The Glamptuary Podcast

The first issue of Outside Magazine came out in 1977, and it was right around that time that a young Robin Thurston was looking through an issue preparing for a camping trip with his father in Colorado. Fast forward almost 50 years later, Robin is now the CEO of Outside Interactive, which owns Outside Magazine. Robin is the living embodiment of the mission statement that fuels Outside Interactive...

We’re going to get political in Episode 3. Kind of. Our guest does work in politics, but I would not call him a politician in the traditional sense. His name is Conor Hall and he is the Director of Outdoor Recreation for the State of Colorado, working in the Office of Economic Development and International Trade. Conor is a native Coloradan, an avid outdoorsman, and one of the key players responsi...

Our guest is a pioneering entrepreneur and conservationist who helped establish and shape the glamping and outdoor hospitality industries in the United States. Her name is Sarah Dusek, and she was the founder of Under Canvas which launched in 2009 with a just a few safari tents. She sold Under Canvas in 2018, for a reported $100MM!! Since leaving Under Canvas, Sarah has partnered with Enygma Ventu...

We're kicking off Season 5 with one of the hottest topics affecting anyone who runs a business that relies on Ecommerce. The topic is simply known as AI. In January of 2026, Google announced the launch of UCP (Universal Commerce Protocol). This announcement will change the way businesses are discovered and interacted with online by AI Agents. We're fortunate to have the opportunity to speak with B...

It’s the SEASON FINALE for Season 4! We are excited to have Anne and Mike Howard of HoneyTrek on Episode 9 as our special guests! They are fresh off a whirlwind 19-country tour of the world’s most unforgettable outdoor hospitality resorts, all in prep for their upcoming book – Comfortably Wild: Global Edition. In this episode, Mike and Anne share some sneak previews about their latest adventures,...

Our guest on Episode 8 is the self-proclaimed "Seriously Fun Hospitality Guru." His name is Quentin Incao - CEO of Q Hospitality Management. Quentin has amassed 30 years of experience in hospitality operations and management, with a career portfolio of over 40 landscape hotels, restaurants, glamping resorts, rv parks and a food truck. Quentin has seen it all and no matter the project, Quentin infu...

When life gives you lemons, innovators make lemonade, and that’s exactly what Ben Wolff did when his rented RV broke down on his honeymoon. Ben said “there has to be a better way to enjoy nature,” and he created that better way by launching the hugely successful treehouse resort Onera in Texas. Ben continues to be a leader in the outdoor hospitality space as CEO of OASI, a strategic management and...

Have you ever dreamed of living abroad? How about opening a business in a foreign country? And what if that business was an outdoor hospitality resort? And you had no prior experience in outdoor hospitality? Our guests on Episode 6 on Season 4 of The Glamptuary Podcast did all of the above, and it resulted in one of the most beautiful eco-resorts in Belize called Jade Jungle Resort. Lance and Chri...

Loyalty programs in the hospitality industry create mutually beneficial relationships between service providers and consumers. The outdoor hospitality industry has been asking for loyalty program options, and our guest on Episode 5 of Season 4 is going to explain exactly how this can work for independent hoteliers in the outdoor hospitality industry. I'm excited to speak with Audrey Yates, Vice Pr...

Entrepreneurs face a number of challenges when leading a start-up, or running a small business. The top-rated stressor, by far, is the challenge of obtaining financing. In Episode 4 of The Glamptuary Podcast, we dive into the basics of financing with an expert — and quite possibly the friendliest banker on the planet. I'm excited to have the opportunity to speak with Bruce Hurta of Business Financ...

In 2024, the outdoor hospitality industry went through some major shakeups as the big hotel chains officially entered the game. Hilton partnered with Autocamp. Hyatt entered into an exclusive alliance with Under Canvas, Marriott acquired Postcard Cabins, and Best Western entered into a soft brand agreement with Zion Wildflower in Utah. All this happened in 2024, but it has been in the works for ma...

Our focus in Season 4 of The Glamptuary Podcast is on the business side of outdoor hospitality, and a large portion of the industry is comprised of RV Parks and Campgrounds. Many of these traditional outdoor hospitality destinations are evolving to include added amenities, glamping structures, and modern technology both onsite and online. In Episode 2, we sat down with Garett McKinnon, who is the...

IT'S THE SEASON PREMIERE OF SEASON 4!! We’re excited to be back with Season 4, and our focus is on the business side of experiential outdoor hospitality. In Season 4, we’re talking with guests who are excelling in the outdoor hospitality space. And our first guest is Tori Bolt, who co-owns BOLT FARM TREEHOUSE with her husband Seth. Tori and Seth are KILLING IT! They have amassed over 600,000 Insta...

IT'S THE SEASON FINALE OF SEASON 3! We're back on our home turf in the United States of America to wrap up our worldwide tour, and we're thrilled to be speaking with our guest Tereasa Surratt ! She is an award-winning author, designer, and co-owner of a true Americana version of a Glamptuary. In episode 6, we find ourselves at the nostalgic Camp Wandawega, located on a small lake near Elkhorn, Wis...

In Episode 5, we find ourselves in southeastern England at the largest family-owned National Nature Reserve in the United Kingdom . Elmley National Nature Reserve is set on 3,300 aces of wonderful wilderness and breath-taking beauty, just 40 miles from London. It is owned and operated by Gareth and Georgina Fulton who balance a marriage, raising kids, managing the nature reserve, and running a gor...

In Episode 4, we find ourselves on the beaches of Mexico at a turtle sanctuary that doubles as an environmentally conscious resort called Playa Viva. We sat down with owner David Leventhal, who is an industry leader in regenerative design and travel. In our discussion, we learned about David's beginnings in the hospitality industry, and how he transformed a small turtle sanctuary into a luxury out...

We're heading into the rainforests of Southeast Asia in our next episode of The Glamptuary Podcast! In Episode 3, we find ourselves at a unique experiential outdoor hospitality destination called Shinta Mani Wild, located in Cambodia. We sat down with Owner and Designer Bill Bensley, who is an architect, interior designer, landscape architect, and — most of all — conservationist. Bill has designed...

Our next stop on our global excursion in Season 3 has us in Africa, in the country of Zambia, at a premiere Safari Destination called Flatdogs Camp. We sat down with the Founder and Director of Flatdogs Camp, Jessica Salmon, who has been operating a successful Glamptuary for over 30 years! She talks about her origins in England where she was a awarded a Zoology Degree from the University of Nottin...

SEASON 3 PREMIERE! We decided to go GLOBAL! Our first stop on our global excursion has us in Costa Rica, at KINKARA Luxury Retreat which is located in the beautiful rain forests near Santa Elena . We sat down with Founder David Comfort, Head of Retreats Megan Bowers , and Head of Operations Jimena Mora to learn about the inspiration behind KINKARA, and the epiphany David had at Burning Man which i...

In the SEASON FINALE of Season 2 on The Glamptuary Podcast, we finally get our two stars together to celebrate their success in opening their first Glamptuary ! Etienne White and Jesse Roesler graciously let us come along on their quest to build (literally) an experiential outdoor hospitality operation in the great state of Wisconsin. Both had many similarities in their professional backgrounds co...

In Etienne White's final episode of her single story arc, she tells us all about her highly successful bookings for Heartsong Farm ! Etienne also talks about her plans for the future, and delivers a heartfelt message about how her Glamptuary gives her hope for the future. We also tease the Season Finale for Season 2 which will include the first meeting between Jesse and Etienne in a fireside chat.

In Episode 14 of Season 2 on The Glamptuary Podcast , Etienne White delivers some BIG NEWS about Heartsong Farm! Last we spoke with her, she was getting close to completing construction on her A Frame, and hoping to get her first bookings through Airbnb. Is construction complete? Did she get a booking?? We'll find out in Episode 14!

It's the final episode in Jesse Roesler's story arc on Season 2 of The Glamptuary Podcast ! Jesse has successfully opened his Glamptuary, and the reviews are all indicating that Open Air Outpost is an amazing property to visit! Jesse talks about some of the recent additions that have been added to the property which include a wood-burning sauna and hot tub. We'll also learn about some of the futur...

In Episode 12 of Season 2 on The Glamptuary Podcast, we hear all about the first set of bookings for Open Air Outpost! Jesse Roesler talks about his experience with the first official guest to visit his property, and he shares the heartfelt review he received that describes the amazing experiences his guest enjoyed. Jesse also talks about the extra steps he takes as a follow-up with his guests to...

In Episode 11 of Season 2 of The Glamptuary Podcast, we'll hear from Etienne White about the progress on the A Frame Cabin build, and she'll provide some updates about how the inspections are going as she nears her opening date. We'll also hear from Etienne about all the wonderful experiences her future guests will enjoy once Heartsong Farm opens for business. There will be animal experiences, che...