Thursday 20th August Briefing Do You Want To Run an Overseas Retreat? Special Guest Esther

Do You Want To Run an Overseas Retreat? Join me and special Guest Esther to talk all things retreats- Esther shares her wealth of experience and answers your questions!

This business briefing is an interview with Esther Short, a fitness professional and travel specialist, about how to organise and sell overseas fitness and wellness retreats.

Getting started with retreats

• Start with a destination you already know.
• European destinations such as Portugal and the Greek Islands can be easier starting points.
• Portugal is recommended because it’s relatively close to the UK and has good beaches and hotels.
• Personally visit and inspect the hotel before taking clients where possible.
• Check the exercise spaces, facilities and bad-weather alternatives.

Choosing accommodation

• Hotels work well when clients want a retreat combined with a holiday experience.
• Hotels may provide restaurants, bars, entertainment, pools and organised activities.
• Villas can work particularly well for quieter Pilates or yoga retreats.
• Choose according to the personality and expectations of your clients.

Working with hotels

• Identify and contact the hotel management or animation/activities team.
• Explain exactly what classes and facilities you’ll need.
• Ask about:
  • Outdoor teaching areas
  • Studios
  • Conference rooms
  • Pools/aqua facilities
  • Sound systems
  • Equipment
  • Wet-weather alternatives
• Some hotels charge separately for exercise spaces.
• Build relationships with hotel managers because communication can sometimes be slow.

Reduce financial risk

• Start planning 6–12 months ahead.
• Ask hotels when room numbers must be confirmed.
• Promote early before committing to large numbers of rooms.
• Larger hotels can provide more flexibility with group bookings.
• Off-season travel can reduce accommodation costs.

Package protection

• Booking flights, hotel and transfers as a proper travel package can provide valuable protection.
• Esther described a European blackout that caused cancelled flights.
• Because her group had booked as a package, accommodation and alternative arrangements were handled.
• Travellers who had independently booked separate components experienced greater difficulties.

Insurance

• Participants should have appropriate travel insurance.
• Encourage clients to purchase insurance as soon as they book.
• Don’t assume insurance supplied through a bank account provides sufficient cover.
• Send participants guidance explaining what their policy should cover.
• Instructors should also contact their professional insurer and explain exactly what they’ll be teaching overseas.

Typical retreat client

Esther’s audience tends to be:

• Midlife and older women
• Menopausal/postmenopausal women
• Empty nesters
• Clients interested in socialising and meeting people
• People wanting fitness combined with a holiday rather than intensive exercise all day

Retreat content

Possible activities include:

• Pilates
• Yoga
• Aqua
• Zumba/fitness
• Strength sessions
• Menopause education
• Wellness sessions
• Relaxation

Collaborating with several instructors gives participants greater variety.

Don’t overschedule

• Classes can be concentrated into the morning.
• Finish around lunchtime and give participants free afternoons.
• Evening sessions can be optional.
• Clients often prefer exploring, socialising and eating out rather than attending every available session.

Group management

• Participants may expect considerable support once travelling.
• Use WhatsApp for:
  • Transfer information
  • Arrival instructions
  • Timetable updates
  • Meeting points
• With larger groups arriving from different airports, consider arriving a day early to manage arrivals.

Pricing example – Portugal

Example discussed for a Friday–Monday retreat:

• Approximately £499 without flights
• Approximately £799 including flights, transfers and retreat
• Accommodation is bed and breakfast.
• Participants can eat at nearby restaurants.
• A class-only option was previously offered for approximately £150 for the weekend.

Flexible packages

Clients could purchase:

• Complete retreat package
• Accommodation + retreat without flights
• Classes only
• Longer hotel stay around the retreat
• Their own flights with the retreat arranged separately

Working with another instructor

• An instructor could bring their own clients onto an established retreat.
• They can add their own margin/fee for teaching and organising their group.
• Collaborating reduces some of the difficulty and risk involved in organising a first retreat independently.

Key takeaway

• Know your clients → choose an appropriate destination → personally research the hotel → establish facilities and backup plans → price carefully → arrange appropriate travel protection → promote well in advance.
• For a first overseas retreat, a short European trip at a familiar hotel is likely to be considerably easier than organising a complex long-haul event.