Showing off our latest innovations
At the beginning of November, Tree Tents hit the road to attend the Farm Business Innovation Show, at the NEC in Birmingham. Having won the Innovation Award for our flagship structure, the Tree Tent, at last year’s show, we were eager to give farm and glamping site owners a close-up look at our next generation designs. We were also excited to give the crowds the exclusive first-look at our most innovative new hideaway for extreme locations – the Fuselage.
Five of us piled into the Tree Tents van, including our managing director, designer, and chief arborist / installer, ensuring we could cover the full range of questions – and there were a lot! We spoke to more than 300 people – from farm owners to established glamping site owners all looking for ways to revolutionise their business. The variety of accents painted a picture of the popularity of the show, with visitors from Northern Ireland and the Scottish Borders to Essex, Kent and Cornwall. It was fascinating to hear the different challenges that their unique environments presented.
For many farm and landowners the initial question is whether or not to diversify and start a glamping venture. When the rate of return for a Tree Tent is explained (typical nightly rental rates are £100-£150 and annual revenues of c. £10-15k), the discussion quickly moved onto practicalities such as customising the Tree Tent from our extensive colour range and upgrade options such as our popular skylight dome which enables guests to enjoy more of the canopy.
For landowners who already have glamping sites, many were looking to add something special to their current accommodation options. Some were looking to transition wholesale from first and second generation glamping structures (like lodges and yurts) to the best of the next generation, like Tree Tents, which deliver ‘wow factor’ in spades while offering greater durability and higher returns.
The Show was memorable also for the launch of our new glamping structure, the Fuselage. This has been designed for extreme environments and uneven terrain. The structure can be cantilevered over a slope, valley or other declivity so as to make the most of the available land and provide guests with a striking vista. In true Tree Tents fashion its flexible modular design can be adapted and extended to provide comfortable accommodation for a large group or family. The response to this exciting new hideaway was overwhelmingly positive and we are predicting a bright future for the Fuselage, with our first sales secured for next Spring – watch this space!
A big thanks to everyone who visited us at the Show. We know we create amazing products, but it’s always great to see other people’s enthusiasm for what we do and how we do it. If Explore more about the Fuselage, and our other hideaways, here or get in touch for a chat.
