K. Joia Houheneka is a global leader in luxury entrepreneurship. She is the founder of Club Elevate+Aspire+, an application-only exclusive community for entrepreneurs building high-end, premium, and/or luxury businesses.
When should you start planning if you want to host a luxury retreat? Our Luxury Travel Designers recommend starting at least one year in advance. Here’s the 12-month breakdown.
“Rich experiences – those that allow us to celebrate fully and grow with vigor – are the finest luxuries. (From “Quotes on Luxury” by K. Joia Houheneka)
Are you dreaming of leading a luxury retreat?
Offering a unique, experiential blend of relaxation and transformation, luxury travel & wellness retreats are on the rise. Significantly, the global wellness retreat market is expected to reach nearly $364 billion by 2032. If you’re an entrepreneur, coach, consultant, or thought leader, luxury retreats can also make for good business, providing you with a new highly profitable revenue stream that can enhance your connection with some of your best clients.
However, you must be prepared to plan your luxury retreat well in order to achieve the best results.
Below is a proven timeline from our Luxury Travel Designers at Delve Travel that you can follow to successfully create and fill your dream luxury retreat. You’ll notice that we recommend much of the planning to occur at least 12 months in advance so that you have plenty of time to organize everything and arrive ready to be fully present.
12 months before (Or more)
Theme – Your purpose & your promise
This is one of the most important aspects to get right if you want your retreat to be absolutely worthwhile for both you and your attendees. To be true luxury, you want your retreat to be creator-driven and serve a vital desire / need for your ideal audience. Take the time to focus on your Big Why, your purpose and goals for hosting this retreat. Then also take the time to determine the Big Transformation / Benefit for your attendees, the highly specific promise of your retreat that will make it stand out and entice your right-fit clients to pack their bags and feel they have to be there.
Location, location, location
This is the second most important consideration that, along with your theme, will be what sells people on your retreat. We recommend choosing a location that is aligned with your theme and that fills you with inspiration and excitement. Your enthusiasm will be contagious and provide emotional fuel as you both promote and lead your retreat. Some retreat leaders like to pick a favorite previous vacation spot where they feel comfortable and familiar with the local surroundings. Some retreat leaders like to leverage a retreat as a way to check off a new destination from their own bucket list. If you do choose a destination that is unfamiliar to you, this is when we especially recommend partnering with a travel expert (like one of our Luxury Travel Designers) so that you can get connected with trusted locals and boots-on-the-ground insider knowledge.
Size matters
Retreats are meant to be small and intimate, but exactly how small and intimate do you want your retreat to be? Typically, retreats have somewhere between five and fifteen participants, with at least one facilitator for every five participants.
Dates
Next, you want to consider the dates for your retreat. Usually, we recommend trying to avoid holidays (both those of your home country and your destination) – though sometimes it’s what’s most appropriate given your theme. If possible, we often recommend trying to coordinate with your destination’s shoulder season, as you often get the benefits of additional perks, fewer crowds, more availability at hot spots, etc.
Potential itinerary & quotes from potential vendors / partners
How many days will your retreat be and what kinds of activities will you coordinate? A retreat is meant to be an opportunity for participants to disconnect from their day-to-day normal hustle and bustle, to have time and space to unwind, to relax, to heal, to think bigger about the future, to connect with like-minded others, to experience something new, to refill their cup, all that plus whatever workshops, teachings, and or 1:1 work you might provide. Hence, make sure your retreat is long enough that you only have a few set agenda items each day. Now is the time to determine if you will bring in any guest experts, provide a chef or include meals at restaurants, organize any cultural activities/tours, bring on any assistants/event planners/support staff etc. so you can start collecting quotes.
Book the venue
Some retreat leaders choose an all-inclusive resort, a boutique hotel, a retreat center, a house/villa, or even specialty properties like renting a castle. You might book rooms at a major luxury hotel and host your events in one of their suites. Now is the time to determine which type of venue will best suit your retreat and be prepared to put down a deposit to secure your preferred dates.
Grow your list
Although marketing your retreat might not happen until 6 months before your departure date (see below), once you’ve identified your target audience, it’s never too early to start building an email list. Create a lead magnet in alignment with your retreat theme. Identify where – both online and in-person – you’ll find your ideal audience so that you can build your reputation and foster connections.
Insurance & legal considerations
There are a variety of considerations regarding insurance / liabilities / waivers / contracts for your retreat, some specific to your home state/province and/or country. Now is the time to start educating yourself and consulting with a certified lawyer to make sure you will be adequately protected.
9 months before
Your budget (and your profits!)
By now, you should have determined your costs so that you can draw up your budget and determine pricing for your retreat. In addition to the costs for accommodations, staff/vendors, insurance/contracts, cultural activities, and gifts, don’t forget to budget in your own expenses for travel, fees, tips, and emergencies. If you’ll be running a workshop or leading any sessions, we recommend that you budget paying yourself what you would pay a facilitator. Once you have the grand total, double the number before you divide it by the number of participants so that you’re making a 50% profit margin – or at a minimum add $25K for your retreat profit. After all, this aspect of your business is requiring a year’s worth of planning, and you will be delivering a luxury experience. Never forget: you’re more than worth it too.
Sales page craft
Every retreat ought to have a dedicated web page so that potential participants can view all the details, get excited, and start signing up. Now is the time to select gorgeous images, draft copy, collect any past testimonials, and determine payment methods. Consider this page like both a work of art and a well-reasoned argument meant to tap into emotions, fulfill on dreams, and quell any doubts.
6 months before
Market – and sell out! – your retreat
Typically, retreat marketing will happen 6 months prior to the event. That said, you may want to start earlier, especially if your retreat will be over a week long, involve a 12+ hour flight for most participants, require more than a passport, or entail any other consideration that necessitates extra planning. Your goal in marketing your retreat should be to sell out your available spaces as quickly as possible. We recommend the principles and strategies outlined by Daniel Priestley in Oversubscribed, especially structuring your marketing campaigns to collect signals, create waitlists, and build up desire and demand before your sales go live. Setting up and executing this type of campaign admittedly is a process, but it can generate in advance the enthusiasm and positive energy you’ll want from everyone who attends your retreat.
3 months before
Continue marketing (If necessary)
If your retreat is not yet sold out, you can repeat the campaign cycle. As a luxury retreat, you never want to discount, but you might want to announce special bonuses or perks for anyone who registers by a certain date, or you might want to create a special package to entice sales for your last remaining spots. If you plan to host more retreats, aim for an overflow of interest to start building your next retreat waitlist!
Start a group communication channel for your attendees
The opportunity to connect with others with shared values in an intimate setting is often one of the most desirable benefits of attending a retreat. You can start fostering those connections for your participants ahead of time online. A group communication channel not only allows everyone to get to know each other before meeting in person, it is also a platform for you to share any vital information before departure.
Host a team meeting
You’ll also want to be sure to meet with any support staff or expert partners who will help you run your retreat to answer any questions and make sure everyone is on the same page while there is still time to make any necessary changes.
Collect and make final payments
Now is the time to start collecting final payments from any participants on a payment plan as well as ensure all your paperwork is in order. It’s also the time for you to confirm with and make payments to the vendors you will be working with onsite.
Source attendee gifts
Show how much you appreciate and genuinely care for your participants with thoughtful gifts. We especially love to have something personalized waiting for everyone upon their arrival. It can also be wonderful to source something local to the destination as a beautiful memento of the experience.
1 month before
Finalize the details
By now you should have the final headcount, know any dietary restrictions for menu planning, have all your supplies and equipment in order, etc. Any lingering details or payments should be addressed now so that everything is in order well before you leave.
2-7 days before
Arrive
We recommend that you plan to arrive at least a few days if not a week in advance so that you have plenty of time to settle in and get comfortable at the destination. Treat yourself to a massage, spa day, or yoga class so that you can rejuvenate and show up refreshed and fully charged for the big event.
1 day before
Set-up
Make sure you can gain access to the venue the day before so that you can double-check that everything is in order and get the space all set up to your liking. Little touches like fresh flowers and cozy pillows almost always enhance the aesthetic appeal.
Enjoy your retreat!
Your goal should be to have everything organized and prepared in advance so that once the retreat starts, your only job is to be present. Show up as your best self to lead with calm excitement as well as grace and a level head for when things don’t go as planned. Go with the flow, and don’t forget that this time should be enjoyable and meaningful for you too!
(PS: If you have questions or desire more logistical support from a travel expert, reach out to speak with one of our Luxury Travel Designers from Delve Travel.)
(PPS: If you’re an ambitious entrepreneur with a passion for creativity and excellence, if you have or are serious about building your brand at the high-end, premium, and/or luxury level, AND if you love luxury travel and luxury retreat experiences, then we’d love to invite you to join us in Club Elevate+Aspire+. Here’s how you can apply today to start a complimentary level membership.)
K. Joia Houheneka, Luxury Travel Advisor & Excellence Coach
K. Joia Houheneka is on a mission to Elevate Luxury to make luxury synonymous with excellence. She has a background as the owner of a luxury travel agency, Delve Travel. However, much of her current work involves coaching entrepreneurs in her bespoke method that combines luxury business strategy, training in flow states & self-actualization, and growth-focused travel – it is designed for those who are serious about achieving excellence and flourishing across all areas of life. Entrepreneurs with high-end, premium, or luxury businesses are invited to apply for a Complementary Level membership to Club Elevate+Aspire+ to discover more.
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