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As holidaymakers look to escape formulaic hotels and routine vacations, a trend towards tented resorts and comfy camping gets travellers closer to nature - without the mosquito bites.

Now it's not enough to simply have a 400-thread count bedspread or a bevy of butlers at your beck and call - self-indulgent opulence is out and fresh experiences, such as staying in a tent in the middle of nowhere, are in.

'It seems the word 'luxury' is taboo in today's climate,' says Bradley Cocks from Kiwi Collection, which represents a number of individually owned hotels and resorts around the globe, including luxury camps.

'People are seeking out and paying luxury prices for uniqueness and I think the No 1 draw is exclusive access to wilderness and remote locations - and tented experiences fall into this category for sure.'

Hongkongers are also welcoming the trend towards more experiential holiday options, especially for short-haul travel and weekend escapes.

'Luxury for luxury's sake is out and experience is in,' says Farrington American Express Travel managing director David Lau. 'Travellers in the past stayed in cookie-cutter hotels because they were more familiar with the brand names. However, today's travellers are more sophisticated; they're going for experiential encounters, including pampering themselves, so non-chain hotels and unique properties such as tented camping, villas and residences are catching on.'

Tented camps have long been associated with exploration into Africa's savannahs and South Africa's game reserves remain home to some of the continent's best camping experiences.

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