Conference Sessions
Site Planning | AGA Pre-Show Expert Roundtable
You and your table will be handed a real glamping property—site map,
You and your table will be handed a real glamping property—site map, topography, parcel boundaries, existing utilities—and put in the development team seat. Over 90 minutes, your group will make the layout calls that decide the initial site plannin
You and your table will be handed a real glamping property—site map, topography, parcel boundaries, existing utilities—and put in the development team seat. Over 90 minutes, your group will make the layout calls that decide the initial site planning for the property.
- Parking strategy: centralized lot or distributed pull-up access? Each direction shapes the arrival experience, the site’s character and the operational realities your staff will l
You and your table will be handed a real glamping property—site map, topography, parcel boundaries, existing utilities—and put in the development team seat. Over 90 minutes, your group will make the layout calls that decide the initial site planning for the property.
- Parking strategy: centralized lot or distributed pull-up access? Each direction shapes the arrival experience, the site’s character and the operational realities your staff will live with every day. Your group will weigh the available options and defend the call.
- Unit placement, infrastructure & guest experience: clustered or spread, where do the units actually go? This is the decision where topography, sightlines, view corridors and infrastructure routing all collide—and where the gap between a “campground feel” and a high-ADR retreat usually opens up. On a unique or challenging site, getting this right is the difference between a layout that flows and one that fights itself for the long term.
- Welcome building placement: the first interaction with a guest sets the tone for the entire stay, which makes the welcome center one of the most important investments on the property. Designing it as a versatile, multi-use space—check-in, retail, common area, staff hub—is critical, but placement is genuinely hard to get right, especially when you’re balancing curb appeal, operational flow and where guests actually want to gather.
- Fire roads & emergency access: often the most overlooked piece of an early site plan, and just as often the one that derails a project at permitting. Your group will lay out a fire road network that meets code, works alongside guest paths and doesn’t eat into your buildable footprint.
- Utilities: Where to put a wastewater system or other required items is a challenge most operators don’t have a solution for until permitting forces the issue — and by then, your options have narrowed dramatically. The more spread out things are, the more costly utilities become.
Industry experts move between tables as mentors, pushing your group to defend decisions out loud and surface the trade-offs that don’t show up on a polished render.
You’ll leave with: a working framework for site sequencing, a sharper eye for hidden infrastructure costs and hidden challenges, and a clear sense of what wins (and loses) at the planning department.
Financing & Business Planning | AGA Pre-Show Expert Roundtable
Financing & Business Planning
Passion projects and profitabl
Financing & Business Planning
Passion projects and profitable businesses don’t look the same on paper—and this session walks you through the difference. Working from a real glamping operator scenario, you’ll build the pieces of an investabl
Financing & Business Planning
Passion projects and profitable businesses don’t look the same on paper—and this session walks you through the difference. Working from a real glamping operator scenario, you’ll build the pieces of an investable business plan, learn how to translate your story into numbers that lenders and investors take seriously, and pressure-test the assumptions most operators don’t examine until it’s too late.
Your grou
Financing & Business Planning
Passion projects and profitable businesses don’t look the same on paper—and this session walks you through the difference. Working from a real glamping operator scenario, you’ll build the pieces of an investable business plan, learn how to translate your story into numbers that lenders and investors take seriously, and pressure-test the assumptions most operators don’t examine until it’s too late.
Your group will work through:
- Telling your story with numbers: A strong business plan is your story translated into the language of capital—and the operators who win funding are the ones whose plans line up with their vision and their math. Your group will work through how to build a plan that reads as credible to a banker who has never set foot in a glamping property, even if you’re a first-time operator without a track record.
- The pro forma—revenue, costs and the gaps that sink deals: ADR, occupancy, seasonality, ramp-up, CapEx, OpEx, staffing and the soft costs operators routinely under-budget (maintenance reserves, working capital, marketing spend, insurance, debt service). Your group will work through how to build numbers that are realistic enough to defend and strong enough to fund—and how to spot the miscalculations that quietly sink deals before they ever reach underwriting.
- Phasing the project for proof of concept: You will work through how to stage your project so Phase 1 proves the model, generates real operating data and earns the right to scale—building a path from concept to credibility instead of asking capital to take a leap of faith.
- What banks and investors actually look —and what makes a plan “investable”: Debt and equity sources speak specific languages and care about certain project characteristics. You will work through what a bank wants to see (debt service coverage, collateral, credit, cash reserves) versus what an investor wants to see (returns, scalability, defensibility, exit path)—and how to position your plan for the right kind of capital at the right time.
- The endgame: Long-term goals, exit strategy and the lifestyle the business is supposed to support. Working backward from the life you want in 10 years often changes the decisions you make in year one—and clarifies whether you’re really building a business, a hobby or something in between.
Experts circulate between tables, challenging soft assumptions and sharing what they’ve seen actually work—from operators who’ve raised capital to lenders who’ve underwritten deals.
You’ll leave with: the bones of a credible business plan, a clearer-eyed view of your own financial assumptions, a phased approach you can actually defend and the questions you need to answer before any meaningful conversation with a bank or investor.
Marketing Essentials | AGA Pre-Show Expert Roundtable
Marketing is where many early-stage operators either over-spend on the
…Marketing is where many early-stage operators either over-spend on the wrong areas or under-invest in the areas that actually drive bookings. This session puts you inside a working scenario and asks the hard questions about how to allocate time, mone
…Marketing is where many early-stage operators either over-spend on the wrong areas or under-invest in the areas that actually drive bookings. This session puts you inside a working scenario and asks the hard questions about how to allocate time, money and attention across the tools and channels that actually move the needle for a glamping property.
Your group will work through:
- Your tech stack—understanding what your business needs: From booking
Marketing is where many early-stage operators either over-spend on the wrong areas or under-invest in the areas that actually drive bookings. This session puts you inside a working scenario and asks the hard questions about how to allocate time, money and attention across the tools and channels that actually move the needle for a glamping property.
Your group will work through:
- Your tech stack—understanding what your business needs: From booking engines and PMS platforms to channel managers, CRMs and review tools, the glamping tech landscape offers strong solutions for every kind of operator. Your group will focus on how to identify the right tech needs for your stage of business, what questions to ask before bringing on any new platform and how to think strategically about your stack as a whole — so the tools you choose are built around your operation, not the other way around.
- Telling your story—why you, not them: With new glamping properties opening every month, the brands that win are the ones who can clearly articulate what makes their guest experience different. Your group will work through how to position your property, how to translate your story consistently across your website, OTAs and social channels, and how to make your “why” obvious to a guest in the eight seconds before they bounce.
- Marketing the experience—on-site vs. local area: Are you selling the property, the destination, or both? Most operators don’t think hard enough about this — and miss the chance to bundle on-site experiences (firepit dinners, guided activities, wellness add-ons) with the reasons guests came to the area in the first place. Your group will work through how to position each without diluting your brand or under-pricing your offering.
- AI—best bang for your buck: AI is the topic everyone is asking about and the one most people are confused by. Your group will cut through the noise and identify where AI actually pays off for a glamping operator today—customer service and inquiry response, content and social, dynamic pricing, guest journey automation and the shift from SEO to GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) as more guests search through AI assistants. Where should you start if you only have bandwidth for one?
- Analytics that matter when you’re starting out: Most early-stage operators either drown in dashboards or track nothing at all. Your group will work through the handful of numbers that genuinely matter in year one—ADR, occupancy, channel mix, conversion rate, repeat rate, review sentiment—and how to use them to make sharper decisions instead of just describing what already happened.
- Repeat guests & on-site marketing — making the stay unforgettable: Repeat business in glamping is notoriously elusive, but it doesn’t have to be. Your group will work through how to design the on-site experience so guests leave with stories worth telling, what to do at check-out and after the stay to bring them back and how to turn first stays into referrals, reviews and second bookings.
Experts will be present to share what’s actually working for them — tool by tool, dollar by dollar.
You’ll leave with: a sharper marketing prioritization framework, a clearer picture of where your first (or next) dollar should go, a strategy that fits your stage and practical tools you can apply to your property the week you get home.
Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More1. Understanding the Data: What Will Still Work in Glamping in 2030, and What Won’t?
This session gives exclusive insights on the future of glamping invest
…This session gives exclusive insights on the future of glamping investment, guest behavior, and business models in the USA. But the glamping industry is evolving rapidly, so it's essential to understand what’s really working now and will survive the
…This session gives exclusive insights on the future of glamping investment, guest behavior, and business models in the USA. But the glamping industry is evolving rapidly, so it's essential to understand what’s really working now and will survive the next 5 years, and what’s likely to be left behind?
This powerful session cuts through the noise and reveals the real story behind the data. Discover where the smart money is going, how guest expectati
…This session gives exclusive insights on the future of glamping investment, guest behavior, and business models in the USA. But the glamping industry is evolving rapidly, so it's essential to understand what’s really working now and will survive the next 5 years, and what’s likely to be left behind?
This powerful session cuts through the noise and reveals the real story behind the data. Discover where the smart money is going, how guest expectations are shifting post-2025, and which glamping business models are already showing signs of burnout. You’ll walk away with:
- Insight into long-term growth opportunities across the USA
- A clear picture of changing guest behaviors and must-have features
- A wake-up call on what to stop investing in, and what to double down on
If you want to build or scale a glamping business that’s future-ready, financially sound and aligned with what guests truly want, this session is your roadmap. It will help you future-proof your vision, protect your profits, and stay ahead of the curve.
2. Beyond The Bank: Creative Funding Strategies That Actually Work
Learn how today’s glamping operators are launching big projects withou
…Learn how today’s glamping operators are launching big projects without just relying on traditional loans.
Think you can only get a bank loan to bring your retreat vision to life? Think again.
In this empowering session, Nick Purslow (Posh Outdoors)
…Learn how today’s glamping operators are launching big projects without just relying on traditional loans.
Think you can only get a bank loan to bring your retreat vision to life? Think again.
In this empowering session, Nick Purslow (Posh Outdoors) and Leslie Martin (Lagom Retreat) share how they’ve raised capital and launched stunning boutique hospitality brands, without relying solely on the conventional financing route. You’ll discover:
- Ho
Learn how today’s glamping operators are launching big projects without just relying on traditional loans.
Think you can only get a bank loan to bring your retreat vision to life? Think again.
In this empowering session, Nick Purslow (Posh Outdoors) and Leslie Martin (Lagom Retreat) share how they’ve raised capital and launched stunning boutique hospitality brands, without relying solely on the conventional financing route. You’ll discover:
- How seller financing, crowdfunding and revenue-share deals really work
- The pros, cons and potential of partnership-led capital
- What to watch out for, and how to keep control of your creative vision
Whether you’re just starting or scaling your next site, this will give you the insight (and courage) to explore alternative funding paths and move faster without sacrificing ownership or authenticity.
So, if you want to learn more about smarter funding, faster launches and more freedom to do it your way, make sure you attend this session.
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3. The Modern Hospitality Demand Engine: Build It Once. Fill It Forever.
Demonstrating smart scaling with techniques used by top glamping opera
…Demonstrating smart scaling with techniques used by top glamping operators to engineer demand, increase ADR, reduce OTA dependency, and take back pricing power.
What if you could engineer demand instead of always chasing it?
In this advanced worksho
…Demonstrating smart scaling with techniques used by top glamping operators to engineer demand, increase ADR, reduce OTA dependency, and take back pricing power.
What if you could engineer demand instead of always chasing it?
In this advanced workshop, Ben Wolff, hospitality developer, operator, marketer and founder of a growth agency serving $1M+ revenue properties, unveils the architecture behind a modern, content-driven demand system built for
…Demonstrating smart scaling with techniques used by top glamping operators to engineer demand, increase ADR, reduce OTA dependency, and take back pricing power.
What if you could engineer demand instead of always chasing it?
In this advanced workshop, Ben Wolff, hospitality developer, operator, marketer and founder of a growth agency serving $1M+ revenue properties, unveils the architecture behind a modern, content-driven demand system built for serious operators.
This is not surface-level marketing advice. It’s a strategic framework designed to increase revenue, strengthen ADR, and build long-term brand equity without over-reliance on OTAs.
Drawing on deep operational experience across luxury outdoor hospitality brands, Ben will share a high-value perspective on the techniques used by high-performing properties to stay booked on their own terms.
You’ll gain insight into:
- How to build a positioning strategy that commands pricing power
- Short-form storytelling that fuels demand
- Strategies that integrate seamlessly with revenue management
- When and how to use paid amplification strategically… not reactively
Ben will also touch on how agritourism, farm hospitality and wellness are aligning with what the modern traveler wants now, and why these concepts are uniquely powerful for content-driven growth.
If you are operating at scale, or planning to, and want to build a strong demand engine that gives you control over your bookings, brand and margins, this session with Ben will deliver serious value.
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4. Where Glamping Meets Transformation: How Retreats and Wellness Are Reshaping Revenue
In this session, you will learn how to unlock premium guests, deeper i
…In this session, you will learn how to unlock premium guests, deeper impact, and year-round demand with a purpose-led glamping model.
Wellness isn’t a trend… it’s a business model with staying power and the key to repeat bookings.
In this inspiring s
…In this session, you will learn how to unlock premium guests, deeper impact, and year-round demand with a purpose-led glamping model.
Wellness isn’t a trend… it’s a business model with staying power and the key to repeat bookings.
In this inspiring session, Shannon Jamail (The Retreat Ranch) and Keva Niver (Boheme Retreats) reveal how their different business models combine glamping, transformational retreats, and wellness experiences to attract
…In this session, you will learn how to unlock premium guests, deeper impact, and year-round demand with a purpose-led glamping model.
Wellness isn’t a trend… it’s a business model with staying power and the key to repeat bookings.
In this inspiring session, Shannon Jamail (The Retreat Ranch) and Keva Niver (Boheme Retreats) reveal how their different business models combine glamping, transformational retreats, and wellness experiences to attract high-value guests, fill the calendar year-round, and create businesses that feel as good as they perform. You’ll discover:
- Why experience-first hosting is the future of boutique outdoor hospitality
- How to structure retreats that drive both impact and income
- What it takes to build a brand that guests connect with on a deeper level
If you’re ready to go beyond just bookings and start building a glamping business that changes lives… including your own… this session is for you.
5. From Back Garden to a Multi-Million-Dollar Franchise Brand… Lessons from The Secret Garden Glamping
- What Derry is planning for the US market, and what American operators can take from the UK franchise model right now
- How a single viral post became the foundation of this thriving business, and what that taught Derry about brand, experience and timing
- What it really takes to build a distinctive concept that guests return to, talk about and book months in advance
- The inside story of securing investment from Dragon's Den, the UK's equivalent of Shark Tank, and what happened next
- How Secret Garden made a strategic move into wellness, and why that decision has been transformative for revenue and reach
6. “Viral Stays Design” – How to Build a Project That Markets Itself
What happens when hospitality throws out the rulebook?
In this jaw-dro
…What happens when hospitality throws out the rulebook?
In this jaw-dropping session, Travis Chambers, the visionary behind Outpost X, reveals how to design projects that don’t just look different... they spread.
This is about building spaces so inten
…What happens when hospitality throws out the rulebook?
In this jaw-dropping session, Travis Chambers, the visionary behind Outpost X, reveals how to design projects that don’t just look different... they spread.
This is about building spaces so intentionally, so experientially, and so visually magnetic that they eliminate the need for heavily paid marketing campaigns.
You’ll learn how Outpost X is reimagining glamping through foam, micro-cement,
…What happens when hospitality throws out the rulebook?
In this jaw-dropping session, Travis Chambers, the visionary behind Outpost X, reveals how to design projects that don’t just look different... they spread.
This is about building spaces so intentionally, so experientially, and so visually magnetic that they eliminate the need for heavily paid marketing campaigns.
You’ll learn how Outpost X is reimagining glamping through foam, micro-cement, and radical innovation, while embedding virality into the architecture itself.
This is architecture and layouts designed intentionally for virality, whilst also creating art installations and experiential elements that blend with hospitality.
In this session Travis will also share his practical influencer strategy including:
- What size influencers to work with
- What to pay them
- What types drive bookings
Experimental design can command attention and premium rates, and Outpost X is turning wild concepts into unforgettable, Instagram-viral guest experiences. So, if you're ready to ditch the cookie-cutter approach and craft spaces that spark wonder and generate their own demand, this is your masterclass.
Dream bigger. Build the unimaginable.
Welcome to the future!
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7. Designing the Hospitality Unicorn: Building Destinations That Own a Category
The data suggests certain amenities drive higher ADR. Yet what if the
…The data suggests certain amenities drive higher ADR. Yet what if the real differentiator isn’t
Most founders try to build a brand inside an existing category: glamping, nature resort, wellness retreat or landscape hotel. Bu
…The data suggests certain amenities drive higher ADR. Yet what if the real differentiator isn’t
Most founders try to build a brand inside an existing category: glamping, nature resort, wellness retreat or landscape hotel. But the destinations that outperform their peers don’t compete inside categories. They create them.
Janice Wilson, founder of Menizei—the retreat that pioneered the concept of Forest Cocooning™—explores
…The data suggests certain amenities drive higher ADR. Yet what if the real differentiator isn’t
Most founders try to build a brand inside an existing category: glamping, nature resort, wellness retreat or landscape hotel. But the destinations that outperform their peers don’t compete inside categories. They create them.
Janice Wilson, founder of Menizei—the retreat that pioneered the concept of Forest Cocooning™—explores how category design transforms a destination from one option among many into a category of one.
Drawing from her background engineering large-scale AI systems, Janice examines why over-reliance on industry data often traps founders in a cycle of amenity stacking and reactive design. Participants will gain an inside look at how a hospitality category is designed from the ground up. And why novelty fades, but category ownership endures.
This session challenges one of the industry’s most common assumptions—that differentiation comes from features rather than perception. You’ll discover:
- Why over-reliance on industry data leads to a crisis of sameness
- What it really takes to command a premium ADR
- How category ownership translates into pricing power, media attention and long-term demand
- Why design is not a line-item cost but a strategic, long-term appreciating asset
- How to identify your “North Star” and build a destination around it
The most successful destinations don’t compete for guests. They redefine what guests are looking for.
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8. Profit Without the Price Tag: Low-Budget Strategies to Launch and Scale Your Glamping Business
In this practical, idea-packed session, discover how a small operator
…In this practical, idea-packed session, discover how a small operator has launched and scaled by prioritizing ingenuity over investment, leveraging free resources, local assets, and creative positioning to generate buzz, bookings, and brand recogniti
…In this practical, idea-packed session, discover how a small operator has launched and scaled by prioritizing ingenuity over investment, leveraging free resources, local assets, and creative positioning to generate buzz, bookings, and brand recognition from day one.
This is about working smarter, not bigger, using creativity, resourcefulness, and free tools to build momentum without big capital. You’ll explore:
- How to turn natural surroundin
In this practical, idea-packed session, discover how a small operator has launched and scaled by prioritizing ingenuity over investment, leveraging free resources, local assets, and creative positioning to generate buzz, bookings, and brand recognition from day one.
This is about working smarter, not bigger, using creativity, resourcefulness, and free tools to build momentum without big capital. You’ll explore:
- How to turn natural surroundings, from stargazing to woodland walks, into premium guest experiences
- Creative ways to use local partnerships and community assets to reduce start-up costs
- Free and low-cost marketing strategies that build visibility and early traction
- How to craft an irresistible offer without expensive infrastructure, and to make the best of local resources you might have previously ignored
If you’re starting lean, pivoting carefully, or simply want to increase margins without increasing spend, this session will challenge the idea that growth requires huge capital.
More imagination. Less spend. Real momentum.
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