Eco-Retreats, Spiritual Tourism and Wellness

Following on from the previous blog; here is the third chapter in the four part blog about the concept of an eco-retreat and why it makes complete sense for you to become a part of it!   So let’s look at the next trend ….

Part 3 – Spirituality

As quoted in the above article by Ben Bowler:

“Over the last 30 years there has been a revolution quietly happening in the global tourism industry. Terms such as eco-tourism, responsible tourism and even voluntourism have entered common usage. Now there is an emerging trend on the horizon that is being cited at the fastest growing sector in the whole travel business. They call it “spiritual tourism””.  

Our last blogpost delved into the concept of glamping and eco-tourism trends emerging within the UK Staycation market; todays article is expanding on the importance of recognising Spiritualism as another key growth trend; focusing on how personal belief and the desire for a unique experience can drive holidaymakers to make decisions as to where to stay for their next holiday (your new eco-development, we should hope!).

So, why do we seem so sure that Spiritualism is an integral part of your offering on the eco-retreat for your guests’ holiday experience?  Well, this ultimately comes down to looking at your client base. Suffice it to say that (and as a sweeping generalisation of course) your target audience (being interested in the outdoors and seek nature and adventure), may fall into the category of LOHAS consumers.

LOHAS is an acronym for Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability. The term was coined by Gaiam (Nasdaq: GAIA), a highly successful media company known for producing yoga DVDs. The LOHAS marketplace comprises five key segments: sustainable economy, healthy lifestyles, alternative healthcare, personal development, and ecological lifestyles (Peterson 2008), and is inspired by the findings of Paul H. Ray’s (2000) book, The Cultural Creatives: How 50 Million People are Changing the World.  Their main concern, as the label suggests, is creating a new culture based on values reflecting ecological sustainability, authenticity in personal and public life, women’s issues, looking at the bigger picture, and spirituality.

Spirituality is a core part of LOHAS and falls within its market segment of “personal development.”

Joseph Gelfer 

In fact, anyone popping the keywords “Spiritualism UK” into google will unearth a plethora of information which supports our vision that Spiritualism is in fact a very tangible element which must be recognised as a key factor when deciding how you might set out your stall.

Research from Virgin Money recently cited that the new phenomenon called “Spiritual Spending” is one of Britain’s biggest growth industries as women (in particular) explore the hundreds of ways of feeling and looking better.

Their research suggests that three quarters of women are turning to Yoga, Acupuncture, Massage and alternative therapies to combat stress and fatigue and would rather spend money on cheering themselves up with a massage or yoga class rather than (or as well as) a bottle of wine or a chocolate bar.    This new trend is costing them £670 million a year.  Something to be taken seriously if you’re wondering how the spending habits of the UK public may affect the feasibility of your eco-retreat.

(Yobaba Lounge in France offers yoga, meditation and vegan food at a shabbychic village chateau)

Long-time travel industry observer and journalist Mr. Imtiaz Muqbil gave an interesting overview of a tourism industry in transition – moving from what he called the three “S”s of the old tourism – Sun, Sand and Sex towards what he sees as the emerging three “S”s in the new tourism being Serenity, Sustainability and Spirituality.  (Ben Bowler – HuffPost)

So, if you’re looking for some inspiration, the “GoodRetreatGuideOnline”  is a very good starting point for those looking to gather information on different types of retreats in the UK and the spiritual paths/elements such as Yoga, Mind-Body-Spirit and Buddhism.

We’ve also stubmled across Amy Garner’s site  http://www.amygarner.co.uk/spiritual-retreat-in-the-uk/ this woman knows a thing or two about living authentically and with purpose and she’s listed 10 of the best spiritual retreats on her blog.

So, to conclude, evidence does lead us to suggest that Spiritualism in the UK is on the increase, and it’s a driving force which will soon be noticeable in most sectors of our economy, most notably; in the leisure sector. Therefore, don’t be afraid of embracing spiritual practices and promoting events and workshops to run alongside your offering of overnight accommodation.  Beware, however the charlatans operating in this field and the psuedo-spiritual products and services which are driven by individuals looking to exploit the belief systems of (what is now) a very large part of the population.  If you are genuine and you develop this side of your business with passion, integrity and authenticity you may find yourself in a very favourable position as the aforementioned trends continue to rise.

We’ll complete this blog with PART 4 – Eco-Therapy and Wellness, please do revisit our site for the next installment!