The global phenomenon of “ glamping ,” glamorous camping , connects travelers with nature and locals as an antidote to their digital lives . In Japan , tourism is soaring , along with desires for authentic , unique experiences outside Tokyo and Kyoto . Akira Segawa , president and CEO of leading hotelier Fujita Kanko , confirms international guests at its properties rose 22.5 % in 2017 . “ Many seek non-touristic , remote areas ,” he says . “ Glamping is a progressive trend , but the market is relatively untapped in Japan .” Its glamping brand Fujino debuted in April near Mount Fuji . Nordisk Village Goto Islands , a glamping collaboration with Danish outdoor equipment manufacturer Nordisk , opens in August .
With Peter Mack as founder and CEO , and Simon Turner , former president of global development at Starwood Hotels & Resorts , as a lead adviser and investor , Collective Retreats is one to watch with global ambitions for introducing guests to undiscovered places through unusual accommodation . “ Collective Retreats was founded with an asset-light business model to
GLAMPING TENTS
COLLECTIVE RETREATS IN HUDSON VALLEY , NEW YORK
Collective Retreats has set up glamping tents on farmland in Hudson Valley , New York .
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Collective Retreats was founded with an
ASSET-LIGHT BUSINESS MODEL to ensure the majority of hotel consumer revenue was spent on improving the guest experience and making it unique , instead of property expenses and upkeep .
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– PETER MACK ensure the majority of hotel consumer revenue was spent on improving the guest experience and making it unique , instead of property expenses and upkeep ,” Mack explains . Seasonal operations keep costs in check at glamping destinations in Vail , Colorado ; Big Sky , Montana ; and Hudson , New York . The brand expands to Texas this year and in May it set up camp in the open parks of New York City ’ s Governors Island with designer guest room containers .
Luxury Frontiers is a turnkey design , development and operations consultancy helping brands like Belmond and One & Only complement their repertoires with “ adjacent spaces ” achieving strong ROI . Its sustainable , out-of-thebox concepts bridge the gap between traditional hospitality and adventure travel . “ Not only do alternative structures like tents , treehouses and floating rooms provide guests with adventurous and memorable experiences , they provide investors high returns on their investments ,” says Luca Franco , CEO and founder . “ Compared to traditional lodging , alternative concepts typically generate 20 % to 40 % rate premiums , typically cost less to construct , have shorter development timelines , have smoother permitting processes and higher occupancy levels . For owners this is exciting because they have a shorter payback period , high yield , good ROI and PR spin with these experiential projects .”— A . S .
June 2018 hotelsmag . com 39