How to Start a Glamping Business in Spain: A Comprehensive Guide

Glamping, a combination of glamour and camping, has completely transformed the traditional idea of camping, turning it into an unforgettable experience even for the most intrepid traveler. In this guide, we will explore all aspects of how to start a glamping business in Spain, from financial viability to regulation and marketing.

What is a Glamping Business?

Glamping is literally a combination of the words "glamour" and "camping", also known as luxury camping. For many, the idea of camping can evoke memories of being cold and wet in the middle of nowhere with little or no comfort. However, glamping has completely revolutionized this idea, turning it into an unforgettable experience even for the most intrepid traveler.

Imagine being surrounded by nature and tranquility while having access to the comforts of luxury accommodation. Guests can explore the outdoors and enjoy various activities, from hiking to stargazing, before relaxing in a hot tub and sleeping in comfortable beds.‍

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Discover How to Start a Glamping Business in Spain: Complete Guide

Glamping, a combination of glamour and camping, has completely transformed the traditional idea of camping, turning it into an unforgettable experience even for the most intrepid traveler. In this guide, we will explore all aspects of how to start a glamping business in Spain, from financial viability to regulation and marketing.

What is a Glamping Business?

Glamping is literally a combination of the words "glamour" and "camping", also known as luxury camping. For many, the idea of camping can evoke memories of being cold and wet in the middle of nowhere with little or no comfort. However, glamping has completely revolutionized this idea, turning it into an unforgettable experience even for the most intrepid traveler.

Imagine being surrounded by nature and tranquility while having access to the comforts of luxury accommodation. Guests can explore the outdoors and enjoy various activities, from hiking to stargazing, before relaxing in a hot tub and sleeping in comfortable beds.

Who are Glampers?

Just as we would describe people who go camping as campers, we call glamping guests 'glampers'. These travelers are unique in that they seek a disconnected experience without sacrificing the comforts of a standard vacation rental. Therefore, you will need to attract your target customer by emphasizing the proximity of your property to nature and highlighting the amenities you offer.

Since glamping is a niche market, ensuring the sustainability of your business will require understanding who intends to stay on your property.

Who Chooses Glamping?

• Young people: Glamping is especially popular among young people aged 18 to 32, with experts citing several reasons for this. First, it's a fashion trend, and the aesthetics of glamping make it perfect for social media. Second, music festivals have begun to include glamping as a more comfortable overnight accommodation option.
• Families: In addition to millennials and Generation Z, families have also adopted glamping. They see being in nature as an opportunity to come together and spend quality time together, away from work, cell phones, and video games.
• Everyone: Although young people make up the majority of the market share, glamping is attractive to a variety of age groups, which helps support the investment argument. According to the most recent data, guests in the 33-50 age group will have the second-fastest compound annual growth rate.

Are Glamping Businesses Profitable as Vacation Rentals?

So, is glamping a profitable investment? This should be your biggest concern before starting your business. The idea of investing in something trendy may worry buyers, and rightly so.

Fortunately, the popularity of glamping is not so ephemeral. Since its rise to fame in the late 2000s, glamping has become a travel trend that seems to be here to stay. With this in mind, along with its relatively low initial costs, it is realistic to expect a quick return on investment.

How Much Does it Cost to Start a Glamping Business?

The initial cost to start a glamping business can vary widely depending on the price of land in your area and the type of accommodations you choose to offer.

Although you may be tempted to invest in the cheapest land you can find, remember that location is everything for glamping. So, more expensive land is well worth it if it has a picturesque setting and is close to local natural attractions. Therefore, you will need at least a few thousand euros to start your glamping business, assuming you choose a more economical accommodation option. However, if you expect to provide a more expensive option, such as yurts, your accommodations could cost tens of thousands of euros.

In addition, as with any vacation rental business, you should take into account the following costs:

• Furniture and decoration
• Amenities
• Glamping insurance
• Public services
• Property taxes
• Maintenance and cleaning costs

How Much Will Glamping Businesses Earn?

Similarly, the income of a glamping business depends on a variety of factors, including the type of accommodations you offer.

For example, you can buy good quality bell tent for just 2,000 euros, which are considered low maintenance compared to a standard vacation rental. High-end luxury campsites can charge up to 1,000 euros per night, so running a profitable business could be easier than you think.

In general, the income potential for glamping businesses ranges from 40,000 to 250,000 euros. This places the profit of glamping businesses between 32,000 and 200,000 euros.

Of course, you will have lower costs in your second year of business, since you won't have to buy accommodation and furniture again. So your profit will only grow over time!

Types of Glamping

The beauty of glamping, both for investors and guests, lies in the wide range of accommodation types available. Hosts can let their imagination run wild when it comes to the type of vacation experience they offer. In Spain, where there is a diversity of natural environments, the types of accommodation for glamping can be very diverse. Some of them include:

• Yurts: Circular tents with beams and fabric walls, originating from Mongolia.

• Cabins and treehouses: Built in wood, often taking advantage of the natural architecture of the trees.

• Tiny houses: Small ecological houses built with sustainable materials.
• Wagons: Train wagons adapted for accommodation.
• Tipis and tents: Traditional or modern tents, with a triangular shape.
• Caravans: Caravans adapted to offer additional amenities.
• Bubbles and dome houses: Facilities with panoramic roofs to enjoy the starry sky and views.

• Caves: Accommodations built in natural caves, especially in regions such as Andalusia.

Why Should You Start a Glamping Business?

Hosts have different reasons for starting a glamping business, and not all of them do it exclusively for profit. There is no doubt that glamping can be a lucrative business. However, many do it for their love of nature, lifestyle, or simply as a side job while taking care of their land.

Whatever your reason, here's why you should start a glamping business:

1. Glamping is an Unforgettable Experience: Glamping opens the doors to a completely new group of travelers. The idea of traditional camping deters many people: the cold, mosquitoes, lack of running water, lack of access to fresh food, etc.

However, glamping is a completely different game. Providing comfortable and unique vacations in nature will allow inexperienced travelers the opportunity to connect with nature.

2. Eco-Friendly and luxurious: With the trend of both luxury and sustainable tourism on the rise, hosts have the opportunity to invest in an eco-friendly vacation industry, and their guests will love them for it!

Installing solar panels and eco-friendly bathrooms while using recycled and organic materials will allow you to offer the experience that guests want while reducing your carbon footprint.

3. Low Investment and High Returns: The initial investment for glamping is not as high as buying a house and having to request a mortgage. Rather, it is much cheaper to build, manage, and administer. Therefore, the profit should be higher, and you should get a return on investment in a shorter period of time.

The key is to bring your glamping vacation rental to market. Knowing how to target your vacation rental to certain types of travelers, such as fitness and wellness travelers and millennials. Being aware of SEO tricks to ensure that guests find your vacation rental on the most popular OTAs.

Nowadays, glamping is considered a profitable business and can be managed in the same way as any other type of short-term rental.

4. Glamping is for Everyone: Although the younger generation represents almost 50% of the market share, every age group is growing year after year, demonstrating that glamping is for everyone.

You can adapt your marketing approach to target specific age groups while installing matching facilities.

5. Weddings and Events: Glamping is not restricted to local campsites. As an investor, you could decide to cater to the growing number of glamping weddings and music festivals. You can capitalize on these events known to be profitable by offering unique and luxurious experiences at a relatively low initial cost.
6. Running a Glamping Business is Fun: The opportunity to be your own boss, earn an income and be surrounded by nature is attractive to many potential hosts. It can be a hugely rewarding experience taking care of your land while welcoming all kinds of people.

How to Start a Glamping Business

The big news is that it's relatively easy to start a glamping business considering the low start-up costs and minimal construction time. However, a successful glamping business still needs some strategic planning.

Create a Glamping Business Plan

Would you make a significant investment without a clear idea of where you're headed? Of course not! Glamping is no exception. Many vacation rental owners are misled into believing that owning a glamping business is too easy. Although it may be a minor commitment, planning is still essential.

A good example of a glamping business plan would include a company and industry analysis, an operations plan, and revenue management, at a minimum.

Loans for Glamping Businesses

It's not a plot of land and certainly not a hotel, so what is it? In the eyes of lenders, glamping can be difficult to categorize. It's essential to find the right loan for your glamping project to avoid excessively high interest rates or extended payment periods. Read all the financing tips to avoid paying more than necessary.

Glamping Business Marketing

Last but not least, there is the marketing of your glamping business. Many vacation rental owners discover too late that they don't have a solid plan to attract guests to their property. Don't fall into the same trap. Take proactive measures and learn everything you need to know about how to attract more guests to your property.

Building a Glamping Site

Your construction will vary depending on several factors. There are no two glamping businesses alike, nor should they be! Glamping is praised for its uniqueness, so each construction will be completely different. However, there are some factors to consider regardless of how you decide to create your glamping business.

Permits: Many sites are heavily protected by government authorities. Protected land and construction permits can make it difficult to build a "luxury camp".

Zoning Regulations: Zoning laws are great when you don't want a busy highway on your doorstep, but they're less than ideal when you're trying to start a vacation rental business. There are many zoning regulations, especially for highly touristy areas, that will prevent you from building your glamping business on some land.

Purpose

Andalusia

• Law 13/2011 on Tourism in Andalusia
• Decree 164/2003, of June 17, on the regulation of tourist campsites.
• Decree 80/2010, of March 30
• Decree 26/2018, of January 23, on the regulation of tourist campsites.

Aragon

• Decree 125/2004, of May 11, approving the Outdoor Tourist Accommodation Regulations
• Decree 61/2006, of March 7, approving the Camping Regulations

Balearics

• Decree 13/2011, of February 25

Cantabria

• Decree 95/2002, of August 22, on the Ordering and Classification of Tourist Camps in Cantabria

Canary Islands

• The Canary Islands are the only autonomous community in Spain where tourist regulations do not mention campsites, resulting in a legal vacuum in this regard.

Castile-La Mancha

• Decree 247/1991, of December 18, on the Organization and Classification of Tourist Campsites

Castile and León

• Decree 26/2009, of April 2, amending Decree 168/1996, of June 27, regulating tourist camps.
• Decree 9/2017, of June 15, Camping Regulations

Catalonia

• Decree 159/2012, of November 20, on tourist accommodation establishments and tourist use dwellings

Autonomous City of Ceuta

• Tourism Regulations, of November 30, 2010, Tourism Regulations of the city of Ceuta

Autonomous City of Melilla

• Decree 351/2010, of July 19, relating to the definitive approval of the tourism regulations of the Autonomous City of Melilla

Community of Madrid

• Decree 3/1993, of January 28, on tourist camps in the Community of Madrid

Foral Community of Navarre

• Foral Decree 73/2013, of December 4, amending the Regulation on the Organization of Tourist Camps in the Foral Community of Navarre
• Foral Order 23/2014, of April 8, determining the characteristics of the distinctive signs of tourist camps in the Foral Community of Navarre

Valencian Community

• Decree 6/2015, of January 23, regulating campsites and transit areas for motorhomes in the Valencian Community.

Extremadura

• Decree 170/1999, of October 19, regulating public tourist camps, private camps, and municipal camping areas
• Law 2/2011, of January 31, on the development and modernization of tourism in Extremadura

Galicia

• Decree 144/2013, of September 5, establishing the organization of tourist camps in Galicia

La Rioja

• Decree 14/2011, of March 4, approving the Regulation for the Development of the Tourism Law of La Rioja

Basque Country

• Decree 396/2013, of July 30, on the regulation of campsites and other forms of camping tourism in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country

Principality of Asturias

• Decree 45/2011, of June 2, Tourist Camping Regulations.

Region of Murcia

• Law 12/2013, of December 20, on Tourism in the Region of Murcia
• Decree 108/1988, of July 28, on the regulation of public tourist campsites

Glamping is a growing trend that combines the beauty of nature with comfort and luxury. It's an exciting business opportunity that offers a unique experience for guests. If you're considering starting a glamping business, it's essential to research local regulations and plan carefully to ensure the success of your company.

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