite looking to attract digital nomads:

  • Good working conditions, power/recharging facilities and fast, reliable WI-FI are essential.
  • Having a desk with a comfy chair in the Lotus Belle will make the workspace appealing (and we all know that there’s space in them!)
  • Consider offering an attractive monthly price to attract digital nomads who wish to stay for a longer period of time.

Plus, staying in a Lotus Belle tent means that you'll be blessed with a higher wall height than most bell tents to accommodate full size furniture including a desk, and lots of natural daylight. A great improvement on a dark shed we'd like to think!

Experiential travel

Put simply, the feelings, emotions and connections that the guests will experience when staying at your luxury camping site. Highlighting the unique experiences, facilities and environment that you offer will attract guests even in the low seasons. How would you like them to feel when they stay with you? Consider what you publish on your social media, your website and your advertising when talking about your glampsite. 

  • Get other businesses in the local area involved! Work alongside them to provide your guests with a unique holiday where they can sample the very best that your area has to offer. How can you wow your guests beyond your excellent accommodations?
  • Could you team up with a local restaurant to offer them a two course meal and a bottle of wine at a special price? 
  • If your glampsite sits on a farm, could you offer for children who visit your site, to feed and care for the animals during their stay?

Further reading

The global glamping market is due to expand $1.9 billion by 2025, so if you’re thinking about starting a glampsite, now is the time! Read our blog ‘Is 2022 the year to set up your own glampsite’ to get you started. If you are new to glamping, let us tell you why it’s your new favourite way to take a holiday by reading ‘Fall in love with glamping’.

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