How glamping increases the attractiveness of Russian regions
What are the features of glamping and why is the development of this segment important for Russian regions?
In recent years, one of the most important criteria for choosing a type of holiday has become the opportunity to experience unique impressions and emotions. That is why unusual forms of accommodation, including glamping, have become very popular. Let us talk about their characteristics and their impact on the tourist attractiveness of Russian regions.
How glamping makes a place attractive
The popularity of glamping has grown along with the popularity of domestic tourism and event travel. According to the Russian Glamping Association, 386 such facilities will be operating in our country by mid-2023, and their number could increase by at least 50 sites by the end of the third quarter. Analysts at Commonwealth Partnership give a rather optimistic forecast for the growth of this segment: up to 30% annually. Tourist demand for glamping is growing steadily: according to Twil.ru, even before the start of the 2023 summer tourist season, the number of bookings for such facilities has increased by 2.5 times compared to last year. The Russian Glamping Association reports that more than half (55%) of these facilities operate all year round. With no extreme weather conditions (e.g. frosty winters), this allows for a stable flow of tourists throughout the year.
Separately, it is worth noting that the dynamic development of the glamping segment may be boosted by government support measures. In particular, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin instructed in May 2023 to work out a concept for the car tourism development. Along with the large-scale road construction, this will improve the accessibility of some unique locations and attract new tourists to them.
Another valuable support measure is a possible government grant under the National "Tourism and Hospitality Industry" project. In 2023, 48 regions will participate in this programme, compared to 13 in 2022. The total funding for these activities amounts to RUB 5.3 billion.
An important aspect is the creation of a tourist brand for a particular region. Glamping is one of the most demanded accommodation formats and one of the tools to achieve the goal. Moreover, the glamping operator can choose a building design tailored to the national and cultural characteristics of the location: for example, glamping sites with yurts are popular in the Altai.
The economic development benefits to the community where the glamping site is located should not be discounted. It will create new jobs, employ local contractors and increase tax revenues for local and regional budgets.
As a result, the construction of new glamping facilities and the modernisation of existing glamping facilities have a positive impact on the life of the region in several ways: they create a tourist brand and increase the attractiveness of the area for travellers, as well as contributing to the economic development of the communities. We can therefore confidently speak of the multiplier effect of glamping on the development of territories.
Glamping at MITT 2024
Glamping will be one of the growth drivers of the tourism segment in the next 2-3 years. The demand for this area is confirmed by the MITT 2023 statistics: 3,284 experts (22%) were interested in this section. In addition, the most important players (developers, designers, operators) in this section were presented: MODOM, Arh.Bro, Enjoy, Kupol Hall, Art House Center, FREEDOME, Gefest, Vazuza Love, WinWin, Monza, ECETERA.
That is why MITT 2024 will have a special section dedicated to glamping, co-organised by the Russian Glamping Association. We expect the participation of design organisations, developers, suppliers of house kits and interior designers of glamping hotels. Exhibitors will present their projects and proposals to the target audience and will be able to negotiate with new partners directly on the spot.
