The Business Of Glamping And Unique Holiday Rentals

What does it take to build a luxury tented lodge in the middle of the Okavango Delta? To engineer a fabric structure that withstands a category five cyclone on the Australian coast? To convince a Swiss banker to walk away from a 20-year career and move to Bali to manufacture tented villas? Or to take a chance on a stretch tent made from horse-riding trouser fabric on a film set in Namibia, and turn that into one of the most innovative tent architecture firms in the world? It takes the kind of people you're about to meet. This is Titans of Tents... a brand new series inside the Glamping Business Podcast... and this first episode is where it all begins. I'm Sarah Riley, and I've spent years watching this industry grow from a niche curiosity into a globally recognised asset class. But one conversation I've never heard - not once - is the one where the people who actually build the foundations of this industry sit down together and speak honestly about how they got here, what they've learned, and where they think it's all going. Until now. In this episode, I'm joined by four of the world's leading glamping structure founders: Brendan O'Molony of Tenthouse Structures in South Africa, Ueli Wick of Escape Nomade in Bali, Tom Butterfield of Eco Structures in Western Australia, and David Patrick Court of Bushtec Creations, operating across Africa and the Middle East. Between them, they have delivered tented structures in over 55 countries, worked with some of the world's most prestigious hospitality brands, and built their reputations in some of the most remote and challenging environments on earth. What makes this conversation different isn't just their collective experience... it's the combination of genuine competitive respect, deep friendship, and a shared mission to raise standards across the industry that brings them together. They are four founders with hard-won knowledge, strong opinions, and the kind of honesty that only comes from having actually done the work. In this first episode, we hear their origin stories, and they are not what you'd expect. We talk about whether glamping is truly a global industry or a collection of very different regional stories. We explore what COVID really did to the outdoor hospitality sector, why an AI-disrupted world might be the best thing that ever happened to tented structures, and what is still... even now... misunderstood about what these buildings can actually do. This is the conversation the industry has been waiting for. Welcome to episode one of The Titans of Tents.  ____________ Who are the Titans? Brendan O'Molony - Tenthouse Structures (South Africa / Singapore) Brendan founded Tenthouse Structures in 2010, and over the past 15 years it has evolved into one of the industry's most innovative full-service tent architecture firms, delivering luxury tented camps and lodges across Africa, the USA, the Middle East, Europe and Australia. Headquartered in South Africa with an international sales and marketing office in Singapore, Tenthouse has developed over 60 international properties, and Brendan leads a 40+ strong team of tent-tensile architects, engineers, technicians, and lightweight building specialists. His personal mission is engineering superior wilderness fabric structures that are optimised to site... low-impact, high-comfort, and built for some of the world's most remote locations https://www.tenthousestructures.com/  Ueli Wick - Escape Nomade (Bali, Indonesia) A Swiss national who spent most of his professional life in private banking with UBS and Credit Suisse, Ueli made a dramatic career pivot and now leads Escape Nomade, designers and manufacturers of luxury tented villas based in Bali, with a mission to bring the "living without walls" lifestyle to a global audience. Under his leadership, Escape Nomade has delivered more than 450 luxury tented structures across 55 countries. Their product sits at the haute couture end of the market... large, semi-permanent, fully furnished tented villas used in resorts, wellness centres, and private residences worldwide https://escapenomade.com/  Tom Butterfield - Eco Structures (Western Australia) Tom has been driving product and concept at Eco Structures Australia since 2012, and has since completed over 85 glamping projects worldwide. His international portfolio spans locations including the US Virgin Islands, Saudi Arabia, China, and several Class A World Reserves. Eco Structures specialises in cost-effective, environmentally sustainable glamping accommodation engineered for remote and challenging terrain... including their patented concrete-free eco anchors and prefabricated bathroom pods... and exports globally from their Western Australia base https://www.ecostructures.com.au/  David Patrick Court - Bushtec Creations (South Africa / Middle East) David heads up Bushtec Creations as an Independent Executive Consultant, bringing over 25 years of safari and tourism/hospitality expertise across Botswana, Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East. Bushtec holds a current range of 1,300+ tent designs... more options than any other tent manufacturer... with a fully owned manufacturing plant covering all canvas and steel components. Their work spans luxury safari lodges, award-winning tented resorts (including Sharjah's Kingfisher Retreat), and turnkey solutions across Africa, the GCC, and the Far East https://bushtec.net/our-tents/   Sarah Riley - Inspired Courses ☆ The Glamping Academy ☆ Inspired Collective Sarah Riley is the founder of The Glamping Academy... part of Inspired Collective Ltd. With over 15 years of experience in the glamping, retreat, and unique hospitality industry, Sarah has supported more than 2,000 business launches across 18 countries. She hosts the Glamping Business Podcast and Glamping Americas Podcast. She is also the Conference Director for the Glamping Show Americas.

What would you do if the dream business you've poured your heart, savings, and future into still hadn't opened four years later? Most people would have walked away. When architect Danny Shafrir left a successful career in London, cycled across North America, and eventually settled in the wild landscapes of Galicia in northern Spain, he thought he was embarking on an exciting new chapter. His vision was bold: transform an abandoned granite quarry into a unique off-grid glamping retreat immersed in nature. What he didn't anticipate was a four-year battle with bureaucracy, environmental approvals, delays, uncertainty, and the constant question every entrepreneur dreads: "Was this the right decision?" But this isn't a story about failure. It's a story about patience, resilience, and discovering that sometimes the greatest value isn't found in reaching the destination... It's found in the person you become along the way. In this fascinating conversation, Danny shares the realities of creating a nature-based hospitality business from scratch, why he chose the harder path when easier options existed, and how an abandoned quarry ended up teaching him lessons about business, life, and success that no business plan ever could. If you've ever faced setbacks, questioned your decisions, or felt frustrated that your dreams aren't moving as quickly as you'd hoped, this episode is for you. __________ Danny Shafrir - FincA Galicia Website https://fincagalicia.com   Newsletter https://fincagalicia.beehiiv.com/   Instagram https://www.instagram.com/fincagaliciaadventure/   __________   Sarah Riley - Glamping, retreat events, and guest attraction    Glamping Academy & Owners Club https://inspiredcourses.com    Glamping done-for-you marketing studio https://inspiredcollectiveltd.com/        

Ready to have your mind blown in the best possible way? In this episode, we're diving into a game-changing innovation that's turning heads in the world of glamping and unique holiday rentals. Imagine a stunning retreat space or glamping pod on your land... fully customisable, ultra-durable, and made entirely from recycled plastic bottles. Sounds like sci-fi? It's real, it's happening, and it's absolutely inspiring. I'm joined by Gean Eidelman, Co-founder of Azure Printed Homes, a trailblazing company using cutting-edge 3D printing tech to create sustainable, design-led structures from waste materials like bottles and food containers. We explore: What 3D-printed homes and pods really are (and how the magic works) Why this approach is perfect for off-grid and eco-conscious sites How you can dramatically cut down build time, costs and environmental impact The incredible design freedom this method unlocks... from single pods to full-scale resorts If you're dreaming of adding something spectacular to your site, or building from the ground up with sustainability at the heart, this episode will stretch your imagination, shift your thinking, and spark a whole new wave of ideas. The future of building is already here. Let's get started! _______________________________ More Information: Gene Eidleman, Azure Printed Homes Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.azureprintedhomes.com/   Sarah Riley - Glamping, retreats, events, and guest attraction  Courses. Guided Growth. Done-for-You Marketing. Glamping Academy & Owners Club https://inspiredcourses.com Boutique marketing studio for small businesses https://inspiredcollectiveltd.com/   

Close your eyes and imagine 25 acres of lush tropical fruit trees. You hear the rustle of palms and the sound of water trickling into a grotto carved from natural coral limestone. You'd swear you were in the heart of Bali... but you're actually just outside of Miami. Today, we're going behind the scenes of BAYA, a brand-new landscape resort that isn't just opening doors; it's defining an entirely new category of hospitality. I'm joined by co-founder Ben Wolf to discuss the 'spark' moment on this land, the challenge of building an elite team, and how they are weaving wellness rituals directly into the earth. If you've ever wondered what it looks like to dream big and build differently in unique outdoor hospitality and luxury glamping stays, this conversation is for you.  __________________ More Information Sarah Riley - Glamping, retreats, events, and guest attraction  Courses. Guided Growth. Done-for-You Marketing. Glamping Academy & Owners Club https://inspiredcourses.com Boutique marketing studio for small businesses https://inspiredcollectiveltd.com/  __________________ Ben Wolff Websites: stayoasi.com and stayonera.com   Email: [email protected]    

What does it take to build a beautiful, thriving glamping brand from scratch, with no hospitality background, limited funds, but a whole lot of creativity? It takes guts to dream big with ambition but no experience, and we can all learn a lot from those who do it. In this episode, we sit down with Eamon Heggarty, the founder of Coorie Retreats, to unpack the inspiring story behind one of the UK's most talked-about boutique retreat brands. From resourceful financing and clever design choices to mastering social media storytelling, Eamon shares the realities of building a dream business from the ground up. We also explore Coorie's bold next chapter, with new sites planned in Edinburgh, Donegal, and the UAE, and how innovation (including their now-famous salt floating tubs) keeps the brand ahead of the curve. Whether you're a retreat owner, creative entrepreneur, or someone dreaming of escaping the 9–5 for a business in nature, this conversation will leave you inspired and full of ideas for what's possible when passion meets purpose. In this chat with Sarah Riley, Eamon shares: How to launch a glamping business with little experience or capital Creative ways to finance and design on a budget Why authentic storytelling drives bookings better than ads The inspiration (and science!) behind salt floating tubs How to expand internationally while staying true to your brand More Information Sarah Riley - Glamping, retreats, events, and guest attraction  Courses. Guided Growth. Done-for-You Marketing. *learn it *join our tribe *or let us handle it Glamping Academy & Owners Club https://inspiredcourses.com Boutique marketing studio for small businesses https://inspiredcollectiveltd.com/   Eamon Heggarty, Coorie Retreats Website: https://coorieretreats.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coorieretreats/    *Please show your thanks by leaving a review*