Retreats are big business now. But what ongoing trends can you expect from wellness retreats?
Wellness retreats have grown in popularity over the past few years as an inviting and effective way to de-stress. But many retreats look, well, kind of samey. So if you fancy a well-deserved break, that offers something a bit different, what can you expect coming up this year? Here’s our wellness retreat trends predictions are for 2024, and into 2025.
Swimming and water activities
Spending time in or by the water is a classic retreat activity. From swimming to lounging to water games, there’s always a ton of ways to both have fun and relax in the water. And, with studies confirming the mental health benefits of activities such as wild swimming, it’s easy to see why they’re such a hit.
We conducted a survey asking a large sample group what they wanted from their retreats, and some kind of water hit the 100% mark – whether it’s for swimming or sitting in a hot tub. So we make sure all our retreats have water!
Many retreats centre themselves around huge lakes, beaches, or swimming pools to allow guests to fully experience these benefits. Whether you’re a swimmer or a lounger, there’s bound to be plenty of time and space to enjoy the water.
Read more: Get wet at West Lexham! Whether it’s clear lake swimming or hitting the pool
Emotional detox
It used to just be called ‘getting away from it all’, but whatever you call it, the results are the same. A mental break and headspace. Wellness retreats are designed to let you cast your worries aside and rest… sometimes more literally than you may think. Whether it’s burying a seed that resembles your worries, or writing your stresses on a piece of paper to burn up in a fire, there are many inventive ways to symbolically deal with your issues.
And you’d be surprised how effective these methods can be. Physically representing your troubles, making them a tangible thing you can see, and then watching as they melt away before your eyes… it can be incredibly cathartic.
Learning, experiencing, and sharing
Something else that came up for us during our research was that although relaxing and doing all the normal retreat stuff was great, ‘something different’ would make it more attractive. And we believe this will see a shift in retreat content over the next couple of years. We asked what kind of activities people were interested in and high on the list was opportunities to learn new things, experience things outside of the norm, and make stuff.
As always, we’re ahead of the curve here. All our retreats have that little bit extra – the boss has a background in experiential event planning, so she’s come up with some really original activities and themes for our retreats. If you want to know more about those as they unfold, you should probably sign up to the newsletter, which is where this kind of info tends to go out first.
Mindfulness
Yoga, meditation and breathwork are all relaxation staples at retreats, with good reason. Taking a break from the busyness of life, they give you a chance to clear your mind and relax. All you have to do is breathe in… and out… do some light stretching, and let your worries flow out of you.
It can be a deeply calming experience, really allowing your mind rest, and get in some light exercise while you’re at it. So no wonder mindfulness is at the core of so many wellness retreats. Plus, retreats can amplify that peaceful energy with their stunning locations. Why do yoga at home when you can be surrounded by breathtaking views as you stretch? Retreats truly offer some of the best environments to help you find your inner peace.
Making the most of the outdoors
What really makes retreats special is their stunning environments. From beautiful lakes to breathtaking mountains… why relax at home with sights like this?
Being able to get away from the everyday hustle to such incredible places is already pretty healing, without any of the activities. Just breathing in fresh air, listening to the sounds of nature, and feeling the outside world ebb away from you. But wellness retreats know how to make the most of their scenery, with hikes, swimming, outdoor yoga, and plenty of just ‘being’ in beautiful spaces. Which brings us to…
Permission to rest
One of the biggest trends we hope to see in wellness retreats is less packed schedules. You can’t relax while constantly hopping from one activity to the next.
Wellness retreats are all about relaxation – so not every day can be packed with activities. Guests need time to just… breathe. Kick back and not worry about what’s next on the agenda. Time to rest is just as important as the activities themselves in ensuring that you make the most of your retreat.
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