How To Start a Glamping Business

Are you interested in starting a new business? Perhaps you have an area of land you’re looking to utilise and bring in a second stream of income with or maybe you’re ready for a career change? If this is true of you, then we’d like to introduce you to glamping.

A portmanteau of glamorous and camping, glamping is camping with an upgrade. Think comfortable amenities and lavish facilities, a true home away from home. Glamping is still very popular in the UK, with many preferring to sleep and enjoy their leisure time in more luxurious structures than your classic tents. 

Starting a glamping business can offer people across the UK a chance to stay in the countryside in style while being an incredibly profitable opportunity for you, the owner. In this post, we’ll break down what is needed from you to start your business and get it off the ground, along with answers to the internet’s frequently asked questions surrounding starting a glamping site business.

Setting up a glamping business

Here are our six essential steps to consider when creating your business.

Step 1: Plan

Before anything else, plan your business. You will need to get permission to build and run your business, along with various potential licences, but you will very likely need to provide detailed site plans when applying for these. Decide what you’d like your site to look like, how it will be laid out, and work out utilities such as power, water, drainage, and sewage.

If utilities concern you or are an impossibility on your land, consider off-grid glamping. Our Herdwick package, offered as an option with all of our huts, turns each of our hut models into an off-grid escape powered by batteries and solar panels. These huts will include a gas hob, heating options including wood burners and hot air systems, and composting toilets or other off-grid toilet alternatives.

Step 2: Permission

If you’re ready to launch a career in glamping, you’re likely wondering if you need planning permission for a glamping site. The answer is usually yes – there are various licenses and permissions needed depending on elements such as location, biodiversity, and what you want to create. Even if you have private land ready and don’t plan to develop it further, you’ll need permission to open it to guests.

Contact your local authority or fellow glamping site owners to find out which licenses you need to host a commercial glamping site. 

Step 3: Build

Once you have the licenses and permission required, you can start to build your glamping site. You’ll have already considered what you’d like to offer your guests in the planning process, from beautiful, natural landscaping to family entertainment – it will all come down to the environment you want to create.

Shepherd huts are an excellent option for any glamping site in the UK and further afield. Huts from us contain kitchens and bathrooms, eliminating the need for you to provide your guests with a toilet or bathroom block on site. All facilities are inside the huts themselves to save you money and space on the site. 

Whether you’re aiming for a traditional or modern approach to your glamping site, our shepherd’s huts are ready to be customised. They create the perfect canvas for you to decorate as you wish, made of high-quality timber and materials that blend in with their surroundings without being overly rustic from the get-go. String up festoon lights, add sleek blinds or thick curtains, and paint the huts any shade under the sun; a shepherd’s hut is your oyster.

What finishing touches are you going to offer your guests on-site? Think hot tubs, fire pits, bike hires, and even fishing ponds. You have an almost unlimited choice of features and extras to choose from, all helping you build the perfect glamping experience that will draw in new guests and bring them back again and again.

Step 4: Market

Once your glamping site is built, you’re ready to market it. Do you want to create a website of its own, or will you only place it on sites such as Airbnb? Commit to its online growth and expand your audience to get your glamping businesses in front of the right people. 

Social media and digital outreach can be essential tools for many glamping businesses, alongside search engine optimisation. It’s possible to learn to do these things yourself with time and the right courses, but consider looking into agencies designed to do some or all of this work for you, allowing you to focus on management and operations. 

Step 5: Welcome

The site is planned, built, and marketed, so what’s next? It’s time to open your glamping site to your guests! Welcome them in with a celebratory first week or month, and consider an offer or discount to encourage those first visitors. It’s no secret that it can be difficult to get any new business off the ground, so it’s worth looking into some creative incentives to get bookings. 

We highly recommend encouraging reviews from your guests to grow your online presence. People are more likely to want to stay somewhere that has positive reviews, so ask your guests to provide feedback through an online review service to create trust and build your reputation.

Step 6: Ask

Want to know if you’re doing things right? Ask. Whether your guests, your industry relationships, or experts, it’s always a good idea to ask questions. Here at Black Sheep, we are happy to offer advice and suggestions when it comes to building a glamping business. We have worked with hundreds of clients and have a wealth of knowledge that we are happy to share with those seeking help.

Glamping business FAQs

Here, we’ve answered your most-asked questions about starting a glamping site.

Is starting a glamping site easy?

Starting and running a glamping business can be very hard but rewarding work. A lot of work, time and money goes into running any business, and a glampsite is no different. Be ready to commit to the journey and your business’s growth, and don’t forget that help and advice are available should you need it along the way. With passion and drive, you will see a return on your investments in the form of a successfully blooming business.

Are glamping businesses profitable?

When done right, a glamping site can be incredibly profitable. Ensure you’re investing in making your glamping site somewhere people want to stay and return to, alongside how best to operate the site, and you should see profits as your business grows. As with many projects, it takes time to see a return on investment, but stick with it – with hard work and commitment, you’ll reap the rewards.

When choosing huts from Black Sheep, you’ll be able to enjoy the benefits of providing your guests with luxury at an affordable cost to you. Because we use carefully designed set templates, we’re able to keep costs down that may creep up from other sellers due to extensive and complete customisation. Our huts are designed to provide luxury and comfort before any bespoke elements are introduced.

How much does it cost to set up a glamping business?

The cost of setting up and running a glamping site will depend on several factors:

• Land and location
• Accommodation
• Planning permission and licences
• Potential environmental reports
• Infrastructure and facilities (e.g. common areas, utilities, site WiFi)

If you choose to place a Black Sheep shepherd’s hut on your site, you won’t need to worry about bathroom and kitchen facilities as they can be found in the huts themselves, saving you money. 

Do I need a license for glamping?

The answer is yes, in most cases, if you’re opening your site up to guests to create a commercial glamping site. Contact your local authorities to find out which permits and licenses you may need to set up your glamping business.

What is the 60-day camping rule?

The 60-day camping rule, in effect since July 2023, permits landowners to open their land as a camping site for 60 days or fewer in one calendar year without acquiring planning permission. These 60 days do not need to run consecutively; for example, you can opt to open your land on spring and summer weekends only, as long as those days don’t add up to more than 60.

Currently, this rule only applies to campsites. If you want to explore the 60-day rule in relation to a glamping site and structures, it’s best to contact your local authorities to find out if you’re able to do so.

Build your glamping site with Black Sheep

Ready to create something new? See your investment return to you by choosing Black Sheep for your glamping accommodation. Our shepherd hut designs have been carefully created to suit specific needs, with customisable options and add-ons to make them your own.

Each hut model includes beautiful bathroom and kitchen facilities, providing everything your guests will need in one private place. No shared shower cubicles and dining halls – our huts allow guests to keep to their own personal bubbles for the perfect quiet and relaxing holiday.

If you’re set on starting a business, let Black Sheep help. Get in touch, and we’ll be on hand to answer your questions and offer suggestions, as well as handcraft the perfect glamping huts for your site in our Norfolk workshops. Call the team on 07789 778699 or 01953 879444, send us an email at sales@blacksheepshepherdhuts.co.uk, or leave us a message via our online enquiry form today.