Noble Encampment: Life Under the Banners
Description
Our idea is to create a unique cultural tourism experience called Noble Encampment: Life Under the Banners. This immersive concept revives the outdoor noble lifestyle of the 16th–17th century Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Guests will stay in richly adorned tents that reflect the historical grandeur of mobile noble life, including activities like ceremonial hunts, mock military campaigns, feasts, and storytelling sessions. This is not just glamping — it is a living history experience rooted in authentic cultural heritage.
2. The Need We Address
Today’s glamping industry is oversaturated with offerings that lack true uniqueness. In Lithuania alone, over 40 glamping sites market themselves as “unique,” yet they often provide identical experiences focused only on comfort and visual aesthetics. Our concept responds to a growing demand for meaningful, immersive, and story-rich experiences, especially among young travelers who seek authenticity, cultural depth, and “Instagrammable” moments. We offer something truly different — not invented, but revived.
3. The Market and Competition
In Lithuania, we identified Jurbarkas — a royal town along the Nemunas River — as the perfect launch location. There are currently no glamping sites in this district, despite its rich noble and royal heritage. According to local tourism data, Jurbarkas received approximately 8,100 tourists in 2023, 80% of whom were overnight visitors. Our target group consists of affluent, experience-driven travelers, estimated at around 1,000 individuals (12% of total travelers), who prioritize design, comfort, and cultural relevance.
Internationally, cultural and heritage tourism continues to grow, especially among European travelers and urban millennials. Greece, where we presented this idea, has strong tourism infrastructure and a deep cultural appreciation, making it a potential future location for expansion. Currently, there is no direct competition offering historical glamping tied to Lithuanian-Polish noble traditions, which sets our concept apart.
4. Primary Revenue Model
Our primary revenue will come from overnight stays at the encampment, bundled with cultural experiences such as historical reenactments, traditional meals, educational workshops, and seasonal festivals. We plan to operate both individual bookings and exclusive event rentals. A dedicated digital platform (app and website) is under development for reservations, experience customization, and storytelling. Long-term, we envision partnerships with travel agencies, festivals, and cultural institutions.
5. Team Experience
Our team is rooted in the "Panemuniai Tours" tourism cluster — a network of 13 tourism businesses from Jurbarkas and Šakiai. We represent a wide range of expertise: from heritage education to rural tourism, from winemaking to experiential travel design. This project is led by Gediminas Naujokas (Lithuania) and Chrysomytis Eleftherios (Greece), both with extensive backgrounds in tourism innovation and international cooperation.
6. Unique Features (The Magic)
What sets Noble Encampment apart is its deep cultural authenticity. While others create luxury in nature, we revive a noble tradition nearly forgotten — complete with historically accurate tents, cuisine, activities, and ceremonies. It’s experiential, educational, and emotional. We tap into identity, storytelling, and exclusivity — all while being scalable, sustainable, and rooted in community collaboration. This is more than a stay; it’s a journey into the past, designed for modern travelers.
Sustainable Development Goals
1. Collaboration for Goals
Noble Encampment is built on cross-sector and cross-border collaboration. Our project brings together tourism businesses, cultural experts, local communities, and international peers — like those met during DigiBus2025 — to co-create a shared vision for meaningful, heritage-based tourism. We believe that impact is greater when ideas, knowledge, and experience flow freely between partners, regions, and disciplines.
8. Καλές θέσεις εργασίας και οικονομική ανάπτυξη
By reviving and commercializing historical cultural experiences, we aim to generate new income streams in rural areas such as Jurbarkas. The encampment will create seasonal and permanent job opportunities — from craftsmen and guides to digital marketers and hospitality staff. We also support small local businesses by integrating their services into the experience (e.g., local food, crafts, performances). Our model promotes dignified, creative, and culturally rooted work.
17. Συνεργασίες για στόχους
Our project thrives on partnership — not just within our local tourism cluster, but also internationally. We actively seek cooperation with people from different regions who want to adapt the Noble Encampment idea to their cultural context. These partnerships allow for knowledge exchange, innovation diffusion, and collective growth. Together, we can expand the model to different countries, enriching both local tourism and shared cultural understanding.