The fourth edition of Synergy – The Retreat Show took place between 7-10 October in Sardinia, welcoming nearly 300 attendees from 53 countries in a programme of workshops, panels and discussions that explored the theme, The Role of the Arts in Healing.

The global travel and wellness community gathered for the networking event that included a schedule of meetings between 204 companies, including hospitality developers, operators, retreat leaders and tourism and travel consultants.

Practitioners specialising in yoga, somatic movement, and breathwork joined former psychologists now specialising in coaching and mentorship retreats to provide a range of experiences for delegates to understand their offerings.

Laura Montesanti, founder, Synergy – The Retreat Show, told Spa Business: “In Sardinia, Synergy reached new heights – a living expression of the vision that inspired it from the beginning.

“Our largest and most attended edition to date, it unfolded entirely outdoors, with meetings held in nature, surrounded by mountains and birdsong,” added Montesanti. “Here, people cared for themselves first, allowing connection to flow naturally, free from the usual barriers of corporate life. Rooted in the energy of one of the world’s blue zones, this edition deepened Synergy’s purpose: to transform how we connect, collaborate and do business – with the shared intention of helping people heal.

“Next year, we’ll build on this foundation, inspired by new places, new cultures and new stories – but always with the same heartbeat,” said Montesanti.

There were also a variety of different panel discussions during the programme, facilitated by spa and wellness experts Sallie Fraenkel and Wendy Bosalavage.

How to market retreats to consumers

Victoria Spicer, co-founder of the Global Retreat Company (GRC) and chair of PR agency Indigo Eight, said: “The consumer is overwhelmed and confused. A big part of that is because, in the retreat world, we don’t know who our audience is. The GRC surveyed 100 people in person or on Zoom to determine different segments and what they’re looking for.

“We found that there are three main categories of retreat consumer: a retreat lover (who knows about retreats and goes once a year), first timers and those in between,” added Spicer. “First timers come to retreats through life change, burnout, or stress. These segments all want different things. A big problem is that we’re not speaking to them as different audiences.”

James Appleby, president of premium yoga equipment brand Manduka, lamented the rise in popularity of treatments that appear to be jumping on the “wellness bandwagon” that don’t treat the source of a participant’s problems: “The requirement of technology to help you sleep, science-backed cold plunge therapy, the popularity of these things is insane.

“Consumers need to answer the question ‘why did you come to yoga?’ or ‘why did you come on this retreat?’ to know what they’re going to get out of it,” added Appleby.

Lucy Reynolds, founder of Murmuration Collective, leads retreats for women navigating life transitions – many of whom ask if taking part will cause them to radically alter their lives and relationships. “The answer is maybe; transformation can just be fine-tuning that instrument that is your client,” said Reynolds. “Clients are confused and stuck; they’re paying me to slow them down and give them some clarity. We stay in touch for 6 months with our clients after retreats, offering accountability and responsibility for an ongoing transformation.”

Spicer highlighted Reynold’s approach to ongoing support post-retreat is a rarity and often a missed opportunity, which she called “the long tail of retreats”.

How hospitality can be revolutionised to provide wellness in urban locations

Anna Bjurstam of Six Senses and Raison d’Etre said 70 per cent of spa guests at hotels in cities are from the local community, with the remaining 30 per cent from guests staying at the hotel.

“That doesn’t create community though,” said Bjurstam. “What we’re seeing in cities is you either have social or wellness experiences.”

To remedy this, she said Six Senses Place, social wellness members club, will open its first location in London in Q2 2026. This will be a place where the company can host retreats that give people “48 or 72 hours to catch their breath.”

“Rosewood is operating this model too,” added Bjurstam, pointing to the newly opened social wellness club at The Chancery Rosewood’s Asaya Spa. “There are also similar projects in residential communities in cities, with shared kitchens, even if you have your own. This move means spas are not just a place for a massage – they are places to meet.”

As the balance between travellers seeking wellness and local communities needing access to hotel facilities was discussed, Céline Vadam, retreat and hospitality consultant and founder of Wei Think, disagreed with Bjurstam.

Vadam said hotels have always been gathering spaces for social interactions and that specific social clubs are not a new concept. “Soho House has been doing this forever, as have hotels offering corporate events, weddings and anniversary events.” She argued that what’s new is hotels marketing themselves in the wellness market and recognising that having a spa just to tick a box isn’t enough.

Retreat tasters

The programme was also packed out with optional classes hosted by retreat leaders.

One such workshop, hosted by musician and vocal expression retreat leader Nessi Gomes, had transformative effects on delegates in attendance.

Gomes' company, Vocal Odyssey, offers participants a chance to explore themselves during an immersive and intimate guided musical class. Gomes created a safe space for Synergy attendees to indulge in self-love and human connection, while helping them to release their inhibitions. Raw emotions came to the fore and many participants shed a tear as Gomes tapped into the human desire to be heard.

Complementary movement sessions included those led by:

• Technogym

• Walking mentor João Perre Viana• Yoga teachers Lauren Coleman, Alyona Skvortsova, and Loren Lotus

• Qigong teacher Stephanie Hoo• Personal trainer Kim Strother

• Barre specialist Catie Miller• Somatic coach Jen Palmer

Additional workshops focused on meteorite-infused gong sound therapy, healing through artistic practices (including a talk by Myndstream’s founder, Freddie Moross) and longevity-focused activities such as cold plunge sessions.

Synergy – The Retreat Show 2026

Next year’s event will take place between 29 September and 2 October at the Pical Resort by Valamar Collection, which is set to open in Croatia in March 2026.

The theme for the 2026 event will be The Healing Power of Nature, which Laura Montesanti told Spa Business reflects the company’s belief that true wellness begins when we connect with the natural world.

Two sub-themes, adventure and freedom, will help to shape the content and experiences throughout the event.