Ahhh, camping. The activity that brings you closer to nature. Childhood memories of weekend campouts evoke images of beautiful sunrises, late-night cookouts, and, naturally, a little peeing in the woods.
Camping is thought of as the rustic, inexpensive alternative to travel. And it’s not for those high-maintenance types. Well, at least until now!
Enter: glamping
You may or may not be asking yourself: what the heck is glamping? The term was first coined in the UK in 2005. Glamorous + camping = “glamping”. Essentially, the global trend offers lovers of the outdoors the same natural experience with an “upgrade on rest and recreation”, according to glamping.com.
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Glamping destinations promise no tent to be pitched, no sleeping bag to unroll and no fire to be built. Instead, visitors get a more luxurious experience. Hotel-quality beds, WiFi, flat screen TVs, gourmet chefs, tropical swimming pools—just some of the amenities to expect with a glamping experience.
…And it’s catching like wildfire
This glamorous camping experience capitalizes on a few factors. Firstly, travelers are becoming increasingly interested in experiencing the positive aspects of camping without the “uncomfortable”. Another reason has been the unpredictable and long periods of bad weather in southern Europe.
As well, there has been increasing anxiety towards popular holiday destinations with the recent and continued threat of terrorist attack. People are looking to move away from the crowds and into the country.
People are also more willing to spend a little more for camping with the comfort and amenities for a hotel. A recent study found that holidaymakers were willing to spend up to 27 euros per day for a campsite 10 years ago. By 2010, that number was 46 euros. Today, Viktoria Groß from the German Camping Club (DCC) estimates people will spend as much as 70 euros.
Plus, there are ridiculously cool places being offered. Igloos under the Northern Lights, safari tents, huts in the Caribbean Waters… the list goes on and on. I mean, check out some of these beautiful glampsites in Europe alone!
…except in Germany
Despite the increasing global support, it seems this trend is slow to catch on in Germany.
“Camping is still associated with many clichés—midges, dirty shower rooms and huge amounts of beers,” says Jeroen Callewaert, managing director of the Vacansoleil booking platform.
The portal offers more than 450 “glampsites” throughout Europe—only 13 are located in Germany.
And Groß doesn’t think glamping will be attracting any long-term dedication from Germans, either. “People who really didn’t know what to make of camping discover it through glamping. But most just want to give it a go, but in the long-term Germans are not likely to become dedicated “glampers”—their love for nature would stop them,” she says.
