The romantic dream of the off-grid glamping oasis is facing a multi-million-dollar reality check: pretty canvas tents and Instagram-worthy views are no longer enough to keep an outdoor hospitality business afloat.
During an episode of MC Fireside Chats, hosted by Brian Searl of Modern Campground, industry pioneers highlighted the financial truth behind the glamping operations and the costly illusion of going entirely off-grid.
Featuring insights from operator Izaac Rains (Dappled Light Adventures), architect Zach Stoltenberg (LJA), consultant Jayne Cohen (Campground Consulting Group), and owner Jeremy Johnson (Camp Kona Hills), the panel laid bare a critical industry evolution: the transition from passive hosting to high-stakes, strategic hospitality.
For developers and operators looking to survive a tightening market, the message was clear: understand the economics or don’t build. As the market becomes competitive, the episode noted that the surface-level aesthetics of glamping are no longer enough to sustain a business. The real, gritty economics of running a successful outdoor resort require strategic agility and tough infrastructure choices.
The primary catalyst is a cooling macroeconomic landscape. Nationwide travel metrics cited by the panel show a cooling U.S. market, with retail purchases of new RVs down 19% and travelers staying closer to home and tightening budgets.
According to The Dyrt’s 2024 Camping Report, glamping continued to attract new campers in 2023, with nearly 8 million people—about nine percent of all campers—choosing the experience. Among those who went glamping, 42% were first-time campers, underscoring the sector’s role in introducing newcomers to outdoor recreation. In response to sustained demand, 22.1 %of campground owners that already offered glamping before 2023 expanded their glamping accommodations during the year.
“Glamping is no longer a new phenomenon. It’s a continued, collective experiment to expand the possibilities for campers and glampers alike,” Kevin Long, CEO of The Dyrt said in the latest Glampy Award released this 2026. “Whether it’s outside-the-box accommodations like space pods and converted school buses, or just putting a drive-in movie theater at a campground, at the end of the day there’s one common goal — provide an unforgettable experience in the great outdoors.”
The Dyrt’s 2024 Camping Report echoes the potential of glamping. As more campground owners expand their glamping offerings, operators can no longer rely solely on unique accommodations or scenic settings to attract guests.
“It is not enough to just throw a tent up and get it out there for 100 bucks a night,” explains Zach Stoltenberg.To survive, they are being advised to retroactively evaluate how to elevate the baseline experience. “The focus today, what we see most of, is a focus on a higher, better level of what they’re already delivering,” Stoltenberg notes, pointing to upgraded furniture, on-site activities, and robust food and beverage programs as the new baseline requirements.
The Hidden Costs of Luxury and Off-Grid Living
Rains encountered an operational hurdle with his 50-acre cliffside property in Kentucky’s Red River Gorge. The resort features nine luxury safari tents elevated in the forest canopy, but originally relied on a centralized bathhouse a short walk from the units.
Even with explicit expectation-setting during the booking process, Rains recognized that long-term sustainability required structural upgrades. His team is currently entering a new development phase to add in-unit sinks and specialized toilets to eliminate that friction.
The physical utilities required to keep these resorts running present another hidden layer. In the quest to offer an authentic, eco-friendly escape, many operators initially opt for entirely off-grid setups, relying strictly on solar power and water hauling.
However, the realities of maintaining consistent guest satisfaction frequently clash with environmental goals. Cloudy days drain battery banks. Hauling water requires physical labor that operators often underestimate. The result is immense operational strain.
From an architectural and financial planning perspective, going completely off-grid rarely delivers a positive return on investment. “It has never penciled out that off-grid was more cost-effective,” Stoltenberg states.
Reflecting on established operators who chose 100% solar setups to avoid the sticker shock of running traditional utility lines, Stoltenberg notes that many deeply regret the decision.
“They are all still running backup diesel generators… because from a guest experience perspective, saying ‘I’m sorry it was a cloudy day so you have a cold shower tonight’ isn’t good enough.” The modern consensus leans toward a hybrid approach: staying grid-tied for absolute reliability while using net-metered solar arrays for marketing and sustainability.
Beyond the physical hurdles of plumbing and power, the glamping concern also manifests as a revenue problem. While unique accommodations generate initial buzz and social media traction, standard short-term leisure bookings often suffer from a sharp drop-off in repeat business once the novelty fades.
Cohen highlights this exact vulnerability when evaluating new or expanding properties.
“What I always think about is what is the repeat and return value of the experience?” Cohen notes. “With any glamping, is it really just a novelty experience or is it something that creates repeat and referral business?” For an industry built on passion, the episode emphasizes that the market requires operators to look past the romance of the outdoors and focus heavily on the path to true profitability, analyzing hard operational metrics.
Faced with these realities, operators, like Dappled Light Adventures, are shifting their business models entirely, transitioning away from standard vacation rentals and toward highly curated, group-centric experiences.
Dappled Light Adventures managed to navigate the trap by pivoting away from the crowded leisure market and focusing heavily on corporate and leadership retreats. Rains structured a split calendar system where full-property group buyouts can book months in advance, while individual leisure stays are restricted to a tight, rolling 60-day window. This layout captures late-season gaps without sacrificing lucrative group contracts.
By utilizing a dedicated, window-filled event space called The Rookery, Rains transformed his property from a simple place to sleep into a functional tool for corporate team building. The natural surroundings are leveraged alongside a structured environment to break down professional walls.
Outdoor hospitality is no longer a shortcut to easy real estate returns. The operators thriving in 2026 are those who treat glamping not as an aesthetic trend, but as a rigorous hospitality business.
By bridging the gap between raw nature and high-end hospitality—whether through corporate retreat programming, sophisticated hybrid utility designs, or premium service layers—they escape the glamping trap, turning a passing novelty into a lasting enterprise.
About MC Fireside Chats
MC Fireside Chats is a live podcast experience dedicated to the outdoor hospitality and outdoor recreation industries. Hosted by Brian Searl, founder and CEO of Insider Perks and Modern Campground, the show offers engaging discussions with industry leaders, innovators, and experts shaping the future of camping, RVing, glamping, and outdoor recreation.
Airing every Wednesday at 2 p.m. (ET), the show follows a structured weekly theme to deliver deep dives into the most relevant topics:
- Week 1: Industry Trends & Insights
- Week 2: Enhancing Guest Experience
- Week 3: Business Operations & Management
- Week 4: Marketing, AI and Technology
Each episode features a panel of recurring guests, complemented by 1–2 rotating special guests, including industry analysts, campground owners, technology providers, sustainability advocates, and more. Whether exploring the latest market trends or innovative guest experience strategies, MC Fireside Chats delivers thought-provoking insights for professionals and enthusiasts across the outdoor recreation spectrum.
To explore previous episodes of MC Fireside Chats, visit: moderncampground.com/mc-fireside-chats.