The rise of wellness holidays

The global wellbeing industry is believed to be worth approximately $4.2 trillion. In fact, wellness holidays and retreats have experienced a 6.5% increase in popularity, which is double that of overall tourism, but what is so attractive about them?

Wellness holidays are a chance to disconnect from the distractions of everyday life. It’s an opportunity to get away from the stresses, responsibilities and pace of daily life and allow the mind to find a quiet space. Many wellness retreats are set in locations and surroundings that not only revive but inspire, therefore giving you the chance to reconnect with nature and focus on looking after the mind, body and soul.

From spa breaks, to yoga retreats, active lifestyle holidays and specialised retreats focusing on sleep, there is something for everyone. We’ve put together a few suggestions to get you started…

• Yoga 

  • A yoga retreat typically involves a trip to a peaceful and sometimes remote location to focus on the practice of yoga. Below are some examples of top-rated yoga retreats home and abroad…

    • Shamballah Yoga Retreat, Portugal.

    • Bamboo Yoga, Goa, India.

    • Sharpham Trust, Devon.

    • 42 Acres, Somerset.

• Mindfulness

  • A mindfulness-based retreat usually focuses on teaching you to pay attention to your thoughts, feelings and the sensations of your body. It may involve meditation, helping you to relax the mind and focus on your breathing.

    • Five-day Mindfulness, Isles of Scilly.

    • Vipassana, Herefordshire.

    • The Retreat, Costa Rica

• Activity + Exercise

  • Active lifestyle retreats aim to introduce you to sustainable lifestyle changes, encouraging you to alter your daily activity levels.

    • Chiva-Som International Health Resort, Thailand

    • Bodyscience – StLucia

    • Euphoria Retreat – Greece

    • The Zest Life, Anglesey

• Sleep Performance

  • If you have difficulty sleeping, sleep enhancement retreats might be an answer, helping to provide you with useful techniques to get your sleep back on track.

    • Lefay Sleep Well, Italy.

    • Kamalaya Sleep Enhancement, Thailand

    • SHA Sleep Well, Spain.

For more information about different retreats, take a look at the resources provided below.

Resources

• https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2019/jan/13/25-holidays-retreats-to-reboot-your-life-yoga-surfing-pool-spas

• https://www.healthandfitnesstravel.com/affordable-healthy-holidays

• https://www.thehealthyholidaycompany.co.uk/wellness-holidays/