Articles tagged “outdoors”

The Best Western parent is betting it can rebuild a soft-brand portfolio, WorldHotels, which shrank during the pandemic, with a new upscale camping brand and by adding a portfolio of European independent hotels.

The most likely use for proposed new brand Outdoor Collection by Marriott Bonvoy would be to house its recent brand additions, Postcard Cabins and Trailborn. But documents suggest that Marriott has a larger ambition in the great outdoors.

Marriott's tuck-in deal for Postcard Cabins is a nice payout for the startup's early investors, including Certares and Starwood Capital. The deal gives the hotel giant access to 1,200 cabins near parks that are drivable from urban hubs.

For Hyatt, a marketing tie-up with Under Canvas represents a strategic expansion into the booming outdoor resort sector, catering to travelers seeking posh stays in natural surroundings.

Eurocamp owner European Camping Group recently completed its acquisition of outdoor accommodation provider Vacanceselect Group for $1.1 billion (€1 billion). European Camping Group owns outdoor-centered accommodation brands.

The pandemic juiced up traveler interest in the outdoors. The Evo is an adventure hotel aiming to meet that demand. Its design reflects an integration of art and community, not just gear storage boxes.

Rural and outdoor destinations were banking on the brand awareness they built during the years that major urban destinations were out of the competition. But return-to-normal may be eroding the visitor numbers from the pandemic years as tourists return to more crowded locations. Still, out-of-the-way places are confident travelers will still seek that breath of fresh air.

True, the world already has its niche glamping products. But when the traditionalist Four Seasons also blurs the lines between indoors and out by adopting tented experiences, hotel designers worldwide will take notice.

While many turned to recreational vehicles and outdoor experiences for social distancing and mental wellness during the pandemic, rising vacation prices are forcing Americans to carefully allocate their finances, adding yet another reason to the list of why RVs are the move this summer.

Travelers are still faithfully flocking to campgrounds, despite other forms of travel opening up. Now, variations of camping, like glamping and RVing, are replacing higher-maintenance leisure travel. They are also providing a new way to approach remote working.