Start a business
How to Start a Glamping Business in the UK
A plain roadmap for setting up a glamping site in the UK, in the order that stops you wasting money.
You’ve got a field, a farm or a savings pot, and a growing feeling that glamping could work. This guide shows how to start a glamping business in the UK without paying for things in the wrong order. Check the land and planning position first, then choose your units, work out your costs, sort insurance and licences, and only then build the booking side. Planning is the step that can stop everything, so it comes before you spend on anything else.
How to start a glamping business step by step
The safest order is land and planning, then units, then costs, then insurance and licences, then bookings. Each stage tells you whether the next one is worth doing.
| Stage | What you’re doing | Why it comes here |
|---|---|---|
| Before you buy | Test the idea, pick a niche, check the land | Cheap to change your mind now |
| Before you build | Planning, units, costs, funding | Decisions here set most of your spending |
| Before you open | Insurance, licences, pricing, website, photos | Guests can’t book what isn’t ready |
| After opening | Reviews, quiet weeks, small improvements | This is where a site becomes a business |
Planning decisions can take months, so the website and branding are better done while you wait than left to the week before opening.
Test the idea and pick a niche
A glamping business works best when it offers one clear thing that guests can picture. “Three pods on a farm” is a business. “Some accommodation in a field” is not yet.
Look at who already stays near you and what they’re missing. Walkers, couples after a quiet weekend, families who want animals and dog owners all book differently. Common glamping business ideas are listed below.
- Shepherd’s huts, often with a hot tub, for couples.
- Pods on a working farm, for families and walkers.
- Bell tents, yurts and safari tents, for a more seasonal, lower-cost start.
- Treehouses or cabins, for a premium, year-round offer.
- Dog-friendly or foodie stays, where the extra is what guests book for.
Browse the sites near you as a guest would. Note their prices, their photos and what the reviews praise or complain about. Then pick something you can do better or differently, not just the same thing again.
Check the land and planning first
Your land decides what you can build, who can reach you and what services you’ll need. Good access, level ground, somewhere to park and a view or a bit of privacy all matter more than most owners expect.
Think about water, power, waste and drainage early. A site that is easy to service is cheaper to run, and guests notice a muddy track or a visible bin store.
Putting guests on land usually changes how it is used, so planning permission is often needed. Start the conversation with your council before you spend on anything else. Ask what applies to your land, whether temporary or seasonal use is allowed, and what they’d want to see in an application.
Choose your units
Choose the unit that fits your land, your guests and your tolerance for upkeep. A pod and a yurt feel very different to guests and to the person cleaning them.
| Unit | Good for | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Pods | Families, walkers, simple setups | Quick to place and easy to heat |
| Shepherd’s huts | Couples, hot tub add-ons | Strong photos and a premium feel |
| Bell tents and yurts | Seasonal sites, lower start-up spend | Weather and canvas upkeep matter |
| Cabins and treehouses | Year-round stays | Often need more groundwork and approvals |
Ask each supplier what’s included, what groundwork you’ll need to do and what the build, delivery and warranty cover. Visit a site that uses their units if you can, and ask the owner how the unit has held up over a few seasons.
Work out the costs
You can’t get one honest number for starting a glamping business without quotes for your own land. What you can do is list every cost category and get a written figure for each.
| Cost | What to check |
|---|---|
| Units | Price, delivery, warranty, lead time |
| Groundwork and services | Access track, hard standing, power, water, drainage |
| Planning and professional fees | Consultant, drawings, application fees |
| Insurance | Public liability and cover for your units |
| Furnishings and extras | Bedding, kitchen kit, heating, hot tubs, outdoor seating |
| Marketing | Photos, website, listing fees or commission |
| Running costs | Cleaning, laundry, utilities, repairs, accountancy |
Ask an accountant to check your numbers and explain how the business will be taxed. That is advice worth paying for before you build, not after.
Sort insurance, licences and rules
Insurance and licences should be settled before your first guest, not after. The details depend on your site, so confirm each of these with the right professional or authority.
- Insurance. Public liability is the one most owners start with. Talk to a broker who understands holiday accommodation about cover for your units, contents and any hot tub.
- Fire safety. Guests sleeping on your land means thinking about fire risk, extinguishers and escape routes. Your insurer and local fire service can point you to what applies.
- Food and drink. Offering breakfast hampers or alcohol brings its own registration and licensing rules. Check with your council.
- Tax and business rates. Register your business correctly, and ask an accountant about how holiday accommodation is treated.
Rules change, and getting them wrong is expensive. Treat this list as questions to ask, not answers.
Set prices and plan for quiet weeks
Price by season and by day of the week, not with one flat rate. Midweek and weekend nights are different products, and high summer is a different product again.
Look at similar sites near you and check what they charge for peak, shoulder and quiet dates. Then set minimum stays that protect your weekends. A rate card that is clear on the page also cuts down on enquiries from guests who aren’t sure what they’ll pay.
Quiet midweeks and winter weeks are normal. Plan around them with midweek offers, longer-stay discounts or something extra that gives guests a reason to come in the cold months, such as a hot tub or a log burner.
Get your first bookings
New owners usually start with a listing on a marketplace such as Canopy & Stars or CoolStays, and add their own website alongside it. Listings bring people who are already looking to book. They also take commission, and they don’t stop guests searching for you directly.
Even when someone finds you on a listing site, they often search for your own website afterwards. They may hope for a better deal, or they know the owner keeps more of the money when they book direct. If they can’t find a site, or find one that’s hard to use on a phone, many will simply book through the listing instead.
A good owner website needs only a few things.
- Clear photos of each unit and the setting.
- Prices and minimum stays on the page.
- An availability calendar guests can use on their phone.
- A simple way to book or enquire.
- Calendars that stay in step with your listings, so you don’t get double bookings.
Your name, logo and look matter too, because they are what guests remember after they close the listing. If you haven’t picked a name yet, glamping branding and logo design is a smaller job that’s worth doing before your photos and website. If you’re opening with pods, our page on glamping pod website design shows what we’d build for you.
Millie the Hut, a shepherd’s hut and Shack in a meadow near Presteigne, brought 42 direct bookings in its first year on the site we built, saving its owners over £3,000 in commission.
Before you open
Run a test stay with a friend or family before you take paying guests. They’ll notice what you’ve stopped seeing, such as a missing hook, a weak shower or a confusing gate latch.
Website plan pricing accurate as of October 2026.
FAQs
How much does it cost to start a glamping business in the UK?
It depends on how many units you build, what they are and how much groundwork your land needs. Costs fall into units, groundwork and services, planning and professional fees, insurance, furnishings and marketing. Get written quotes for each before you commit, and add a cushion for the quiet weeks before bookings build.
Do I need planning permission for a glamping site?
Often yes, because putting guests on land usually changes how the land is used. The rules differ across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and each council applies them its own way. Speak to your local planning authority early, and consider a planning consultant before you buy land or units.
Is a glamping business profitable?
It can be, but it isn’t automatic. Income depends on your prices, how many nights you fill and how much you spend on building and running the site. Seasonal gaps are normal, so build your numbers around a realistic year rather than your best weeks, and ask an accountant to check them.
How do I get my first glamping bookings?
Most new owners start with a listing on a site like Canopy & Stars or CoolStays, plus their own website so guests who search for you directly can book. Good photos, clear prices and a live availability calendar do most of the work in the first few months.
Get a second pair of eyes on your website
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