AGA Member Spotlight: Sojourn Lodging

What does it take to turn a great getaway into a growing hospitality brand? Meet Antoine Ludmann (Marketing & Revenue Management Manager) of Sojourn Lodging.

An AGA member operator in Sevierville, Tennessee, Antoine is helping shape a hospitality concept that combines thoughtful accommodations, smart revenue strategy, and a strong focus on the guest experience.

Sojourn may be rooted in the Smoky Mountains, but the vision is much bigger. We caught up with Antoine to hear what they’re learning as operators, how they’re approaching growth, and what’s next for Sojourn Lodging.

Read the full Q&A →

What inspired the name of your company? Is there a story or meaning behind your company’s name? How does it reflect your brand or values?

“Sojourn” reflects the idea of a temporary stay or getaway. It also connects naturally to the French word “séjour,” which means a stay or time spent away from home. The name Sojourn Lodging captures exactly what we want to offer: a memorable getaway and a place to experience the Smoky Mountains.

How did you get started in the glamping industry? What motivated you to get involved?

Sojourn Lodging is located in Sevierville, Tennessee, in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains, just minutes from Pigeon Forge and Dollywood. What makes the location special is the balance between being close to the area’s major attractions while still offering a peaceful, nature-focused escape surrounded by the Smokies.

What is unique about your approach to glamping? What sets your business or services apart from others in the industry?

Our approach to glamping is centered around bringing people together while still giving them their own private space. The Smoky Mountains lodging market is heavily driven by traditional hotels and large cabins, and Sojourn offers a different experience. Guests have their own thoughtfully designed tiny home with no shared walls, while still being part of a larger community with shared outdoor spaces, activities, and opportunities to connect. We combine the privacy of an individual stay with the atmosphere and social experience of a resort.

What’s the most innovative thing your company has done in the last year?

The most innovative thing we’ve done in the last year is simply bringing Sojourn Lodging to life. We opened in June 2025, transforming our vision into a complete tiny home community in the Smoky Mountains. Our biggest focus has been building the experience from the ground up, learning from our guests, and continuously developing the property into a destination that combines private accommodations, community, nature, and outdoor experiences.

How do you incorporate sustainability into your business practices? In what ways are you making your business more sustainable? What are the challenges and benefits of these efforts?

Our tiny home model naturally allows us to create a smaller footprint while still providing guests with a comfortable, high-quality lodging experience. We also place a strong emphasis on preserving the natural environment around Sojourn and encouraging guests to enjoy the property and the Smoky Mountains responsibly. As a relatively new property, sustainability is an area we want to continue developing as Sojourn grows.

What’s one product, service, or idea you wish existed in the glamping industry? If you could introduce something new to the industry, what would it be and why? How do you think it would change the landscape of glamping?

I wish there were a better way for independent glamping properties to share and package local experiences directly into the guest stay. At Sojourn, for example, we have a natural cave system directly beneath the property with guided tours available to guests. Creating stronger connections between unique lodging and experiences like this could help glamping become more than just a place to sleep—it becomes the reason for the trip.

What role do community and collaboration play in your business? How do you engage with your local community, other industry professionals, or your customer base? Why is this important to your business?

Community are a big part of how we are building Sojourn. We prioritize local partnerships whenever possible, from using locally sourced products to working with tiny homes built right here in Tennessee. We’re also very pet-friendly and committed to supporting our local animal community through donations and guest-driven fundraising for the Sevier County Animal Shelter. For us, being part of the Smoky Mountains community means creating relationships that extend well beyond our property.

What do you see as the next big shift in consumer expectations in the glamping industry? How are you preparing to meet or exceed these evolving expectations?

I think the next big shift will be travelers expecting more than just unique accommodations—they’ll want a complete experience. A beautiful tiny home alone won’t necessarily be enough. Guests will increasingly look for activities, community, nature, and memorable experiences built into their stay. At Sojourn, we’re preparing for this by developing on-site experiences like cave tours, outdoor activities, gathering spaces, and other ways for guests to experience the Smoky Mountains without simply using Sojourn as a place to sleep.

Can you share a recent success story or milestone your company has achieved? What was the impact on your business or the industry?

One of our biggest milestones has been the guest response since opening Sojourn in June 2025. In a very competitive Smoky Mountains lodging market, we’ve maintained an almost perfect guest rating across our properties. For a new concept and a new operation, that has been incredibly meaningful to us. It validates our focus on quality, cleanliness, hospitality, and consistency, while showing that travelers are responding positively to the tiny home experience we’re building.

What’s the most unexpected lesson you’ve learned in the glamping industry? How has it shaped your approach to your work?

Coming from a background in the cabin industry, one of the most unexpected lessons has been realizing just how different the glamping audience is. Their expectations, needs, booking behaviors, and reasons for traveling can be very different from traditional cabin guests. It has taught us that glamping needs its own approach to marketing, pricing, amenities, and the overall guest experience rather than simply applying what works in traditional vacation rentals.

If you could spend a week at any glamping site in the world, where would it be and why? Whether it’s a dream destination or a place that inspires you, where would you go to unwind or gather new ideas?

I’d love to spend a week at a glamping property in the Utah desert, somewhere surrounded by landscapes like Zion, Arches, or the Grand Canyon. The combination of dramatic scenery, remoteness, and high-end outdoor hospitality is incredibly inspiring.

How do you stay inspired and creative in your work? What practices, hobbies, or experiences help you maintain your creativity and passion for what you do?

Since I work primarily remotely, one of the best ways for me to stay inspired is simply spending time on-site in the Smoky Mountains. Staying at the property, walking around Sojourn, talking with guests and our local team, and experiencing the destination firsthand always gives me new ideas. It helps me step away from the numbers and screens and see the experience from a guest’s perspective.

What’s your vision for the future of your company within the glamping industry? How do you see your business growing or evolving in the next few years?

Our long-term vision is to grow Sojourn beyond a single destination. Right now, our Sevierville property is proving and refining the concept—learning what guests value most and building a strong model around the experience. In the future, we’d love to bring the Sojourn concept to additional destinations, particularly in neighboring states, while maintaining the same focus on nature, community, unique accommodations, and memorable experiences.

How is your company innovating within the glamping space?

For us, innovation starts with the guest experience. We use modern hospitality technology to make every step of the journey as seamless as possible, from booking and pre-arrival communication to digital guidebooks and on-site support. We’re also increasingly using AI and automation behind the scenes to improve communication, personalize the guest journey, analyze performance, and help our team make faster, data-driven decisions.

How has being a part of the glamping industry impacted you personally?

I’ve always been someone who enjoys camping, nature, and spending time outdoors, so working in the glamping industry feels very natural to me. But what has impacted me most is seeing guests genuinely enjoying what we’ve built—spending time outside, using the amenities, connecting with each other, and creating memories at Sojourn. Seeing people happy on the property gives a real purpose to the work we do and is one of my biggest sources of motivation.

For Sojourn Lodging, the goal isn’t simply to create another place to stay in the Smokies—it’s to create a stay that feels easy to book, memorable to experience, and connected to the destination around it. As Antoine and the team continue refining the Sevierville property, they’re also looking ahead, exploring how to bring the Sojourn concept to new destinations while staying true to the values at its core: nature, unique accommodations, community, and meaningful guest experiences. For an operator still shaping its first chapter, Sojourn is already thinking about what comes next.