glamping

INNOVATION
IN TOURISM
8th semester project
GLAMPING
A critical study on the representation of
the concept by the media
JUDITH MARX
Kristina Nilsson Lindström
22nd May 2014
ABSTRACT
Currently one of the fastest growing trends in tourism is the concept of glamping, short for glamorous
or luxurious camping, often claimed to be a sustainable type of tourism. The media has had a great
impact on raising attention of this concept, which is why the representation of glamping and
innovation in sustainable tourism have been investigated. However outcomes expose that even
though it can be considered a product innovation due to the perception of a new type of
accommodation, it doesn’t lead to sustainability and can therefore not be considered an innovation in
sustainable tourism.
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 5
1.1 Background .................................................................................................................................... 5
1.2 Problem formulation ..................................................................................................................... 6
1.3 Aim and research questions .......................................................................................................... 7
2. Methodology ....................................................................................................................................... 8
2.1 Philosophy of science .................................................................................................................... 8
2.2 Research design ............................................................................................................................. 8
2.2.1 Desk research ......................................................................................................................... 8
2.2.1 Field research ......................................................................................................................... 9
2.3 Data collection ............................................................................................................................. 10
2.4 Data analysis ................................................................................................................................ 10
2.5 Limitations ................................................................................................................................... 11
3. Theoretical Framework ..................................................................................................................... 12
3.1 Development and drivers of the concept of glamping................................................................ 12
3.2 Sustainability in tourism .............................................................................................................. 13
3.2.1 Definition of sustainable tourism ......................................................................................... 13
3.2.2 Sustainable tourism as innovative concept .......................................................................... 15
3.2.3 Innovation typologies ........................................................................................................... 16
3.2 Authenticity ................................................................................................................................. 17
3.4 Tourism and media ...................................................................................................................... 19
3.4.1 Image creating agents in tourism ......................................................................................... 19
3.4.2 Travel journalism .................................................................................................................. 19
3.4.3 Media and sustainable tourism ............................................................................................ 20
3.5 Summary of different concepts ................................................................................................... 21
4. Analysis .............................................................................................................................................. 23
4.1 Features of glamping ................................................................................................................... 23
4.2 Notion of glamping as sustainable tourism ................................................................................. 25
5. Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 29
5.1 Summary of findings.................................................................................................................... 29
5.2 Future research ........................................................................................................................... 30
References ............................................................................................................................................. 32
Appendix................................................................................................................................................ 37
I Interview Klaus Schneider from Vacanceselect on 4th April, 2014 .................................................. 37
II Mind map ....................................................................................................................................... 40
III Media articles ................................................................................................................................ 40
Article 1 Kleinschmidt (2011) Glamping structures offer eco-friendly benefits ............................... 40
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Article 2 McCarthy (2009) A Guide to Glamping: 7 Sustainable Romps around the Globe .............. 41
Article 3 Conlin (2008) Camping? Yes. Roughing It? Not Quite. ....................................................... 42
Article 4 Penn (2009) Glamping: Its Time Is Coming ......................................................................... 43
Article 5 Friedmann (2011) Gone Glamping...................................................................................... 45
Article 6 Becker (2013) Glamour-Camping: Zeltlager für Besserverdiener ....................................... 45
Article 7 Kolb (2011) Zelten mit allen Schikanen "Glamping" ist was für Luxus-Ökos ...................... 47
Article 8 Strerath (2011?) Das Ende der Krabbelei............................................................................ 48
Article 9 Mezler-Andelberg (2012) "Glamping": Campieren in der Komfortzone ............................ 50
Article 10 Mühl (2013) Cocooning in der Ferne: Abenteuer habe ich zu Hause genug .................... 51
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1. Introduction
1.1 Background
Glamping, a combination of traditional camping and glamour or luxury, is a global phenomenon which
has been growing rapidly over the past years, resulting in a great number of glamping sites worldwide
(Yancey, 2011, Walter and Camino, 2014; VacanceSelect, 2014). According to google trends the first
time the keyword glamping was searched was in 2007, mostly in Ireland the United Kingdom, the
media started drawing attention to it one year later (Glamping.com, 2014). In France glamping sites
have already existed for the past 20years, however literature available reveals that the concept has
existed for decades. The origin goes back to the 1900’s canvas safari tents were set-up as demanded
by wealthy American and European travelers, wanting to enjoy luxury while having adventure
outdoors on their safari in Africa and Thailand (De Abaitua 2011, glamping.com, 2014; Brooker and
Joppe, 2013).
Only recently glamping has become a mainstream outdoor accommodation offering, what’s new is
making camping more trendy and accepted by changing tourists’ perception about it; that it doesn’t
have to be as uncomfortable as one would think. Due to the novelty of the trend, there is not one clear
definition but a number of different ones which leave room for interpretation. However most common
it is a short form of glamorous camping and also referred to as outdoor hotel experience (Brooker,
Joppe, 2013). Some consider glamping as decorating and adding luxury equipment to their own
caravan to go camping with it, whereas the majority of authors describe it as replacing negative
attributes of traditional camping, such as leaky tents, smelly sleeping bags and improvised food by
luxury in form of a set-up tent, tree house, lodge or extravagant caravan right in the nature, providing
the feeling of freedom. As the term implies some luxury devices are provided compared to traditional
camping sites, such as furniture, a stove, kitchen devices, hot water, toilet and fridge (Yancey, 2011,
VacanceSelect, 2014, Brooker, Joppe, 2013, Tirol Tourism Research, 2012). Luxury and nature are the
essential attributes that make a glamping experience. Glamping is claimed to provide high quality to a
relatively low price and sometimes even to be a sustainable type of holiday (VacanceSelect, 2014;
Walter and Camino, 2014). Bramwell and Lane (2012) identify sustainable tourism as an innovative
concept within tourism. It has been acknowledged that some stakeholders misuse the concept of
sustainability to benefit from its appeal to customers (Hjalager, 1998).
One example of a company who has greatly been influenced by the trend of glamping is VacanceSelect,
which is the largest tour operator for camping holidays in Germany. According to the company the
demand for glamping has been growing very fast, exceeding the company’s expectations, and even
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further claiming that it is currently the fastest growing type of holiday. This is supported by recent
numbers, showing that between 2011 and 2014 customer overnight stays have increased by 486%, as
presented
below.
Figure 1: Overnight stays at glampsites by Germans and Austrians (VacanceSelect, 2014)
The company is providing 1.100 glampsites in 90 different places across Europe, especially Italy,
France, Germany and Croatia are popular amongst customers. It is expected that 8.800 German
tourists stay at glampsites, spending a total of 79.000 nights. Based on the enormous demand they
could provide more glampsites but the company is carefully selecting the suppliers they choose to
work with, which have to fulfil some quality standards; not only the accommodation itself, but also the
surrounding, activities and gastronomy are of importance (VacanceSelect, 2014).
Due to the popularity glamping opportunities are also offered by event organizers of festivals in order
to cater for the growing market of festival goes that prefer a more luxurious accommodation type
(Glamping.com, 2014).
1.2 Problem formulation
Fierce competition, as well as consumer demand, require new innovations in tourism (Hall and Williams, 2008; Hjalager, 2010). One innovative concept within the tourism industry is sustainable tourism
(Bramwell and Lane, 2012; Gössling et al, 2009). Examples of such sustainable tourism innovations are
concerned with visitor management, new accommodation forms and hospitality management developments, tourism’s links to conservation and protected areas, and the concept of slow tourism. In
general it can be said that most innovations in the field of sustainable tourism are greatly influenced
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by trends and developments in socio-economic processes (Bramwell and Lane, 2012). The concept of
glamping is often claimed to be sustainable, however an argument that can be questioned due to the
luxury consumption. One would associate luxury with much consumption and materiality, whereas
nature comprises the authentic and intangible. Therefore this project attempts to explore the connection between the concept of glamping and innovation in sustainable tourism.
There’s different perspectives to look at the connection between glamping and sustainability, from
customers or suppliers point of view, but the decision has been made to look at it from the media. The
reason is that glamping can be considered a so-called media phenomenon, it has been created and
raised awareness for by the media. This supports Iwashita’s (2003) research, namely that the media
has the power to generate awareness and create images, perceptions and representations of places.
Many authors (Gunn, 1988; Butler, 1990; Stabler, 1990) argue that people receive information about
tourist destinations and travel ideas and construct their images and attitudes through media, which
then influence the destination-choice. This points out the importance of the media in the promotion
of tourism. Thus whether glamping is presented as sustainable or not, has an influence on the perception of the audience. There’s two categories of so-called image formation agents in tourism, the first
group comprises autonomous or independent agents, such as the media, news articles, but also educational materials, movies, word of mouth or user groups. The second group are destination marketers, specifically aimed at promoting and advertising a certain place or destination, examples are tour
operators and DMO’s (Tasci and Gartner, 2007; Iwashita, 2003).
1.3 Aim and research questions
The overall research question is what is the connection between glamping and innovation in sustainable tourism?
The aim of this project is to explore the media image of glamping. In order to achieve this aim the
following research questions have been set up:
1. What are the main features that glamping represents?
2. What is the notion of glamping as sustainable tourism? How is glamping constructed
as sustainable tourism?
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2. Methodology
2.1 Philosophy of science
Referring to Iwashita (2003) social constructivism plays an important role in the area of media studies,
which is why it is relevant for this project. It has its origin in the concept of ‘the social construction of
reality’ (Berger and Luckmann, 1971, see Iwashita, 2003) and holds the general assumption that “social
and cultural phenomena and individuals are social constructions produced and reproduced through
historically and culturally situated interactions of people and human activities in society” (Iwashita,
2003: 333). It is through language that communication takes place, meanings, and descriptions can be
made, therefore language and discourse, as well as the media are the essential factors, through which
social reality is created.
Individuals are born into a certain social structure, with pre-existing social norms, values, knowledge,
rights and behaviors, which one naturally adopts. Depending on this social and cultural context one is
exposed to people’s attitudes towards tourism change over time. People have been taught to think of
tourism practices as products, which offer intangible values, such as images signs and symbols. There’s
a general assumption that tourism is a form of escape from the daily life, seeking the unusual and
extraordinary, compared to the familiar and routine given at home. People’s everyday lives, as well as
society or socio-cultural contexts shape travel desires and motivations. It is cultural differences and
aspects that are not part of the ordinary life that makes people curious and eventually motivates them
to travel (Urry, 1990; Rojek, 1993).
Tourism can be defined as the product of social constructivism, as it is socially and culturally created
to attract tourists. A representation of tourism places can be through tourism promotional tools, such
as guides, brochures, travel writings and television. Place representations through the media, which
are not directly concerned with tourism promotion, can still have an impact by creating certain images,
expectations and beliefs of a distinct place (Hughes, 1992; Iwashita, 2003).
2.2 Research design
2.2.1 Desk research
The research design starts from the research questions. First what is already known about the topic of
this study is explored, since previous empirical and theoretical work provides a conceptual framework
including concepts and models that direct data collection and analysis (Forman, Damschroder, 2008).
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Therefore secondary research is conducted by reviewing existing literature available about glamping.
For this online articles, journals and books have been studied to get an insight on the subject. The
compiled literature can be found in the theory chapter, which comprises glamping’s development over
time, as well sustainable tourism, media and authenticity, since sustainability is a rather broad term,
which comes under many guises, namely economic, social, political and environmental sustainability,
the decision has been made to only consider environmental sustainability for this project. One reason
is that looking at all four dimensions of sustainability is too broad and time consuming. In addition
when speaking of sustainability in terms of glamping the environment is the relevant factor.
2.2.1 Field research
Primary research is conducted in form of qualitative research. Much more in-depth data can be
obtained by conducting qualitative research. In general the goal in qualitative research is to understand
a situation primarily from the participants’ and not the researcher’s perspective, which is also referred
to as the emic or insider’s perspective (Algozzine, Hancock, 2006). The initial plan was to conduct
interviews with suppliers and customers about their perception of glamping and sustainability,
whether they think glamping is an authentic experience and whether they feel it contributes to the
protection of the environment. However due to the novelty of the concept of glamping it is difficult to
gain access to customers, since there is only limited data available online by glampers. This turned out
to be true, since a few authors of glamping blogs were contacted but unfortunately without getting
any response. Only one interview was conducted with the owner of VacanceSelect, which is a tour
operator specializing in camping holidays. The interview took place via phone, since the interviewee
preferred to do so, and was semi-structured. A topic list with a number of questions had been designed
beforehand and all questions were asked during the interview, but in the order that seemed most
appropriate. This interview served as a starting point for the further research process.
After having conducted the pilot interview and not having received any responses from customers that
were contacted the decision was made to gather and analyze news articles. During the pilot interview
with Schneider (2014) it was repeatedly mentioned that the media has had a great impact on the
emergence and success of glamping, he even referred to it as a media-phenomenon. Moreover there
is a number of articles dealing with glamping available online, which are easy to access and within the
given time this seemed to be a realistic approach. Thus the main data collection is the analysis of online
articles addressing glamping. Besides, some authors of newspaper articles claim that glamping is
sustainable and in order to find out if that is true and find reasons for it an analysis is necessary. In this
regard the media can be seen as a promotional tool or image creator of glamping.
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2.3 Data collection
Google search engine was used to search for relevant articles, keywords for this were glamping and
sustainability for English and German websites. Articles about glamping were scanned in order to find
out if they address the concept of sustainability. Bases on this 10 different articles from newspapers
have been accessed online and selected, based on information-richness’ and that are of most use
analytically, for in-depth study to provide information needed to answer the research questions.
There’s an equal number of articles in German and English. The articles have been accessed on the 28th
of April 2014, which can be found in the appendix. Since the study only aims at written text, all images
were deleted. They have been written between 2008 and 2013.
The research question points to a unit of analysis, which is the object about which the researcher wants
to say something at the end of the study. The unit of analysis for this study is the German and English
media.
2.4 Data analysis
Qualitative content analysis was applied for this study, which can be described as systematic technique
in order to analyze informal content of textual data. There are different types of content analysis but
what they all have in common is that the systematical categorization of textual data to make sense of
it. In qualitative content analysis data is categorized according to categories that are created
inductively, namely derived from the data and applied to the data through thorough reading. As with
all qualitative approaches the goal of this technique is to understand a phenomenon, understanding
processes, views, motivations, rather than making generalizations. It aims at depth and detail (Forman,
Damschroder, 2008).
There are three steps in data analysis have been gone through, which are immersion, reduction and
interpretation. Immersion serves to initiate the data analysis by identifying and narrowing down
categories and themes that begin to occur. This theory was applied for this project, thus the relevant
articles were copy-pasted into a new word document and read thoroughly thinking about themes or
categories that are repeatedly mentioned or seem important. The reduction phase is when the
researcher develops a systematic approach to the data. It constitutes the core of the content analysis
process and ensures accuracy. The process of the reduction phase is to: reduce the amount of raw data
to that which is relevant to answering the research question; therefore all parts of the text relevant
for answering the research question were marked. The second step was to break the data into more
manageable themes and thematic segments; for this a mind map, which can be found in the appendix,
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has been created to summarize the main themes. Finally the data was reorganized into categories in
a way that addresses the research question (Forman, Damschroder, 2008).
2.5 Limitations
It has to be addressed that the credibility of the project is restricted, as it was not possible for the
researcher to make sure that data was interpreted correctly. Due to the collection of written text it
was not possible to ask for clarification and therefore the data interpretation is a rather subjective
matter (Bryman, 2008). However to minimize this, it was paid thorough attention to having valid
arguments or examples to support all claims made during the analysis. According to Bryman (2008) the
researcher should try not to let presumptions and own experiences get involved in the research
process but try to be as objective as possible even though the objectivity cannot be achieved
completely. Due to the researcher’s limited prior knowledge about the subject to be investigated and
no experience with glamping, therefore the objectivity was assured to the best possible extent.
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3. Theoretical Framework
3.1 Development and drivers of the concept of glamping
Research conducted reveals that glamping is particularly of interest to those who have not camped
during their childhood and have not had an outdoor experience, and are thus potential new guests
(Yancey, 2011). This is supported by Walter and Camino (2014) who argue that more than 90% of
Europeans are non-campers, and glamping is the key to attract non-campers. The main target group
identified is young Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) - families, between 35 and 50. They
seek simplicity and authenticity but at the same time comfort and pleasure (Tirol Tourism Research,
2012). Walter and Camino (2014) extends this target group by some others, which are people with
high income and the upcoming middle class, families and couples, people who like nature, luxury and
individual holidays but don’t want to purchase own camping gear and best ager/generation 50+.
Camping and glamping are separated as two distinct operations catering for different market segments
(Brooker, Joppe, 2013). This is also evident when looking at the prices for glamping, which usually
range from $150 to $3,000 per night (Glamping.com, 2014). Glamping is considered as high-end,
luxurious, customers pay a relatively low price for a high standard accommodation, whereas camping
is known to be a cheap way of vacationing (Walter, Camino, 2014). This aspect of glamping is also
criticized by the Bundesverband der Campingwirtschaft in Deutschland (BVCD). They believe it is much
more expensive than camping and thus not affordable for many families with children. In their opinion
camping is about meeting all different kinds of people and due to the money constraint glamping
doesn’t allow this to happen, which is why they state it is in an interesting trend which has however
little in common with traditional camping (Bernasconi, 2012).
Glamping can be seen as a response to the demands of consumers, which combines both, the high
comfort and luxury that people are used to and people’s desire to engage with nature and the
authentic (Walter, Camino, 2014; De Abaitua, 2011). This is supported by (Brooker, Joppe, 2012),
stating that what has caused this type of lodging to evolve is the growing demand for comfort and
extravagance. De Abaitua (2011) further explains that unreasonably high expectations of tourists are
a result of rising GDP’s and the economic boom. Whereas Boscoboinik, Bourquard (2012: p.160);
confirm the natural aspect, explaining that the need for distinction, concern for environment and rediscovery of nature in a digitalized world have resulted in the trend of glamping. People’s concern for
the environment is reflected by the popularity of living a sustainable lifestyle, which is why they seek
holidays and accommodation, where one is surrounded by nature and which are claimed to be
sustainable. Glamping enables one to be in nature without having to engage with it, made possible by
the provision of these safe luxury accommodations. Glamping represents consumer’s desire to feel at
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home while being away in times of crisis and uncertainty, people are more and more demanding safety
and security when vacationing (Mühl, 2013).
Due to the illustrated focus of glamping on the natural environment it can be considered a special type
of rural tourism due to its focus is on the natural environment (Boscoboinik, Bourquard, 2012).
According to Walter and Camino (2014) glamping is environmental sustainable for a number of
reasons. It is energy efficient, it includes protection of resources, environmental friendly mobility,
prevention of trash and activities concerned with nature. The eco-friendly idea behind glamping is to
spend time and explore nature while enjoying the comfort of sleeping in a luxurious tent or even indoor
accommodation, such as a bungalow. A great importance is attached to make it a sustainable
experience, by using solar-powered lanterns and candles, collecting and reusing rainwater, recycling,
or using organically grown ingredients for cooking, just to name a few examples. However it needs to
be pointed out that these claims are made by glamping suppliers, which are directly linked to and
aiming at promoting tourism (Tasci and Gartner, 2007). It is about both fulfilling customer demand but
at the same time respecting the environment. The purpose is to bring humans closer to nature, even
those who don’t like the idea of camping due to insects crawling around and such. A number of
activities involving nature are usually offered, such as mountain biking, fishing, horseback riding,
amongst many others (Conlin, 2008). A study conducted by Sakacova (2013) about the motivations of
people to go glamping revealed that only a minority of glampers is motivated by the low ecological
impact it is claimed to have. One glamper believes that glamping is the most eco-friendly type of
holiday there is once being at the glampsite. However she admits that getting there is not always very
eco-friendly, as in her case, towing a caravan uses much more fuel and thereby increases the carbon
emissions of the car. A larger group consists of those who like the idea of being eco-friendly but their
decision to go glamping isn’t based on that same aspect, which it seemed they don’t want to clearly
state. The third and largest group according to this research are those who clearly state they don’t
choose to go glamping because of the environmental friendliness. That doesn’t mean they don’t
consider glamping as environmental friendly because they do, they are simply not motivated by it
(Sakacova, 2013). In the next section a detailed definition of the concept of sustainability will be given.
3.2 Sustainability in tourism
3.2.1 Definition of sustainable tourism
Referring to Saarinen (2006) there is no clear definition of sustainable tourism but the most common
one used is meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations
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to meet their own needs (Hannam and Knox, 2010, Saarinen, 2006). According to Gössling et al. (2008)
sustainability is not as a recent phenomenon as one would think, but came into existence in 1965,
when George Perkins Mash’s book Man and Nature Or, Physical Geography as Modified by Human
Action was published. He questioned the best use of natural resources, which is still an important topic
in today’s concept of sustainable development. This is in line with a study by Bramwell and Lane (2012),
stating that the notion of sustainable tourism established in response to problems created by tourism
in the 1970’s, such as environmental damage and serious impacts on society and traditional cultures.
Saarinen (2006) further explains that the concept developed between the 60s and 90s under the term
carrying capacity. It was only in the beginning of the 90s that this concept was replaced by sustainable
tourism, which can nowadays be linked to any tourism activity. The tremendous growth in tourism,
especially mass tourism, has resulted in a number of problems, such as environmental, social, cultural,
economic and political issues in destinations, requiring practices to protect environment and
community. This reveals the negative impact tourism can have, however tourism can also contribute
positively to the environment and communities. Sustainable tourism is a means to achieve positive
benefits of regulation and development; conserving the environment and communities, in a long-term
thinking. This can be achieved by making use of natural and cultural resources (Saarinen, 2006).
Saarinen (2006) identified three traditions of sustainability which reflect different aspects of the idea
of sustainability on a local scale. The resource-based tradition, refers to the need for protection of
nature and local culture from tourism, and is based on limits of natural conditions and resources. The
activity-based tradition reflects the present; in which tourism can be seen as a tool for sustainability
through development, in which environment and culture are local resources. The third one,
community-based tradition regards the involvement and empowerment of local community as
essential for sustainable development. Nowadays sustainable tourism is a widely known concept,
which can be subdivided, into economic, social, cultural and environmental sustainability, the latter
one being the focus of this study.
Environmental or ecological sustainability refers to the scarcity of natural resources and fossil fuels,
global warming, carbon emissions, loss of biodiversity and the list goes on. With regard to tourism and
environmental sustainability the goals are making optimal use of environmental resources,
maintaining essential ecological processes and helping conserve natural heritage and biodiversity
(Bowen and Clarke, 2009). Similarly Hannam and Knox (2010) state that the environment should be
conserved and our resource base enhanced. Furthermore environmental impact of tourist activities
needs to be minimized and carrying capacity of a particular area calculated in order to protect the
environment (Hannam and Knox, 2010). The great importance attached to the environment and
sustainability has affected people’s holiday decision. Approximately 20% are very much influenced by
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it, 35% are highly influenced, about 25% are somewhat affected, 5% are slightly influenced and 15%
are not influenced by it at all (Walter, Camino, 2014).
3.2.2 Sustainable tourism as innovative concept
A few authors, such as Bramwell, Lane (2012) and Gössling et al. (2009) argue that sustainable tourism
is an innovative concept. According to Schumpeter (1934) innovation can be described as “the
development of new products, new processes, new markets and new sources of raw materials” (p.24).
According to Carvalho and Costa (2011) innovation is crucial in order to enhance marketing and provide
product value. Some sustainable tourism innovations include visitor management, new
accommodation types and hospitality management developments, tourism as a driver to conservation
and protected areas, as well as slow tourism. Most innovations in sustainable tourism are dependent
on and influenced by trends in wider socio-economic and societal processes. Urry (2011) goes even
further claiming that innovations can only be successful if inserted within societal processes and
positively embraced in people’s ways of living, thus the importance of innovations to become matters
of fashion and desire. Carlsen, Edwards and Forde (2008) claim that in sustainable tourism most
innovation processes are incremental, which is defined as steady improvement, following cultural
routines and norms, rapidly implemented, producing immediate gains. They are based on sustaining
existing technologies that already exist and are easily adapted for tourism use. Most innovation in
sustainable tourism is either innovation as niche, referring to opening new market opportunities using
existing technologies or regular incremental (Bramwell, Lane, 2012).
Gössling et al. (2009) argue that sustainability is an innovative idea, which has profound implications
for the management of natural resources, environmental conservation and distribution of material
benefits. According to Hall and Williams (2008) sustainability has become an important factor of
tourism innovation, particularly in niche markets. Consumers purchasing green services and products,
as well as environmental regulations are influencing the degree and direction of the innovative activity
to a great extent, enhanced by competition within a specific sector and technological progress.
Consumers increased concern about the environment requires innovative actions within the tourism
industry (Hjalager, 1998). Whereas Hallenga-Brink and Brezet (2005) argue that in order to reach
sustainability innovation is an important tool, driven by voluntary business approaches in the market,
the continuous need for quality improvement and policy measures and regulation. These two studies
present different approaches of the link between sustainable tourism and innovation, Hjalager (1998)
identifies environmental concern, which is part of sustainability, as a driver of innovation. Hallenga15
Brink and Brezet (2005) disagree with this theory, claiming that innovation is a prerequisite to achieve
sustainability.
3.2.3 Innovation typologies
According to Hall and Williams (2008) there are a few different innovation typologies in the tourism
sector: product innovation; process innovation; organisational innovation and marketing innovations.
Product innovations can be defined as improvements or changes in products that consumers perceive
as new, such as environmentally friendly resorts (Hjalager, 1998, Hall and Williams, 2008).
Environmentally friendly resorts are an example that product innovations do not necessarily require a
physical change but even marketing it in a new way or adding complementary services giving
customers the impression that it is new. Hjalager (1997) identified a few different types of product
innovations in sustainable tourism; one specific kind referred to as nature tourism products. There has
been a shift from mass tourism (sun, sand, sea) to niche or special interest tourism. Consumer interests
are towards the intensive use of the natural environment and a continued diversification. The
commodification and marketing of natural resources is an essential function transforming the resource
into a product. Instead of prohibiting access to natural resources consideration and cooperation is
required from tourists. This type refers to the intensified use of the natural environment by consumers,
commodification and marketing of natural resources. It deals with units of infrastructure and
accommodation provided according to certain standards. Innovation in the equipment sectors
attached to nature. An increased number of equipment for nature tourism lead to an increased supply
and interest in spending one’s holiday in nature. Professional tours. Special brand of environmental
tourism products consisting of tours to dirt treatment works and such. Development of supplementary
natural resources. Environmental resources are commonly considered as definite and limited.
Importance has been drawn to establishing new natural attractions and resources through wellconsidered landscaping projects. Similarly there’s a category called the ‘green’ establishment as
products. By this the authors mean the sum of a number of incremental changes in existing products
can be characterized as an innovation, examples are green hotels and environmentally aware airlines
including measurements such as saving energy and water, reducing and separating waste, reducing
emissions. There is some actors in tourism who abuse the concept of sustainability simply to market
customers and make more money. Product development and limiting tourism volumes. The
environmental problem in the tourism sector is concerned with capacity, more and more people can
afford and are travelling, from which nature suffers a lot (Hjalager, 1997). Process innovations can be
defined as the implementation of an incrementally changed or radically new production process or
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delivery method. Examples of innovation processes in tourism addressing sustainability are energy
conservation methods.
3.2 Authenticity
Tourism promoters stress on the myth of authenticity and the nature, put emphasis on the idea of
escape from their everyday lives and well-being in green scenery, exposing the close connection of
sustainability and authenticity through nature (Boscoboinik, Bourquard, 2012). According to Olsen
(2002) authenticity in tourism started to be of importance in 1999 due to MacCannell’s study on the
Tourist. There’s a great amount of literature available addressing the concept of authenticity (Bruner,
2005; Cohen, 1988; Hughes, 1995; Wang, 1999). Authenticity is commonly considered a main
motivation for tourism, which is however an ambiguous concept as addressed by some authors (Olsen,
2002). For instance the term staged authenticity was developed used to describe the production of
authenticity by stakeholders for tourism purposes (Hughes, 1995). Similarly Bruner’s (2005) front- and
backstage points out the ambiguity of authenticity, where the back represents the genuine or
authentic life of local cultures and the front-stage the fake, something that is constructed merely for
tourists entertainment.
Authenticity has become of utmost importance in tourism due to some recent developments in
consumer behaviour, which are the search for meaning and authenticity (O’Dubhghaill, Steylaerts,
2011; Yeoman, 2008). Authenticity in this context can be defined as spending a significant amount of
time and looking beyond the façade of a destination in contrast to what most tourists do. In today’s
world luxury is no longer for the selected few but within the reach of middle classes of the world due
to rising wealth, people are enjoying much more material comfort resulting in a cultural shift towards
personal fulfilment and aspiration through experience. The focus on enrichment and time means
increasing emphasis on personal transformation through, for example travelling. This phenomenon of
providing new ways offering consumers new authentic experiences is referred to as experience
economy. Also people are more sophisticated, well-travelled, adventurous and discerned than ever
before, which is why they seek one-off experiences, not necessarily matching their usual activities in
order to be challenged, to seek thrill and avoid boredom. As a consequence consumers are constantly
searching for self-esteem and self-actualization. They put their focus of expenditure beyond goods and
services and on to experiences which will enhance their sense of self and lead to personal fulfilment.
The movement to self-actualization can be explained as a search for a deeper meaning and finding
sense of worth beyond material possessions. The desire for new experiences that are considered to be
17
more authentic and meaningful. Therefore more and more people are travelling in an authentic way
(Yeoman, 2008). Similarly Yeoman et al (2007) state that in today’s world there’s a growing desire to
consume products and have experiences that are real and original in a world of mass-production and
falseness. It is a search for meaning and beyond material possessions to real experiences. More and
more consumers are deciding to buy a product or service based on how real they perceive it to be. “In
2015, an authentic experience is the central proposition of tourism ensuring that tourism is everyone’s
business. This means that all kinds of industries such as farming, the church and the softdrinks industry
realise the importance of tourism, where businesses must search for new experiences and present them
in an innovative way. In this scenario, authenticity is captured through the concepts of ‘community’,
‘ethical consumption’, ‘innovation’, ‘regional identity’ and ‘simplicity’.“ (p. 1129). The term authenticseeking describes this quest for authenticity in products, services and experiences. Research reveals
that the interest in people to go for a walk, go camping/caravanning and trekking/biking has risen
between 2000 and 2005, which can be explained with the perception of authenticity associated with
these activities (Yeoman, I.; Brass, D., McMahon-Beattie U. 2007). This is supported by Corvo (2011),
who states that travellers are more and more desiring to spend time in nature, enjoying the
surrounding landscape and scenery and undertaking open air activities or playing sports. It represent
an ambiguity of sanctuary and wilderness, which seem difficult to combine at first glance. AN
important concept that has emerged is safe adventurism, which stands for undertaking thrilling
activities or original experiences in a safe and secure environment.
In an article Yeoman et al (2007) address a number of trends shaping the so called authentic tourist.
The trends related to sustainability are the following. One of the trends is ethical consumption. People
are more affluent, better educated and more concerned about the environment they live in. Ethical
consumption is represented in sustainability. The affluent consumer and the experience economy describes rising GDP’s, which has resulted in the shift from material goods to intangible and genuine
experiences, such as destinations that offer a sense of real place rather than a theme park constructed
to attract tourists. The educated consumer deals with the worldwide increase of educational attainment levels, resulting in consumers being more discerning, affluent and sophisticated, demanding authenticity. The last one is time pressures and authenticity. Due to time constraint and busier lifestyles
travellers are seeking longer, more natural, genuine activities, which are less hectic and provide tranquillity (Yeoman et al., 2007).
An important term when speaking of authenticity is sustainability, which are closely linked. The second
trend illustrates this connection rather well. Consumers are increasingly concerned about the environment and thus sustainability, which is a representation of ethical consumption (Yeoman et al, 2007).
18
As mentioned earlier authenticity refers to the search for meaning and the intangible, which is in line
with the concept of environmental sustainability. Environmental sustainability is about protecting and
preserving the authentic nature. A more detailed explanation of environmental sustainability will be
given in the next section.
3.4 Tourism and media
3.4.1 Image creating agents in tourism
According to Tasci, Gartner (2007) and Iwashita (2003) there are three factors of image formation
agents in tourism: the supply-side, independent or autonomous and demand-side or image receivers.
The first group refers to destination marketers who make use of promotional tools either to change
an existing image or establish one, which are controllable, including marketing strategies, positioning
and promotion. Examples are tour operators and DMO’s. The second group of autonomous agents is
semi-dynamic and semi-controllable, this is the category that news articles, but also educational
materials, movies, word of mouth or user groups, belong. These autonomous image formation agents
are usually out of a destination marketers control and can either support or contradict with the desired
image by the destination. They are not directly linked to the tourism industry but can still have a great
impact on tourism as a powerful indirect promotional tool. Especially the media is of importance in
this category of autonomous agents, as they have a great impact on image formation, high credibility
and potential to reach the mass. The third group is dynamic and uncontrollable, affected by customers’
sociodemographics, psychographics, culture, experience and prior visit, attitudes, needs/motivations.
Multiple perceiver characteristics are associated with how people receive and interpret information,
which are impossible to control or influence (Tasci and Gartner, 2007). In the following an example of
supply-side agents and autonomous agents is presented.
3.4.2 Travel journalism
Fürsich and Kavoori (2002) state that the growth of tourism worldwide has resulted in a greater number of travel journalism publications. It used to be the case that only daily newspapers provided a
traditional travel section, whereas recently a large number of general travel magazines have been published, as well as specialized travel publications addressing special interest tourism, such as cruise va-
19
cations. The broadcast media offer specialized travel programs and in some countries even entire channels dedicated to travel. Also the internet has a great importance in providing travel-related information, which is why travel sites and webpages are among the most accessed websites online.
Travel journalism is a complex cultural practice with multiple actors involved: government, private
travel industry, travel writers/journalists, tourists, public relations agencies and advertising firms.
Travel journalism is closely linked to the travel industry, since travel journalism is a highly charged
discourse beleaguered/stressed by the public relations efforts of the private travel industry and by
government-sponsored tourism departments. And advertising on the other hand. Travel is mostly covered in special sections of newspapers, in magazines or on television shows, mostly with advertisers
from the travel industry itself (Fürsich, Kavoori, 2002).
3.4.3 Media and sustainable tourism
With regard to the role of the media it can be stated that people’s opinions and perceptions are influenced by the media, information is received through media, knowledge is gathered and entertainment
is provided through media. Eventually people should learn from and expand their knowledge with the
help of media. However the media doesn’t necessarily tell its audience what exactly to think but rather
give ideas what to think about. Further it can be said that the media creates attention for certain topics
through selection, emphasis and omission (Schroeder and Hahn, 2010). Over the past there has been
a growing worldwide phenomenon referred to as media induced tourism. It can be defined as visiting
places or destinations associated with films, television and literature, which are not directly concerned
with tourism promotion or marketing. These can influence perceptions and create destination images
through their representations (Fürsich, Kavoori, 2003).
Another important feature of media is the green topics, which are an often discussed topic on media
agendas all over the world. Media have been raising awareness about a trend towards a green life or
a sustainable lifestyle. Due to this strong influence, media can raise awareness and affect attitudes of
ecological topics. This impact can be observed on three levels:
 Cognitive Effects (Knowledge, Opinions, Thoughts)
 Affective Effects (Emotions, Feelings, Reviews)
 Behavioral Effects (Negotiations, Behavior)
All these effective components are not isolated from each other. In most of the cases the effects are
combined. We see reports about global warming and build up a specific knowledge about the role of
20
carbon (Cognitive Effect); we are surprised about the global impacts (Affective Effect) and we decide
to behave more ecologically (Behavioral Effects).
Sustainable tourism has developed in the media over the past 10 years and sustainable issues related
to travelling are appearing on the media more frequently. A study conducted by Schroeder and Hahn
(2010) demonstrates that the subject of sustainable tourism moved increasingly into a central focus –
that is from subcategories to the main part of the articles. This development seems to be logical, because the media agenda is linked to people’s awareness of relevant topics. However, the same study
also revealed that there had only been a slight increase in number of articles in a leading German travel
magazine addressing sustainable tourism, which is rather striking and difficult to explain (Schroeder
and Hahn, 2010).
3.5 Summary of different concepts
Media
Environmental
sustainability
Authenticity
Innovation
Figure 2: Link between different concepts
The model has been designed to illustrate the connection between the different themes addresses in
the literature review. As can be seen sustainability is in the center, as it is main concept which links to
the other three themes. The link between environmental sustainability and authenticity can be
explained through environmental sustainability, which refers to not destroying or changing the nature
but taking care of it in order to keep it pristine, which corresponds with the concept of authenticity.
Further authenticity in this project is defined as people’s strive for meaning and thus consuming
intangible products and experiences that are perceived as meaningful. The media has an in impact on
21
environmental sustainability, as it can create awareness of it and make the audience think about it or
even influence their opinion towards it. In this regard the media can be seen as an image creator or
promotional tool of environmental sustainable issues. Environmental sustainability can either be a
driver or a prerequisite of innovation in tourism, which will be further explained in this chapter.
All concepts and theories illustrated in this chapter are relevant for this project since they help
answering the research questions. Furthermore they are used to understand the idea behind glamping
and theories related to it.
22
4. Analysis
4.1 Features of glamping
Glamping is often referred to as being hip or trendy. In 2009 Penn (2009) called it a micro-trend in
America with the potential to become a macro-trend. By 2011 it had already been acknowledged as
an important international trend in the tourism industry (Kolb, 2011; Strerath, 2011). It is taking place
mostly across Europe, however Becker (2013) states that there are better conditions in Italy, France,
Portugal and Spain than in Germany due to weather conditions and untouched nature (Strerath, 2011).
This is in line with Schneider’s (2014) opinion; according to him it is a lifestyle trend, which has been
discussed much by the media (Schneider, 2014). He goes even further claiming that glamping is a media
phenomenon, the media has had an impact in such a way that glamping is perceived as trendy type of
holiday, which makes people curious and wanting to explore it (Schneider, 2014). With regard to the
target group it can be stated that it is family friendly but even more appealing for couples (Strerath,
2011). Schneider (2014) thinks that the broad range of customers glamping caters for is one of its main
advantages. The concept reflects a strive for individuality and desire for privacy (Strerath, 2011).
Generally the two distinct features of glamping are nature and luxury, as mentioned by all of the
authors, some only mention it briefly while others evaluate on it more detailed. For instance MetzlerAndelberg (2012) describes the concept as
“a combination of closeness to nature, freedom and simplicity on the one hand and luxury,
safety and security on the other hand” (see also Mühl, 2013)
This is also addressed by Penn (2009); having an outdoor atmosphere while being safe and secure.
Similar Kolb (2011) defines glamping as bridging camping and demand for luxury and ecology and in
the same way Becker (2013) claims that it is “appealing to those who appreciate luxury on vacation
but are aware of ecological impacts of five star holidays”. These two statements reflect that the
concept is not only about interaction with nature but also about respect and protection of it, which
will be further analyzed in the later process. Another synonym for the link between nature and luxury
is
“a
combination
of
outdoors
and
indoor
conveniences”
(Friedmann,
2012)
“It's a visit to the outdoors, but updated and upscale” (Penn, 2009).
Further it is stated that glamping is about enjoying nature without the annoyances due to luxury
aspects or being in nature without having to engage with it (Kolb, 2011; Mühl, 2013). A closer look will
be taken at each feature separately, the first one being the nature. Glamping can be associated with
23
“leaving the ordinary life behind” (Becker, 2013) and “back to an easy-lifestyle” (Strerath, 2011). These
can be associated with the natural aspect, since people nowadays are used to much luxury at home,
which is why they want to leave their daily life behind and experience something easy and unordinary,
which can be exploration of nature. Glamping is mostly associated a feeling of being close to nature
and therefore or a trend for wealthy nature-lovers (Becker, 2013; Penn, 2009). Further the terms “back
to nature” and “an environmental movement” point out the change in people’s consumer behavior,
which has been illustrated under the notion of authenticity, a shift away from materiality to
immateriality and meaningful experiences (Steylaerts, 2011; Yeoman, 2008). Conlin (2008) even claims
that
“I think glamping has really hit its stride this summer as the ultimate connect with nature.”
The connection with nature is enabled through the location itself, since glamping lodges are situated
right in the nature; next to lakes, under trees; and activities that it brings with it such as roasting
marshmallows at a bonfire, or looking at stars at night. In addition, some activities are provided that
reinforce the link with and exploration of nature, such as hiking, mountain-biking, fishing or horseriding. Results from conducting an interview confirm this aspect, as Schneider (2013) mentioned that
through glamping new target groups can be reached, such as people who have never been camping in
their lives or have had bad experiences with it and families who used to undertake other types of
holidays, who are particularly attracted by the natural aspect of glamping. Thus it seems that the
nature is the most appealing and motivating factor to go. Mühl (2013) is one of the few who doesn’t
agree with glamping bringing people closer to nature, in her opinion the luxury prevents people to
engage with it, she uses the example of people sitting behind a glass window through which nature is
observed. This leads us to the second feature, the luxury. It can be stated that there’s not a uniform
degree of luxury, Strerath (2012) describes glamping in a positive way as being high quality, whereas
Penn (2009) is more negative about it explaining it as “over-the-top luxury” (Penn, 2009). First of all
luxury is provided in form of the accommodation itself. Glamping accommodation come in many
guises, ranging from tents, tepees, yurts, to airstream, caravans, domes, treehouses or lodges. Some
of them, such as the Treehotel in Sweden represents design and modernity. The accommodation itself
is very appealing and motivating, especially for people interested in architecture (Mezler-Andelberg,
2012). Furthermore indoor conveniences create a luxurious experience and mainly material things,
such as comfortable beds, linen and towels, furniture, an own bathroom with hot water, light and
mostly internet connection (Friedmann, 2012). However there is no standards as to the luxury
provided for glamping, which is why the degree of luxury provided varies, the ultimate one is for
example one
24
“complete with king-sized beds and art on the walls, a personal butler and private master
bath.” (Friedmann, 2012).
Luxury amenities influence the prices, which vary greatly but can be as high as staying at a luxury hotel
(Kolb, 2011; Friedmann, 2012). Even food is provided, so there’s absolutely no need make an effort,
which reveals the second feature of luxury. Luxury is provided in form of convenience, tourists don’t
need to bring any camping gear with them and when they arrive everything is already set-up, so they
can start enjoying their glamping holiday right away. The concept of glamping represents high
expectations and demand of tourists nowadays, they are so used to luxury amenities at home that
they want to take them with them and expect the same degree of luxury while away (Kolb, 2011; Mühl,
2013).
The description of glamping by the media is coherent, as both German and English journalists identify
nature and luxury as the main features of glamping. All of them expose the variety of accommodation
types. Generally glamping is described in a similar way, even though some make it sound more
luxurious, such as Friedmann (2012) and Penn (2009) even gives it a rather negative notion by
describing it as “over the top-luxury”.
4.2 Notion of glamping as sustainable tourism
Some authors have selected a heading that makes readers immediately associate glamping with
sustainability, such as the heading used by Kolb (2011) “glamping is something for luxury-ecological
people”, “Glamping structures offer eco-friendly benefits” and “7 Sustainable glamping trips around
the globe” (McCarthy, 2009). As stated by Schroeder and Hahn (2010) the media has the power to
decide which issues to stress on and clearly these three authors chose to highlight glamping as being
ecological. Themes identified related to sustainability are conservation and appreciation of nature,
sustainable measures, use of local resources and limited capacity, which are analyzed in the following.
McCarthy (2009) describes different glamping trips in her article, which are all sustainable campsites,
clearly presenting the audience the image of glamping as being sustainable. A few articles are
consistent with the concept of environmental sustainability, stating that glamping is eco-friendly,
giving different arguments for this. One factor is demand, consumers who go glamping are living an
eco-friendly lifestyle and also want to do so during their holidays. Many authors claim that glamping
includes conservation of nature, respect for the environment and appreciation of nature, which is an
important theme within environmental sustainability literature (Bowen and Clarke, 2009; Saarinen,
25
2006). The ease of relocating without destruction/construction is just one environmentally friendly
component of Pacific Domes’ products.
“We promote all the natural assets getting integrated—trees, rocks—instead of moving them”
(Kleinschmidt, 2011).
Dedication to respecting the environment and a policy of nonintrusive, conservancy-driven marine and
land adventures for guests is another important issue presented (Conlin, 2008). The most common
feature is eco-friendly or sustainable measures implemented at glamping sites, which confirms
findings by Walter and Camino (2014). Examples provided are recycling, renewable energy resources,
composting, solar powered lanterns and rainwater is collected and reused (Conlin, 2008; Kolb, 2011;
McCarthy, 2009). The majority of authors use this argument to support the eco-friendliness of
glamping. Kleinschmidt (2011) argues that sustainable measures, such as power saving and
encouragement to use covers several times are inclined, as well as composting toilets, using a wind
generator and solar panels (Conlin, 2008). The argument of sustainable measures was also mentioned
by Schneider (2014) when asked about whether glamping is sustainable. Moreover some glamping
facilities, make use of local resources, which is in line with the concept of sustainable tourism, as
addressed by Bowen and Clarke (2009) and Saarinen (2006). Examples provided by the media are
glamping suppliers growing their own food, which is then provided to tourists (Conlin, 2008). There’s
even glamping facilities which are made of local resources, such as the Tree Hotel in Sweden.
Kleinschmidt (2011) draws attention to the design and construction of tents or other lodges, which
make use of natural and sustainable resources, as well as using little space on the ground, as to destroy
as little nature as possible. Only one author addresses the concept of limited capacity, which Hannam
and Knox (2010) identify as an important tool to achieve sustainability, namely that
„EcoCamp Patagonia, which opened in 2000, had reached its maximum capacity
(recommended by ecotourism codes) of 30 guests“ (Kleinschmidt, 2011).
Due to the link of sustainability and authenticity glamping is analyzed as an authentic activity. A few
themes have been identified which support the literature about experience economy (Yeoman, 2008).
Firstly intangible products are part of the experience economy which comprises ecological awareness,
the consumption of organic products and engagement with nature through activities, such as horseriding, kayaking, fishing, mountain-biking or hiking, which glamping suppliers offer. It is through these
activities that people experience and create meaning in their lives. In addition, glampsites are to a
lesser or greater extend surrounded by nature and animals, which can be referred to as having real
and meaningful experiences, which is part of the concept of experience economy. Another aspect
comprises activities which don’t necessarily match people’s usual activities. This matches with a phrase
26
by one author that “urban people are seeking rural lives” (Strerath, 2012), which discloses that people
are desiring the unknown or unusual, maybe with the purpose of having a genuine and meaningful life.
There’s however also a few authors who explicitly question the sustainability and authenticity of the
concept. The main argument exposed is the incompatibility of nature and luxury, which can be further
sub-divided into the category of inauthenticity or illusion, and the distance travelled to the glamping
provider. Even though Conlin (2008) uses terms as ‘green vacation’ and ‘eco-friendly idea’ to refer to
glamping, she draws attention to the ambiguity of the luxury and sustainability of glamping; “Nature
on a silver-plate”. She argues that despite the luxury amenities glamping can still be considered good
for the environment. McCarthy is even more critical towards the sustainability of the concept, claiming
it to be “eco-tourism without eco-tourism” (McCarthy, 2009). The latter quote is an attempt to point
out the fakeness and deceit of glamping, people want to believe and make themselves feel better by
telling it to be sustainable but the truth behind it is that it is not. Generally nature is commonly
associated with authenticity, as illustrated by (). One author questions the authenticity of glamping,
describing it as ‘nature on silver plate’ (Conlin, 2008), which is a metaphor highlighting the ambiguity
of nature and luxury, as well as the convenience aspect of it. It can be understood as nature delivered
in the best and most convenient way possible, not having to worry about anything, thereby reducing
or eliminating the authenticity of being in nature. Similarly another author claims glamping is “ecotourism without eco-tourism” (Kleinschmidt, 2011), another one as the concept of being in nature
without having to engage with it (Becker, 2013) and even more negative as falsification of nature
experience and not authentic nature experience.
„[…] that the luxury falsificates the nature experience“ (Becker, 2013). “Campers want to be
close to nature, glampers believe to want the same, but they don’t want to be
harassed/bothered by it. They want nature to be their scenery, as wallpaper for looking outside
out their five-star-world […]”(Becker, 2013).
Mühl (2013) explicitly states that the concept of glamping is nothing but an illusion, she doesn’t believe
that one can be in nature with all the luxury. In her opinion the terms simplicity and luxury, as part of
the concept of glamping, are far from compatible but rather illusionary, it claims to be something that
it’s not. She compares it to looking at nature behind a glass window. Which implies that glampers can
see the nature but they don’t interact with it. These statements/claims reveal a rather critical attitude
towards glamping and question the authenticity of it. They refer to glamping as something rather
shallow or fake, because consumers only get to see the façade of nature, it’s the idea that they like but
in reality they don’t want to deal with it. One could even go as far as saying that it makes them feel
better thinking that they’re spending their holiday in a sustainable way. These phrases contradict with
27
the concept of authenticity as strive for meaning through purchasing intangible products and having
real experiences, but rather present it as shallow and fake, which is the exact opposite. Thus glamping
cannot be considered an authentic or sustainable experience.
A more specific example proving that the sustainability of the concept is rather questionable is the
distance travelled to the glampsites. Glamping is only sustainable if undertaken within one’s home
country and not abroad (Becker, 2013). Schneider (2014) argued during the interview that glamping is
sustainable because the majority of customers travel by car instead of airplane, since they don’t travel
great distances. Furthermore glampers usually don’t take their campervans with them, so no gas
emissions which pollute the environment are caused (Schneider, 2014). However this only reflects his
point of view and might not be true for all people going glamping, which is why it is a critical point.
A few small differences between the German and English media were noticed. A striking difference is
the publication date; English articles were published between 2008 and 2011, whereas Germans were
only published much later between 2011 and 2013. Becker (2013) and Mühl (2013) are the ones
criticizing the concept the strongest, whereas Kleinschmidt (2011) and McCarthy (2009) are those, who
present glamping in the most positive manner. This indicates a difference between German, the former
ones, and English, the latter ones, representation of glamping by the media.
28
5. Conclusion
5.1 Summary of findings
Regarding the first research question findings are very much in line with existing literature dealing with
glamping, according to which glamping can be described as a growing trend in tourism, which has
developed from a micro- to a macro-trend. There is a broad range of accommodation types in
glamping, such as tepees, yurts, caravans, tents, treehouses, just to name a few. The main idea of the
concept is the combination of nature, which is associated with great outdoors, simplicity, freedom,
activities in nature, location in nature, and luxury, comprising indoor conveniences, high quality,
furniture, having same luxury as at home, and not having to make any effort. There is however no clear
definition of glamping, but it is rather a complex concept, as the variety of accommodation types
highlights. The answer to the second research question is that the media doesn’t present a coherent
image of glamping. Some authors claim that glamping is a sustainable concept, whereas others
disagree, stating it to be illusionary or fake. Arguments to support the sustainability of glamping, are
concern for environment, sustainable measures at campsite, making use of natural resources or even
limited capacity of tourists allowed at campsite, which are consistent with theory of sustainable
tourism (Saarinen, 2006, Bowen and Clarke, 2009, Hannam and Knox, 2010). Nevertheless there is also
a number of arguments why glamping and sustainability are incompatible. The concept of glamping is
quite ambiguous and questioned by some authors or even claimed not to be authentic and illusionary
due to the luxury aspect. As the goal of environmental sustainability is to make optimal use of the
environmental resources, maintaining ecological processes and helping conserve natural heritage of
biodiversity (Bowen and Clarke, 2009) the concept is only partly in line with these objectives. However
in reality it is a rather shallow or fake concept, one of the problems being the lack of standards and a
clear definition, some glamping sites might be sustainable to a certain extent but in general it cannot
neither be considered sustainable nor authentic. It seems that the sustainability aspect is used as a
promotional tool, since the media has a great indirect power of influencing people’s perceptions, due
to the great importance attached to it nowadays (Hjalager, 1997). The previously provided answers
serve as a means to answer the overall research question of the project. Based on theory presented
glamping cannot be seen as an innovation in sustainable tourism. However it can be seen as an
innovative concept, as traditional camping tent has been improved into a more luxurious type of tent,
or even changed/transformed into a cabin, lodge or tree-house. The facilities are not entirely new
consumers perceive them as such due to the design and luxurious interior, which is according to
Hjalager (1998) a distinct feature of a product innovation. Glamping is not an innovation within
sustainable tourism, as has been demonstrated it doesn’t lead to sustainability or only to a small
29
degree. For glamping to become sustainable there would need to be some general standards that all
glamping sites implement, such as sustainable measures, limited capacity, making use of local
resources and mood of transportation used.
Outcomes of this project add information to the small amount of literature available on glamping, as
a type of rural tourism (Boscobonik, Bourquard, 2013) and motivations behind it (Sakacova, 2013).
Findings of this project expose the representation of glamping by the media, which has not previously
been addressed. In contrast to literature available, this project draws attention to the negative
attributes of the concept. Besides, the difference between the media presentation of English and
German articles about glamping are exposed. A striking difference is the publication date; English
articles were published between 2008 and 2011, whereas Germans were only published much later
between 2011 and 2013. An explanation could be that glamping started as a micro-trend in an English
speaking country and only much later became a macro-trend gaining attention in Germany. In addition,
it seems that German authors are more critical towards the concept and English are more positive.
Since what is presented by media is always the result of a number of choices, it can be concluded that
the German and English media decided to emphasize different aspects of the concept of glamping
because their audiences differ (Schneider and Hahn, 2010). Hjalager (1997) mentioned that sustainable
tourism is sometimes abused, which findings of this project confirm. The media indirectly promotes
glamping as sustainable type of vacationing, even though it has been revealed that this is not true or
at least not entirely. This could be explained with the audience’s importance attached to sustainable
tourism. German and English audiences Fare likely to represent different societal trends and consumer
behavior. It is however out of scope of this project to evaluate on these differences and thus requires
further research.
5.2 Future research
The time frame didn’t allow for a detailed analysis of differences and similarities of written text in
English and German language. Therefore further research could investigate in these factors and reveal
underlying reasons for those differences and/or similarities between written material, highlighting the
fact that journalists in different countries have different audiences and aim at certain aspects, which
might vary between one another.
This project reflects only one perspective towards the subject of glamping and environmental
sustainability through autonomous agents in tourism. Therefore would it be interesting to conduct
further research on induced agents, such as tour operators and DMO’s to see how they present
glamping and if they use the sustainable factor to promote the concept of glamping.
30
Another possibility for future research is to extend on this study by exploring different perspectives on
the phenomenon, glampers themselves and suppliers of glamping, to find out if their attitudes are in
line with or contradict with the media’s opinion. Thereby a broader and more complex view on the
phenomenon of glamping and environmental sustainability could be revealed.
31
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OL. I – INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TOURISM & MANAGEMENT STUDIES –ALGARVE 2011
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Appendix
I Interview Klaus Schneider from Vacanceselect on 4 th April, 2014
Was denken Sie was zum glamping Trend geführt hat?
Vor allem dieses durchsetzen von Mietunterkünften auf Campingplätzen, also das normale Dauer
Camping und das Camping mit dem eigenen Zelt, rückläufig is, und das die Campingplätze immer mehr
Unterkünfte zum Mieten anbieten und damit neue Zielgruppen erreichen, zum einen Leute, die keine
eigene Campingausrüstung haben und Familien, die sonst Ferienhaus oder Hotel buchen, eben andere
Unterkünfte benutzen und diese Form erst entdeckt haben...weil sie dort die Natur näher haben, weil
die Kinder draußen sind, weil man trotz des Luxus noch das Natur Erlebnis hat, in diesem Zuge wuchs
auf campingplatzen in Italien, Kroatien, Spanien, und dann kam der Wunsch der Kunden nach
luxuriöseren Unterkünften, die nich nur das normale mobilheim beinhalten, sondern mehr Lifestyle
haben bei uns kam das so das Kunden sagten sie möchten mehr Zeltflair, keine Kasten Unterkünfte,
unsere Zelt Kunden haben gesagt macht doch mach mal was mit Badezimmer und unsere mobilheim
Kunden sagten sie hätten gerne mehr Zelt Charakter und deshalb kam es dazu und dann is das eben
so eingeschlagen vor 5 Jahren, deshalb haben wir erst die glampingzelte entwickelt aufgrund von
Kunden Vorschlägen, jedes Jahr mussten wir mehr entwickeln, Unterkünfte ausmustern, Mobilheime
oder so und wenn wir was erneuern kommen meistens glampingzelte dahin, weil das immer mehr
gebucht wird, egal ob der Kunde vorher gar keim Camper war, Mobilheim oder ein Zelt hatte, die
kommen also aus allen Richtungen, die Kunden.
Und sie würden sagen, das fing vor 5 Jahren an?
Also bei uns fing das da an, aber wir haben glamping ja nich erfunden, das gibts ja schon länger, das
gabs ja in Südafrika bei den Safaris schon immer, USA, England, da gabs schon länger sowas, so feine
kleine Sachen im Wald, ganz exklusiv. Wir haben das auch erst gar nich glamping genannt, wir haben
das Lodgezelt und lodge suite genannt und als wir gemerkt das der Kunde und die Presse unter
glamping ganz viel assoziiert haben wir das natürlich auch glamping genannt und haben von diesem
lifestelyle trend der ganz stark in den Medien is profitiert. Wir hatten ja schon die Kunden dafür und
haben dann davon nochmal ganz stark profitiert.
Würden sie glamping als Innovation im Tourismus bezeichnen?
Ja erstens weil die Unterkünfte tatsächlich neu sind, weil die Zelte, die es bei uns und inzwischen auch
bei Mitbewerbern gibt, die gab es vorher nich, sondern nur ganz vereinzelt in Afrika bei Safaris,
Tansania, Kenia, das gabs ja vorher in Europa nich, also die Unterkunft is neu. Inzwischen haben wir
1.1oo davon auf 90 Campingplätzen und auch das Lebensgefühl was dahinter steckt gabs natürlich so
ansatzweise durch die Safaris, aber nich so das ich sag ich kann meinen ganz normalen Urlaub in
Europa, Italien zB kann ich mit nem Luxuszelt Gefühl, also der Luxus und Camper und Naturgefühl, also
vom Empfinden her vom Urlaubsgefühl auf jeden Fall etwas Neues.
Und sehen sie irgendwelche Kritikpunkte am glamping?
Also ich sehe überhaupt keine, aber wir sind natürlich auch extrem durch glamping gewachsen, nich in
der Menge aber in der Wahrnehmung. Ich seh es positiv für normale Camper und Campingplätze, weil
es neue Zielgruppen erschließt, weil sie damit auch Leute auf Campingplätze kriegen, die diese
Vorurteile haben, die vorher nich campen gegangen sind...und auch die anderen Camper, die daneben
stehen finden das ok, aber es gibt natürlich auch welche die sagen, dass is kein campen mehr, kann ich
natürlich auch verstehen. Es gibt eigentlich auch keine Ghettos und nie Probleme, es steht auch mal n
backpacker mit seinem kleinen Zelt daneben, der denkt sich in 10 Jahren, wenn ich Familie hab mach
ich das vielleicht auch mal, genau wie Dauer Camper das beißt sich auch nur manchmal...ich sehs
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absolut positiv, neue Zielgruppen, ne schöne Mischung und für die Campingplätze selber und uns
natürlich is es eine unglaublich wichtige Erlösquelle, weil der normale Camper, Dauer Camping wird
immer weniger.
Und denken sie, dass glamping Camping irgendwann ersetzen wird?
Das wird beides auf jeden Fall weiterhin existieren und für mich is glamping auch keine Konkurrenz,
sondern ein kleiner und bleibt auch ein kleiner Teil von der ganzen Camping Landschaft. Es is genau
wie Wohnmobile, kleine Zelte, Dauercamper, teilweise gibt’s ja sogar Hotels auf Campingplätzen,
glamping is für mich ein kleiner, vielleicht irgendwann mal größerer, Teil der Camping Landschaft. Sie
können ja auch fast jeden Glampingplatz auch nochmal selber mit dem Wohnmobil anreisen, das eine
schließt das andere ja nich aus.
Is glamping ihrer Meinung nach nachhaltig und gut für die Umwelt?
Wir arbeiten mit einem verband, eco-camping, daran, dass wir das genauer erforschen, das die
Unterkünfte nachhaltig produziert werden, es is nich nachhaltiger als normales Camping. Ich bin sicher,
dass es nachhaltiger als viele andere urlaubsformen is, weil die meisten Kunden reisen mit dem Auto
an. Unser Kunde kommt aus Stuttgart oder, der reist mit dem Auto an nach Ungarn zum Gardasee oder
Italien und fliegt also keine tausende Kilometer und die meisten Campingplätze sind von eco zertifiziert
und machen selbst viel, machens aus Überzeugung und auch weil sie umweltgerechtes verhalten,
gepflegte Landschaft, möglichst verkehrsarm, sehr viele sind verkehrsberuhigt dass müssen die aus
eigenem Interesse machen, weil der Kunde das beim Camping besonders wahrnimmt und fordert,…
also der Kunde will ja auch ne heile Natur im Rahmen der Bestimmungen und daher hat der
Campingplatz und wir n Interesse daran und fast jeder Campingplatz mit dem wir arbeiten bietet sehr
viel an, Müll Trennung, Solarnuztung, es gibt Umwelt Bildung und da is glamping nich besser oder
schlechter als die andere Formen. Man kann sagen glamper sparen Benzin, weil er kein Wohnwagen
mitbringt, weil er mit dem Auto fährt, aber das würd ich mal sagen, das is dann sehr kleinlich, insgesamt
is glamping nich mehr oder weniger umweltfreundlich als normales Camping.
Denken Sie, das der glamper vor Ort mehr Luxus und mehr Strom verbraucht als der normale
camper?
Nich unbedingt, also unsere glampingunterkünfte die haben bisschen Strom, Gasflasche zum Kochen,
Heizung haben wir gar nich, verbraucht ungefähr so viel wie n Wohnmobil oder Wohnwagen. Also der
Verbrauch is nich höher, das einzige was wir wissen das is in der natur der Sache in diesem Luxus
Angebot, dass die Kunden mehr konsumieren vor Ort, die gehen mehr essen im Camping Restaurant,
was natürlich gut fürs Restaurant is, die kochen nich viel selber und das die meistens mit dem eigenen
Auto kommen. Wir versuchen, dass mehr Kunden mit der Bahn anreisen, aber eigentlich is es wie wenn
sie mit dem Wohnwagen oder Wohnmobil anreisen, nur das sie mit dem Auto weniger Sprit und Zeit
brauchen, einige kommen auch mit dem Flugzeug, das is natürlich nich so gut.
Empfehlen sie ihren Kunden auch mit dem Auto oder Zug anzureisen?
Mit dem Auto brauchen wir nich empfehlen, weil das sowieso alle machen. Wir haben früher mal
unterstützt mit dem Flugzeug anzureisen, aber das machen wir aus dem Umwelt Gedanken nich mehr
so aktiv. Wir haben ich schätze mal so 1% der Kunden reisen mit Flugzeug an, Sardinien zum Beispiel
is ne Destination, wo man hinfliegt, mit dem Zug leider nur 0.5%, dass versuchen wir jetzt zu
verstärken, deswegen arbeiten mit dem Verband eco Camping zusammen. Ich versuch jetzt selber mal
mit der Familie, dass wir selber son mobilheim Urlaub machen, die normale Durchschnittsfamilie fährt
mit dem Auto.
Würden sie glamping als authentisches Natur Erlebnis bezeichnen?
Das is en bisschen relativ, es gibt sehr kleine Campingplätze, zum Beispiel zwei in Deutschland, wir
nennen es Naturglamping, Da is es tatsächlich so sie haben zwei glampingzelte im Wald, sie haben zwei
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Badezimmer, das is an nem kleinen See im Wald, das is extrem Natur und das is authentisch, dann
gibts exklusiveres glamping, wo sie im Wald oder in der Natur stehen sie natürlich immer, aber wo
natürlich drumherum auch mehr Unterkünfte sind und mehr Luxus, authentisch is es schon noch wenn
sie am Gardasee stehen unter Olivenbäumen, aber dann das is dann schon mehr Luxus, ne Mischung
aus Parkanlange und Natur Camping, das ia auch. Vielleicht um noch zu der früheren frage zurück
zukommen, das is so das einzige, was uns bisschen stört es is noch nich so klar definiert , es gibt
einfaches glamping , es gibt glamping auf einem kleinen Campingplatz ganz einfach, auch in Italien
haben wir sowas, in der Toskana und es gibt schon die sehr exklusiven Campingplätze die schon fast
Hotel Charakter haben, wo es auch noch Natur is, aber natürlich nen anderen Charakter hat und es
gibt da keine klaren Abstufungen, weil es Trittbrettfahrer gibt, die einfach irgendwas aufstellen und
ich glaub schon, dass es paar Kriterien geben muss, damit es glamping is.
Denken sie, dass der Luxus Aspekt das Natur Erlebnis hindert?
Nein, überhaupt nich, weil die Leute denen dieser Luxus Aspekt am glamping so wichtig is, die würden
sonst n Club Urlaub machen oder ins Ferienhaus, und da haben sie in der Regel noch weniger Natur
und die kommen erst über die luxusschiene, man hört die Vögel zwitschern, man macht morgens die
Tür auf und is in der Natur. Also es is schon was anderes, und die Kinder, die Kinder sind sofort draußen
und das is eigentlich so wir kriegen damit Leute, die sonst sagen ich geh doch nich aufn Campingplatz,
sondern Club Urlaub machen mit Bespaßung, die am Strand liegen oder in künstlicher Landschaft. Wir
kriegen Leute, die wir ohne den Luxus nie kriegen würden, wir haben ganz viele Kunden, sogar
Journalisten, die sagen Camping is nix für mich da hab ich schlechte Erfahrungen gemacht haben und
gerade in Deutschland gibt’s ja viele Vorurteile, viele Sendungen, die Camping, wird in den Medien
durch den Kakao gezogen, also da is glamping ein Schlüssel, das sehen auch Campingplätze die kein
glamping anbieten, glamping bringt neue Zielgruppen.
Haben sie auch das Gefühl, dass es im Moment sehr trendy/modern ist?
Ja das auf jeden Fall, wobei das natürlich auch in den Medien ist, Stichwort neue Zielgruppen, sie
kommen als relativ normaler Campingveranstalter, es sind ja bei allem immer noch Campingplätze die
wir vertreten, die kommen damit einfach in die Medien, wir haben viele Kunden die finden diese
Unterkünfte schön, die wissen gar nich, was glamping is, die buchen das einfach. Es is ein
Medienphenomen und wie jeder Trend is es in den Medien stärker als beim Verbraucher.
Denken sie das gerade dieser Widerspruch zwischen Camping, das Gefühl zur Natur und dieser Luxus,
dass es genau das is, was Glamping so attraktiv is?
Das kann sein dieser Reiz, das merken wir immer wenn die Leute diese Loge Suite im Safaristil sehen,
das is das schönste glamping Produkt find ich. Das kann sein dieser Widerspruch, die Badewanne im
safaristil, is das wirklich fließend Wasser, dass kann sein dieser Widerspruch es kann sein, dass das die
Leute reizt diese Kombination.
Main findings from interview
 Lack of clear definition of glamping
 Glamping as sustainable as camping, definitely better for the environment than other types
of vacationing, due to the limited amount of energy used at a campsite and sustainable
methods, such as recycling and using solar energy. In addition the way to the destination is
mostly undertaken by car, which is much more eco-friendly compared to other modes of
transportation.
 Through glamping new target groups can be reached, such as people who have never been
camping in their lives or have had bad experiences with it and families who used to undertake
other types of holidays, who are particularly attracted by the natural aspect of glamping.
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 This illustrates how broad the range of customers is that glamping caters for; young and old
people, couples and families.
 Great awareness of glamping due to publicity through media, which suppliers such as
Vacanceselect, have and still are greatly benefiting from. The media has had an impact in such
a way that glamping is perceived as trendy type of holiday, which makes people curious and
want to go glamping.
II Mind map
III Media articles
Article 1 Kleinschmidt (2011) Glamping structures offer eco-friendly benefits
Inside, Whitepod’s 15 geodesic structures from Pacific Domes are equipped with wood-burning stoves,
organic luxury bedding and full-service bathrooms.
EcoCamp Patagonia, which opened in 2000, had reached its maximum capacity (recommended by
ecotourism codes) of 30 guests. In August, the Chilean eco-hotel decided to relocate 20,000 feet up
the hill in the Torres del Paine National Park. The move was expected to be complete by Oct.1—thanks
to the makeup of its accommodations: 14 fabric domes.
The ease of relocating without destruction/construction is just one environmentally friendly
component of Pacific Domes’ products. Domes require 30 percent less energy to circulate air and
maintain even temperatures better than conventional buildings, and the high volume-to-surface-area
ratio requires less building materials to enclose more space.
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Benefits to the ecosystem extend to the tent manufacturing process. Pacific Yurts, for example, uses
lumber from sustainable forests, recycles sawdust and wood trim pieces, hand finishes the wood
frames to avoid air pollution from sprayers and encourages customers to return used side and top
covers for recycling.
The less-is-more approach works on multiple levels. “The tent footprint on the ground is very small;
and when we get involved with design layout, we promote all the natural assets getting integrated—
trees, rocks—instead of moving them,” says Paul Zway, owner of Exclusive Tents. “Marry your natural
environment with your living space.”
Article 2 McCarthy (2009) A Guide to Glamping: 7 Sustainable Romps around the
Globe
Getting back to nature – same thing as roughing it? If you find yourself loathe to ditch your oh-so-selfindulgent rituals like “warmth”, “being clean” or “eating actual food” you’ll be delighted to pitch in
with a hot new approach to the great outdoors – glamping. Luxury without ostentation, eco-tourism
without eco-terrorism – and everything catered for so you can enjoy your surroundings without
worrying if you’ll survive the night in them.
Solar-powered lighting, rainwater reuse and an organic menu makeCanvas Chic an eco-friendly
lodging, while antique décor, four-poster beds and oriental rugs make it luxurious. Located along the
Ardeche River gorge in the Rhone-Alps region, the scenery is awe-inspiring.
At Ecocamp Patagonia in Chile, you can stay in domes that resemble the ancient dwellings of the
native Kaweskar and soak in the stunning landscape of Torres del Paine National Park with activities
like hiking, horseback riding and kayaking.
Looking for something a little closer to home? Just an hour outside San Francisco, Costanoa is set in
the heart of nature among 30,000 acres of protected wilderness. Their spacious canvas bungalows
seem more like cabins than tents with queen beds, windows and hardwood floors. (Image via Jazz
Violin)
Built above the ground to catch the breeze off Jervis Bay, the safari style tents at Paperbark Camp in
Australia are extravagant and eco-friendly, with spacious verandas, solar-powered lighting, insect
screening and hardwood floors. Plus, guests can explore the bay and surrounding forest with
complimentary canoes and bikes.
At Clayoquot Wilderness Resort, tents are equipped with their own fireplace, cozy bed, antique
dresser and composting toilet. This stunning destination on Vancouver Island provides plenty of
activities for its guests with library, lounge, spa, dining and games tents.
The Resort at Paws Up is nestled along the beautiful Blackfoot River in Montana. Lavish tents with
king beds, stylish wall art and a personal butler make for a pampered stay, while activities like
horseback riding and mountain biking cater to your adventurous side.
Not exotic enough for your seasoned taste? Take a journey into the Gobi Desert and stay at
the Three Camel Lodge. Their deluxe gers feature wood stoves, hand-painted furniture and a king bed.
Plus, they come stocked with Mongolian-style bathrobes, felt slippers and locally produced toiletries.
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Article 3 Conlin (2008) Camping? Yes. Roughing It? Not Quite.
IF the eco-friendly idea of falling asleep under the stars and roasting marshmallows around a campfire
appeals to you, but the reality of pitching a tent and sleeping on bumpy ground does not, glamping,
the new term being used for upscale — or glamorous — camping, could be your ideal green vacation.
Though dismissed by hard-core leave-no-trace campers (who don’t so much as move a rock for fear of
affecting the area), glamping can still be an environmentally sound outdoor experience, even if it does
include creature comforts (like not having too many creatures inside your tent). And though it is a
relatively new trend in the United States and Europe, with its origins harking back to Africa and
even Thailand, glamping sites are starting to pop up everywhere, with prepitched tents, tepees and
yurts rising out of the landscape like sailboats on an ocean.
“Think of it like the hip hotels of camping,” said Jonathan Knight, the author of “Cool Camping,” a 2006
book that rated campsites in England by their amenities, locations and facilities, and quickly became
so popular (selling second only to the “Good Pub Guide”) that there are now editions
on Wales, Scotland and France, with planned guides on Europe and Kids (www.coolcamping.co.uk). “I
wanted to correct the misconception that camping is still about leaking tents,” Mr. Knight said.
Guests of Elizabeth Tom and Alan Berry at Cornish Tipi Holidays (www.cornishtipiholidays.co.uk) need
bring only their food, a towel and bedding from home, since everything else is provided in their 40
cotton-canvas tepees — from lanterns and Turkish rugs to a camp stove, kitchen utensils and a cooler.
“We are not about giving people a trowel to dig a latrine and a compass to survive,” said Ms. Tom, who
with her husband runs the 16-acre campsite based in Cornwall, England.
“We want our guests to experience traditional camping like in the 30s, 40s and 50s, but in an accessible
way,” she said. To that end, she and her husband have a stocked spring lake where campers can fish
for rainbow trout and then cook it on a skillet over a fire pit.
The camp has no electricity, no cellphone coverage and no Wi-Fi. It does have solar panels for hot
showers, low-volume lavatories (one composting toilet) and a wind generator. The tepees come in
three sizes, the largest fitting up to eight people. Prices start at £275, about $488, at $1.82 to the
pound, for two nights for a medium tent that sleeps two to three people.
At Mille Étoiles, a campsite with 14 yurts in the Rhône-Alpes region of France overlooking the dramatic
Ardèche River gorge, the tents are built on oak and ash platforms and furnished (four-poster beds,
oriental rugs, antiques) so guests feel, said Lodewijk van den Belt, one of the owners, “like you are in
an Edwardian safari tent.”
Mr. van den Belt and his wife, Ruth Lawson, avid campers, founded Canvas Chic (www.canvaschic.com,
though the Web site is being revised) in 2006, looking for a change from their hectic existences
in London. “We loved the idea of a barefoot luxury project,” Mr. van den Belt said of their campsite.
Paths are lighted with solar-powered lanterns and candles, rainwater is collected and reused, recycling
is standard, and the food served in the small restaurant (there are four communal cooking tents with
equipment provided) is organically grown. A minimum three-night stay starts at £255.
On the California coast an hour south of San Francisco is Costanoa (www.costanoa.com), a lodge and
camp surrounded by 30,000 acres of state parks and wildlife preserves, visitors would be hard-pressed
to call their 76 tented bungalows “tents.” They are like stand-alone rooms with canvas walls and
ceilings, hardwood floors and made-up beds with heated mattress pads (“So we can save energy by
keeping the bungalow’s heat lower,” said Trevor Bridge, Costanoa’s general manager.)
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While guests can choose to stay in the lodge or in a cabin, Mr. Bridge says the bungalows are sold out
every summer and are popular even through the autumn (there are three comfort stations with
bathrooms and showers). Campers can cook their own food on grilling stations throughout the
campsite (picnic food and coal are available at the general store), or eat meals at the restaurant. There
are an outdoor hot tub and a 24-hour dry sauna and spa. Weekend rates for a tented bungalow that
can sleep three starts at $115.
To get the ultimate glamping experience, consider a visit to either the Clayoquot Wilderness Resort
(www.wildretreat.com) on Vancouver Island in the Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Reserve in British
Columbia, or the Resort at Paws Up (www.pawsup.com) in Montana. Both have elegantly furnished
tents, which could lure even the most squeamish camper, but the resort is also dedicated to respecting
the environment.
At Clayoquot, which calls itself a Super Natural Adventure, tents are connected by cedar boardwalks
and have remote-controlled propane fireplaces, composting toilets, oil lamps and even antique
dressers. There are also a games tent, a library tent, dining tents, lounge tents and a spa tent, if your
muscles hurt after a day of fishing for coho salmon.
Clayoquot also has a comprehensive recycling program, organic gardens, gravity-fed turbines that
generate fuel-less electricity and hot water, a waste composting system, and a policy of nonintrusive,
conservancy-driven marine and land adventures for guests — including a five-year plan to restore 6.4
kilometers (about four miles) of critical salmon-spawning habitats. The minimum stay is three nights
for 4,750 Canadian dollars a person ($4,474, at 1.09 Canadian dollars to the U.S. dollar).
At Paws Up, a ranch resort with horseback riding, mountain biking and fly-fishing, among other
activities, campers can pass up the cabins and stay in Tent City or in one of the newly built tents at
River Camp on the Blackfoot River, complete with king-sized beds and art on the walls, a personal
butler and private master bath (though it is a short walk away). Rates start at $695 per night for two
but include three meals a day.
“We call it nature on a silver plate,” Terre Short, Paws Up’s general manager, said. “I think glamping
has really hit its stride this summer as the ultimate connect with nature.”
A version of this article appeared in print on September 14, 2008, on page TR4 of the New York
edition with the headline: Camping? Yes. Roughing It? Not Quite..
Article 4 Penn (2009) Glamping: Its Time Is Coming
Europeans love touring churches and museums, but when it comes to vacations, Americans have
always loved the great outdoors. Fishing, camping and just driving around are great American
pastimes.
But now, welcome to the early stages of the era of "glamping" -- glamorous camping. It's a visit to the
outdoors, but updated and upscale. While it's just starting to take off, it's likely to grow significantly
based on emerging travel and vacation trends.
While glamping is sometimes caricatured as over-the-top luxury (think butlers with bug spray), its real
potential is in making "roughing it" a little less rough but still affordable. At the moment, the very highend dude ranches are still conspicuous consumption. But camping with trimmings -- tents with heaters,
eco-outhouses, showers hidden around the corner -- has tremendous appeal. It's outdoorsy, but with
a good mix of the comforts of an active resort. The business people who provide these experiences
get to skip building a big hotel, and put up "mobile rooms" instead. Meanwhile, glampers get a feeling
of being close to nature, with a full complement of activities like hiking, fly-fishing and kayaking.
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There has been a spate of articles recently about the green shoots of glamping, even proposing
standards for the facilities. Having a reasonably priced vacation that is certified as ecologically sound - one that honors nature without disturbing it -- could gain real traction.
Of course, the glamour of the outdoors has started at the top, with First Glamper. Teddy Roosevelt's
expeditions seared the public's imagination. Our more modern presidents have had Western ranches
and Maine seaside compounds. Sure, some have preferred Martha's Vineyard, but they all now have
Camp David at their disposal -- which is nothing but glamping taken to the extreme, with its luxury
"cabins" and even a Secret Service-run gift shop.
When asked their choice of vacations, most Americans say they prefer the outdoors, and they have
turned recreational fishing into a $40 billion industry. With the cost of a European trip beyond the
reach of many -- even with the strengthened dollar -- Americans are turning inward with so-called
"staycations." Then on top of the economic challenges, swine flu has discouraged vacations to less
expensive and more crowded destinations, hitting Mexico the hardest. All told, the great American
outdoors has never looked so good to U.S. travelers.
The statistics bear this out. Outdoor equipment store REI reports sales of family tents are up by 20%.
Ohio State Parks data from mid-July show camping has increased by over 15% from last year, and
getaway rentals -- ranging from platform tents to camper cabins -- also are up by almost 5%.
Nationally, campground reservations in the first six months of 2009 rose 8% over last year. In fact,
Yellowstone Park had a record number of visitors in July, with over 900,000, up from about 800,000 in
July 2008. The sale of fishing licenses nationwide is up 7% this year.
Among Americans, European travel is down over 9%, and Asia and Mexico are down double-digits.
South America has held steady, while African and Middle Eastern destinations are up, but off a low
base of numbers of travelers. That leaves a lot of Americans who used to go overseas for their vacations
now looking to stay right here.
So far, most glamping establishments, such as Clayoquot Wilderness Resort in Canada and Paws Up in
Montana, have been geared toward a very upscale clientele. But the big hospitality chains are missing
out on an opportunity to go mass market. Demand is growing for this kind of vacation.
Glamping sites have a lot of economic advantages over traditional hotels that could help build a
successful business model. Undeveloped, isolated land is often available at a fairly low cost. No need
to pour a foundation. Tents can be set up and moved around as needed. And hospitality expectations
are low -- with the exception of having to pull off a daily campfire and s'mores for dessert.
Liability for outdoors activities is an issue; glamping resorts now spend a lot of time getting disclaimers
from guests before virtually every activity. But it is always possible -- as with skiing -- to have a blackdiamond grading system so people can match their programs to their capabilities.
A company like Embassy Suites, which caters to family crowds, would be an ideal candidate to extend
glamping to the middle class. But all of the major chains could get involved. A Ritz Carlton or Four
Seasons glamping site could be the more upscale version -- picture rappelling into a hot tub -- but still
short of over-the-top. And ski resorts that are looking for a better summer season could convert to
glamping.
The microtrend of glamping is just in its infancy, but it brings together the environmental movement
with the American outdoors spirit at a time people are looking to vacation closer to home. And that
spells a trend looking for a good promoter to move it to the fast track.
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Article 5 Friedmann (2011) Gone Glamping
Once upon a time, driving a Winnebago to a national park was a fancy camping trip. But in 2012, it’s
nothing without a personal campsite butler.
Glamping, a portmanteau for “glamorous camping,” takes the great outdoors and adds indoor
conveniences like air conditioning, private bathrooms and king-sized beds. High-end tents have long
been a staple on safari trips in Africa and Asia, but the trend recently took hold in Europe and has made
its way to the United States in the past few years. It even was the centerpiece of a recentepisode of The
Real Housewives of Orange County.
Thankfully, the typical glamper isn’t a reality-TV housewife whining about mosquitoes. Ruben
Martinez, co-founder of travel site GlampingHub, says his customers are those who want to sleep
under the stars, without having to sleep on the ground. “Typically people who visit our site are people
who love the outdoors,” he says, “but they just don’t like the fact that they have to put up their own
tent, or smell like campfire, or eat hot dogs.” Martinez adds that families and older travelers tend to
gravitate toward the easier lifestyle of glamping, while still getting to experience nature. Many resorts
promote the eco-friendly aspects of glamping, using sustainable construction and serving locallysourced meals.
Glamping businesses range from small business owners with a single Mongolian-style yurt on their
properties to vast resorts with dozens of high-class sleeping options. The prices are just as varied,
though the appeal of many “glampsites” is their relatively low cost compared to a hotel. Some options
set travelers back only $50 a night. Others offer more glam than camp, costing thousands of dollars for
a multi-day stay, which can include horseback riding, skiing and fishing. And if guests want to camp like
Real Housewives, many glamping sites have on-site spas. Sure beats sleeping bags.
Article 6 Becker (2013) Glamour-Camping: Zeltlager für Besserverdiener
Kingsize-Bett statt Isomatte, Luxus-Zelte mit Polstergarnitur: Glamouröses Campen ist schon lange
ein Trend in den USA. Auch in Europa gibt es inzwischen einige "Glamping"-Plätze. Hier schlafen
Outdoor-Fans in Oldtimer-Vans, Deluxe-Tipis - oder mongolischen Jurten.
Muffige Schlafsäcke, schnarchende Nachbarn, schmuddeliges Gemeinschaftsklo - wie war man froh,
das hinter sich zu haben und statt in Papas Drei-Mann-Zelt in einem richtigen Hotel Urlaub zu machen.
Mit gedeckter Tafel statt Plastikgeschirr, mit Designerbad statt Gartenschlauchdusche. Doch
irgendwann fiel auf, dass dabei einiges verloren ging: Schlafen unterm Sternenhimmel, Naturerlebnis,
Lagerfeuer. Mit der Romantik eines Outdoor-Urlaubs kann auch das schönste Hotel nicht mithalten.
Wer trotzdem nicht in enge, undichte Zelte und auf harte Isomatten zurückkehren möchte, kann es
auch etwas luxuriöser haben. Als "Glamping" - eine Abkürzung für "glamouröses Camping" - wird der
Trend für wohlhabende Naturfreunde bezeichnet: Zelten mit Luxus-Touch. In den USA und
Großbritannien ist das nichts völlig Neues. Selbst Prominente wie Kate Moss und der Fernsehkoch
Jamie Oliver haben sich bereits als Glamper geoutet.
Beliebt ist Glamping vor allem bei einer Klientel, die zwar Luxus im Urlaub als selbstverständlich
betrachtet, sich aber politisch korrekt verhalten möchte und sich über die ökologischen Folgen eines
Fünf-Sterne-Urlaubs inklusive Fluganreise Gedanken macht.
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So wie manche Hollywoodstars - George Clooney zum Beispiel - von der Luxuskarosse auf Hybridautos
umsteigen, so propagieren die Glamping-Anhänger ein Zurück zur einfacheren Lebensweise. Der ÖkoAnsatz funktioniert natürlich nur, wenn man im eigenen Land glampt - wer dafür extra von Europa
nach Australien fliegt, vergrößert seinen ökologischen Fußabdruck gewaltig.
Verfälschtes Naturerlebnis
Hat man sich für einen Glamping-Urlaub entschieden, erwarten einen geräumige Zelte, in denen es
statt Isomatten richtige Betten gibt, statt Klappstühlen schöne Holzmöbel und oft auch fließendes
Wasser. Auf Websites wie goglamping.net und glampinggirl.com kann man sich ein Bild von dieser
Urlaubsform machen.
Mancher mag sich darüber mokieren, dass der Glamper sein Zelt nicht selbst aufstellt, geschweige
denn durch die Wildnis trägt und dass der Luxus das Naturerlebnis verfälscht. Wie auch immer man
dazu steht: Das Angebot wächst längst auch außerhalb Großbritanniens und der USA. In den
Niederlanden, wo Camping traditionell beliebt ist, gab es bereits erste eigene Glamping-Abteilungen
auf den großen Touristikmessen, berichtet Klaus Schneider, Geschäftsführer der deutschholländischen Vacanceselect Gruppe, die Camping auf gehobenem Niveau anbietet.
In Italien, Spanien, Portugal und Frankreich sind die Voraussetzungen für Glamping besser als
hierzulande: Es gibt mehr unberührte Natur und meist besseres Wetter. Vor allem die Franzosen haben
das Glampen für sich entdeckt. Im sonnigen Languedoc, in der ursprünglichen Dordogne oder im
wildromantischen Massif Central finden sich Dutzende von Glamping-Plätzen. Ob waschechte
Indianer-Tipis oder riesige Beduinenzelte, mittelalterliche Turnierzelte oder mongolische Jurten - die
Schlafstätten sind oft Monate im Voraus ausgebucht.
Zigeunerwagen mit Glasdach
Oder wie wäre es mit Urlaub im Roulotte, einem bunt bemalten Zigeunerwagen, durch dessen
gläsernes Dach man nächtens zum Firmament aufschaut? Der Anbieter Roulottes de Campagne hat sie
aktuell bereits auf mehr als 60 Plätzen in Frankreich aufgestellt - und kündigt weitere an.
Zu den ungewöhnlichen Wohnwägen gehören auch jene silberglänzenden Ostereier, denen selbst
Outdoor-Muffel die Bewunderung kaum verwehren können: die Camping-Vans der Marke Airstream.
Sie kosten ein Vermögen, was erst recht gilt, wenn es sich um Oldtimer handelt. Deshalb mietet man
sie besser. Tage- oder wochenweise geht das zum Beispiel im Belrepayre Airstream Trailer Park südlich
von Toulouse, der von zwei ehemalige Zirkusartisten geführt wird. Oder im Camp Silver auf der
niederländischen Insel Texel. Dort hat ein Designer die Wagen im Sixities-Stil ausgestattet.
In Deutschland sind die Ansätze noch zaghaft. Man muss lange suchen, bis man eine Einrichtung findet,
bei der sich hinter der Bezeichnung "luxuriöser Campingplatz" der wahre Geist des Glamping zeigt.
Im Ostseebad Dahme an der Lübecker Bucht versucht man, der Idee nahezukommen: Im Eurocamping
Zedano stehen sie tatsächlich, die Zeltbehausungen der Oberklasse. Fertig aufgestellt - was für den
Bezieher ja schon ein erster Luxus ist -, riesengroß und eingerichtet wie Meryl Streeps Farm in "Jenseits
von Afrika". "Luxus-Safari-Zelt" heißt dieser Camping-Palast mit Himmelbett, Badewanne und
sandfarbener Polstergarnitur. Und die Betten sind: frisch bezogen.
Zelte sind oft Notunterkünfte, ideal für Opfer von Erdbeben und Vulkanausbrüchen. Und für Urlauber
mit wenig Geld. So zumindest war das früher. Bodenständige Menschen aus Bottrop saßen in den
Ferien vor Zelten mit Deutschlandfahne, in der rechten Hand ein Dosenbier und in der linken, passend
zur braungebrannten Haut, ein verkohltes Würstchen. Wenn sie mal mussten, zogen sie sich ihre
Adiletten an und gingen aufs Gemeinschaftsklo.
46
Das Camping alter Schule wird nun mehr und mehr abgelöst von einem neuen Konzept: dem Glamping.
Was genauso albern ist, wie es sich anhört. Denn Glamping, das ist Camping mit Glamour. Einer der
Trends der Tourismusindustrie.
Der Camper spart Geld, der Glamper zahlt so viel wie in einem Luxushotel. Der Camper flieht vor der
industriellen Welt, der Glamper will sie mitnehmen, wohin er auch reist. Der Camper will der Natur
nah sein, der Glamper glaubt, das ebenfalls zu wollen, aber er will nicht von ihr belästigt werden. Er
will die Natur als Kulisse, als Fototapete für den Blick hinaus aus seiner Fünf-Sterne-Welt: aus dem
indianischen Tipi mit Kamin und Dusche, der mongolischen Jurte mit Kingsize-Bett und Holzfußboden,
dem Safarizelt mit Himmelbett und frei stehender Badewanne, Schmink-Kommode und ChesterfieldSofa.
Kurzum: Glamping verwässert das Konzept Camping. Wer auf Glamping steht, trinkt auch Weinschorle
und Kaffee ohne Koffein, raucht Light-Zigaretten und isst kalorienreduziertes Mousse au Chocolat.
Schlimmer noch: Er liest "Landlust", statt auf dem Land zu wohnen. Und: Er hat virtuellen Sex ohne
Körperkontakt.
Nun gut, das ist übertrieben. Aber nach dem Akt, den er genau so nennt, bezieht der Glamper das Bett
neu.
Article 7 Kolb (2011) Zelten mit allen Schikanen "Glamping" ist was für Luxus-Ökos
Camping gilt als bodenständig und preiswert. Nichts für Warmduscher also, die gern weich schlafen
und nicht wissen, wie man einen Hering in die Erde schlägt. Glamping ist die Brücke: Camping für
verwöhnte Zeitgenossen - und für eine Klientel mit Öko-Bewusstsein und gleichzeitigem LuxusAnspruch. Für die wird einiges geboten: von Airstream-Van bis Zigeunerwagen.
Muffige Schlafsäcke und schnarchende Nachbarn: Wie war man froh, das hinter sich zu haben - und
statt im Zelt in einem richtigen Hotel Urlaub machen zu können. Auch wenn, zugegeben, eines dabei
verloren ging: das Schlafen unterm Sternenhimmel, direkt in der Natur.
Dass es vielen so geht, belegt ein neuer Trend aus der Welt der Lagerfeuer-Fans und
Wohnmobilisten: "Glamping" heißt er - eine Abkürzung für "glamourous camping", also Zelten mit
Luxus-Touch. In den USA und Großbritannien ist das nichts völlig Neues. Erstmals zu hören war von
der Idee in der angelsächsischen Welt laut der britischen Reise-Journalistin Nicola Iseard im Jahr
2009.
Öko-Bewusstsein und Luxus-Anspruch
Beliebt ist Glamping vor allem bei einer Klientel, die Luxus im Urlaub als gesetzt betrachtet, sich aber
über die ökologischen Folgen eines Fünf-Sterne-Urlaubs inklusive Fluganreise Gedanken macht. Ihr
Zelt bauen Glamper natürlich nicht selbst auf, geschweige denn, dass sie es durch die Wildnis tragen.
Und statt auf der Isomatte nächtigen sie im kuscheligen, frisch bezogenen Kingsize-Bett.
Das Angebot wächst auch außerhalb Großbritanniens und der USA. In den Niederlanden, wo
Camping traditionell beliebt ist, gab es bereits erste eigene Glamping-Abteilungen auf den großen
Touristikmessen, berichtet Klaus Schneider, Geschäftsführer der deutsch-holländischen
Vacanceselect Gruppe mit Deutschlandsitz in Hamburg, die Camping auf gehobenem Niveau
anbietet.
Franzosen haben Glamping für sich entdeckt
In Italien, Spanien, Portugal sowie Frankreich sind die Voraussetzungen für Glamping besser als
hierzulande: Es gibt mehr unberührte Natur, spektakulärere Landschaften - und meist besseres
Wetter. Vor allem unsere französischen Nachbarn haben das Glampen für sich entdeckt.
47
Dutzendfach findet man im sonnigen Languedoc, in der ursprünglichen Dordogne oder im
wildromantischen Massif Central Einrichtungen, die des Glampers Herz erfreuen. Ob waschechte
Indianer-Tipis oder riesige Beduinenzelte, mittelalterliche Turnierzelte oder mongolische Jurten - sie
sind oft Monate im Voraus ausgebucht.
Von Airstream-Van bis Zigeunerwagen
Oder wie wäre es mit Urlaub im Roulotte, einem bunt bemalten Zigeunerwagen, durch dessen
gläsernes Dach man nächtens zum Firmament aufschaut? Der Anbieter Roulottes de Campagne hat
sie auf bereits mehr als 60 Plätzen in Frankreich aufgestellt.
Cooler campen: Was in den 1970ern der VW Bulli war, ist für Glamper heute der Airstream-Van solche Wohnmobile finden Urlauber etwa in einem Trailer Park südlich von Toulouse.(Foto: picture
alliance / dpa-tmn)
Zu den ungewöhnlichen fahrbaren Untersätzen gehören auch die Camping-Vans der Marke
Airstream. Sie kosten ein Vermögen, zumal wenn es sich um Oldtimer handelt. Deshalb mietet man
sie besser. Tage- oder wochenweise geht das zum Beispiel im Belrepayre Airstream Trailer Park
südlich von Toulouse - zwei ehemalige Zirkusartisten führen ihn. Oder im Camp Silver auf der
niederländischen Insel Texel: Ein Designer hat sie im kultigen Sixties-Stil ausgestattet.
Im Zelt campen kann jeder - in den ParkHotels im österreichischen Ottensheim und in Bottrop-Ebel
an der Ruhr können Urlauber aber auch in einer Betonröhre übernachten.
In Deutschland muss man muss lange suchen, bis man eine Einrichtung findet, bei der sich hinter der
Bezeichnung "luxuriöser Campingplatz" der wahre Geist des Glampings zeigt. Im Ostseebad Dahme
an der Lübecker Bucht versucht man, der Idee nahezukommen: Im Eurocamping Zedano stehen sie
tatsächlich, die Zeltbehausungen der Oberklasse. Fertig aufgestellt, riesengroß und eingerichtet wie
Meryl Streeps Farm in "Jenseits von Afrika": "Luxus-Safari-Zelt" heißt dieser Camping-Palast mit
Himmelbett, Badewanne und sandfarbener Polstergarnitur.
Article 8 Strerath (2011?) Das Ende der Krabbelei
Camping klingt nach engem Zelt und Konserven. Doch nun gibt es Glamping - und schon ist der Urlaub
glamourös Von Esther Strerath
Keinerlei Einbußen an Komfort und dennoch der Natur ganz nah - wo man das findet? Zum Beispiel in
Holland
Bettwäsche aus ägyptischer Baumwolle, die nach Blümchen duftet, ein geräumiges Designerbad,
herrliche Mini-Croissants zum Frühstück und vor allem: absolute Stille. Eine Luxussuite in London? Ein
Penthouse in New York? Falsch. Ein Campingplatz! Die Zeiten, in denen man unter seinem schweren
Rucksack ächzte, das Essen aus der Dose auf einem Gaskocher wärmte und morgens Schlange an der
Dusche stand, sind vorbei. Denn jetzt wird glamourös gecampt, sprich geglampt.
Zum Beispiel in Oosterend auf Texel, im Norden Hollands gelegen. Dort stehen, auf einem
muschelübersäten Platz, acht amerikanische Airstreams, deren silberne Kurven bei gutem Wetter in
der Sonne glitzern und die sich imposant von den dahinterliegenden Feldern abheben, Camp Silver. Ihr
Innenleben: Eine Doppelbettwiese mit Panoramablick, so hoch gelegen, dass man aus dem gebogenen
Heckfinster blinzelt, ohne den Kopf vom Kissen heben zu müssen, eine Sitzecke und kleine Gardinen
im Charles-und-Ray-Eames-Design aus den 40er-Jahren, Wifi-Internet, Deckenstrahler, die man
dimmen kann. Es gibt Fußbodenheizung, im Badezimmer stehen Produkte der neuseeländischen
48
Organic-Marke Living Nature - und vor der Tür finden sich bunte Fermob-Möbel. Daneben dichtes
Schilf, das einen später in den Schlaf singt. Auf den Feldern, die sich als Koppeln entpuppen, grasen
graue Kaltblüter, deren dichte Mähne im Wind flattert und deren Anblick beinahe etwas Meditatives
hat. Man freut sich über jede ihrer Bewegungen. So sieht zeitgenössisches Campen aus - keinerlei
Einbußen an Komfort und dennoch der Natur ganz nah. Nur ohne das große Krabbeln!
Die Idee zu Camp Silver hatten die Niederländer Gita de Leeuw und Albert Wiglema. Vor Jahren
entschloss sich das Ehepaar, hier seine Zukunft zu starten. "Ursprünglich hatten wir an Tipi-Zelte
gedacht, doch dann sprachen wir plötzlich über Airstreams. Jeder assoziiert etwas mit diesen
Aluminiumwohnwagen, die es seit den 30er-Jahren gibt und für die nicht mehr junge Amerikaner Hab
und Gut verkaufen, um in ihnen den Rest ihres Lebens durch die USA zu touren", sagt Gita. Stimmt,
sofort denkt man an Marilyn Monroe (sie hatte einen am Set von "Manche mögen's heiß") oder
Schauspieler Sean Penn.
Und den amerikanischen Traum auf die Sonneninsel zu holen brauchte es jedoch Zeit. Monate
vergingen, bis das US-Unternehmen das E-Mail-Bombardement der Niederländer mit einem Kontakt
zum Airstream-Designer Christopher Deam beantwortete. Und noch einmal ein Jahr, bis der erste
handgefertigte Prototyp in Ohio stand. Aus einem "Lebensabend-Caravan", der extrem viel Stauraum
bieten muss, machten Deam und das niederländische Ehepaar ein großzügiges Hotelzimmer auf
Rädern. "Wir wollten keinesfalls etwas Nostalgisches schaffen, sondern etwas sehr Modernes, einen
Gegensatz zu dem riesigen Himmel, der Natur", erklärt Gita, die ursprünglich an der Kunsthochschule
studierte und deren Mann früher Journalist war. Beide verehren modernes Design und Architektur,
was spätestens dann klar wird, wenn man den Vorplatz von Camp Silver erreicht. Dort empfängt ein
gigantisches Kuppelzelt des legendären US-Architekten Richard Buckminster Fuller (unter anderem
berühmt geworden mit seinen "Domes", halbrunden Konstrukten aus dreieckigen Einzelteilen
zusammengesetzt, geodätische Kuppeln genannt, die 1967 bei der Weltausstellung in Montreal für
Furore sorgten). Das Zelt dient nicht nur als Rezeption, es ist immer geöffnet, man kann hier
frühstücken oder Frühstück holen, sich treffen oder chillen, dann schnappt man sich einen der
schneeweißen Beach-Cruiser und erkundet die kleine Insel (9,6 Kilometer breit, und nebenbei gibt's
hier 30 Prozent mehr Sonnenschein als im Rest der Niederlande).
Glamper sind eine neue Spezies Reisender. Sie wollen die Großstadt für eine bestimmte Zeit so weit
wie irgend möglich hinter sich lassen. Sie erwarten ökologische Korrektheit und lieben Bio-Food,
Internetzugang ist ihnen wichtiger als Room-Service, die Privatsphäre ist heilig, und ihre Bedürfnisse
reduzieren sich auf das Wesentliche - das aber bitte in bester Qualität. Glamping ist ein
Gesamtkonzept, dass sich chic anhört, aber den Trend zum Landurlaub - wie es ihn ähnlich zum Beispiel
in Italien schon lange unter dem Namen "Agriturismo" gibt - ernsthaft und gewissenhaft umsetzt. So
sind in Camp Silver nicht nur der Ort und die Ausstattung entscheidend. Abgesehen davon, dass Texel
nachts stockdunkel ist, weil es keine Straßenlaternen gibt und man so einen Sternenhimmel wie in
Afrika über sich glaubt, verströmt das kleine Ressort eine berührende Friedlichkeit - fernab vom Stress
der Stadt.
Für Gita und Albert war auch eine Studie der Trendforscherin Li Edelkoort wegweisend, die in ihren
Büchern "Farm of The Future" oder "Greening Perspectives" die Tatsache beschreibt, dass
Stadtmenschen das Landleben suchen.
Natürlich bleibt das Wichtigste beim Campen das Gefühl von Freiheit. Der niederländische Architekt
Axel Enthoven hat, um den Geist der 70er-Jahre ins 21. Jahrhundert zu transportieren, "Opera"
entworfen. Opera ist ein Zelt auf Rädern, ein Anhänger, der sich auf Knopfdruck mitten in der Natur in
eine Luxussuite verwandelt. Dabei verfügt der kompakte Kasten über eine Teak-Veranda, zwei Betten,
die elektrisch zu einem verbunden werden können, energiesparende LED-Lichter, warmes Wasser und
Outdoor-Dusche sowie eine Miniküche auf Rollen. Und wer im Dunkeln mit Opera sein Ziel erreicht,
dem weist ein integrierter Kompass die richtige Aufstellung des Zeltes, um sicherzustellen, dass die
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Morgensonne auf die Veranda scheint. Sehr cool: der Opera-Guide mit einer Selektion exklusiver
Reiseziele (mehr unter: www.ysin.de).
Der Glamping-Trend ist international. Man kann in Spanien zelten, beispielsweise unter andalusischen
Olivenhainen (www.cortijovadillo.com) oder in einem Wagen an der Costa Blanca
(www.casadelmundo.nl). Oder doch lieber ein Tipi in Portugal? Oder ein Canvas-Kleinod in Norwegen?
Die britische Firma The Luxury Tent Company hat gerade den Womad Charleton Park eröffnet, einen
edlen Zeltpark am Rande des Musikfestivals in Wiltshire (ab 28. Juli). In Wales warten mongolische
Nomadenzelte, einsam und bunt auf einer paradiesischen Wiese mit Küche, Bad und Extraportion
Romantik (www.tregib.co.uk). Die Kommune der Glamper wächst, und Homepages wie die mehrfach
ausgezeichnete "Go Glamping" (www.goglamping.net) bieten ein abenteuerliches Portfolio von Afrika
bis zur Loire.
Weil aber nicht nur Laptop-Träger in kalbsledernen Loavers Glamping cool finden, ist das Prinzip der
Luxus-Lodge, das man so bisher aus Safaris in Afrika kannte, auch familiengerecht möglich. Im
Camp2Relax (www.vacanceselect.de) auf dem Schweizer Fünfsterneplatz Seefeld-Park am Sarner See
(südlich von Luzern) nächtigen Kinder in ihrem eigenen Zelt, das der Eltern verfügt sogar über eine
Badewanne.
Andererseits könnten die Kinder ja auch mit den Pfadfindern verreisen. Denn eigentlich ist Glamping
am Schönsten zu zweit. Wenn man einmal in Camp Silver nächtigt, mit geschlossenen Augen im Bett
liegt und der Airstream sanft ruckelt, weil Ehemann/Freund oder Freundin noch umherlaufen, der stellt
sich vor, auf einer langen Straße quer durch irgendein Land unterwegs zu sein. Und man möchte
morgens den Caravan an sein Auto docken und starten. Irgendwo hin.
Article 9 Mezler-Andelberg (2012) "Glamping": Campieren in der Komfortzone
Wenn das Kingsize-Bett im Zelt schon bezogen ist, dann ist es Glamping - die Kombination von
Glamour und Camping. Jetzt etabliert sich der Trend aber zunehmend auch in den USA und in
europäischen Ländern.
„Alle wollen zurück zur Natur, aber keiner zu Fuß“, empörte man sich in der Protestkultur der 1980erJahre. Dieser Anspruch wird jetzt ausgeweitet, neben der friktionsfreien Anreise soll der neueste Trend
auch noch Stil und Komfort am Ende der Welt bieten. „Glamping“ heißt das dann, ein kleines Wortspiel
aus „Glamour“ und „Camping“. Oder wie es das „Oxford Dictionary“ definiert: „Glamping is likely to
satisfy any city slicker seeking a little refuge in nature without foregoing any of life's luxuries.“
Diese Erfüllung für Stadtkinder, die auch in der Natur auf keinerlei Annehmlichkeiten verzichten
mögen, beginnt schon bei der Ankunft des Reisenden. Undenkbar, selbst mitgebrachtes Gerät
eigenhändig aufzubauen. Das Quartier erwartet den Glamper in voller Pracht, das Kingsize-Bett
bezogen, die Handtücher im persönlichen Bad drapiert. Nichts erinnert mehr an komfortfreie
Isomatten und muffelige Schlafsäcke. Und der Gedanke an Gemeinschaftsduschen ist dem Glamper so
fern wie dem Camper das Damasttischtuch.
Ganz neu ist die Idee des Luxuscampings freilich nicht: Safarireisende in Afrika und Asien kommen
schon seit Anfang des 20.Jahrhunderts in den Genuss der Luxuszelte im nirgendwo. In Ermangelung
entsprechender Infrastruktur blieb Lodgebetreibern oft gar nichts anderes übrig, als ihre verwöhnte
Klientel in (möglichst üppig ausgestatteten) Zelten unterzubringen.
Prominente Anhänger. Jetzt etabliert sich der Trend aber zunehmend auch in den USA und in
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europäischen Ländern, immer mehr Glamping-Refugien entstehen in den Mittelmeerländern und
Großbritannien (siehe Kasten). Und in Holland, dem Mutterland des Wohnwagens, gibt es bereits
eigene Glamping-Sektionen auf Touristikmessen, wie das „Manager Magazin“ kürzlich berichtete.
Auch Prominente wie Kate Moss, Jamie Oliver und jüngst Justin Bieber – der „diese neue Sache“ unter
hysterischer Zustimmung minderjähriger Mädchen vor wenigen Wochen als „cool“ bezeichnete –
sorgen dafür, dass der Trend frischen Aufwind bekommt.
Wobei es dem klassischen Glamper nicht so sehr um den Status des hochpreisigen Urlaubsvergnügens
geht, sondern eher um Genießen auf ganz persönliche Art. „Beim Glamping wird eine Zielgruppe
sichtbar, die als ,hybrider Kunde‘ bezeichnet wird“, sagt Harald Pechlarner, Inhaber des Lehrstuhls für
Tourismus an der Universität Eichstädt-Ingolstadt. „Hier wird eine Kombination aus Nähe zur Natur,
Freiheit und Einfachheit auf der einen, und Luxus, Sicherheit und Geborgenheit auf der anderen Seite
gesucht.“ Eine Entwicklung, die mit dem wachsenden Trend zur Individualisierung einhergeht, mit dem
Wunsch der Menschen, ihr persönliches Ambiente auch im Urlaub zu haben.
Jurte, Tipi, Baumhaus. Und da ist die Auswahl groß. Als standesgemäße Unterkünfte gelten den
Glampern nicht nur Zelte – von der Jurte über das Safarizelt bis zum Tipi –, sondern auch Baumhäuser
mit teils spektakulärer Architektur. Im nordschwedischen Luleå lockt das „Treehotel“ nicht nur
Naturfreunde, sondern auch Anhänger guten Designs in die Wälder. Und auch der gute alte Caravan
gilt als angemessene Nächtigungsmöglichkeit. Wobei klassische Caravan-Produzenten wie Westfalia
oder Dethleffs in der Glampercommunity ein Image haben wie Esprit bei den Chanel-Schauen, es
braucht schon einen silberglitzernden Airstream, um vom Camper zum Glamper zu avancieren.
Zwei Menschengruppen, die überhaupt eher wenig miteinander gemein haben, wie auch Birgit
Frischhut vom Tirol Tourism Research beobachtet hat. „Ich glaube nicht, dass das der gleiche Gast ist.
Der Glamper ist eher der Vier- bis Fünf-Sternekunde.“ Das sollte er auch sein, denn preislich liegen die
Übernachtungen absolut auf Sternehotelniveau, je nach Ausstattung und Lage müssen pro Nacht im
Zelt drei- bis vierstellige Beträge auf den Tisch gelegt werden. Pechlarner prognostiziert für die Zukunft
sogar eine heimliche Zweiklassengesellschaft auf manchen Plätzen: „Ich kann mir vorstellen, dass
einige Campingplatzbetreiber ein abgegrenztes Areal mit Luxusangeboten haben werden, und der
normale Campinggast das möglicherweise gar nicht mitbekommen wird.“ Schließlich hätten schon in
der jüngeren Vergangenheit viele Betreiber ihre Plätze mit luxuriöseren Attraktionen aufgerüstet, da
sei die „Wellnessinsel mitten im Wald“ lange kein Einzelfall mehr.
Was trägt man am Lagerfeuer? Bleibt die Frage, was der gepflegte Glamper am Lagerfeuer trägt, die
blauweißen Adiletten an den Füßen der klassischen Camper sind jedenfalls indiskutabel. „Auch im Zelt
pflegt man Stil“, weiß Harald Pechlarner, „da soll auch das Dinner entsprechend eingenommen
werden.“
Eine Marktlücke, mit der in Großbritannien jetzt das Kaufhaus Very seine Umsätze ankurbeln will. Zum
V-Festival in Hylands Park im August bietet man ein Extraservice für Glamper, die in Nobelzelten rund
um das Rockfestival residieren: Die passende Garderobe können sie sich direkt an die Zelttür liefern
lassen. Was die „Daily Mail“ mit einem Artikel würdigte – der Titel lautete: „Jetzt ist es wirklich
Glamping!“
Article 10 Mühl (2013) Cocooning in der Ferne: Abenteuer habe ich zu Hause genug
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Eine Gesellschaft ohne Neugier, aber in der Krise: Sie will weit weg, es aber dort genau so haben wie
daheim. Man reist sozusagen aus Heimeligkeitsweh. Wildnis und Industrie stellen sich auf die Glamper
ein.
Neulich lag im Treppenhaus ein Magazin mit Wohnmobilen, die allesamt aussahen, als handele es sich
um Trutzburgen auf vier Rädern, fahrende 5-Sterne-Hotels, die so ziemlich jeden Komfortwunsch
erfüllen. Von Fußbodenheizungen war in den Beschreibungen die Rede, von rückenschonenden
Hightech-Matratzen, Massageduschen, Handtuchhalter-Heizkörpern, Grill-Backöfen, Klimaanlagen,
vergoldeten Armaturen und raumhohen Schränken aus Echtholz. Man hatte den Eindruck, man
blättere durch einen Inneneinrichtungskatalog. Nur der eigene Butler fehlte.
Die Länge der Mobile ähnelte der von Reisebussen, ebenso das Gewicht. Das, was einem hier für
ungeheuer viel Geld angeboten wurde, hatte jedenfalls nicht mehr das Geringste mit der eigenen
freilich weit zurückliegenden Camping-Erinnerung zu tun, in der das Wort Bequemlichkeit wie ein
schlechter Witz klingt. Stattdessen entsinnt man sich an undichte Wohnmobildecken und tropfendes
Wasser, an harte Schlafstätten, puppenhausähnliche Kochgelegenheiten, an Ungeziefer und die
Aggressivität der Zusammengepferchten. Es waren schlimme Urlaube.
Der Natur hautnah sein, ohne von ihr belästigt zu werden
Der Begriff Glamping, ein Kunstwort aus glamorous und camping, existierte damals noch nicht. Es wäre
wohl auch niemand auf die Idee gekommen, diese zwei Wörter überhaupt in einem Atemzug zu
nennen. Mittlerweile bieten Campingplätze in Holland, Frankreich, Italien oder Spanien GlampingUnterkünfte an, deren Design sich an dem safarizeltartiger Luxus-Lodges in der afrikanischen Wildnis
orientiert, die einem das schöne Gefühl vermitteln, der Natur ungeheuer nah zu sein, ohne permanent
von ihr belästigt zu werden. Ganz so, als säße man hinter Glas. Eine befremdlich anmutende Art des
Urlaubs - nur passt sie eben perfekt in unsere Zeit.
Das hat einen einfachen Grund: Glamping ist eine gigantische Illusionsmaschine, die bestens
funktioniert. Eike Wenzel, der das Heidelberger Institut für Trend- und Zukunftsforschung leitet, hält
Glamping für einen der wichtigsten Tourismustrends. Glamping, sagt er, befriedige das Bedürfnis der
Menschen nach Landleben, Natur, Einfachheit und Luxus, wobei Einfachheit und Luxus hier tatsächlich
zusammengehören - es geht ja, wie gesagt, in erster Linie um Illusionen. Genaugenommen handelt es
sich bei Glamping um die Übersetzung des sehr erfolgreichen Magazins „Landlust“ in die
Tourismusbranche: Mit tatsächlicher Naturnähe haben allerdings weder „Landlust“ noch Glamping
irgendetwas zu tun.
In Wahrheit entfernen wir uns stetig weiter von der Natur, anstatt uns ihr anzunähern. Wie weit die
Entfremdung bereits vorangeschritten und wie unerschütterlich gleichzeitig unser Bedürfnis ist, genau
das Gegenteil zu glauben, zeigt auf eindrucksvolle Weise das Buch von Andreas Möller, das demnächst
unter dem Titel „Das grüne Gewissen: Wenn die Natur zur Ersatzreligion wird“ bei Hanser erscheint,
eine Verteidigungsschrift der Natur gegen ihre falschen Freunde. Dieses Buch öffnet einem die Augen.
Und das, was wir zu sehen bekommen, wirft einen hässlichen Schatten auf unsere blankgeputzte
Projektionsfläche Natur.
Die Wildnis lauert schon vor der eigenen Haustür
Der Terror der Veränderung hat uns mürbe gemacht. Wir leben in einer von Effizienz und
Steigerungslogik getriebenen überkomplexen Welt, in der die einzige Konstante Instabilität heißt. Doch
unsere Gefühlswelt ist auf Beständigkeit trainiert worden, weshalb ihr die Realität stets einige Schritte
voraus ist. „Wir stehen überall auf rutschenden Abhängen“, sagte der Soziologe Hartmut Rosa vor
kurzem in einem Interview. Dieses Bild kommt unserer Gefühlslage tatsächlich sehr nah. In einer
Situation der permanenten Verunsicherung, der Prekarisierung der Lebens- und Arbeitsverhältnisse
könne man, so Rosa, sein Weltverhältnis nicht als eines der Getragenheit erleben.
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Anders formuliert: Die Wildnis liegt nicht im Amazonasbecken, sie liegt auch nicht in Afrika oder sonst
wo, sie lauert direkt vor der eigenen Haustür - und sie lauert nicht nur dort, sie hat sich längst ihren
Weg ins Innere gebahnt. Auf der Suche nach dem Kick muss kein Mensch mehr durch den Busch
kriechen, Rafting-Touren wagen oder über irgendwelche Hängebrücken laufen. Meistens genügt schon
ein Blick auf die Nachrichten, deren Schlagzeilenlieblingswort Krise lautet, dass entweder für sich allein
steht oder mit Wörtern wie Euro-, Finanz- beziehungsweise Wirtschaft gekoppelt wird.
Reisen bedeutet bekanntlich auch immer flüchten, ganz gleich, vor was. Der Fluchtgedanke ist freilich
alt, Hans Magnus Enzensberger hat ihn bereits 1958 in seinem missgelaunten Tourismus-Essay zum
Scheitern verurteilt, da sich der Tourismus als Befreiung von der industriellen Welt längst selbst als
Industrie etabliert habe. Die Reise aus der Warenwelt sei ihrerseits zur Ware geworden. Unser
Fluchtimpuls ist trotzdem geblieben, was sich verändert hat, sind die Motive. Früher war es die Flucht
vor der mit Langeweile gepaarten Alltagsdisziplinierung der Industriegesellschaft, heute treibt uns die
Stabilitätssehnsucht fort. Wir haben genügend böse Überraschungen erlebt. Das Unternehmen Jack
Wolfskin bringt dieses Phänomen mit seiner Werbung für Outdoor-Überlebenskleidung ziemlich genau
auf den Punkt: „Draußen zu Hause“ lautet der bekannteste Slogan.
Die Behaglichkeits-Sehnsucht bestimmt die Zukunft des Reisens
Klickt man sich durch die Websites verschiedener Reiseveranstalter, taucht die Heimatidee als
Geborgenheitsgefühl auffällig häufig auf. Es ist kein Zufall, dass sich die Bezeichnung Motor Homes für
Wohnmobile immer stärker etabliert. Diese Art von Abschottungsurlaub zielt darauf, jenes
Heimeligkeitsgefühl hervorzurufen, das einem zu Hause abhandengekommen ist, verschüttet unter
den alltäglichen Ängsten und Beschleunigungszumutungen. Der Tourist, sagt Wenzel, wolle es im
Urlaub so behaglich haben, als schlüpfe er in einen warmen, weichen Hausschuh. Man könnte es auch
Cocooning in der Ferne nennen. Der geographische Ort spielt dabei eine Statistenrolle. Seine Funktion
ist lediglich die einer austauschbaren Kulisse. Aus Fernweh ist Heimweh geworden - Heimweh nach
sich selbst. „Destination Ich“ nennt das Wenzel.
Anfang des Jahres ging in Stuttgart die Publikumsmesse CMT für Freizeit und Touristik über die Bühne.
Laut einer Umfrage kamen fünfundvierzig Prozent der befragten Besucher aus Interesse am Campingund Caravaning-Markt, überhaupt war die Stimmung außerordentlich gut, die Menschen verreisen
gerne, sie verreisen sogar immer lieber. Für die, die sich einen Glamping-Urlaub nicht leisten können,
bleibt das Kreuzfahrtschiff. Wie der Wohnmobil-Markt wächst auch der für Kreuzfahrten seit Jahren.
Und auch auf diesen perfekt organisierten Vergnügungsparks mit ihren strukturierten Tagesabläufen
ist die Begegnung mit dem Fremden auf ein Minimum reduziert. Wenn im Frühjahr die neue MSC
„Preziosa“ auf Jungfernfahrt geht, werden die Passagiere übrigens eine absurd hohe Wasserrutsche
von dreizehn Metern nutzen können, die teilweise über die Reling hinausragt. Ihr Name: Vertigo. Sie
stellt das Maximum an Aufregung dar.
Tourismus für die Bournout-Gesellschaft
Es liegt in der Logik dieser Reisewelt, dass irritierende Dinge wie Exotik aus ihr verbannt worden sind.
An die Stelle des Wagemuts tritt die Rundum-Absicherung. Seit sich die Sicherheit, die uns versprochen
worden ist, als Lüge entpuppt hat, erfährt der Absicherungsgedanke einen enormen
Bedeutungszuwachs. Auch der Tourismus reagiert auf die Befindlichkeiten unserer Burn-outGesellschaft und passt sein Angebot an die Bedürfnisse ihrer ausgebrannten Mitglieder an.
Spinnt man den Gedanken weiter, stellt sich die Frage, was diese Behaglichkeits-Sehnsucht eigentlich
für die Zukunft des Reisens bedeutet. Nichts Gutes, das steht fest. Weshalb, ist klar. Die
durchstandardisierten Unterkünfte, die uns der Massentourismus beschert hat, werden bis in den
verstecktesten Winkel vordringen. Und es wird leider noch viel mehr von ihnen geben, in jeder
Preisklasse. Die Komfortglocke, in die man reist, erstickt jede Neugierde bereits im Keim. Die
Reiseanbieter werden alles dafür tun, um die Störfaktoren in Zukunft weiter zu minimieren, weil sich
auf diese Weise am besten Geld verdienen lässt.
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„Fühlen Sie sich wie zu Hause.“ Dieser Satz, mit dem Hotels ihre Gäste begrüßen, kam einem bislang
lächerlich vor. Jetzt hat er einen Sinn.
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