By Anthi Pazianou

For most people, luxury is probably the last thing that comes to mind when thinking about camping holidays. They’re seen as a cheap alternative with a certain level of inconvenience and little in the way of home comforts. We tend to view camping holidays as something for young people who are willing to compromise on comfort in order to enjoy the freedom of living out in the wild.

“Glamping” is for those who want to enjoy spending time in close contact with nature without having to dread heading back to camp (the word is an amalgam of “glamorous camping”). The concept has been embraced by tourism businesses and glampers all around the world.

The Tourism Ministry in Athens recently hosted a meeting on the subject of glamping, which is new to Greece, and heard proposals from Aegean Escapes, regarding its tourism investment plan for the island of Lesvos, as well as two other companies from the regions of Corinthia and Attica. The aim of the meeting was to contribute to a working group set up by the ministry to study legislation for innovative tourism accommodation.

The project in Lesvos has the biggest budget of the three investments presented at the ministry, totaling 1.5 million euros and very demanding specifications.

“For the first time, Lesvos will be a pioneer in the tourism industry, with an investment that aims to enter the sector of luxury accommodation – with a 5-star campsite – and attract a new profile of tourists who will have the opportunity to experience the island,” Ioanna Vallina, an architect with Aegean Escapes, told Kathimerini newspaper.

“They will not be guests in all-inclusive accommodation but will be encouraged to experience the area, the local culture and nature,” she said, adding that local authorities and services have shown great willingness to help, despite the lack of a legislative framework.

The company is planning to set up luxury tents on a 16,968-square-meter plot in Liota, a rural area in western Lesvos. The campsite will include two buildings with pools and a Turkish bath, an outdoor barbeque and an outdoor traditional stone oven.

The 22 luxury tents will be set up among olive trees and will be removed at the end of the tourist season, along with all the equipment. When the campsite is closed, there will be few visible marks on the plot.

This article was originally published on ekathimerini.com.