Warwickshire’s Stoneleigh Park was once again the venue of choice for The Glamping Show, ending on 19th September with exhibitors reporting brisk business.
Launched in 2015 by Swan Events, the three-day event has grown steadily, regularly attracting visitors from more than 45 countries. Still perceived by many as a cottage industry, the reality of glamping is very different, with the UK and Europe now at the forefront of a global phenomenon.
The Glamping Show 2020 has been one of the first large trade events to take place following publication of the UK Government’s guidelines for safe re-opening of events during the coronavirus pandemic. Swan Events Director Karen Cooke reveals that the show was granted Local Authority approval after several months of consultation and meticulous planning: “The Glamping Show has traditionally featured both indoor and outdoor elements so that gave us something of an advantage. We were able to move all exhibits outdoors and our team put together a fantastic programme of virtual seminars and panel sessions, comprising some 50 presentations by 40 speakers.
“Staging the event in a safe way meant going through a steep learning curve and it would not have been possible without the dedication and unwavering support of the Stoneleigh team and the guidance of Warwickshire County Council’s COVID Tasking Group.
“I’d also like to give special thanks to our team of contactors and in particular to Event Exhibition Services Ltd (EESL), The Event & Exhibition Partnership, International Lifting and Shipping (ILS), TCM Trailers, Event Flooring Solutions, Event Safety, and North West First Aid. They have all adapted and worked tirelessly to provide a safe environment.”
With many attendees representing owner-managed businesses, there was a palpable sense of enthusiasm and passion for the industry, and with fine weather playing its part, around 80 exhibitors were rewarded with strong visitor numbers.
First-time exhibitor Korten Ltd reported a highly productive show with Managing Director Mark Starling commenting: “We are traditionally an exhibition stand builder and have diversified into the glamping market during the lockdown of the event industry. We have had a great first year experience at The Glamping Show and received good quality leads. The organisers ensured we were fully aware and updated on current Covid measures. This was important to ensure the safety of our staff and visitors”.
Regular exhibitor Emma Mandeville of Ashwood Shepherd Huts also had a positive show: “We loved this show. ‘Great to get back to meeting our customers. We were well informed prior to the event of what would be expected from us regarding Covid safety measures, and this made us feel at ease.
“The Organisers had laid out the event giving each of us enough space to allow for a relaxed socially distant experience. Everyone has adhered to and respected the Covid measures that were put in place,” confirmed Emma.
Commenting on a successful event, Karen Cooke concluded: “It’s wonderful that despite challenging times, the outcome of this year’s show has been so positive. We have been one of the first to ‘bite the bullet” and we hope our experience will give same comfort and encouragement to other event organisers.”
Author: Sam Hyland
Sam is the assistant content manager for Event Industry News (EIN). Sam is involved in publishing news stories, videos and podcasts. Sam also collates the latest stories for the EIN e-newsletter. If you have a press release or story you think we might be interested to know about please email editor@eventindustrynews.com
