There are so many exciting directions you could take your glamping site in that we thought we’d point you towards our favourite. Creating your very own eco village is the perfect way to connect your visitors with nature and provide a stylish rest-bite from the constant hustle and bustle of modern life.
We’ll give some advice on how to build your village, what to offer your visitors and how to fit seamlessly into the local landscape. But first, a little background info…
Sustainable Travel - the basics you need to know
When you travel (unless by foot or bike) you’re putting CO2 into the atmosphere. Planes, trains and cars all produce CO2 as a by-product, which in turn plays its part in speeding up climate change. Sustainable travel is a different approach designed to offset the impact of conventional travel. The core principle is to leave the earth as you found it, making sure that others who come after you can enjoy the same greenery and wildlife that many take for granted today. This could be through planting trees, using eco-sourced materials or minimally invasive building techniques.
Don’t mistake this for a temporary trend either folks: public opinion is shifting and making sustainable travel front-page news. In 2022 the global market for ecotourism was estimated to be USD 195.9 billion and current forecasts expect it to grow to USD 656.19 billion by the year 2032. There is certainly increasing demand and new opportunities to be enjoyed.
Clearly, if the world is becoming more aware of the need to be green, travellers are going to want to stay somewhere eco-friendly when they get to their final destination. As a result, there’s an increasing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly glamping experiences in all types of settings and regions.
Ready to grasp an opportunity? Let’s take a look at the eco village fundamentals you need to know about…
Eco Villages - creating sustainable holiday destinations with Hypedome
An eco village is a sustainable approach to holiday accommodation designed to have minimal impact on the surrounding area. Yes, structures need to be erected and shelters need to be built, but it’s always done in a way that disturbs the natural balance as little as possible.
Adding an eco dome is a great example of being kind to nature while building because these types of glamping pods require minimal changes to the surrounding environment. The structures are adaptable, fit almost any space and don’t require you to disturb the earth by pouring and laying concrete foundations, meaning the land will heal in as little as 6 months if you move.
Hypedome is an increasingly popular option for eco-village builders because of the way it blends into the landscape. Our mirror domes in particular have very little impact on the views everyone will want to enjoy. They can also be put up by hand with nothing but a few basic tools.
That said, there’s more to building your village than just picking your dome…
How Do You Build an Eco Retreat?
Eco living doesn’t have to be about going back to basics, but it does have to be about reconnecting with nature. Using your eco domes as spaces to house a custom style of decor that shows your guests something unique and unexpected when they have nature outside their dome is one way to go. How about the rest of the village and what you offer?
The key is to be green and kind to the environment in a way that fosters a sense of community and togetherness. Introducing communal spaces like a campfire, vegetable patch and even an outdoor kitchen will help everyone share the land and make memories together. You could offer the chance to have nightly group meals using the fresh produce from the village, or you could even have a voluntary conservation project visitors can dip in and out of should they wish to. And if you think that might sound like a bit too much hard work for your guests, there’s always the option to put on things like yoga classes, and permaculture workshops and teach them a few bio-construction tricks.
It’s also important to build in as green a way as possible. Shopping local for craftsmen and sustainably sourced wood for building will make a difference to your carbon impact. Using solar panels for electricity and heating with log burners are green alternatives you can add in. Others are using ground source heat pumps to reduce the amount of electricity they consume by getting their heat directly from the earth. And for those trips to the toilet, put the chemical treatments aside and use a composting-style solution that naturally breaks down waste.
If you think green, local and sustainable, you’ll always be on the right track. All that’s needed then are the finishing touches…
Geodesic Domes - adding a touch of luxury to stand out
Everyone will have their own ideas about what living in a dome is like, but if you show them that luxury touches are a reason travellers love glamping they’ll want to come back.
Hypedome introduces you to a stylish dome shelter that’s well suited to eco living. Geodesic domes are lightweight, durable, made using minimal wastage and designed to have a 15-year lifespan to reduce the need for quick replacement. And that’s only the start: read more about our eco domes.
Also, if you want to see some successful glamping businesses that use Hypedome to offer a luxury take on eco villages, take a quick look at the Alpine Nature Experience story. Activities like a ski-shoe tour of the surrounding landscape and a warm and cosy cheese fondue experience in a tipi are proving very popular with their guests.
We know we’ve given you plenty of food for thought when it comes to sustainable options, which means we need to make sure your work-life balance is sustainable too. Pour yourself a coffee, move to your favourite chair and relax while you think through your options. This is all about creating somewhere calm and peaceful after all.