Starting a Glamping Business
Why do I need feasibility study before starting my glamping business?
If you have ever thought about starting a business but been put off by the potential risks, then you are not alone. Do you dream of owning your own glamping business, but are not sure where to start? Enchanted Creations can make this easy. We can help with all aspects of the workload involved in building your dream glamping business.
You need to make sure that its right for you. If you have the ideas but need the help to see if they can become a reality then a feasibility study is the best place to start. This will ensure you have done the initial due diligence to develop an appropriate set-up that will lead you to having a successful long-term operation.
There are a wide range of options and considerations before you take the plunge, so you need to look at the details.
Planning for Success
As with any business there are pitfalls, and at Enchanted Creations we want your business to be a success, so we want you to be aware of these before you take the leap.
No one wants their business to be the local rogue 'Christmas Wonderland' of glamping by delivering a poor experience which leads to negative reviews and a short life span. You will want to exceed the expectations of people booking a stay with you.
There are a number of stages in creating your successful glamping business and the first of these is to undertake a feasibility study.
This would help you to cover areas that you may or may not be familiar with, so it’s worth getting our expert advice and assistance.
These may include licences and permissions to ensure you're able to operate legally and safely. While not an exhaustive list some of the key considerations will be:
Planning permission
Licenses and conditions
Exemptions
Risk assessments
Health & Safety
Insurance
Site infrastructure
To create a truly exceptional glamping site that will have guests returning and recommending will need a firm foundation, both figuratively and literally.
We'll be talking more about having a ‘wow factor’ and marketing below and in future blog posts, but before you even begin to attract potential customers you'll need to think of the basics.
This also opens up the opportunity to go above and beyond to exceed expectations and provide a luxury and truly memorable experience by making the basics better.
The glamping site checklist
Have you got space for the basics?
Have you planned for the future? Is there enough space at your site for more accommodation in the future?
Noise control – Friends and family who are staying in multiple pods may want to mingle, but they'll also want time to themselves. Is your site location a tranquil and relaxing place to be, or is the quiet punctured by unnecessary noise such as traffic or construction?
Facilities – Is your glamping site a home from home, or even better than a home from home that truly delivers five star luxury in an outdoor setting? You’ll want to ensure nothing is overlooked, from the welcome and reception, to the toilet and washing facilities, to parking, to laundry, to entertainment and activities.
Other things to consider include lighting, waste disposal, utilities (gas, electricity, water), communal areas and leisure facilities.
Let's talk finances
Building a glamping business can be done in a number of ways, but knowing your budget, and the options open to you within that budget are essential as part of this process.
Enchanted Creations have a real passion to do something different, so we can work with you to make your dream a reality, whatever the size, shape and style that might be. Undertaking a feasibility study with us will give you the confidence to make that leap.
As it might suggest our feasibility surveys will cover all relevant practical, logistical, legal and financial details as well as the viability and costs of your concept for your glamping site. We also help you to review and forecast the earning and growth potential (return on investment), so you can proceed with confidence in building your own business.
The wow factor!
What is it that will set your glamping site apart from others?
Do you have local competition? There may not already be a glamping business in operation in your area, but are there other accommodation / holiday businesses that are targeting the same customers you will be trying to attract?
Having something that differentiates your business from others will help create your USP and make sure people want to visit your site above others.
We can help you with your research to see what is already in your geographical area, what other sites offer in terms of facilities, from the basics to the luxurious, their feedback and reviews, and the price ranges on offer so you can see where your glamping site can fit and have the best chance of success.
Getting your marketing right
It's not just about promotion once your site is set up and the doors are ready to open.
The next step is to ask yourself a number of key questions. We’ll be exploring these in future blog posts.
Who are your target customers?
What can you do to market your business from day one?
How can you form relationships with potential visitors?
Who are the key media contacts who can help you reach your customers?
Attracting the right people who will make return visits and recommend you to friends, family and other people is vital.
Making the brochure view a reality. You will want to ensure that your site receives positive reviews on Trip Advisor and what people put on their social media highlights how superb you are.
Next steps
We'll be looking into more of what it takes to create and operate successful glamping businesses here on our blog.
We can build you the glamping site of your dreams, whilst helping to minimise the risks involved.
With our years of experience we have the ability to help you make it a huge success by going over the pros and cons unique to your site, budget, style and the type of customer you're looking to attract.
Get in touch today to arrange a call, video call or socially distant on-site meeting.