b'Specialty Lodging Manufacturers Dealing with Increased Demandas Glamping Continues to be a Popular Way to Explore the OutdoorsS pecialty lodging manufacturers and suppliers to the camp- completely customized in a turnkey fashion, said Gary Flaks, CEO of Bushtec Ad-nBY RON BARGERground and glamping industry thrived in 2021 amid a contin- venture USA. We just did a resort tent for $230,000. Customization is a big part of ued demand for social distancing due to COVID-19 and all itswhat we do. Then we do community installs such as our 100-tent expansion in variants. Well established companies continued to grow andYosemite.increase sales, while the expanding market in everything fromFlaks stated that his company is focused on campgrounds wanting to go into more yurts to tipis, pods and bubbles brought new specialty lodgingpermanent glamping tents with a new modifiable design system.companies into the fray.The new system is called Bush Cad and it has a steel-studded frame that provides Accordingtothe16companieswithwhomWoodallsan R-15 energy rating yet is clad with our canvas system on the exterior. It has the Campground Magazine (WCM) spoke in this roundup, op- appearance of a tent with the warmth of the walls and a thermal liner.portunities abound if they can overcome the hurdles of laborwww.bushtecadventureusa.comwww.bushtecsafari.com888-589-8368 and supply chain woes.Business has been good, said Jason Higbee, the U.S.Cedar Bound sales representative for the Netherlands-based OutstandingCedar Bound designs and builds glamping cabins for resorts, glamping parks, va-Tents. Weve got people contacting us like crazy for morecation rentals and personal retreats.product. But there are more challenges than ever to try andOur unique structures bridge the gap between get those orders done on time, get the partsmodern cabins and luxury tents, said Bailey Aro Jason Higbee and get it financed. We are definitely witness- Hutchence, co-founder and owner with her hus-ing a lot of market pressure in a good sense.band, Joe Hutch Hutchence. Weareoffering Weve had a good year, concurred Dennis Steinman,creature comforts while still providing a connection founder of Kansas-based PlainsCraft Covered Wagons. Itsto nature and a design-driven indoor and outdoor been a bit of a struggle getting materials and that has addedliving space. a layer of complexity, but weve had great sales and we areThe unique hybrid, tent-meets-cabin design has improving the product all the time. insulated options and is made with durable materi-Keith Krzeminski, executive vice presidentals that allow for all-weather use, including in snow of Calif.-based Shelter Structures America,Dennis Steinmansaid his business is booming. and extreme temperatures.On the glamping side we have tons of orders going outSome customers start with one of our buildable and the commercial tent side of the company is even bigger.cabin kits, and finish the interior to suit their own We had a great 2021, he noted. design, style and campground brand, Hutchence It was 2020 before I saw the U.S. reallynoted.take off with the glamping trade, said AmyNew for 2022, the company is offering build services for orders of more than one Keith Krzeminski Kaiserman, founder and CEO of Bubble Hutscabin kit.With this upgraded service, the Cedar Bound team travels to the camp-LLC, makers of a unique bubble-shaped tent that prima- ground location to assemble cabin kits on-site.rily found a niche in Europe and the Mideast instead of theComplimentary on-site build consultation for volume projects of three or more North American market until recently. Staying in our tent isunits is also available.the experience. www.cedarbound.com218-409-3255 To get a better picture of the specialty lodging market, WCM spoke with several companies to get updates on new products,Amy Kaiserman Conestoga Wagon Companytrends and other news.The Conestoga Wagon Companys CEO Jason Olson noted that the company had a record year in 2021.Bubble HutsWe are building eight wagons a month and six shower houses a month, he shared. Kaiserman founded her company, Bubble Huts LLC, in 2014. She was adamantThe new double-hoop fabric top on the that her Bubble Huts dome structures were made in the U.S. and the company isConestoga wagon can handle a snow load and based in Glendale, Ariz. Bubble Huts is 100%is appropriate for all seasons, explained Olson. female owned.The exterior dimensions are 24 by 10 feet, pro-We make various kinds of bubble tentsviding an interior of 180 square feet. that are generally used in the glamping in- For colder climates there are heating sys-dustry for those who want to sleep under thetems that park owners can use. He said the stars, explained Kaiserman. I have clientswagon package is now at $38,000 with AC, who have AC, heat, bathrooms with runningheat, double canopy and one door.water or just a bed and two chairs for shelterLead times for wagons stand at about six in other campgrounds.months. Bubble Huts are constructed from PVC- Conestoga Wagon also offers shower houses for campgrounds. The company has coated nylon or PVC coated film and are fireflexible layouts with one to three toilets or just shower houses if desired, starting at certified and registered with the Californiaaround $38,000 to $45,000. State Fire Marshal. The bubbles are available in sizes from 10, 12, 16 and 25 feet inOrders taken on shower houses now are expected to arrive in September.single-room or double-room bubble tents. www.conestogawagonco.com307-277-0525 Choose from a real door or zipper entrance. Pricing ranges from $4,800 to $11,000 with a variety of colors available. Eco Structures USA www.bubblehuts.com866-360-6370Eco Structures USA is the U.S. distributor for the Australian-based company Eco Structure.Bushtec Safari USAIt has an entry level Pop-Up Tent that is Bushtec Safari has been serving the African safari business for 50-plus years anddesignedtobe100%temporaryforthe is based in Ladysmith in the Republic of Victoria, Africa. campgroundmarket.Thetenthasthe Park owners have the choice of a variety of tents from its two U.S. affiliates basedunique ability to go up in just a couple of in Atlanta, Ga. The two divisionshoursperfect for seasonal campgrounds, includeBushtecAdventuresnoted company officials.USA and Bushtec Safari Divi- It comes in at a $7,500 range compared to sion.thecompanys$20,000to$30,000luxury The most popular tents in therange tent products. BushtecAdventureUSAdivi- Eco Structures also has a super-luxury prefab bathroom-in-one module for installa-sion include wall-and-bow styletion with a tent. This prefab unit takes all the labor, materials and planning going into safari tents, such as the Deltathe bath unit and comes plumbed, painted, tiled and ready to install. The price tag for Zulu 3000 and the Alpha Kilothat module starts at $17,500.4000.Another offering is a new custom Hybrid Tent System ranging from $20,000 to The companys larger focus$100,000 for a multiple-room house. The hybrid has patented, insulated wall panels. A for 2022 is its Bushtec Safari Division that builds high-end glamping resort tents and15- by 25-foot kit will start around $45,000, with a full bath and multiple bedrooms.is expanding at a dramatic rate. www.ecostructures.com619-997-5788 These luxury tents start at about $12,000 and run to about $34,000, but can beSpecialty Lodging continued on page19WOODALLSCM.comFebruary 2022 17'