Glamping Continues to Draw in First-Time Campers

The Dyrt, the No. 1 app for camping availability, photos and reviews, has found that more campers are continuing to discover the luxury and joy of glamping. Nearly 8 million people, or 9% of all campers, went glamping in 2023. Of that group, 42% were first-timers. These findings are included in The Dyrt's 2024 Camping Report presented by the 2024 Toyota Tacoma.

"Glamping remains the perfect foray into camping for the tentative non-campers out there," says The Dyrt founder Sarah Smith. "It's kind of like camping with training wheels, where people can get a feel for it without sacrificing all the comforts of home. For others it's a luxurious alternative to the tent camping they're used to."

Campgrounds are responding to glamping's continued popularity, as 22.1% of property owners who already offered glamping prior to 2023 increased the number of glamping sites at their property last year. RV camping was the only camping type that was more commonly expanded at 26.2%.

Also, 10% of properties that added an entirely new type of camping chose to add glampsites in 2023. While still an increase, the rate at which glampsites are being added has cooled a bit. In 2022, of the properties that added a new type of camping, a whopping 44% opted for glampsites.

"I'm biased but glamping (and camping) doesn't get any better than on a California cliff overlooking the ocean," says The Dyrt camper Ward T. of California. "You can't beat glamping in a heated yurt on a Big Sur mountainside watching the sun set down into the Pacific.."

The winners of The Dyrt's third annual Glampy Awards, which recognize and honor the most unique and innovative glampground destinations throughout the U.S., were announced in March. Loving Heart Retreats, which offers upscale domes and tents in Texas Hill Country, took top honors for 2024. This year's Glampys also featured a furnished shipping container at a music festival site in the Nevada desert and an octadecagon (18-sided) yurt-style cabin set deep in the Washington woods.

"As glamping becomes more and more prevalent, properties are looking to set themselves apart," says The Dyrt CEO Kevin Long. "It's not just about king-size mattresses on a platform covered by a canvas tent. Property owners are getting super creative. Two of the strongest human desires are to try new things and to be comfortable. Glamping gives you both in spades."