Recent research shows that there has been an increase in demand for Glamping. Many UK farmers are turning to holiday letting to make more money.
Sykes Holiday Cottages reports that diversification is becoming more common in the agricultural sector. Since 2019, the number of people seeking to rent glamping accommodation (huts, pods, and log cabins) has increased by 56 percent.
The pandemic is no doubt a factor in this increase in interest. More people are still interested in holidaying in the UK despite many of their previous plans being canceled last year.
Sykes has reported that there is an increase of 45 percent in glamping bookings by 2021 over 2019, which could be a good thing for UK farm owners looking to diversify into holiday letting.
In order to increase their income, farmers are renting their land out for glamping trips.
It added that, prior to the pandemic, the average Sykes glamping owner earned £13,000 in revenue annually from a hut, pod, yurt or log cabin.
But now the number has risen by 30 per cent this year to £17,000 thanks to an increase in demand.
Cumbria is a popular location for guests looking to glamp, as are the Lake District and Cumbria.
Owners can expect to earn 56 percent more if there is a hot tub at their site. A open fire, on the other hand, could increase revenues by 7 percentage points.
It is also a good idea to have a pizza oven or a grill as part of the guest experience. Wi-Fi can actually hinder revenue from glamping properties, and many people prefer to detox digitally.
Bev Dumbleton was chief operating officer for Sykes Holiday Cottages.
Glamping is a unique way to experience holiday.
‘The growing popularity of this type of holiday – and clear investment potential it offers to farmers or landowners – means that many are coming to us with questions on how to unlock the potential of their land.
“With the UK stayingcation market expected to be stronger over the next few years, long-term revenues for anyone considering entering this market could be significant.”
Glamping became more common after the pandemic.
Others add that they’ve also seen a rise in glamping.
The Best Camping Ideas said it has three times the number of glamping bookings in 2021 compared to 2019, partly due to an increase in the number of people searching for glamping holidays and partly down to a growth in inventory too.
According to a spokesperson, “It is an area that we continue to see growth in. With particular interest this winter in winter glamping or glamping accommodations with hot tubs.
“Our Hot Tub Glamping Landing Page is the Most Visited on Our Website This Month, With More Hits Than Our Homepage, Holidays in November saw an increase of 220 per cent and 200%, respectively.
We expect holidaymakers to continue sharing photos of their adventures on social media as they grow winter glamping.
Meanwhile, Glampingly said this year bookings have increased by 300 per cent compared to 2019, with other small changes too, including the length of the average stay increasing by almost 15 per cent.
According to the report, lead times for holiday bookings have almost doubled. They are now available on average 48 days before departure in 2019, and 80 days prior this year.
One spokesperson stated that glamping is now seen as more than just a quick weekend escape.
‘The highest number of searches we see is for people looking for hot tubs and browsing the high end of the market – especially treehouses – but when it comes to bookings, its mid-range accommodation such as pods that sees the highest volumes and “weather-proof” structures like pods and shepherd’s huts that are in most demand over and above canvas offerings.’
The couple spent £11,000 on doing up the shepherd’s hut in Scarborough during lockdown
Scarborough Farmers tap into new trend in holiday letting
Although the pandemic might have put an end to many new ventures, Ashley Tyson (46), a Scarborough farmer, spent last year in lockdown preparing for his entry into the holiday letting industry.
Ashley and Nicola decided that a shepherd’s hut would be a good idea for their farm after reading about the expected staycation boom.
The pair used some of their savings to kick start the project, spending around £11,000 in total.
They were keen to assist those living in difficult times and enlisted two local workers to build their shepherd’s house.
Located in the Stepney Hill Farm, on Scarborough’s outskirts. Ashley and Nicola built a shepherd’s hut complete with a hot tub.
When travel resumed last July, this holiday let opened up and accepted 16 bookings spread over several months.
Ashley Tyler & his wife, Nicole, built a shepherd’s hut on their farm to let out during lockdown
The couple is expecting even greater success this year, as the 2021 diary has been booked.
Sykes Holiday Cottages’ data shows that Scarborough holiday bookings are almost eighty percent higher than in 2019, before the pandemic. Meanwhile, demand for luxury accommodations and glamping is at an all time high.
Ashley and Nicola plan to create a second holiday house with their knowledge and experience.
New property will include a lounge and luxury kitchen, as well as a log fireplace and hot tub. Accessible for people with disabilities, it will be also fully accessible.
Tyson stated: “Starting a new venture in business during the pandemic was difficult, but very rewarding.
“We were delighted to see the reaction of our guests last summer when we first opened, and now it is time to meet more faces.
“A shepherd’s house allows us to provide a unique holiday experience for our guests. It is attractive all year round with features such as a hot tub and wood-burning fireplace.
It is also a good way to start holiday renting because the building of the hut required very little investment upfront and it’s easy to keep clean.
“I recommend holiday letting to anyone considering it as an investment. Using an agent simplifies the entire process.