You’re in love with the idea of hosting an international wellness retreat and taking your business abroad. Whether tropical or exotic there’s a place that’s been on your heart for a while and the idea of hosting a retreat has constantly been on your mind. So then one day you decide, this is it! I’m going to make it a reality!
Excitement sets in and the planning begins with some simple online research. The more you look into it the more you realize how much work this is going to be.
Where will we stay?
How much do I have to pay upfront?
If no one signs up, will I lose my money?
How will we get around in a foreign country?
Does anyone need a travel visa to get to this country?
Will I make any money by doing this?
The overwhelming amount of information online can be enough for you to throw your hands in the air and say ‘forget it, I’ll stay within my comfort zone and just continue my practice here!’
But please don’t give up!
It doesn’t have to be this stressful - after all, you’re wanting to plan a retreat to feed the mind, body and soul of the people that join you, so why can’t you also plan it with the least amount of stress? You can plan a retreat that’s catered to your travel, yoga, wellness style all while not forking out a ton of money at the beginning that could be lost if no one ends up booking.
Now I know this sounds like a golden Unicorn that is way too good to be true, but after many years working in the travel industry, I promise you it’s true and here’s how we can make it happen!
Start by writing down some ideas about your retreat:
What kind of feel do you want your retreat to have? And where would you like to have it? - You will need to pick your ideal location for hosting a retreat as well as think about what you would like to do while there. Do you want to teach a class during sunset? Or maybe do a cooking class one night? Whatever your vision is, write it down because it can be created to suit your needs. If you aren’t 100% sure, that’s okay too! Just think about whether or not you want it really relaxed or quite active with daily activities.
Pick a timeframe of when you want to be away. Be flexible with when you can depart as some dates are better priced than others. - Generally it’s advised to be flexible by a few weeks for when you want to leave and to start planning no later than 8months in advance, you’ll need the extra time to start promoting the trip and getting deposits in.
Who would ideally be going on this retreat with you? - Is it more retirees? Or maybe the working professional? Either way, you’ll need an idea of who you are hoping to join you along with a price point that you think they’d be comfortable paying for the experience.
How many classes/workshops would you like to offer on this trip? - None? 3 in a week or 2 in a day? It’s your trip as much as everyone else’s what are you willing to commit with your time while away.
With all this information being put in one place you are halfway to planning your unique retreat. With thousands of different tour operators, resorts, and unique destinations, as an experienced Travel Agent, I can help narrow down the options for you to create a trip that suits the experience you want to offer.
How am I going to host without a huge upfront financial commitment?
There are many travel suppliers that have flexible payment schedules as well as wellness retreats that are created with plenty of inclusions and all you have to do is pick one.
Once you are happy with the retreat that is perfect for you, a $350CAD lifetime deposit is needed to secure the land portion of your retreat for up to 16 people. Then you can start promoting the trip for everyone else to get their deposits in.
Ah, you can relax knowing your retreat is held, dates are selected, hotels booked and all local transportation is confirmed along with a personal Trip Director when in destinations. They will take care of all the planning in the destination and get everyone safely from one spot to the next, while offering plenty of insight on the local culture. This way you can focus on what you do best, hosting the retreat and the Trip Director can take care of the travel planning!
It’s a beautiful experience to be able to go on a retreat. Life changing for those hosting and those traveling - be sure to reach out to your travel agent to ask for more information on how this can be done!
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