What Differentiates a Retreat from a Typical Glamping Site

Sarah Riley

CEO of Inspired Courses for hospitality businesses and developer of The Perfectly Planned And Profitable Retreats System®

What types of retreats are there? Are they typically wellness related or are there educational retreats such as stargazing? The list of retreats is endless. From gut health, woodcrafting, pet training and everything in-between. I recently researched the different types of retreats currently being offered and I counted over 63. It seems that the only limit is your imagination, as long as you have the audience interested in it. But from my experience, if you follow the formula I share in my Perfectly Planned And Profitable Retreats System®, you can make anything a magnet for bookings. The key is to focus on what facilities you have to deliver your desired retreat and if it truly interests you.

Do you need any accreditation to become a retreat, or can anyone set one up? The deliverer of the retreat has to have experience in what they intend to deliver and in some cases this does require accreditation and qualifications. However, this doesn’t mean the host needs it as they could be working in partnership with the deliverer of the event. So, for example, if a glamping site wants to host a weight loss retreat focusing on gut health and food fermentation, they would work in partnership with a nutritionist and fermentation specialist rather than delivering it themselves.

What should a retreat offer? Can it be as simple as offering a couple of activities throughout the day? Or does the site need to revolve around the experience that is being offered? The program must be thought through carefully and not thrown together at the last minute as there is a delicate balance to achieve when delivering retreats. The attendees need to feel as if they have benefitted from the activities they’ve been promised, but also from the relaxation and self-care time they have had during the event. However, this also depends on the theme. For example, someone who has booked an activity focused retreat will be disappointed if they keep finding themselves twiddling their thumbs waiting for the organiser to make things happen.

Is there a typical group size for retreat stays? Smaller and more personal events are much easier to organise and less stress for the host and deliver of the event. However, as I demonstrated in my masterclass there will be a natural breakeven point for every retreat. I use an automated spreadsheet as this is different every time depending on the style of the event. The essential piece of the puzzle is to find this breakeven point and then know that every booking afterwards will bring 100% profit to the organiser. The numbers should then be capped when it reaches the maximum for manageability purposes.

What is the average duration of a stay at a retreat? Retreats are most commonly a day to a week long as any longer is difficult for the attendees to commit to. However, there is a little-known piece of legislation that applies to retreats that makes it easier to run shorter events than longer ones. This is why I work with the Principal of a law firm when advising on the compliance responsibilities of hosts. My advice is to do your research in advance and always seek the advice of specialists. If you are unsure of how it might apply to your event then I am always happy to help.

For site owners, what are the staff requirements for a retreat? Will there need to be trained staff for the services on offer? The more staff the better as it makes it easier to enjoy hosting the event and this is easily achieved when working with partners. For example, a host glamping site will have their usual staff in place to manage the accommodation side of an event, while a yoga teacher will be present at certain times throughout the day. The food can be arranged by outside caterers or the hosts regular staff and so on. The best part of working with multiple delivery partners is knowing you have a team of people working with you and it helps to boost your relationships with local small businesses. Just remember to focus on your budget and know your events breakeven point.

Are there any requirements for the facilities and accommodation on-site? Do they need to be very high-end to attract guests? The variety of events is very broad and anything goes in my opinion. Just be sure to match up your ideal guests expectations with the style and quality of your facilities. If there is a mis-match then this could attract negative reviews, which no retreat host wants.

What advice would you give to a glamping site owner that is thinking about the possibility of opening a retreat at their site? If it’s one thing we’ve missed over the past year, it’s time with each other to enjoy amazing experiences, learn new and inspirational things and have a bit of self-care time. Added to that, many have been working from home and not having their usual interactions with people in the office, leaving them feeling as though they are missing something vital. Also, the buying power of millennials is increasing. These are reasons why I believe retreats are going to sky-rocket in 2022 and beyond. So if you are considering running a retreat and using them as a way to build followers, boost your income during offpeak and mid-week times or even to launch your new business, now is the time to start planning.

ENVI Lodges has signed a partnership agreement with Beyond Green, a global portfolio of hotels, lodges and resorts representing sustainable tourism leadership. Beyond Green is owned by Preferred Hotel Group, an international leader in the hospitality industry that provides highperformance sales, marketing and technology solutions to independent hotels and resorts. As part of the partnership with Beyond Green, ENVI will also benefit from I Prefer, Preferred Hotel Group’s loyalty rewards program allowing guests to earn and redeem points in more than 650 hotels and resorts across 80 countries.

ENVI Lodges launched in September 2021 (see feature in this issue) as the GCC’s first luxury-eco-lodge brand and management company. ENVI shares Beyond Green’s core values - nature, culture, and community –from its design to its operating philosophy. “We are thrilled to join a forward-thinking and responsible brand whose values and objectives are completely aligned with ours,” says ENVI Co-founder, Noelle Homsy. “We developed our technical and operating standards to adhere to high levels of sustainability. So, forming a partnership with Beyond Green validates our commitment to responsible tourism and awareness in our industry.”

Upon completing a required onsite inspection, every ENVI lodge will benefit from Beyond Green’s global distribution system, worldwide call and sales centers, booking engine, connectivity to OTAs, and 200 luxury travel advisor partners.