Industry takeaways from the 2025 Glamping Show Americas

Insights, inspiration, and a few wagon-worthy winks from COLORADO’s biggest glamping event.

TL;DR: Here’s what stood out:

• Rates are rising — the average glamping stay now tops $250/night, proving the movement is more than a moment.
• Experience is everything — guests choose what they want to do first, and then where to stay.
• Wellness, sustainability, and nature immersion aren’t trends — they’re the blueprint for successful resort design.
• Private bathrooms, saunas, and outdoor showers keep guests cozy, boost rates, extend seasons, and most important keep an operators’ books happy.
• Unique structures and storytelling drive bookings — give guests a theme they can step into — they want to be transported into an experience they can immerse themselves in and remember.
• The next phase of glamping is about connection over construction — blending design, data, and authenticity to create meaningful, memorable stays.

The Glamping Show Americas 2025, held just outside of Denver, Colorado, once again brought together the industry’s most passionate voices — from industry consultants and influencers to operators, suppliers, to dreamers shaping what outdoor hospitality will look like next.

For us at PlainsCraft, it was equal parts affirmation and inspiration. Even when the insights felt familiar, they validated what we’ve been intuitively building toward — unique guest experiences, strong storytelling, thoughtful amenities, and intentional design that connects people to nature.

While we couldn’t make it to every session (there were a lot), we took careful notes at the ones we did — and that’s exactly what you’ll find below. As for the rest of our time, you ask? We were proudly showing off the debut of our Shower House and ADA Covered Wagon — which, in our obviously biased opinion, stole the show.

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Session: Beyond the Data: Unlocking 2025’s Glamping Industry Insights in the USA and What It Means for You
Speakers: Scott Bahr of Cairns Advisory, Sarah Dusek of Under Canvas & Few and Far, Whitney Scott of Walden Insights, and Todd Waynne-Parry of Aramark, moderated by Steph Curtis-Raleigh

Beyond the Data: The State of the Glamping Industry

This session hit hard and fast right out of the gate — all numbers, nuance, and no time wasted. If you are at all like me and geek out over market data, this certainly set the tone (and stage) for what to expect the rest of the show.

So, here’s what got everyone buzzing:

• Demand and pricing are climbing: Average nightly rate is now at about $251, up 21% since 2023.
• Startup costs have nearly doubled since 2023, and thankfully revenue growth is keeping pace.
• Product diversification continues and more and more operators are offering both on- and off-grid lodging.
• Minimum stay policies are still going (but tread carefully here on when you decided to adopt them (hint: you should be running at near full capacity).
• Pet fees remain common. 
• Recreation and wellness lead in amenity investments — because guests want more to do than just stay in a unique structure.
• Financing remains the biggest barrier — largely because lenders are still not sure how to quantify the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio, they want real property.

 “Keep imagining the future to create magic moments.”

— Sarah Duske, Under Canvas & Few and Far

PlainsCraft perspective: Great design is just the start; memorable experiences create repeat guests. Every PlainsCraft Wagon is built to help give comfort, uniqueness, and A Wilder Kind of Experience. The release of our ADA Wagon is one way we are expanding the inclusivity of guests to create #MagicMoments.

Read more on our ADA Covered Wagon >

Experience Over Accommodation 

The message here was loud and clear: experiences drive bookings. Guests pick what they want to do first —then choose where to stay.

• Flexible bookings boost occupancy.
• Four units or more helps operators find stability and trend lines.
• Diversify site types to balance risk.
• Comfort > off-grid minimalism.
• Guests expect amenities.
• What can the land provide.  
  • Services – take out, cell service, medical, restaurants, etc…  
• Add in corporate or group events: bonding activities, meeting space, catering, etc…  

PlainsCraft perspective: Our wagons and shower houses scale easily, making it simple to grow from two units to a full resort. From Sage Outdoor Advisory we later learn the Covered Wagons are only 2.5% of glamping unit types in the industry, this is a great opportunity to be different and provide a unique experience.

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Session: Founder Story: From a Hand-Built Honeymoon Treehouse to an Incredible Luxury Outdoor Hospitality Brand
Speakers: Seth & Tori Bolt, Bolt Farm Treehouse

From Treehouse to Powerhouse

This was an overall inspiring session and one that helped operators realize they are NOT alone. Tori and Seth shared their story of heartbreak and triumph.

• Mindset: You’re not a hotel, you are providing something that is priceless and they will want to return again and again.  
• We learned a new term “Nimbys” –  the ‘not in my backyard’ crowd – they bring in zoning concerns and attorneys — so unlike the old saying, “Ask for permission, not forgiveness”   
• Not necessarily recommended, however they captured $1M in pre-sales proved their vision before construction.

They then shared a list of their “10 years of lessons learned.” It was equal parts business masterclass and therapy session; I would highly recommend you check out their Short-term rental (STR) workshop. 

• Sell the story, not the room.
• Always get your entitlements in order (make sure you can do it, zoning).
• Corners cut in construction will cost you in maintenance. (just pay for it now, or you will pay later).  
• Trade money for time. Turnkey Units — set up and go within hours to days. 
• You learn the most important lessons early on.
• Invest in culture: “Pay fewer people, more”.

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Session: Top 10 Guest Magnets: The Must-Have Amenities That Drive Bookings and Revenue
Speakers: Anne Howard of HoneyTrek, Kathleen Walsh of Outdoor Hospitality Group, and Dan Invergo from Northgate Holdings, moderated by Whitney Scott of Walden Insights

Include Glamping Amenities that Amplify Guest Experience

If there’s one universal truth in glamping, it’s that the little touches make the biggest impact — and this panel came stocked with plenty of them.

• Wi-Fi (although expensive) is now considered a utility.
• Pet-friendly touches – logoed bowls.
• Win reviews: Drinks on arrival and  personalized welcomes leave lasting impressions.
• Outdoor showers + saunas extend seasons.
• Indoor outdoor/shower options.
• Don’t use plastic reusable items.
• Having water regardless is important – even a foot pump sink.
• Coffee in the room.  
• Local/community activities: what do your neighbors have within 30 minutes to 1 hour. 
• Wildflowers – element of freshness (romance).  
• Concierge to help plan a stay – book it, reserve it, help them plan 
• Quality linens & mattresses define comfort.

Walden Insight’s, Whitney Scott, led engaging rapid-fire questions:

Simplest service element to implement with biggest return in outdoor hospitality?   

• Dan – team empowerment – give your team autonomy to surprise and delight guests.  
• Ann – welcome drink (local wine, drink, start the relaxation).  
• Kathleen – escort to unit – settle you in, set up wifi with the password to increase the personal touch.

What amenity creates the biggest wow factor for glamping stays?

• Dan – themed programing (involving the whole family) — adult activities like sip & paints, and cocktail mixology classes.  
• Anne – viewing platform or sunset spot, a firepit – create a vignette for them  
• Kathleen – spa services on site (good for girl trips) 

PlainsCraft perspective: While there are a lot of great ideas, our goal needs to be providing as many of these considerations as we can to provide the value of turnkey amenities. Like making sure we have space for a coffee bar, linen recommendations, shower options and water source solution (inclusive of off-grid). We need to make sure our wagons and bathhouses empower owners to combine inclusivity, comfort, and design with even the smallest of touches to create extraordinary stays.

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Session: The Art of Experiential Hospitality? The Story of Live Oak Lake and How to Build a One-of-a-Kind Micro-Resort
Speaker: Isaac French of Live Oak Lake

The Art of Experiential Glamping

• Focus on the experience: build your unique story
  • Utilize events (weddings, retreats) to generate fresh revenue. Agrotourism is the hottest trend no one talks about yet.
  • Farm to table eperiences.
  • You pick orchards.
• Submerge units in nature:
  • Create a magical vibe landscape design is the greatest amenity and highest return on investment.
  • Have 3 to 4 units submerged in nature rather than 10+ on top of each other.
• Start small, keep it simple: one great experience, done well.
  • Build less, but better. 
  • Influencer storytelling fuels authentic marketing.

Walden Insights recently released their “2025 Unique Accommodations Buying Guide.”  If your still in the planning stages and building out your story, we highly recommend you check this out, it will be a valuable tool to help you build your brand, story, and budget.

In short: start small, think big, and make every stay feel like a story guests can’t stop telling.

PlainsCraft perspective: Every structure we craft helps operators to create living stories, whether you are near the Oregon Trail, in a settlers town, have rustic décor, or are nestled into the woods listening to the rain patter on the bonnet and rumbling thunder (almost as a white noise soundtrack), our wagons provide a simplistic and serene setting to amplify A Wilder Kind of Experience.

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Workshop: Sage Glamping Data – Understand Growth Trends, Rates, Unit Types and Amenities
Sponsored by: Sage Outdoor Advisory (SOA)

Defining the Modern Glamping Landscape

Technically, this wasn’t part of the main conference schedule — but if you love a good ‘data deep dive’, this breakout workshop was one to catch. It provided insightful data into the current state of the industry and data points you can take to the bank. You can find the complete document online by clicking here: 2025 USA Glamping Market Report

I always say your strategy is only as good as your data, so when SOA started the presentation out by defining “Glamping” and what parameters** they constructed their report from, I knew I was about to get geeked out on some insightful information.

^{**They estimated their report covers roughly 70–80 % of the U.S. professionalized glamping market.}

Key Glamping Industry Insights

• Total 2024 revenue: $457 million (+40% vs 2022)
• 4.2 million guests nationwide in 2024
• Average rate: $268 /night
• Covered wagons: $268 /night (2.5% of market)
• Private bathrooms: +90% ADR increase
• Two-person units: $318 /night > 3-5 person units
• Covered wagon: operational season ~ 8.3 months

PlainsCraft perspective: All of the data findings affirm our focus on authentic, nature-connected design that balances comfort with simplicity. There is a positive tone to the industry and growth is just where we would want to see it. In the art of transparency, however, there is one caveat we want to make when it comes to the operational season of a covered wagon unit. At PlainsCraft, we have a proprietary Bonnetgard™ Cover System (a 5-layered insulation system) coupled with our 18,000 BTU mini-split that allows the internal temperature to keep guests comfortable at -5 degrees to 110 degrees, so our wagons have ~10 month seasons based on location.

Final Reflection of Glamping Show Americas 2025

If I haven’t bored you yet (and you are still with me), let this be your reminder that innovation in outdoor hospitality is equal parts aspiration, innovation, data, design, inspiration, and intention. That is a lot to bundle into one dream.

At PlainsCraft, we’re proud to help build destinations that inspire — from one covered wagon to an entire resort. Let us utilize our years of experience in the industry to help navigate those channels to build better stories, unique destinations, and A Wilder Kind of Experience.

Meet with a Glamping Expert >

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Recommended Reads:

• Comfortably Wild by Mike & Anne Howard

• Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara