10 years ago the term 'Glamping' was unheard of. Now it has become a part of life for many families, festival goers and couples looking to escape the rat race. 

Warmer summers, the weakening pound and a renewed awareness of the beautiful British countryside has helped to create a brand new market. One that will pay a premium for character and comfort.

Owners of Glamping properties are prospering if their offering is high on service, unique and well managed. TripAdvisor provides a global shop window whilst also shining a light on every detail.

Google searches are a useful indicator of the market's growth and below is a graphs showing relative search volumes for people in the UK searching for glamping over the last five years.

As the Glamping market matures visitors expectations will demand more from providers, a safari tent with a bottle of local cider isn't enough to differentiate one site from the plethora of others now established throughout the UK.

Two significant requirements for experienced and first time Glampers are warmth and en-suite bathrooms. In it's infancy Glamping was regarded simply as a step up from camping and so any novelty was acceptable. Many potential guests now have already experienced Glamping in some form. Going forward they are keen to better their first experience. Those who haven't given it a try yet probably have good reason, high on the list is the fear of wandering around in search of the toilet block at 4am.

Country Cabins were designed with these people very much in mind. Operators can easily configure their cabins to include toilets and showers. As the units are insulated, when combined with a heat source such as a log burning stove it is possible to offer year round occupation.

Travelling habits have evolved in recent decades, with many people taking multiple trips throughout the year, significantly boosting the UK self-catering market. It is just as important to be open for periods such as New Year and Easter as August.

Other trends to be aware of are:

- Most research and bookings now take place online

- Fear or terrorism and natural disasters has increased interest in rural UK locations

- Activity orientated breaks are increasing in popularity

- UK short breaks are on the increase