Glamping Americas Podcast

This episode offers a taste of the energy waiting for you at Glamping Show Americas, along with a fascinating interview with Neil Dipaola, CEO of AutoCamp. In 2012, he drove deep into the California desert after a Craigslist ad and bought five battered, 60-year-old Airstreams for less than $1,000 each. He meant to turn them into affordable housing. Then the neighbours started asking whether their in-laws could stay the weekend. One offer of $300 a night, when rents in the rest of the park were $400 a month, changed everything.  In this episode, Neil tells Sarah how that happy accident became the world's largest owner of Airstreams, with close to 1,000 in its fleet and over a million guest stays. He describes the surreal day Airstream's CEO called because a five-room hotel in Santa Barbara was getting the brand more press than it had had in a decade. He explains why listening to guests led to nine redesigns of the AutoCamp suite, and why red Radio Flyer wagons beat a bellhop every time.  Most of all, Neil believes there has never been a better time to get into this industry. Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt have all moved into outdoor lodging, and Airbnb's most successful hosts run unique outdoor stays. At the same time, people glued to their phones need the outdoors more than ever. If you've been thinking about starting or growing an outdoor hospitality business, Neil's message is simple: now is the moment.  Neil Dipaola – CEO AutoCamp  https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-dipaola/   https://autocamp.com/  __________     MarsDome   MarsDome is a glamping dome - an insulated composite dome for resorts, retreats, and holiday stays. Unlike fabric tents and thin-shell domes, it's built as a solid, one-piece monocoque shell with 4-inch (106 mm) continuous insulation rated R-35.   That one design decision solves the two complaints glamping operators hear most: noise and condensation. The dense shell cuts storm noise by roughly 35 dB, and the continuous insulation keeps the inside dry - no water dripping onto guests.   MarsDome installs in an afternoon with three to four people and is designed to last 50 years.   Contact: [email protected] or WhatsApp +86 137 7533 8243, or learn more at https://marsdomes.com     __________     Sarah Riley, Podcast host - Glamping, retreat events, and guest attraction      Glamping Academy & Owners Club https://inspiredcourses.com      Glamping done-for-you marketing studio https://inspiredcollectiveltd.com/     __________     Glamping Show Americas, Denver, Colorado https://www.glampingshow.us  [email protected]   

You got into glamping because you love the personal side of it. Chatting with guests when they arrive. Giving them your own local tips, not something off a leaflet. Being the person who makes their stay feel like it was made just for them. But what happens when the phone is ringing, and questions are coming in by email from potential guests who might move on to the next property if you don't pick up? Who answers the phone when you're not, and what's the cost of missing that conversation because you're too busy on site? So today I'm talking to Todd Sabo, Chief Growth Officer at Grevon, an AI booking platform built for hospitality and outdoor operators. In this episode, I explore how this AI tool helps you secure bookings and increase revenue, without losing the human touch. So if you're curious about how AI can help you deliver a better service today… than you did yesterday… and make more money while you do… this episode is definitely for you. For more information, please contact: Grevon.ai  Sell the experience, not just the stay, with https://grevon.ai/  Free 14-day trial available Todd Sabo - Chief Growth Officer https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddsabo/  __________    MarsDome  MarsDome is a glamping dome - an insulated composite dome for resorts, retreats, and holiday stays. Unlike fabric tents and thin-shell domes, it's built as a solid, one-piece monocoque shell with 4-inch (106 mm) continuous insulation rated R-35.  That one design decision solves the two complaints glamping operators hear most: noise and condensation. The dense shell cuts storm noise by roughly 35 dB, and the continuous insulation keeps the inside dry - no water dripping onto guests.  MarsDome installs in an afternoon with three to four people and is designed to last 50 years.  Contact: [email protected] or WhatsApp +86 137 7533 8243, or learn more at https://marsdomes.com   __________ American Glamping Association Ruben Martinez https://americanglampingassociation.net/  __________    Sarah Riley, Podcast host - Glamping, retreat events, and guest attraction     Glamping Academy & Owners Club https://inspiredcourses.com     Glamping done-for-you marketing studio https://inspiredcollectiveltd.com/    __________    Glamping Show Americas, Denver, Colorado https://www.glampingshow.us  [email protected] 

In this episode, I sit down with Collin from Pacific Yurts to trace these structures from their Mongolian origins as the 'ger' or 'gur' to their modern role in glamping and hospitality. We cover why these circular, historic homes create such a distinct feeling for guests, what goes into building a yurt that can withstand snow loads and coastal storms, and the real economics behind them, including client stories where yurts paid for themselves in months, not years. Collin also gets candid about the two biggest mistakes new glamping operators make: skipping proper site planning and underestimating permitting, which can quietly unravel a business years after launch. If you're considering yurts for your glamping site or retreat venue, this conversation is full of practical, honest guidance for you to apply to your own glamping business ventures.  For more information, please contact: Collin Miller - Director of Sales, Pacific Yurts, Direct - 458-298-2612 Email: [email protected]  Website: https://yurts.com  __________   MarsDome MarsDome is a glamping dome - an insulated composite dome for resorts, retreats, and holiday stays. Unlike fabric tents and thin-shell domes, it's built as a solid, one-piece monocoque shell with 4-inch (106 mm) continuous insulation rated R-35. That one design decision solves the two complaints glamping operators hear most: noise and condensation. The dense shell cuts storm noise by roughly 35 dB, and the continuous insulation keeps the inside dry - no water dripping onto guests. MarsDome installs in an afternoon with three to four people and is designed to last 50 years. Contact: [email protected] or WhatsApp +86 137 7533 8243, or learn more at https://marsdomes.com  __________   Sarah Riley, Podcast host - Glamping, retreat events, and guest attraction    Glamping Academy & Owners Club https://inspiredcourses.com    Glamping done-for-you marketing studio https://inspiredcollectiveltd.com/   __________   Glamping Show Americas, Denver, Colorado https://www.glampingshow.us  [email protected]   

What if everything you've been told about building a successful glamping business is backwards? What if adding more amenities isn't the answer... What if discounting isn't the answer... And what if the secret to charging three times the average nightly rate has nothing to do with having a bigger budget? In this fascinating episode, Sarah Riley sits down with Janice Wilson, software engineer, hospitality innovator and founder of Menizei, a boutique glamping retreat that's quietly becoming one of the most talked-about businesses in outdoor hospitality. Janice approaches her business like a scientist. Every decision is an experiment. Every marketing campaign is measured. Every guest interaction is tested. And, unlike most entrepreneurs, she openly shares both the successes and the failures so others can learn from them. In this conversation, you'll discover: • Why Janice deliberately removed amenities that most operators consider essential, and why guests love it. • How she's able to command premium prices without competing on features. • The surprising guest behaviour data that's reshaping her entire marketing strategy. • Why she believes hospitality businesses should stop trying to be "better" than the competition and instead become a category of one. • How AI is helping independent operators build tools and systems that were once only available to the world's largest hotel brands. • Why the future of luxury hospitality isn't technology… it's unforgettable human experiences. Whether you're planning your first glamping business, looking to increase profitability, or simply fascinated by the future of hospitality and AI, this episode is packed with ideas that will challenge conventional thinking and leave you inspired to look at your own business in a completely different way. Janice will also be speaking at The Glamping Show Americas, where she'll be sharing her framework for creating a true hospitality unicorn… a business so distinctive it no longer competes on price or amenities. If you're ready to stop following the crowd and start building something remarkable, this is an episode you won't want to miss. _________ More Information: Janice Wilson  [email protected]  LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/janicewilson/ Wilson Studio https://wlsn.studio/ Menizei https://www.menizei.com/ Territori https://territori.io/ _________   Sarah Riley - Glamping, retreat events, and guest attraction   Glamping Academy & Owners Club https://inspiredcourses.com   Glamping done-for-you marketing studio https://inspiredcollectiveltd.com/   __________   The Glamping Show Americas, Denver, Colorado  https://www.glampingshow.us  [email protected]   

What do Taylor Swift, a sold-out concert, and a 71-acre property in rural Indiana have in common? More than you might think. When Maggie Klein secured tickets to Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, she unknowingly set in motion a chain of events that would completely change her family's future. With the house needed for concert guests, her husband Mark suddenly found himself with an unexpected free weekend and one simple task: find somewhere else to stay. Instead, he found something much bigger. What started as a casual scouting trip to explore potential investment opportunities quickly became an emotional connection to a piece of land that neither Mark nor Maggie could ignore. Just days later, they found themselves asking a very different question—not "Should we do this?" but "How are we going to make this happen?" In this episode, we meet Mark and Maggie at the very beginning of their journey. There's no polished success story yet. No completed resort. No ribbon cutting. No grand opening. Instead, you'll hear the raw, honest reality of what it looks like to stand at the start of a dream. Together, they share how they discovered a remarkable 71-acre property near Indiana's famous Turkey Run State Park, why they believe nature itself is the greatest amenity, how they're balancing family life, careers, and business development, and the lessons they're learning as they navigate feasibility studies, financing, planning, and the countless decisions that come with building a hospitality business from scratch. If you've ever dreamed of creating a glamping site, retreat, or nature-based business—or you're simply fascinated by how big ideas become reality—this conversation offers a rare opportunity to follow a project from its very first steps. Because sometimes the most exciting stories aren't the ones that have already been written. They're the ones that are just beginning. __________ Mark & Maggie Cline Website: https://www.theparkeatturkeyrun.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theparkeatturkeyrun/  __________ Sarah Riley - Glamping, retreat events, and guest attraction    Glamping Academy & Owners Club https://inspiredcourses.com    Glamping done-for-you marketing studio https://inspiredcollectiveltd.com/   __________   The Glamping Show Americas, Denver, Colorado https://www.glampingshow.us  [email protected]