GLAMPING IN THE TREES IS A NEW TREND IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

Abstract

Despite the full-scale invasion and aggressive war in our country, today the hotel industry in Ukraine is the most dynamic and popular sector of the economy, generating real profits. Industry trends show that innovation and comfort play an important role in achieving success in the market. A key element of a hotel's competitiveness is its environmental friendliness. In today's environment, more and more attention is being paid to the greening of hotel services due to the need to preserve the environment and the growing demand of tourists for environmentally friendly services and goods. Recently, camping has become increasingly popular among Ukrainian travellers. While in Europe this type of recreation has long been commonplace, in Ukraine it is only beginning to gain popularity, and the relevant infrastructure is developing along with it. In general, the tourism industry includes various components that provide consumers with tourism products, such as accommodation, food, transfers, and recreation. Tourist accommodation is an important part of tourism products. With the growth of commercial activities, inbound tourism and domestic tourism are gradually becoming more active. The competition among hoteliers has forced them to take the necessary measures to develop their business sustainably and attract more visitors. It is not necessary to go camping with tents to recuperate and gain energy, as a rest in the forest can be more comfortable. To meet the needs of tourists looking for a more comfortable stay and new experiences, ‘tree hotels’ are becoming increasingly popular. Ukraine and the world are gradually opening up to such hotels, but the domestic market is still in its infancy. Therefore, it is important to study the peculiarities of the popularisation of tree campsites in the modern hotel market and determine their place among other types of accommodation. With the growing popularity of the above-mentioned hotels, more and more owners of ‘classic’ hotels are changing their concept and operating in a new segment of the hotel market, both in Ukraine and abroad. This indicates the urgency of the problem of finding new ideas in creating a tree campsite and meeting the needs of consumers. The article examines the concepts, principles and concept of tree camping in the glamping style as a new trend in the hospitality industry, analyses the main types of this phenomenon, identifies problems and prospects for its development. The importance of innovations and search for new creative solutions to create an exclusive tourist product in protected areas is emphasised, and relevant conclusions are formulated.