Should I Set Up My Own Glamping Business – Part 2
Welcome back to our look at what is involved in setting up your own glamping business. We’ve looked at the issue of land and planning permission, and the third aspect that needs to be considered with the land and planning permission is the type of accommodation you’re going to offer – this can make a big difference in terms of getting planning permission as the look of the structures is a big consideration for the planning officers.
If you’re a dab hand at restoration projects, or building structures from scratch then you can put these skills to good use creating your own bespoke glamping accommodation. Taking this route instantly sets you apart from other glampsites as you have a unique selling point, and you can charge that little bit more for something you can’t get anywhere else. Not all of us have these skills, so purpose built structures like glamping pods, shepherds huts and safari tents are all great options for a quick set up.
There are many companies offering these types of structures, the advantage being that guests will already have an idea of the type of accommodation from seeing it elsewhere. Most glamping pods come with the option of cooking areas and en-suite bathroom facilities, meaning you don’t also need a communal cooking area or toilet and shower block. These are more expensive than the basic models, but if you also need to build a kitchen and shower block from scratch then the money you save by installing the basic models is spent on communal facilities instead. It’s worth considering the logistics of cleaning shared facilities when you make this decision – do you have the time to be on site cleaning multiple times a day? If not, then opt for accommodation that gives everyone private facilities that they’ll use (and hopefully keep clean) for the duration of their stay.
Featherdown Farms glampsites run on a franchise basis, which is perfect for glamping novices, as the company will help you set up and market your business. They even manage the bookings process for you. As you become more established you may expand your glampsite to include other types of accommodation alongside the fully equipped safari tents that Featherdown use.
Once you have decided on a plot, the type of accommodation you will use and you’ve got planning permission you’ll need to work out the price you charge per night, whether you provide linen and towels, who does the cleaning and turnaround process and other considerations. Things such as whether you provide breakfast hampers, activities on site, fire pits and countless other extras that you might want to include. Maintenance and upkeep should be considered too, and all these things should be included in your business plan and cost projections.
It’s worth drawing up a fully fleshed out business plan, even if you aren’t taking out a bank loan to finance your venture. The process of writing a business plan and making cost projections will almost certainly change some aspects of your plan, so it’s vital to get this right at the planning and research stage. This should stop you falling into traps that could have been avoided by some careful thought at the start.
The really fun part of deciding whether to set up your own glamping business and getting answers to some of these questions is doing research in the field, quite literally, by going glamping! If you can experience several different types of glampsite and have a chat with the owners you can get a really firm idea of exactly how you want your glampsite to be, and importantly, learn some lessons from others which could save you time and money.
A glampsite can be a rewarding and future-proof business for the right people, and when you’ve answered the questions we posed here and thought long and hard about it, you’ll have your answer.
