Georgia Glamping Company
This month the American Glamping Association is thrilled to introduce the Georgia Glamping Company. These folks have enthusiastically arrived on the Georgia glamping scene, to rave reviews. The Georgia Glamping Company sets up glampsites at predetermined campgrounds; all guests need to do is show up and enjoy the glamping experience. Welcome to the business Rebeka and Nathan!
How long have you been in the glamping industry and how did you or your organization begin your journey into this industry? What made you jump into your entrepreneurial effort? Was is a slow or fast-paced start?
We started Georgia Glamping Company in February of 2018, after a family vacation at a noisy hotel where we saw our own children focusing more on technology than the beautiful world around them. Rebeka grew up camping in Oregon and said that she missed the outdoors and wished that we could all experience the outdoors without all of the distractions. Nathan spent the past 12 years traveling the globe and came across “Glamping” in the UK. We had always talked about going glamping somewhere in the US, but on that trip, Rebeka asked if we should just open our own in North Georgia. We are now in our second official glamping season and it was definitely a fast-paced start. We made the decision to dive in and open our company on February 4th, 2018. By mid-March 2018 we launched our website and were ready to take reservations for our two Bell Tents we had at the time. By April we had booked out our summer and by July we were booked for the rest of our fall season as well. We ended our first season in November 2018 with 4 Bell Tents and one Retro Trailer.
What did you do before you got into the glamping industry?
Rebeka received her International Business Degree and went on to pursue a Master’s in Education. She worked as a teacher and a paralegal, as well as homeschooling their two young daughters. Nathan worked for over 10 years in the Oil and Gas Industry and the Department of Defense. In 2015, he took a Project Management position with a Design/Build Technology firm based in North Georgia.
What was the best advice someone gave you before starting your glamping operation?
Do your research regarding insurance, zoning laws and permits. Personally test all of your gear and equipment thoroughly before using it. Only provide gear that you personally would want to use on a vacation.
Was there advice you wish you had gotten, but didn’t before you started?
It matters what website provider you have and it is best to figure this out before you spend the time building your website.
What makes your business stand out?
We have a mission to do everything with excellence. To love our guests through the details we provide as if they were our own family.
What excites you most about your organization today?
We are excited about the continued fast-paced growth of our organization, the feedback from our guests and so many new opportunities on the horizon to expand around Georgia and beyond.
In addition to the accommodations, what other amenities or experiences do you offer that you’ve found to be popular among guests?
We offer lakefront accommodations where guests can swim, fish, kayak, and stand-up paddleboard. We offer bicycles, outdoor games, gourmet s’mores kits and activity bags for little glampers. There is also a boat launch area, swimming beach, hiking trails, and a large playground for guests to enjoy at the campground.
What are the biggest challenges you think you will face over the next 2 years?
Capitalizing on our fast-paced growth without taking on too much too quickly.
Do you have any new or exciting updates that you would like to share with the glamping community?
We can’t officially share yet…but stay tuned!