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SALT LAKE CITY — Glamour camping, known as glamping, became a growing trend throughout 2014 by allowing people to stay connected with nature while not give up the comforts of home.
Under Canvas Group owner and co-founder Sarah Dusek opened the company’s first glamping location in Yellowstone National Park in 2012. She said due to its success, Under Canvas opened two more locations, one near Moab in April 2014 and the other in Glacier National Park in July 2014.
Dusek said the number of clients booking glamping accommodations with Under Canvas has nearly doubled since 2012.
“Glamping provides an accessible way to enjoy the outdoors without all the hassle of having to own a whole bunch of camping equipment and have to physically lug all that across the country,” she said. “I think that’s one of its main benefits.”
Under Canvas offers a variety of glamping options, ranging from a basic teepee with a camping cot and sleeping bag to a tent suite complete with a lounge area with full furnishings and a toilet.
TerraVelo Tours co-founder and CEO David Levine said his company started offering glamping in 2014 after he discovered the beauty and variety of Utah’s outdoors.
“I can speak confidently that no one is prepared for how beautiful southern Utah is,” he said. “It’s not just the national parks. It’s also the state parks and there are so many beautiful roads in between. … It’s very stunning. When we came up with the idea (for our company,) it was clear that our first tours would be in Utah.”
TerraVelo Tours offers glamping and different activities around the five national parks in Utah, and Levine said they have plans to expand to Yellowstone National Park, the Tetons and the Redwoods in 2015.
“Glamping just seems very hot. … It’s been good. (2014) was our inaugural year and we have been very pleased with how it’s gone,” Levine said.
Levine and Dusek both said that glamping is catching on because it’s different and gives people the opportunity to visit beautiful areas while being able to maintain the ease and comfort of home.
“This is kind of a halfway house between a nice hotel room and a camping experience,” Dusek said. “It’s a really, really nice combination. … I think it’s a growing trend and people are becoming more aware of the options to do this.”
Luxury Camping, Cycling & Adventure from TerraVelo Tours on Vimeo.
