Helping specialist tour operators and activity providers with travel ecommerce
Starting a caravan park
I'm in the process of relocating to Durban (coastal part of South Africa) and toying with the idea of launching a caravan park. Instead of the standard format where an operator offers guests a site for their caravan, I'll be managing my own caravans...meaning my guests will arrive without caravans, but sleep in caravans.
The idea is to offer budget accommodation to my guest, similar to backpackers who target no frill travellers.
Am interested in hearing from operators doing a similar business and what pitfalls to lookout.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ian Peet on -
Hi,
I run a glamping and camping company in the UK. We sell pre-erected tents and posh camping on a several sites regionally in England. We also act as an agent for other companies selling glamping products.
Biggest thing to think about in my opinion is marketting - how are you going to sell them. It takes a fair while to get things rolling and for us, when we started we had a very unusual product which we thought was wonderfully unique only to find out telling the world about it was really difficult and if the world doesn't know about your caravans - they can't buy them!
I would think: caravan sites are probably normal, but rented caravans, unusual - so how will people discover them? On the internet you have to search for something to find it, so if you don't know it exists you won't search for it. This is a really difficult problem of product launch so don't get over exposed and maybe build it on the back of a regular caravan park.
Hope that helps
Ian
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Permalink Reply by workingNOMAD on -
Hi Ian
Just a quick question, do you need special planning permission for your glamping and tent sites? I was thnking of buying some land in the South West and allow people to camp for a couple of months per year, perhaps in the summer holidays
thanks, and sorry for sniping this thread!
WN
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