Picture this: A night out in the wilderness enjoying a freshly prepared bush dinner as the sounds of the forest come alive and birds returning to their nests. After you have sipped your post-dinner drink you move to a camping tent, complete with a comfortable bed, private jacuzzi and outdoor area, all designed to provide an ultra-luxurious experience in the midst of nature. This is the definition of glamping - glamour camping!
Camping can be one of the cheapest ways to travel. Yet a relatively new style of camping is proliferating by some metrics, and it’s glamping!
Camping in U.S. National Parks
The U.S National Park visitors spent time from traditional lodging outside the parks to camping at a discounted rate by the Department of the Interior, to exchange concrete for canvas. But canvas doesn’t always connote cost savings. That is, if you’re glamping!
Under Canvas Zion
Under Canvas is among the biggest glamping operators.
Located about 30 mins from Zion National Park's entrance, Under Canvas Zion covers the entry-level tents and the suite tents costing approximately 53,000 INR and 70,000 INR per night respectively.
Auto Camp Zion
AutoCamp, offers canvas tents as well as other accommodations including Airstream trailers.
A weekend stay at AutoCamp Zion can cost about 46,959 INR per night and a larger campsite with an Airstream and tent (large enough for six) can cost nearly 74,146 INR nightly.
At AutoCamp Zion’s Airstream Suite, you’ll sleep on a luxurious mattress and relax in a walk-in rain shower. At AutoCamp’s outpost along Northern California’s Russian River, some suites have private, wood-fired hot tubs.
Yet such prices aren’t turning off travellers; glamping is exploding in popularity!
In 2022, an estimated 10.5 million households went glamping, up from an estimated 7.7 million households in 2020, as per the 2023 North American Camping & Outdoor Hospitality Report from Kampgrounds of America (KOA).
Camping Takes A Back Seat
Camping of all kinds took off at the beginning of the pandemic from 40% of all North American vacations in 2021 to a drop to 32% in 2022! Some people might have gotten over camping.
In 2019, North American households camped in traditional tents, and by 2022 the traditional camping enthusiasts dropped off to levels lower than 2020's numbers!
Glamping Heats Up — Despite High Costs
If you’re willing to consider glamping as a form of camping, then North America’s enthusiasm for camping is just getting started.
Interest in glamping is growing — so much that the overall rate of camping of all kinds is at a record high, as per KOA.
In 2020, 4.8 million North American camping households chose cabins or glamping as their primary accommodation style, By 2021, that figure grew to 5.1 million by 2021 before more than doubling to 12.3 million in 2022! That’s all despite the high costs of glamping, which can often exceed traditional hotel prices, according to KOA's survey.
The respondents said they like glamping to get an experience that blends the benefits of staying at a resort and the outdoors, according to KOA’s report.
Despite glamping’s higher price tag, the amenities seem to seduce non campers, as they want an outdoor experience without actually having to go camping.
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