Leading Yoga Retreats - 7 Things to Consider When Planning a Retreat
Yoga retreats are turning into big business and, in a post pandemic world, are very much in high demand. Have you thought of planning a yoga retreat? Travel is more popular than ever and yoga retreats seem to be the new all inclusive model that people are seeking. Yoga retreats allow you to return home rejuvenated instead of exhausted and uttering to yourself the classic ‘I need a vacation from a vacation’ line. Instead of fried foods at all you can eat buffets yoga retreats feature health conscious meals that cater to all diet types. But planning a yoga retreat is not easy and requires a lot of effort. My hope is the tips below will help you plan a SUCCESSFUL yoga retreat that makes a meaningful difference to your bottom line.
In a recent Business of Yoga call I discussed the topic of yoga retreats with some other yoga teachers and what we came up with was pretty amazing. We had yoga teachers ranging from never lead a retreat before to having led multiple international and local retreats. I felt so uplifted by it all. Seasoned teachers shared their experiences with enthusiasm and new teachers were asking beautiful questions rooted in curiosity and a desire to learn. It was beautiful.
We talked about a lot of important things to consider when hosting a retreat and below are the key takeaways from what everyone shared. Consider these to be the top things to think about when planning a retreat.
Have ample time to brainstorm and research your retreat destination. I would suggest 12-18 months especially if it’s your first ever retreat.
Have a waitlist - you can ask your community before putting down your deposit. Have the dates and the location set and ask people if they’d be interested.
Food rules! Make sure you can accommodate all dietary restrictions and that the food is delicious. No matter how great you are, if the food sucks, people won’t come back.
What does your community want? What type of demographic and income levels are you dealing with? Do they want private rooms or are they willing to share? This will help you nail down your retreat location
Plan for profit and know your risks. If you don’t make money, lose money or break even, how much loss can you afford? Don’t let it break you. You may lose a little or break even on your first retreat. Keep going. Build on that momentum and it’s likely the same retreat the next year will turn a profit. Something as simple as consistency and lead time can help a retreat tip into the green.
For international travel, especially, get a travel agent. They are a tremendous help and legally you are required to have one.
Different models exist in the retreat center landscape - some charge per room, some charge per night for the entire space. Know what model of pricing works best for you.
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Have something add to the list?
Comment below if you think we missed something or want to add your own thoughts to this pie. This is meant to be a resource for yoga teachers so please feel free to share.