Latest news with #GlampingExpo
Eyewitness News
14-07-2025
- Business
- Eyewitness News
A travel revolution that combines luxury, sustainability and rural upliftment
Jabulile Mbatha 14 July 2025 | 10:01 The first ever Glamping Expo at the Johannesburg Expo Centre. Photo: Supplied JOHANNESBURG - Entrepreneur and activist Gugu Sithole is using glamping as a force for good, creating eco-friendly stays in overlooked parts of South Africa while uplifting local communities. Sithole launched her glamping journey, Glamping Adventures, in 2019 after noticing that less than 5% of the country's population engaged in domestic tourism, largely due to high costs, limited access and the exclusion of rural communities from the tourism value chain. Glamping Adventures offers a combination of packages, one being a fully furnished mobile tent with a bed, carpet, side table and flowers among others. The tents are set up in different tourist destinations around the country. The second package allows travellers to choose a destination of their choice, such as at a resort, but have Glamping Adventures draft up an itinerary. 'I wanted to create a company that would get as many South Africans travelling their own backyard,' Sithole said. Her model emphasises working with rural communities, ensuring locals are not just observers but participants as guides, hosts, artisans, and entrepreneurs. 'Most people in these communities are spectators in tourism. I wanted them to be at the centre,' Sithole explained. Sithole said at its core, glamping was about eco-conscious travel, prioritising sustainable materials and low-impact structures such as geodesic domes, eco-pads and elevated tents which protect local biodiversity and preserve cultural heritage. 'We're taking less from the environment, preserving our flora, fauna, and cultural artefacts. Glamping is regenerative tourism; it gives back while letting travellers immerse themselves in South Africa's beauty.'She recently hosted the first-ever Glamping Expo at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in partnership with the Gauteng Tourism Authority and Southern African Tourism Services on 20- 21 June 2025. Sithole said this was important to have exhibitors across the country come together, 'once we are coordinated and a cohesive unit, then we're able to influence government in terms of helping us with making it easy for infrastructure development, for roads leading to the glamp stays'. The event attracted over 20 exhibitors such as Impi Canvas Tents, Canvas Republic, Picnic in a Bubble and Tlhari Travel. It brought together eco-resort developers, innovators, tour operators and destination marketers, among others. On display were glass domes, pyramid lodges, eco-cabins, alongside panel discussions by industry experts, workshops by finance specialists and an innovation competition for high school and university students on glamping ideas to pitch. One of the unique exhibitors was 'Picnic in a Bubble', offering transparent pop-up domes for a stylish like Tlhari Travel offered glamping-inclusive packages paired with unforgettable experiences from Kruger Shalati - Train on a Bridge, to low-cost, pitch-your-own glamping options for budget-conscious travellers. Sithole's mission took centre stage at the Expo, where pioneers in sustainable tourism came together to present a greener, more inclusive future for travel. 'It's about sustainable ways of travelling and taking less from the environment, using structures that are off-grid and using less electricity'.
The South African
18-06-2025
- The South African
This travel trend generated over R1 billion for SA tourism in 2024
If you love luxury and the great outdoors, this travel trend is probably on your bucket list. Glamping, a luxurious blend of glamour and camping, is currently having its moment in the spotlight. Glamping allows travellers to experience nature up close. However, unlike regular camping, glamping allows travellers to enjoy modern conveniences and luxury. Many glamping tents even look like luxury homes. South African Tourism reports that the local glamping industry generated an estimated $65.8 million (approximately R1.18 billion) in 2024. That's being highlighted ahead of Africa's first Glamping Expo, which is set to take place later this week. Furthermore, the glamping travel trend will only grow in the coming years. Based on a market report by Grand View Research, South African Tourism expects the industry to be worth $89.5 million by 2030. It's mainly millennials and Gen Zs who love this travel trend. This age group famously appreciates quirky, experience-based travel options. Certainly, glamping provides a unique sense of closeness to the outdoors, with some sites offering nights under starry Karoo skies or the opportunity to see wild animals. In a first for the continent, the Glamping Expo takes place on 20-21 June at the Johannesburg Expo Centre. South African Tourism and Gauteng Tourism Authority are supporting the event as part of efforts to promote rural development and diversify the country's tourism attractions. Delegates will gather under the theme 'Reimagining Innovation & Regenerative Tourism'. This aims to spotlight how the glamping travel trend can support sustainable tourism development. South Africa is a hotspot for glamping innovation in the Global South. This is thanks to the availability of luxury travel experiences and a growing emphasis on sustainability. Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
