The popularity of glamping has grown rapidly in recent years, but what is glamping, and how does it resemble (and differ) from conventional camping? Essentially, it is a more glamorous or luxurious form of the same activity.
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Glamping has become an important part of the travel industry, catering for people who want outdoor experiences, but with some extra conveniences. This may include kitchen and bathroom facilities, mattresses and electricity.
In this article, you will find answers to key questions like what is glamping, how does it differ from camping and what do travelers who opt for a glamping trip still need to bring with them?
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Glamping is a form of camping that provides campers with added luxury elements during their stay. The word ‘glamping’ itself is made up of a combination of the words ‘glamorous’ and ‘camping’.
So what is glamping in practice? It involves staying in a tent, much like conventional camping, but this tent will usually be equipped with comfortable mattresses, while campers will have access to facilities and services that are more commonly associated with hotels and resorts. Examples include electricity and Wi-Fi access.
What can glamping offer travel and tourism customers? Think of the kind of outdoor experiences and sense of adventure that camping offers, but with less of the sacrifices in terms of amenities and services. You will still have a tent and a campsite, but you will benefit from modern comforts and technology as well.
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity, relying on the use of basic shelter like a tent or a camper van for overnight stays. It often takes place in the wilderness, such as in national parks or similar areas of natural beauty.
When camping, people typically bring sleeping bags, a first aid kit, a lantern or another light source, and folding chairs. It is common to start a campfire, which can be used to keep warm and even prepare food. Many people combine camping with other activities, like hiking, or use it as a form of ecotourism.
When exploring the question ‘what is glamping?‘ it is essential to reference camping, as the two activities have so much in common. However, while glamping is one of the fastest-rising travel marketing trends, camping is a firmly established activity, with an enduring appeal due to its associations with outdoor adventure.
Glamping has both advantages and disadvantages, depending on what a person is looking to get out of the experience. So what are the pros and cons of glamping, and what is glamping able to offer that simple camping will not?
In terms of advantages, glamping provides a greater degree of comfort and convenience, making it more appealing to people whose rougher side may put off. You can expect a more comfortable place to sleep and some travel technology, such as internet access, heating and/or entertainment options.
The disadvantages of glamping are broadly the same as the advantages of camping. Many people feel that you cannot truly experience nature and the outdoors without sacrificing modern conveniences. It is also fair to say glamping will be a more expensive way of experiencing the outdoors than traditional camping with simple equipment.
What is glamping able to offer over camping in terms of features and experiences? In the following sections, you can find out more about the differences between these two activities.
The overall quality of the shelter provided by camping and glamping is one of the major areas of difference. With glamping, you can expect a great tent made from quality materials, with modern hotel-like features.
This distinction is important because it explains why glamping appeals to some people who would not be interested in traditional camping. There is far less of a sense of “roughing it” than with camping.
However, some people find the “rougher” nature of camping, away from modern conveniences, to be quite appealing too. When exploring the question of ‘what is glamping?‘ these differences are critical to think through.
Another major difference between glamping and camping relates to the equipment and skills required. Out of the two, glamping is much more accessible and far fewer specific skills are needed.
This is an important consideration because not everybody has the skills required to pitch a tent or make a campfire and keep it lit. Some glamping options may provide alternative heating and food preparation options.
So what is glamping going to require in terms of skills and gear? Very little, in truth. Depending on the facilities, you may still need some basic camping skills, but most things will have a convenient solution provided.
Amenities are the additional conveniences or services that can enhance a travel experience. With wild camping, you will get very little in terms of amenities, although if you go to a campsite, you may get basics, like running water.
The amenities provided can be important in deciding whether someone opts to go camping or glamping. Glamping facilities often offer amenities that you might expect to find within the hotel industry.
What is glamping going to offer the average person in terms of amenities? Think in terms of outdoor seating, toiletries, free Wi-Fi, charging stations, free on-site parking, a fire pit, and kitchen facilities.
There is a vast comfort level difference between glamping and camping, especially with beds. Glamping sites will usually provide comfortable mattresses and sometimes even full beds, whereas camping usually relies on sleeping bags.
Comfort is an important factor to think about, because the lack of comfort with camping – such as relying on basic shelter and very few on-site facilities – can be off-putting for some people.
Travelers or adventurers who are weighing things up and asking ‘what is glamping?‘ should think carefully about the level of comfort they are anticipating. If you are expecting lots of home comforts, glamping is the right option. If you are actively seeking to get away from comfortable living and experience the true outdoors, camping is better.
Camping is far more affordable than glamping, requiring only a tent, a few basic items, and a sensible place to stay. By contrast, glamping is more expensive and is much more limited in terms of where it can be done.
This is one of the most important differences to understand, because glamping has to be done in an area that provides the right facilities and amenities. Traditional camping, on the other hand, can be done almost anywhere.
With camping, you do need to understand local laws. However, your camping options may include national parks or other natural locations. With glamping, you usually go to an appropriate glamping site and pay money to stay there.
Finally, the overall experience is vastly different between camping and glamping. Camping focuses on tackling the outdoors with minimal equipment, whereas glamping is about enjoying the outdoors in a controlled environment.
It is important to understand that, despite some obvious similarities, camping and glamping offer unique experiences. While both involve using shelter in the outdoors, only camping truly engages with nature.
The experience you are looking for will ultimately determine which is the right option. Do you want to know what it is like to live in the wilderness, or do you want to enjoy a comfortable experience with friends or family? Do you want to be self-sufficient in a minimalist tent, or do you want to pay a business in the travel industry?
To adequately answer ‘what is glamping?‘ it is important to consider the fundamental differences between a camping tent and a tent you might utilize for the purpose of glamping.
A conventional camping tent will be lightweight, mildly durable, and able to withstand rain. It will provide enough space to sit in and sleep, but is unlikely to be big enough to stand up in.
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The primary value of a camping tent is that it is a safe place to sleep while outdoors. You will normally have to pitch your own tent in a location of your choice, and you will not have to book through a travel agent or travel management company.
Common materials for camping tents are lightweight nylon and polyester.
So what is a glamping tent? While the same basic design principles apply, it will be much larger, made from high-quality materials and usually set up in advance. It will also be more robust and may be semi-permanent.
The differences can be so significant that a glamping tent may more closely resemble a cabin. You will typically have plenty of space to stand up, move around, and fit comfortable beds in the tent.
Common materials for glamping tents include canvas and polycotton, which combine polyester and cotton.
Although glamping requires less equipment and fewer personal items than camping, you should still make sure you bring the basics. It is important to check what is going to be provided by the glamping location, too:
You should also ask yourself: what is your glamping site going to provide? Some will provide lighting, chairs, and similar items, but others may not, so consider bringing a lamp and folding chairs if this is the case. You may also want to bring entertainment with you, like books, board games, or a portable games console.
When examining the ‘what is glamping?‘ question, one thing that needs to be understood is it can be a more sustainable form of travel, often with a rural focus, while placing less demand on resources than hotels typically do. With that being said, the concept of sustainable tourism also includes ideas like soft tourism and community tourism.
In the “Sustainable Tourism Guide: What is, Why Important, Examples and More…” article, you can find out much more about how sustainable tourism is defined, why it matters and what the main examples are.
Now you have a clear understanding of what glamping is, it is worth considering a potentially related concept called slow tourism. This is one of the major emerging travel trends and can be summarized as a movement away from mass tourism, towards forms of travel that emphasize meaningful engagement with the local area.
In the “Slow Tourism: What It Is, Its Importance, and Examples” article, you can learn all about slow tourism, what it means, and why it is valuable. You can also access examples of slow tourism in action.
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People planning a vacation by the sea sometimes consider glamping. For those who doubt, we suggest reading our article, perhaps it will help you learn about some of the nuances of this type of recreation.
The new word "glamping" comes from the phrase glamorous camping. For the first time this concept appeared in in the UK, but it has received active distribution only in recent years. The reason for this was not only the increased popularity of outdoor recreation, but also economic crises and political instability. Increasingly, urban residents prefer to travel around their native expanses and stay away from large crowds. In the UK, the boom in glamping hotels occurred in the post-Brexit period.
Glamping is outdoor recreation with all amenities and full hotel service. Another important condition for glamping is that it must be mobile and organically fit into the environment without harming it. Therefore, in glamping you live in lighthouses, comfortable tents or futuristic areas in the middle of the wild and far from civilization.
Those looking for the perfect Austin glamping pod will find a variety of luxurious yet eco-friendly options that offer breathtaking views and serene surroundings. Whether nestled in the Texas Hill Country or near the banks of the Colorado River, these glamping sites provide a perfect blend of comfort and adventure.
Unlike classic camping or camping trips, each glamping dwelling:
- The most common reason for choosing this type of holiday is cost-effectiveness. A place to park a car and a tent in a glamping is always cheaper than the most economical room in a hotel or guest house.
- Often glampings are located in protected areas in close proximity to the sea and far away from road noise. Therefore, unity with nature is ensured in them.
- There is no need to make a glamping reservation. You can come at any time. Although, if you wish, you can call and inform about your arrival.
- Many tourists think that glamping is dangerous, dirty, and uncomfortable. But it's not. The territory is guarded and cleaned by administrators and employees. Some glampings have lightweight cabins with air conditioning and a TV.
- Do not be afraid that there is nothing to do on this territory, the glamping administration will always offer a choice of entertainment. It can be sea or river fishing, bike rental for bike rides, playgrounds, night orientation with flashlights by ledlenserusa.com and sometimes animators.
- Some vacationers do not like the abundance of natural sounds: when the surf makes noise, leaves rustle overhead, birds and insects wake up early.
- Unpleasant allergic manifestations after insect bites are possible. Even if you haven’t noticed anything like this before, it’s worth taking antihistamines.
- The abundance of vacationers may not please all guests. You never know which neighbors will settle nearby: small children can cry at night, and young people can walk until the morning.
- Not all glampings are located in the shade of trees. Some of them are located in open areas.
Approaching the choice of type of recreation is worth carefully, weighing all the pros and cons.
Road trips with overnight stays in glampings do not require you to have special skills or even basic physical fitness. All that is needed is to be able to put up a tent and learn how to cook on a fire or a burner, and this will not be difficult.
Glamping is an ideal option for a family holiday. The organization of the camp and your own life is an excellent team-building event, and the trip itself provides an opportunity to communicate with relatives away from the bustle of the city.
For children, glamping is a source of strong impressions, the opportunity to safely play “Indians” and join outdoor recreation. They learn to be independent, solving everyday tasks that are unusual for them, such as preparing firewood, water, making a fire, cooking food on a stove or a fire, exploring natural surroundings.
For many travelers, glamping is an opportunity to plunge into the world of sports tourism. They can comfortably and smoothly learn important hiking skills: plan their route, choose parking spots, choose the right clothes and equipment, be able to cook outside the home, and much more.
In some ways, glamping is reminiscent of a trip to the country. With the difference that each time you can choose a new parking spot and relax not in a cramped area surrounded by neighbors and fences, but in a picturesque and secluded place!
Paradoxical as it may seem, but resting in your own tent is often noticeably more comfortable than in an inexpensive guest house or an economy class room. Especially when the owners of a recreation center or hotel treat the service irresponsibly. Inside the houses and rooms it can be stuffy, cramped, cold, dirty, damp. Amenities are often located outside or shared on the floor, and hot water can be intermittent.
Problems can add a ban on cooking in the premises. The administration usually does not follow this, but if you try to adhere to the rules, you will have to eat at a local cafe or canteen. And these are additional costs and not always a good menu.
The beauty of glamping is that the solution to such everyday problems depends only on you, and not on unscrupulous hostels. The only thing that will take some getting used to in terms of comfort is the “thin walls”. The sounds of nature, thunder and rain drumming on the tent in the tent are perceived more acutely. Otherwise, for the organization of a comfortable stay in the campsite today there is everything you need. It is enough just to choose the right equipment and master just a few simple skills.