Monetize Your Vacant Land on the Glamping Staycation Trend

Have you always dreamed of an escape to the country? To retire from city life, maybe to start up a small B&B business? Or perhaps you already own a bit of paradise, and believe others are bound to love it as much as you do – and they’ll happily pay money to come and stay there?

If so, building a glamping pod, or pods, on your land could be a great way to create a new source of income. You might have agricultural land, a large estate or even a manufacturing facility with some unused space. With a DIY glamping pod, you can take advantage of a holiday trend that saw a massive rise in popularity in recent years – the staycation.

A staycation can mean either taking time off to stay at home or going on holiday nearby, within one’s own country. It’s become much more popular in recent years, mainly due to international travel restrictions and a growing appreciation for local, green spaces. Domestic travel is quicker and also much cheaper – transport is less expensive or unnecessary, and there are no visas, tourist taxes or insurance to worry about.

A staycation can involve taking day trips from home to local museums and attractions, or a night, weekend or longer stay away. City dwellers in particular have begun to appreciate this concept more and more, as a way to escape the bustle and confines of daily life. It gets them out into the fresh air and closer to nature.

A staycation includes all forms of accommodation within your own country, including hotels, rental cottages or staying with friends. However, when it comes to low-cost, eco-friendly holidays in the UK, caravanning and camping are the top choices for an overnight domestic trip. 

But while the desire to get close to nature has increased, the desire for certain amenities – such as a solid roof and insulation – has not diminished. This has led to the rise of ‘glamping’ – glamorous camping – which gets people out into the great outdoors while still enjoying some creature comforts. It’s for this reason that several big players are starting to invest in glamping pods.

In the summer of 2020 Google searches in the UK for the term ‘staycation’ increased by 500 percent. In 2022 this trend is still popular all around the world, with more than a third of people in countries like Germany and the USA saying they’d prefer to travel within their home country. In the UK, it’s more than half. So if you have some land you can convert into a camping or glamping site, you can easily monetise on staycation trends in domestic holidays.

What kind of staycation you offer will depend on your property type. If you live in a remote area, you could market your site as a base for a walking or cycling family glamping staycation. Or you could offer a relaxing retreat, where guests can sit back, read a book, and not feel pressured to rush around or be tempted to check their emails. Do you run a farm or manufacturing plant? Create an agritourism spot, where guests can immerse themselves in daily activities like milking cows or cutting down Christmas trees.

If you want to set up a glamping site, but don’t want anything intrusive or hard to construct, consider a glamping dome. They’re much more durable than bell tents and offer a much faster return on investment than wooden pods or large safari tents. They’re an extremely practical option, because they don’t require foundations. Hypedomes will arrive within 2-4 weeks and you can install them on your own anywhere you have a flat piece of land.

Staying in a geodesic dome glamping pod also offers a unique experience – with a panoramic window guests can feel close to nature without even leaving the bed. Plus the pods look great in photographs, so you can count on your guests for a lot of free social media marketing as well!

The staycation trend isn’t going anywhere, and neither is the popularity of glamping. Starting a glamping business in your little bit of the countryside, especially if you have an interesting marketing point, is a great way to take advantage of both.

When you build a glamping pod you can offer your guests a chance to escape the strains of daily life and enjoy the peace and quiet of nature. It’ll be the rejuvenating retreat they’ve been yearning for – and they’ll probably come back year after year!