Dive Brief:

• Camping and experience provider Under Canvas’ safari-inspired, luxury outdoor resort brand Ulum opened its first location on 200 acres of desert landscape in Moab, Utah, according to a press release. 
• The property features suite tents and amenities, including upscale dining options, dipping pools and complimentary wellness activities — allowing guests to “experience elevated design, exceptional hospitality and refined comfort in nature.” 
• Ulum’s outdoor resort opening follows a similar initiative announced earlier this year by Starwood Capital Group and Adventurous Journeys Capital Partners, which created the Field & Stream Lodge Co. platform to build hotels near natural regions.

Dive Insight:

The newly opened Ulum Moab, with access to daily outdoor activities like white water rafting, rock climbing, national park tours and local hikes, is leaning into the growing trend of travelers wanting to connect with nature that started during the pandemic. 

Following the onset of COVID-19, Airbnb found that rural travel in the U.S. was heightened in 2021 — accounting for 28% of nights booked, up 18% from 2015. Traveler interest in the outdoors continued in 2022. Based on Airbnb bookings between May 11 and Sept. 30, 2022, eight of the top-10 travel categories were outdoors-centric, including beach, countryside and cabin. 

While Airbnb and other alternative accommodation companies capitalized on the outdoorsy traveler during the pandemic, hotel industry players are now trying to capture this demographic.  

When Starwood Capital and AJ Capital launched the Field & Stream Lodge Co. platform in January, it aimed to initially create 20 to 25 hotels in markets near national parks, beaches and mountain and ski towns. 

With the U.S. outdoor recreation industry “thriving,” enhanced by pandemic-driven consumer lifestyle changes, Field & Stream's assets will be strategically located in markets where “existing lodging options are lacking or outdated for modern consumer preferences,” Starwood Capital and AJ Capital said in a press release.

Another emerging hotel brand centered on connecting travelers to nature is Trailborn. This spring, the brand is opening its first property in Estes Park, Colorado, at the base of Rocky Mountain National Park. The hotel will offer guest rooms with sustainable cork floors and modern furniture and outdoor spaces, including a pool and fire pits. Its website also provides a guide to local landmarks, trail maps and national parks. 

Additional hotels in Trailborn’s pipeline are planned for the Grand Canyon; Mendocino, California; and Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.