Take-Aways From The Glamping Show USA 2022
As part of my never-ending research into the glamping industry, I attended The Glamping Show USA last week in Aurora, CO. I virtually attended the show in 2021, but this year, I had the luxury of being able to attend in person. And boy, it did not disappoint.
Held at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds, there was plenty of room for the 1,450 attendees flocking from 32 countries and 100+ vendors representing 11 countries.
The event was a combination of educational presentations, panel discussions, and trade show exhibits. I gained insights into off-grid solutions, eco-friendly site designs, essential technology considerations, and useful tips for glamping start-ups.
While touring the 70+ glamping units on display, I did my best to take notes and photos of the structural details and differences within unit-type options. However, my overall impression was: you can’t go wrong.
Every dome structure was fun and unique in its own way. All of the safari tents were more luxurious than I could have imagined. I even found myself eyeing the Conestoga Wagons, which I had never considered before. There were only a few instances where I found myself thinking, “hmm, I’m not so sure about the longevity of this structure.”
As for the presentations and panel discussions, I walked away feeling very optimistic about where the industry is headed. Though glamping is not a new concept by any means, I believe it’s still on the infancy end of the spectrum. As Whitney Scott of Terramor Outdoor Resort said, "how we create our glamping businesses today will define what glamping is tomorrow.”
As I sat on the plane ride home organizing my notes and photos, I was a bit overwhelmed by the amount of information and content I had gathered. I plan on taking the next few weeks to organize my thoughts and share them with you here.
Needless to say, stay tuned for much more to come.
