Retreat Planning 101
I was recently approached by a yoga teacher asking for advice on running a yoga retreat. It got me thinking other teachers might not know where to start and prompted me to share my top tips.
Whether you want to run a 2-3 day retreat in the UK or take a group abroad for 5-7 days there will be different factors to consider.
Why not grab a pen and paper make yourself a cuppa and start jotting down your thoughts as you answer the following questions to help plan and visualise your retreat.
VISUALISE
Knowing what type of retreat you want to run will help give you clarity and confidence in your planning. Are you thinking luxury and treatments, yoga and meditation, wellness and walking? The clearer you are about what you want to offer the easier it will be to plan your dream retreat.
LOCATION & VENUE
Choose a location and venue that excites you. When you feel passion other people will feel it too and engage with your enthusiasm. Remember overseas travel will involve additional planning, flights, transfers, car parking, possibly visas, taxes, insurance and a valid passport but more on this in the travel section.
Now let’s focus on your retreat venue. What facilities are at your ideal venue? How many single, shared occupancy bedrooms are available? Does the venue have en-suites or shared facilities? Is the yoga space functional? Will yoga mats and props be provided? Continue to jot down your answers.
COST & CURRENCY
Next determine the overall cost for hire. Most retreat venues will have a contract in place which helps to determine minimum number of retreat guests, and when deposit and balance payments are required which will help determine your timeline to secure bookings.
Booking an overseas retreat will require payment in the local currency. Be prepared for cost fluctuations due to changes in the rate of exchange.
CATERING
Delicious food is a huge part of any retreat. Consider who will prepare your meals - will you eat in, dine out, is there a chef provided or do you hire your own? What’s your rule on alcohol? Will your retreat be vegetarian or vegan? Consider additional special dietary requests in your meal planning.
KNOW YOUR GUEST
Who is your ideal retreat guest? Know your target market. Be specific on how you will market to your audience. Create an attractive website where visitors can find details of your retreat. Ensure photographs are professional. Consider if your retreat can be securely booked online for guests travelling within or outside of the UK. Use social media, advertise, write an article about your retreat and submit it to a suitable magazine for publication.
GO SOLO or CO-TEACHER
Going solo means you’re in charge of everything in the planning and delivery of your retreat. This can be exhilarating and overwhelming. Taking a co-teacher will mean that you can share roles and responsibilities, help plan classes, themes and your retreat schedule. You will need to factor in the cost of taking a co-teacher on your retreat especially if travelling abroad and decide if you will share a room.
TRAVEL
A 2-3 day UK retreat is often simpler with retreat guests making their own travel arrangements. More attention to detail will be required for overseas retreat guests to co-ordinate flight time arrivals and transfers to and from the venue.
I highly recommend writing clear terms and conditions to inform retreat guests of what is and isn’t included, not only in terms of travel but as well as optional extras from massage treatments to activities or excursions, and include any cancellation fee charges.
Overseas retreats will incur additional costs of flights, visas, transfers, airport parking, insurances, taxes and tips. Don’t forget to check that your guests have a current and valid passport! Plus names of your retreat guests including passport details and your retreat schedule are usually required pre-arrival at your overseas accommodation so ensure you have these.
PRICING
Now you have a clearer picture of your dream retreat as you’ve been jotting down your answers, consider the additional costs while visualising your retreat. It’s time to do the maths to price your retreat! Consider the price per person, your total overall costs and remember to cover your preparation time, expertise, teaching and leading the retreat.
HOSTING YOUR OWN RETREAT
I’ve been leading retreats for 4 years now and despite the effort of organising and facilitating retreats it’s so worthwhile! To be able to share my passion with like-minded yogis, witnessing real personal shifts happen, creating an experience of a lifetime with lasting memories is such a rewarding and fulfilling part of hosting a retreat.
Now it’s time for you to turn your visualisation into a reality!
