Why Glamping in Ukraine is the Future of Tourism: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities

Glamping (from English “glamour camping”) is a format that combines the luxury of modern hotels with the atmosphere of nature and the ecological benefits of traditional camping. Over the past five years, the glamping market in Ukraine has undergone impressive growth. In 2021, there were about 35 glamping sites, and by the beginning of 2024, their number had grown to nearly 60. Global trends in ecotourism, high demand for unique experiences, and the availability of investments create significant potential for further development of this format.

Market Dynamics

Glamping in Ukraine started developing only 5 years ago, when the production of lightweight structures was certified. According to the “Glamping Market Overview” study conducted by Ribas Hotels Group, Ribas Invest, and Pro-Consulting, the market grew rapidly in 2021, but the full-scale war in 2022 led to the destruction or relocation of at least 8 glamping sites. However, in the past year, the number of objects has increased, and investments in this segment exceeded $100,000 for individual projects.

According to Andriy Rodkin, CCO & co-founder of Glamping UA, the glamping market in Ukraine is currently demonstrating exponential growth even under challenging geopolitical conditions. “After the full-scale invasion, despite the devastating consequences for some projects, the annual increase in objects reaches 20%,” notes the expert.
He explains that this growth is due to several important factors:

• Closed borders. A significant portion of Ukrainians, before the full-scale invasion, were used to spending their vacations abroad. For example, as former head of the State Tourism Development Agency of Ukraine, Marjana Oleksiiv, reported on her Facebook page, in 2021, despite all quarantine restrictions, Ukrainians made 14.7 million trips abroad as tourists. In contrast, in 2019, according to a Picodi survey, 33% of Ukrainians chose foreign vacations. Accordingly, there was demand for quality accommodation options in Ukraine – and glamping can meet it.
• Investment attractiveness and flexibility of projects. Entrepreneurs who were previously cautious about long-term investments due to security risks have found that glamping can be implemented with a small initial capital and quick payback. Mobile structures allow for rapid reconfiguration of locations, which is a significant advantage in times of uncertainty.
• Demand for novelty and unique experiences. Modern tourists are looking for more than just a place to sleep; they seek a unique experience, which can be provided by comfortable nature-based recreation and the opportunity for emotional recovery. The novelty of the format and its “Instagrammability” make glamping popular among various social groups.

Investment specialist of Mandra company, Anastasia Tsvetkova, emphasizes that in the coming years, glamping will become more popular among tourists, and investors will consider this format a promising hospitality business. Ukraine has all the prerequisites for the development of glamping tourism: picturesque natural locations, accessible investments, and a growing interest in eco-tourism.

On the photo: Mandra Hills glamping site (Richka village, Zakarpattia region).

Impact of the War on the Glamping Market

Before the full-scale war, glamping developed actively in various regions of Ukraine, including the Black Sea coast, locations on the Dnipro River, and the east of the country. Now, tourist demand has shifted to safer western and central areas, such as the Carpathians, Zakarpattia, Lviv, and Ivano-Frankivsk regions.

According to Anastasia Tsvetkova, before February 24, 2022, the Mandra network operated the Mandra Zatoka (Odesa region), Mandra Kaniv (Cherkasy region), and Mandra Chateau Trubetskoy (Kherson region) glamping sites. Due to the full-scale war, the complexes in Odesa and Kherson regions were temporarily closed. The latter was destroyed during the hostilities.
Andriy Rodkin also noted that the war halted many investment projects and slowed the rapid growth of the industry that had been observed since 2021. In the early months of the full-scale invasion, many glamping sites were damaged or completely destroyed. For example, the “Goats and Sailors” object from the “Chornomorka” network had to relocate to Moldova, and the glamping in Dobropark (Kyiv region) was destroyed during the occupation of the capital and resumed its operation in 2024 under the Prozori brand.

“However, despite the devastating consequences, the recovery of the industry has already begun. The increased demand for domestic tourism and the desire for novelty led to a growth in the number of glamping sites by nearly 2.5 times,” notes the expert.

An important factor influencing the market recovery was Ukrainians’ desire to escape from air raid sirens and missile attacks. Therefore, since 2023, entrepreneurs have resumed the opening of new glamping sites in Ukraine. During the war, Mandra launched the Mandra Hills glamping in Zakarpattia in the mountains at an altitude of 900 meters and Mandra Lavandiia in Odesa region by the Khadzhibey Liman.

On the photo: Mandra Hills glamping site (Rika village, Zakarpattia region).

The main challenge owners faced since 2022 was finding staff for the complexes. This is due to the mass migration of Ukrainians abroad after the full-scale war began. However, according to Anastasia Tsvetkova, this issue can be solved by starting the staff search 2-3 months before launch.
Moreover, the financial model now includes the purchase of a generator, ensuring uninterrupted operation of glamping complexes throughout the year, even in the event of emergency power outages.

Where is it profitable to build Glampings?

Ukraine’s geographical diversity provides great opportunities for glamping project development, but security factors are crucial at this time. According to Andriy Rodkin, Podillia, as well as Odesa, Mykolaiv, and parts of Kherson regions, have huge potential. This is not only because of the stunning natural locations these areas boast but also due to the very low competition, as the number of glamping sites is small, and opening new projects is almost “guaranteed success” with proper planning.
Polissia would be very promising, but, according to him, the proximity to the borders with Russia and Belarus makes it nearly impossible to open tourism projects there.

Anastasia Tsvetkova, however, highlights that the most promising regions for glamping development are the Carpathians, Lviv, and Kyiv regions. She adds that there are also promising but still underdeveloped territories, such as:

• Ternopil region (Dniester Canyon, caves, castles)
• Vinnytsia region (Southern Bug River, Ladyzhyn Reservoir)
• Volyn (Shatsk Lakes, forest masses)
• Khmelnytskyi region (Bakota area along the Dniester River).

It is worth noting that, according to the “Glamping Market Overview” study, proximity to water and picturesque landscapes increase the attractiveness of such locations and may increase the average check by 20-30%.

On the photo: Mandra Lavandiia glamping (Protopopivka village, Odesa region).

How Ukrainian Projects Differ from European Ones

The European glamping market has a decade of development experience, which ensures a high level of standardization, state support, and large-scale investments, unlike Ukraine’s relatively new market, which lacks the above-mentioned advantages.
“The glamping market in Europe appeared much earlier than in Ukraine and developed on the basis of camping, forming from an already established industry with steady demand,” notes Andriy Rodkin. He adds that one of the important factors for market development has been government initiatives that support glamping throughout Europe.

According to Grand View Research, the European glamping market in 2024 reached $1.280 billion, with a projected growth rate of 8.5% by 2030. However, as the expert mentions: “From the experience of our distributors in France, we see a trend of increasing competition, which drives glampers to constantly search for unique offerings, invest in luxury accommodations, and implement technological innovations.”

But Ukraine has significant competitive advantages that allow it to compete with European projects. “For example, a night in a high-quality glamping in France costs 100-250 euros, while in Ukraine, you can get the same level of service for 50-120 euros,” adds Anastasia Tsvetkova.

At the same time, the expert points out key problems of the Ukrainian market:

• Lack of a legal framework for the official recognition of glamping as a separate type of tourism.
• Low standardization level – absence of uniform requirements for service, location, and service quality.
• Insufficient investments – few large players and international investors in the segment.
• Limited awareness among the population, as glamping has not yet become a mass trend among Ukrainian tourists.

According to Andriy Rodkin, the Ukrainian glamping market is developing on a different trajectory: “Our market is much less saturated, demand exceeds supply, so competition is low, and growth will occur much more rapidly.” He notes that now Ukraine can compete on the market in terms of service and natural beauty.
“Ukraine’s nature has amazing potential for emotional recovery and solitude,” concludes the expert, but adds that the main weakness is the lack of regulatory and legislative frameworks, which is a serious barrier to development.

Pricing Dynamics

Pricing in the glamping industry has been steadily growing in recent years. Experts note that one of the main factors for this growth is inflation, tax increases, and rising construction material costs.
According to the “Glamping Market Overview” study, the average cost of a stay in glamping sites in Ukraine ranges from 2500 to 4500 UAH per night.

Anastasia Tsvetkova emphasizes that between 2022 and 2025, the glamping market underwent significant changes due to economic instability, including currency fluctuations and rising construction material costs. The expert notes that in the western regions, prices have increased due to growing demand and operational costs, while in the eastern regions, prices may have decreased or services were temporarily unavailable due to danger.
According to Andriy Rodkin’s forecasts, the novelty of the experiences offered by glamping, tourists’ willingness to pay for a unique stay, and demand exceeding supply will continue to drive price increases for glamping stays – until the market becomes saturated.

On the photo: Mandra Zatoka glamping site (Zatoka village, Odessa region).

Development Prospects

Experts believe that the Ukrainian glamping market has significant growth potential in the next 2-3 years, despite challenges. The “Glamping Market Overview” study predicts that by 2027, the number of glamping locations in Ukraine may reach 70-80, reflecting significant growth in the popularity of this form of recreation. And the Ukrainian glamping market may reach a value of $5-10 million by the end of 2027, with an average annual growth rate of 20-25%.

In the coming years, glamping in Ukraine will not only cater to domestic tourists but also international visitors, especially from Europe. By 2027, international tourist flows are expected to increase due to the development of more international glamping networks, which will help attract foreign investments and create new opportunities for development.

The development of this format is also visible on the international market. For example, according to business consulting company Grand View Research, the global glamping market will grow by 12.5% in 2025, reaching a volume of $4.8 billion.
Andriy Rodkin notes that the first direction for glamping development in Ukraine will be standardization. “Already today, networks of glamping sites with well-established management systems and unique concepts are successfully operating in Ukraine,” he says.

The expert also highlights the development of custom projects and family-oriented glamping sites with limited accommodation options, as well as the emergence of new business models aimed at organizing sports camps or corporate retreats. An important component of this process is infrastructure development.

According to Anastasia Tsvetkova, eco-concepts and autonomous hotel solutions, as well as integrating glamping with gastronomic, active, wellness, and cultural tourism, will help expand the segment.
According to the expert, significant industry development catalysts will also include international cooperation. The receipt of European grants, attracting foreign investments, and exchanging experiences with international partners will help create new high-quality locations that meet global standards. Tourists seeking safe, comfortable, and unique vacations will find suitable options in western and central Ukraine, creating the conditions for large-scale market development.

Would you like to learn more detailed analytics on the glamping market? Check out the study via the link.

Subscribe to our blog to stay updated on hospitality market news!