Glampitect first opened its doors for business in Edinburgh nearly three years ago, expanding into the UAE in March 2021. It has since enjoyed rapid growth, culminating in the company’s latest project, a collaboration with UAE engineering specialists Rescom. The two firms believe the partnership will play a key role in accelerating the growth of glamping in the Middle East, with the pods ideal for anyone looking to start up a glamping business.
These groundbreaking pods were unveiled at the Dubai Hotel Show and one of the first visitors to the stand was none other than Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, a member of Dubai’s ruling.
Calum MacLeod, Glampitect’s CEO, said: “It was an honour to meet His Highness and to spend time showing him around our pod was truly humbling. When we started building this unit we knew it was going to be a success but didn’t think one of the world’s wealthiest royal family members would be among the first through the door!”
The pods measure 6.7m x 3.3m as standard
Manufactured at Glampitect’s factory in Dubai, the pods measure 6.7m x 3.3m as standard, and the air-conditioned units have powder-coated aluminium tiles on the outside as well as all the latest accessories such as flat-screen TVs and modern kitchens. Internally they can be finished to the same five-star quality in a variety of ways, meaning the units can also be transformed into anything from a home office to a yoga studio or spa room.
They are unique in that they are constructed on a galvanised steel chassis that allows them to be picked up and relocated to different areas, which is another appealing feature.
“The big advantage is that it can be taken out into the desert, or hard-to-reach places”
“The big advantage is that it can be taken out into the desert, or hard-to-reach places, so there is a high degree of flexibility,” Calum explains. “It’s ideal for people looking to set up a glamping site or who have additional space in their house. It is much cheaper than setting up a hotel and makes a quicker return on investment than a hotel, so will be a major asset for anyone wanting to move into the glamping business.
“We carried out consumer research on the Middle East market and want to help the area catch up with the glamping boom that is happening elsewhere, particularly in the UK.”