How to Attract Guests (and Turn Them into Your Marketing Team)

In the world of experiential travel, your property’s design does more than offer comfort… it tells a story. A story that gets shared in photos, reels, and tags. And that story can help you build you a fully booked calendar.

So how do you design your glamping site, retreat or unique hospitality not just for rest, but for where guests do the storytelling for you?

The secret? Intentional design that encourages connection and content.

Here's how you can tailor your glamping stay to attract modern guests and inspire user-generated content that sells your space without you lifting a finger.

Whether you're a glamping business owner, unique hospitality host, or building a short-stay eco-retreat, these strategies will elevate your brand, attract your dream guests, and help your property stand out.

1. Create Photographable Moments in Unexpected Places

Guests love capturing the unseen details. Think beyond the obvious.

• Add a winding woodland path dappled in fairy lights (or an army of garden gnomes as one owner did!)
• Create tucked-away seating spots with hammock chairs and mountain or meadow views
• Position firepits or outdoor baths with scenic backdrops… sunset-facing is ideal
• Install a wooden swing on an open hill, beneath a large tree or next to a stream.

It’s these “in-between” moments that give guests content that feels personal and undiscovered… exactly what social media loves. Perfect for unique holiday rentals and short stays, aiming to maximise their visual impact.

The key to getting this right is making sure there is a business name and social media hashtag available in the photo opportunity to help you spread the word through someone else’s audience when they share it online.

CASE STUDY: 

Nest structures work well for creating selfie moments. Treebones Resort in California has been using this technique for decades and has been receiving significant attention from guests on social media and mainstream publications. They were receiving attention in this way back in 2010 when I first entered this industry, and still are today. That's an excellent return on their original investment.

2. Optimise the Exterior for Instant Impact

Your domes, cabins or yurts are the heroes of your stay. Showcase them like the stars they are.

• Think about angles: which side tells the best visual story? Design your arrival path around that view
• Clear sightlines: Trim back vegetation or obstacles that block the best photo opportunities
• Consider the colours and textures, light wood, neutral canvas, and black accents all photograph beautifully
• Think about building an Instagrammable backdrop. This is a place people naturally gravitate to in order to get those amazing selfies. Again, make sure your business name and social media hashtag are within shot.

Every guest is a photographer now, keen to promote their self-brand. Give them what they want, and your business will be visible on platforms like Instagram and Pinterest.

CASE STUDY:

Ben Wolff of Onera does this at their sites in Fredericksburg and Wimberley.  Their structures are selfie magnets and so unique that everyone knows who they are, and if they don't, they can be easily found using Google Lens. Ben has been a guest on my worldwide podcast and Americas podcast, done in partnership with Glamping Show Americas, and talks about how he tailors his stays to be Instagrammable and impactful.

3. Open Up the Interior for Flow + Feelings

Open-plan designs photograph beautifully and feel indulgent. Keep the eye moving from one end to the other with uninterrupted flow.

• Position soaking tubs with a view
• Use natural light to spotlight standout features... large windows are a must
• Showcase indoor/outdoor living, folding doors, decks, and transparent domes create magic

Think “magazine-ready” moments, where your guest can snap a single frame that says luxury, nature, escape all in one. That’s what makes a short stay truly memorable… and shareable.

CASE STUDY:

Angela at Erwaine Escapes does this in bucketloads with her meadow escape in the Welsh countryside. She has made her cabin and taking a bath an Instagrammable moment that gets shared time and time again. 

4. Focus on the Feeling (Design for the Senses)

Guests don’t just post pictures, they share experiences. So tailor moments that make people feel something.

• Add sensory pockets across your site: lavender planting around yoga decks, cedarwood benches for scent, soundscapes of birds and rustling leaves
• Encourage barefoot walks, use soft natural materials underfoot
• Offer hand-written notes or a natural welcome tea as a thoughtful first impression

The more they feel, the more they share. The more they share, the more bookings you earn. That’s the future of social-based hospitality marketing.

CASE STUDY

Brendan Riley at Marmora Retreat is building this design into his ewilding project in Canada. Guests will be able to discover hidden places with clever sensory planting, designed to evoke happy memories and desires to return time and time again.

5. Build Experiences That Are ‘Instagrammable’ By Design

These are the moments that stop the scroll, and they don’t have to cost the earth:

• Breakfast-for-two setups on a platform in the woods
• Private hot tubs in secluded forest clearings
• Outdoor canopy beds for stargazing
• Forest meditation pods or swing daybeds with a view
• Romantic proposal-ready settings with candles and blankets
• Wild swimming areas that are designed to be enjoyed. The image below shows a wild swimming area built at a glamping site in Slovenia.

The trick? Make these spots irresistible to both the eye and the soul. Quietly spectacular. Easily shareable. Tailored perfectly for today’s experience-hungry travellers seeking unique hospitality.

Let Your Guests Market for You

When you craft your property with beauty, story and socially friendly design in mind, your guests become your second marketing team.

And unlike influencers or ad campaigns, their content is authentic. That authenticity drives curiosity, clicks, and conversions.

For glamping business owners who want help implementing these ideas, Inspired Collective’s done-for-you marketing services can take your vision and bring it to life with strategy, structure and style.

So design for feeling. Create for sharing. And turn every guest into an advocate.

After all, the best marketing strategy today is a moment worth capturing.

Sarah

Sarah Riley is Director of Inspired Collective Ltd, a trusted guide for success with glamping, retreats, events, and guest attraction 

They offer courses, guided growth and done-for-you marketing.

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