Leisure Media Issue 3 2009 - Leisure Opportunities

HOTSEATLUITEMORAALVariously described as ‘glamping’ –glamorous camping – and the Bodenof holidays, Feather Down Farms providesthe opportunity for camping insalubrious tents on working farms. KathHudson speaks to Dutch-born LuiteMoraal, the man behind the conceptFeather Down Farms caters to bigcity familes who want to get back tonature and enjoy simple pleasuresHow did you get into the leisure industry?I started off in marketing and advertising at a small agency andin the early ‘80s I was scouted by the founder of Center Parcs,Piet Derksen. I initially worked in marketing and advertisingthere before becoming involved in other areas, including productdevelopment. Later, I became a corporate director and wasinvolved in the management team taking the concept overseas.When I joined there were only four or five villages in Holland.Where did you go from there?At Center Parcs I learned about the leisure market in generaland afterwards I spent some time working for Disney and wasinvolved in all kinds of projects as a leisure entrepreneur beforestarting Feather Down Farms.How did the idea of Feather Down Farms come about?I was a director of a turnaround project for the Dutch NationalTrust, which is a big property owner with a lot of farms. The closureof farms was creating a real problem for the organisationbecause it was left having to maintain the landscape, so thechair asked me for ideas on how farms could diversify to keeptheir businesses going. My market research showed that a lot ofpeople were looking for holiday experiences where less is more;there is also a growing need for responsibility for your actionsand the desire to quit comfort and luxury in favour of a real experience.All of this triggered the idea of Feather Down Farms.When was the first Feather Down Farm opened?In Holland in 2004, and we started the first pilot in the UK in2006 with Manor Farm in Hampshire. I love the UK and havealways been impressed with the UK market.How did you get farmers excited about the idea?Because it’s such a good concept! We address it on the websiteand we have various sources of finding farmers.What are your near-term expansion plans?We are expanding quite rapidly because a lot of people are tellingme we should come to their country. We opened a fewlocations in France in 2008 and have three farms starting in theUS in June and hope to add another two or three by the end ofthe year. Our first German farm should open at the end of June.How would you describe the concept? Is it ‘glamping’?Partly it is, yes! In general we are trying to give a real experience.We target families in big cities, where the parents feelresponsible for the education of their children and worry theyhave lost their connection with the earth. For example, manychildren are surprised when they find that milk is warm when itcomes from cows because they only know it from the fridge.Who designed the tents?I’m afraid that would be me! All the comfort elements are there.To have a flush loo in a tent is really quite comfortable. Butbeyond that everything takes effort – making coffee takes threequarters of an hour. It’s about experience and being differentfrom home. I wanted the accommodation to feel like it’s from acertain undefined era when life was still simple and good.How involved can guests become with the farm?There’s always some farm life to experience, but it varies fromfarm to farm depending on how much the farmer wants to offer.There are usually small livestock and calves to feed, but it’snot likely guests will be milking the cows. Also we have arablefarms where they are not always harvesting. However, thereare always some animals to interact with, such as chickens forguests to collect eggs.Would a play area go against the concept?A swing from an apple tree is fine, but no fully equipped playgrounds.That’s what city people are trying to get away from.20 Read Leisure Management online leisuremanagement.co.uk/digitalISSUE 3 2009 © cybertrek 2009