New Year. New Adventures. New Trends. New Podcast. New Sport?
HAPPY NEW YEAR! AS WE TURN THE CALENDAR TO 2023, WE’RE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT OUR GLAMPTUARY PODCAST SERIES WILL BE LAUNCHING LATER THIS MONTH! WE’LL ALSO DISCUSS SOME EXCITING TRAVEL TRENDS, AND WE’LL HIGHLIGHT OUR UPCOMING GLAMPTUARY ADVENTURE WHICH WILL INCLUDE COWBOY CURLING.
2022 Cowboy Curling Classic at Beyul Retreat - Photo by Tyler Wilkinson-Ray
Cowboy Curling.
Sounds like something Rip would do on an episode of Yellowstone.
Simply put, Cowboy Curling is when a horse pulls a person seated on an inner tube (or some other object that glides on snow) and when ready…said person releases their grip on the rope and slides towards a marked landing area in an attempt to score points per the rules of CURLING.
This doesn’t sound simple. It does look like a lot of fun though.
Before I get your hopes up about seeing a video of me sliding uncontrollably across the snow…I will say this is NOT the type of Cowboy Curling we’ll be doing during our next Glamptuary visit. What we’ll be doing will look much more like the traditional curling we’ve come to know with a few unique and fun approaches.
We’ll be going for the win, but also will be satisfied if we make it through with no injuries.
It goes without saying that we’re excited for our next Glamptuary adventure at BEYUL RETREAT located in Meredith, CO. We’ll be staying in a rustic cabin and our pups will be making the trip with us (love dog-friendly Glamptuarys).
When we aren’t in our heated curling competition, we’ll be enjoying a different kind of heat in the on-site cedar sauna and hot tub. There’s also a variety of private snow-shoeing trails that we’ll explore and a nice fireplace in our cabin to sit by after our daily adventures.
There will be a full review, per usual, following our stay at Beyul Retreat which is set for later this month. Hopefully I’ll be able to include a picture of us holding a trophy for our win as 2023 Cowboy Curling champions. Or best-dressed. Either will do.
We have some more exciting Glamptuary adventures in our future for 2023, which makes me think about the trends I’m seeing in the experiential outdoor hospitality sector. In short, there is a growing desire among travelers to factor in their connection (or lack thereof) with nature combined with unique experiences when choosing the next vacation destination. Studies show that travelers are shifting towards a ‘planet-first’ mentality with ‘eco-friendly’ and ‘experience-driven’ destinations becoming a focus on search platforms.
The statistics coming out of 2022 look very promising for the experiential outdoor hospitality sector.
The Covid-19 pandemic forced people to travel differently. One of the pivots resulted in a rise in camping bookings, glamping bookings, and outdoor experience engagements. This is especially true with Millennials who account for 56% of people new to glamping specifically. Another key statistic in the Millennial group is that 78% would rather spend money on experiences than on things.
Below are some more interesting statistics and trends that will continue to shape how travel looks in the upcoming year, and beyond:
Studies show that 66 percent of people want to have authentic experiences that give insight into local culture and customs, away from exaggerated tourist attractions.
Studies show that the glamping market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14.7% from 2022 to 2027.
Studies show that 82% of U.S. travelers will factor in eco-friendly destinations as their leading search criteria when selecting a vacation destination.
Source - Grandview Research
If you’ve ever dreamt of launching a glamping business, now may be the time to start some serious consideration. And our new, yet-to-launch, podcast series at Glamptuary could be the resource you need to get things started.
Set to launch in Mid-January, our podcast series will feature a collection of carefully curated guests that will include glampsite owners, hospitality business advisors, financial experts specializing in outdoor hospitality, travel bloggers who focus on glamping and experiential destinations, and yours truly as the host.
Our first episode will feature Nabil Saweeres of Black Tree Resort.
Bobby on the left, Nabil on the right
Nabil is the owner/operator of Black Tree Resort, a beautiful glamping resort set in the Rocky Mountains on 200+ acres. In the podcast, we’ll talk about his leap of faith leaving a very successful career in finance in New York to start a glamping resort in Colorado. Nabil will also talk about the challenges he faced getting started, how he balances a 24/7 job, and his advice for those curious about opening their own glamping operation.
We had the pleasure of staying at Black Tree Resort, which you can read about in my review from 2022. I can say with certainty that my conversation with Nabil during our podcast record was just as fun as our stay at his resort.
I’m excited for 2023 and the adventures we have yet to embark on. I’d like to thank you for taking the time to read about our adventures and what I’ve created on this blog to date.
My hope for 2023 is that this blog puts a smile on your face, and adventurous thoughts in your head. And maybe some action in your body.
Cheers to the New Year!
Namaste.
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