How do I find a glamping business for sale in Canada?

Glamping is not a category most listing sites use. A site with tents, domes or cabins may be filed as a campground, a small resort, a rural property or a hobby farm, and some owners simply call it a vacation rental business. That makes a single search unreliable. Plan to search several headings, read the details, and let the people around the industry know what you are looking for.

Search under the headings owners actually use

Try campground, resort, outdoor recreation, rural property and hobby farm, plus words such as dome, yurt, cabin and treehouse. Save the searches so new listings reach you. Our guide to finding a tourism business covers the wider tourism field, including tour operators and attractions, which glamping listings often sit beside.

Read what is really for sale

Some listings sell the land with the units on it. Others sell the units and the operating business while the land is leased from someone else. The two are very different purchases. Ask early which one it is, who owns the land, and what happens to the units and the lease if the landowner changes plans.

Who hears about owners leaving

Owners rarely announce a sale. Brokers who handle campgrounds and rural property may know of one before it is public. Hosts who work with booking platforms and suppliers who build or sell the structures also hear when an owner is tired or relocating. Introduce yourself, say what size and setting you want, and ask them to pass your details along.

• Which headings did the listing appear under?
• Is the land included, or is it leased?
• How many units are there, and what are they made of?
• Which booking channels does the owner rely on?

Before you go deeper

Once a site looks right, move to checking it. Our campground and RV park due diligence guide covers sites, services and seasonal guests, and the page on what to check before buying a glamping business covers what is particular to glamping.