This Glamping Startup Just Raised $115 Million and Is Coming to a Campsite Near You
Glamping startup AutoCamp wants to make sure your next camping trip is filled with luxury — and just raised a boatload of cash to do it.
The 5-year-old company is based in San Francisco, and known for its selection of modernized RV campers and luxe tent accommodations in popular camping areas in California, including Yosemite, Santa Barbara and the Russian River. AutoCamp says its campsites blend "the traditional outdoor experience with the service and design of a boutique hotel."
In its latest round of fundraising, AutoCamp raised $115 million in investments to expand its locations outside of its current California sites and beef up its 50-person workforce, Skift reported. Leading the round of funding was private equity firm Whitman Peterson.
The company's RV-like campers are custom built by Airstream, and part of the new funding will go toward deepening AutoCamp's partnership with Airstream. According to the company's website, the RVs are all outfitted with "luxury linens, bedding and bathrobes" and situated near "clubhouses" that offer "mid-century modern inspired reception and meeting space."
Yes, they've got quite a lot of buzz words sure to resonate with millennial travelers, as will the Instagram-worthy tents, vehicles and campsites. And that will certainly be good for business, as millennials make up 40% of all campers, according to Forbes.
Bookings for an Airstream camping vehicle "classic suite," which features a queen-size bed, "spa-inspired" bathroom and foldout couch during peak season in Yosemite started at $365 per night. The same location and timeframe for a luxury tent, which also comes with a queen-size bed, fireplace, mini-fridge and private fire pit, started at $265 per night.
In addition to its new funding, AutoCamp brought on two industry titans to join its advisory board in January: Chip Conley, founder and former CEO of Joie de Vivre Hospitality, and Mike Depatie, former president and CEO of Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, according to Skift.
It's not clear where AutoCamp wants to place its new campsites, but with its new funding and advisors, we wouldn't be surprised if it's a brand US travelers hear more about in 2019.
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