More than one in four Americans are skipping a vacation this year, and the No. 1 reason is because they can’t afford it, according to a recent Bankrate survey.
But glamping travel company Under Canvas is running a promotion that will allow selected travelers to take a vacation and only pay what they can afford.
Through June 4, people who cannot otherwise afford a vacation can apply to stay at one of the company’s eight glamping camps across America, which are located near national parks, according to the company. People who are selected will only have to “pay what they can” for stays up to four nights.
“Being outside, enjoying nature, traveling should not be a privilege,” Sarah Dusek, co-founder and CEO of Under Canvas tells CNBC Make It. “It really is a necessity, a human need which actually makes us all better human beings. When I read a story about 39 million people not getting a vacation this year, I knew I needed to do something. “
Typical rates for Under Canvas accommodations vary per location, but as an example, rates start at $239 a night for a deluxe tent at its Zion National Park, Utah location starting in June. A three-night stay would be about $860.
“We wanted to make the experience we offer to our guests even more accessible,” says Dusek. “We believe that the more people get outside and see and enjoy our beautiful planet, the more people will care for it.”
Anyone (whether a couple, single traveler or family) in the United States can apply for the “pay what you can” promotion. Applicants must state their annual household income, the glamping camp location they want to visit and preferred travel dates in June, July or August. They must also say how much they can afford to pay for lodging for their summer vacation, as well as why they’d like to be considered.
Dusek says she has already been “extraordinarily touched by the amazing stories that have been coming in.”
Under Canvas does glamping trips to Zion National Park and Moab in Utah, Glacier National Park in Montana, Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, Yellowstone National Park in Montana, Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, and Saguaro National Park in Tucson, Arizona.
The “pay what you can” stays only include accommodations, not meals or optional activities (like a hiking or helicopter tour), which start at $260 each. All “pay what you can” stays will be in Under Canvas’s safari tent accommodations.
Under Canvas in Tucson, Arizona.
Buffalo Media 182
Under Canvas glamping suite in Glacier National Park in Montana
Tiffany Rose
