Behavioural Trends

1. AI and social

2. Value and length of stay

3. Geographic split

4. Ownership opportunity

How people look for travel inspiration is continuing to change. Social media is hardly a new fad, but Meta has made changes to integrate social media much more into search results while also enhancing the platform’s performance as a standalone search tool by steering it towards more personalised content. People are conducting their entire research phase on Instagram, building itineraries and making choices based entirely on the personal recommendations of other users. Data from Snapchat’s For Business arm revealed that 72% of consumers say they use traditional search for travel less and 73% say social platforms are where they first learn about new travel ideas, brands, and services. 

Then, of course, there’s the rise of AI, which travel is already feeling the effect of. Its ability to instantly distil a vast amount of information into a summary (however accurate that summary might be in some cases) is already being exploited by travellers, with 40% of consumers using AI to research prospective holiday destinations, according to a PWC report, and ChatGPT becoming one of our top sources of web traffic in an unimaginably short time.  

Responses and opportunities

While it’s hard for an individual owner to keep responding to this shifting landscape, it’s vital for brands such as ours to remain part of the conversation taking place on social media. In a world where information is now increasingly hard to verify, consumers are wary and building trust is more important than ever. This means not only using our own platforms to convey a consistent, transparent message, but also partnering with content creators who have trusted audiences of their own and are aligned with our mission and values.

The market is still slightly under the thumb of the cost-of-living crisis and inflation pressures, with cost a primary factor when booking holidays. Holidays and experiences are still prioritised for most when it comes to spending but guests are looking for value for money, either by simply choosing places with lower rates or by taking shorter stays, with our average length of stay falling from 2.75 days in 2024 to 2.67 days in 2025. 

Responses and opportunities

Adjusting your rates and allowing more variation in length of stay can be good strategies for keeping price competitive but still achieving revenue, although the latter can lead to gaps in a calendar. A more cost-effective but trickier way of convincing guests to book is to make sure your full value is apparent to them. Professional photography is a go-to here, especially if it captures the feel and the experience of staying, rather than just showing each of the rooms. It’s often the perception of value that makes guests reticent to book, not the cost itself.

London, Manchester and Bristol are, as ever, the base of a considerable majority of our audience, but the Midlands and the north of England have seen significant growth in 2025, particularly around Birmingham and Wolverhampton.  There’s crossover between the areas too, with guests from those three major cities showing greater interest in places which aren’t in traditional hotspots like Devon and Cornwall. Some of our best performing new spaces this year have been in Leicestershire, Warwickshire and Rutland and bookings in the Midlands in 2025 show an 8.9% increase compared to same time period in 2024. The number of spaces we represent there has only risen by 2.8%, showing a significant surge in demand. 

Responses and opportunities

If you’ve been on the verge of launching a glamping business in one of the less traditionally popular areas but worried about its potential, now would be the time to start. With guests choosing spaces for the sake of their design, their outstanding features or their green credentials, there is opportunity everywhere as long as you get it right. Unique, beautiful places that are perfect for their chosen audience can thrive regardless of their location.

Most of our behavioural insight centres on guests, but a recent phenomenon has been the increasing rate at which glamping sites are changing hands. Some of the early pioneers of the movement are now leaving the industry and retiring. In 2025, 14% of all Canopy & Stars owners who left the collection did so as they were selling their sites, a sharp rise from a figure of 6% in 2024.  

There’s also been a thinning out of the boom in specialist "staycation" places which led many entrepreneurs to enter the glamping market post pandemic. Increased competition made it difficult for places to stand out and while many of those who thought long-term are thriving, some of the more hastily constructed places are now coming up for sale.   

Responses and opportunities

With glamping sites on the market, new owners can step into a ready-made foundation of a business and not have to go through the rigours of planning and building their own. With some creativity, forward thinking and comparatively minimal investment, they can be transformed into flourishing businesses. 

Our sister company, Crown & Canopy have a specially designed product to make sure that the new enterprise is a success. Our existing site appraisal can help either new or existing owners to troubleshoot and improve performance, stamping their own personality onto the places and making a success of the new venture at a fraction of the cost building from scratch would have incurred.