With the world opening up again, travellers look like they’ve developed a keen appetite to infuse sustainability, wilderness and wellness into their weekend getaway plans.
In fact, the market seems so hot that some of the players are keeping some details close to their chests.
Eco-cabin company CABN founded by Michael Lamprell is appealing to surging sustainability sentiments by providing immersive experiences in the bush, farmlands and vineyards.
At the same time it hopes to give back to local communities with an economic boost through jobs and tourism.
It’s a formula that seems to be working very nicely for investors. Last week Intrepid Travel group ploughed in $7.85 million to help the business expand to 70 eco cabins by 2023.
The World Travel and Tourism Council’s 2021 Trending in Travel report found the off-grid eco-stays market is the future of travel and tourism.
Michael, who is also chief executive hopes the partnership will help expand his business and assist with rapid growth.
Our mission is to connect people with nature and each other. That’s what drives our passion, growth, and strategy.”
“It’s very exciting… We’re really pleased a group of that size has seen what we’re doing.”
For Michael, the idea came in 2017 after a meditation trip in the US and a brief stint at Harvard University.
“I was looking for something that would give me purpose. My previous company was marketing and I had a realisation that if I kept doing what I was doing it was not going to be me living the best version of my life I could. I wasn’t fulfilled.”
Michael felt the need to get back to the values he’d been brought up with and that he’d “strayed from”, he says.
“I was looking for something that can blend my love of nature with my creative side. It was a perfect storm of a few things.”
The drive for better purpose clearly worked for his business too.
His company now boasts occupancy rates of around 85 per cent – far above global occupancy rates of 57.2 per cent in 2021 for major hotels.
The model involves pre-fabricating the cabins offsite and then transferring them to the final location though Michael declined to provide details of the prefabrication, perhaps to protect his business advantage in an industry that’s becoming increasingly competitive.
But what he’s happy to reveal is that the cabins have clear sustainability objectives.
They are constructed mostly from locally sourced and sustainable materials, they are entirely off-grid and supplied with amenities such as biodegradable detergents and solvents, and sustainably sourced firewood.
To remain off-grid the cabins are equipped with solar panels, a closed septic tank holding system, and with a separate water supply if needed (tank or rainwater).
There’s been a once in a multi-generational shift in people’s values and what people find is important… It’s what people are searching for.”
Each is designed and constructed to comply with the local region and council regulations – which Michael says is “challenging and takes time”, especially with fire resilience and risk management plans in case of emergencies.
“We look for sustainability everywhere we can,” Michael says. “We are constantly trying to improve.”
The design is meant to encourage guests to be immersed in nature, disconnect from devices and the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
“Our mission is to connect people with nature and each other. That’s what drives our passion, growth, and strategy.
“The way we do that is by building beautiful architecturally designed cabins, placing them in unique places around Australia and enabling people to get off grid, turn off their phones and connect with the surroundings and each other.
“We want to offer what we’re doing to as many people as we can across Australia.”
The business also intends to provide long term sustainable economic opportunities to local communities by boosting their economies through tourism and employment.
It offers a profit-share model with landowners and employs local people for cleaning and maintenance. On the cards also are locally managed cycling and walking tours, as well as First Nations cultural tours.
“It’s really important for us to make sure our CABNs have an effect on the regional economy and offer economic benefits to that region.”
What’s encouraging Michael says is that despite the pandemic, business is booming as people are looking for something different.
What were the challenges and lessons to share?
Among the biggest challenges, Michael says, has been the learning. “There was no blueprint for us,” he says. (At least in Australia perhaps; his LinkedIn bio says he was introduced to the concept during his time in the US where he met New Hampshire, USA start-up Get Away, which builds tiny houses in the woods outside Boston.)
CABN’s expansion plans comes after last year competitor Unyoked raised more than $6 million towards increasing from seven to 27 cabins on rented bushland surrounding Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Byron Bay and Canberra.
Michael says that travellers are searching for purpose-led companies like CABN and Intrepid that are “doing it for the right reasons”.
“There’s been a once in a multi-generational shift in people’s values and what people find is important… It’s what people are searching for.”
“Things have to change, and it is changing. It’s a better feeling.”
