On this pilot episode of MC Fireside Chats’ glamping-focused show, happening every second week of the month, we were joined by Ruben Martinez, the founder of Glamping Hub and the American Glamping Association (AGA), who talked about his journey in the glamping industry and shared how AGA has helped and continues to help industry members. 

Martinez started in the glamping industry a decade ago, establishing a company called Glamping Hub, a luxury camping website featuring unique accommodations and a resource for sustainable tourism.

Along the way, he started AGA as he saw the struggles the industry faced, including how to start up a glamping space, finding capital, loaning, facing opposition, and doing permits. 

“One of the largest hurdles in the space is always capital,” Martinez said. 

“We started the association to provide tools and resources and networking community to anybody and everybody active in the [glamping] space,” he added. 

Martinez said that one of AGA’s main goals is to ensure that the industry is headed in the right direction, helping each member, and being there for each other. 

“We started to make sure that the industry is headed in the right direction.”

Since then, AGA has been working with 500 partner organizations, of which 70-75% are operators until they reach the finish line, elevating the industry and helping members become better, stronger, and more effective.

Martinez said that the AGA’s mandate is to serve members and ensure they get what they need. 

A connector, a network, and a community–this is how Martinez described AGA.

He also emphasized the industry’s growth and how it has evolved yearly. 

Over the past 2-3 years, they have also seen the uptick of campground and RV parks expanding into mixed usage, adding five to ten glamping spaces.

Martinez also briefly discussed The Glamping Show USA happening on October 3 at the Arapahoe Country Fairgrounds in Aurora, Colorado.