LUXURY AND PURPOSE
Fujino Kirameki , Fujita Kanko ’ s campsite near Japan ’ s Mount Fuji
Mack says . “ They ’ re adventurous , looking for something a little different .” Or very different : Collective Retreats ’ most popular property is on Governors Island , an eight-minute ferry ride from Manhattan ’ s financial district , with views of the Statue of Liberty .
Like Collective Retreats , easy access to major cities is part of the plan for Japan ’ s Fujita Kanko . Its first glamping resort opened in 2018 , 90 minutes from Tokyo , with breathtaking views of Mount Fuji .
“ Over-tourism has become an issue in Japan ’ s popular tourist destinations . We operate more than 70 properties throughout Japan , so obviously we are aware of this ,” says Yoshihiro Ise , Fujita Kanko ’ s president and CEO . “ We want to introduce travelers to undiscovered places and revitalize these local communities .”
CREATING PROFIT Convincing resorts to embrace a low-impact , high-yield mindset isn ’ t always easy .
Designer Bill Bensley ( sidebar ) says he may never make a profit with his Cambodian venture , Shinta Mani Wild . Other brands see glamping as a cost-effective way to expand lodging . California ’ s Ventana Big Sur , for example , just added luxury tents in its redwood forest .
Luxury Frontiers ’ Franco sees adding experiential lodging to an existing property as a profitable way to create two experiences in one resort . “ It ’ s a way to widen your existing market and incentivize loyal guests to come back or extend the journey — three days in the traditional building , two days in the treehouse , for example ,” he says . “ It ’ s really a very compelling business strategy for a hotel to have a second shared experience within the same property .”
Although Luxury Frontiers isn ’ t constructing bricks-and-mortar lodging , Franco insists it is building value . “ Luxury tents and treehouses typically generate a 20 % to 40 % rate premium revenue over traditional rooms and cost less to build . Our projects cost anywhere from US $ 200,000 to US $ 600,000 per room but can generate US $ 500 to US $ 5,000 per room rate . Because they ’ re unique experiences , people will pay more .” Nayara ’ s 29 tented villas cost about US $ 7 million to build and about as much as a traditional hotel room to maintain , Franco says . Another dividend ? “ Media love anything environmentally friendly . That means you get a lot of publicity .”
Ise agrees . “ Instagram and social media have a big influence , especially among millennials . Glamping generates breathtaking images , which we ’ re taking advantage of with our social media channels .”
Any fears it ’ s a fad ? Not for Franco . “ After the 2008 recession people don ’ t want to collect things . They want to collect memories and experiences . Experiential travel creates a lot of memories . People also want to disconnect from the electronics and connect with nature and their travel partners . That ’ s not going to change .”
Sitting area of a tent at Shinta Mani Wild
LUXURY AND PURPOSE
Thailand-based hospitality designer Bill Bensley cites similar motivations as Fujita Kanko ’ s Yoshihiro Ise — “ introduce travelers to undiscovered places and revitalize these local communities ” — behind his newest project , Shinta Mani Wild , a luxury tent resort in the remote jungles of Cambodia . “ This country is only known for Angkor Wat . I want to change that ,” he says . “ I ’ ve done lots of unique , pretty hotels . Now I want to do unique , pretty hotels with a purpose .”
Bensley says glamping gives him opportunities to break the boundaries in hospitality design . That extends to pushing travelers out of their comfort zone , as well . Shinta Mani Wild guests arrive at the resort via zipline and are invited to join rangers on motorbikes as they patrol the surrounding forest . “ The traditional idea of hotel luxury , a lobby full of flowers changed every 2.5 minutes , is not enough anymore ,” Bensley says . “ Luxury is comfortably enjoying the wilderness in solitude , being awakened by the clamor of bird calls in the morning .”
September 2019 hotelsmag . com 13