The traditional Boys’ Trip will probably always be in high demand. However, the modern man is starting to take a different approach to vacations.
Men-only retreats are growing in popularity and they are definitely something you should be aware of (and offer) over the next few years. According to Booking.com’s 2025 Travel Predictions:
- 47% of travelers would encourage the men in their lives to go on a men-only trip
- And those numbers are even higher among Gen Z (65%) and Millennial-aged (58%) travelers
Meanwhile, their data also showed that men on vacation are currently:
- Seeking rest (29%)
- Prioritizing mental health benefits (23%)
- Looking to tackle feelings of loneliness through these getaways (14%)
The current demand exists. But is this here to stay, or is this just a fad? And how do travel agents and travel bookers take advantage of these trends right now?
What is a Men-Only Retreat?
What do these men-only retreats look like? They’re more than a simple get-together in the woods with a “No Girls Allowed” sign posted at the gates.
Most take place in a serene setting and offer some variation of workshops and group discussions about masculinity and the struggles of the modern man. The actual agenda and itinerary will vary depending on who is hosting/facilitating each retreat, but almost all of them focus on getting men to ask questions they’ve never asked themselves before, and discover important things they’ve never known about themselves.
“By the end of the weekend, I feel drained,” wrote Ben Bryan in his insightful article, What I learnt on a men-only retreat.
He added, “I had entered with very little relationship to my own masculinity. I left with an awareness of it that was hard to quantify. But the experience had been an overwhelmingly positive one.”
This is Not a Trend. Men Need Self-Care Too
It’s no secret that mental health is slowly being destigmatized in our society and it has entered everyday conversations in recent years. With that, we’re also seeing the notion that “real men bottle up their feelings” being dispelled by some male celebrities setting a good example.
We’ve seen UFC fighter Paddy Pimblett choosing to use his post-victory interview to give an impassioned plea for men to start talking about their feelings. We’ve seen future NBA Hall-of-Famer DeMar DeRozan write an autobiography about his personal struggles. And we’ve seen Don Draper himself, actor Jon Hamm, talk about his own bouts with depression and the importance of therapy.
The good news is that important conversations are leading to important actions. According to Psychology Today, almost 60% of surveyed men said they are participating in more self-care practices over the past five years. Meanwhile, the number of men actively practicing yoga has more than tripled over the last decade, and the number of men seeking therapy has thankfully jumped by 30% in recent years.
All of these signs point to a societal shift towards men being aware of their own mental health. It’s not simply a trend. It’s a movement and it’s only going to grow stronger.
Some of the Top Retreats for Men
If a client comes to you asking about men-only retreats, or the best getaway for men to reset their mental health, it would help to have some handy answers.
If your clients are looking to go international (think more sabbatical than vacation), these are some of the most popular choices:
Amanpuri, Thailand
If your client has any sort of interest in mixed martial arts, or they’re serious about their fitness, this could be for them.
This getaway focuses on intense Muay Thai workouts and beach boot camps to help cathartically sweat stress out of your body. There is also coaching to focus on the more grounded aspects of martial arts, such as meditation and mindfulness.
The retreat also offers:
- Wellness specialists
- Doctors and lifestyle specialists
- Physiotherapists and nutritionists
- IV nutrient therapy
Of course, the resort also sits on a stunning beach for relaxing downtime.
Deplar Farm, Iceland
Is your client a fan of Game of Thrones? These rolling hills, wild tundra of ice, and inactive volcanoes give off serious Westeros vibes.
If your client uses the words “digital detox” or “off-the-grid,” Iceland could be a strong option to pitch them. Deplar Farm is located in the hard-to-get-more-remote Troll Peninsula. The getaway includes a mix of therapies and activities such as:
- A geothermal pool, steam rooms, and saunas
- Nature walks and helicopter tours
- Sea kayaking
The entire science-based experience focuses on challenging the mind and body to fix the soul.
Six Senses Shaharut, Israel
This stunning resort sits in the middle of the desert, but still offers all the spas, pools, and saunas you’d expect.
The Ayurvedic rejuvenation method includes:
- Abhyanga massages
- Shirodhara head healing technique
- A deep-tissue Udwarthanam massage
- Pranayama breath regulation session
This is a great fit for men who are looking to forgive themselves for any sort of trauma, as the therapies focus on learning to love yourself again.
Stockholm County, Sweden
There’s a reason that North American spas and ski villages model themselves after the Scandinavian experience.
Does your client like cold water plunges? How about rock climbing? Are they looking for group activities instead of isolation? Consider pitching them a 5-Day men’s deep winter retreat in the frozen Swedish Archipelago.
Participants heal themselves through cold water therapy, physical challenges, teamwork, and the sheer beauty of the natural setting.
Of course, your customer will enjoy classic Swedish saunas, as well as nature walks with moose, elk, and foxes.
Alberta, Canada
If your client would like to stay a bit closer to home, and perhaps get in some snowboarding during their getaway in nearby Banff or Canmore, THE KINGSHIP retreat offers 3 days and 2 nights at a beautiful private farm retreat space in the rolling hills of Alberta.
The “heart-based leadership training focuses” on 4 pillars:
- Magician [Awareness]
- Warrior [Character]
- Lover [Vulnerability]
- King [Service]
This is an ideal choice for men looking for healing by participating in group discussions and exercises.
Laguna Beach, FL, US
We’re finishing our list with one of the most in-demand men’s retreats in the US.
The 3 Day Empowerment Private Retreat for Men in Laguna Beach offers:
- A sweet chocolaty Cacao Ceremony
- Healing massages
- Shamanic Sage Smoke Cleanses
- Human Design Readings
All of this is offered on one of the world’s most famous, and most picturesque, beaches.
How to Tap into This Market
Like any new or emerging market, the secret to capturing it is ensuring you’re in a position to pivot when needed. This means you can’t be too “stuck in your ways” or burdened by a system that prevents you from moving into new marketplaces.
More specifically, you want to make sure your time and resources are not being dominated by more menial and laborious tasks like preparing proposals. Make sure you’re not so busy working IN your business that you can’t work ON your business. You need time to make high-level decisions and plan thoughtful campaigns to get you into new marketplaces.
The Marketing Opportunity is There (For Now)
The good news is that this is still a fairly new trend, so the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the webspace is great. However, that window will start to close rather rapidly as more travel agents and bookers see the opportunity.
But if you start right now, you can go aggressively after this space using the following:
- Your own blog
- Your own website, with targeted service pages for men-only retreats
- Facebook, Instagram, or Google Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads targeting men-only resorts and related keywords
And let’s not forget about LinkedIn ads! A lot of corporate men are currently feeling burnt out. There could be an opportunity to grab their attention with the right LinkedIn ads and get them thinking about how they could really use a retreat.
A lot of these retreats also focus on leadership training to help their customers become the best possible version of themselves. This could also appeal to LinkedIn scrollers who want to take their career to the next level with leadership training. That being said, the leadership training market is already quite crowded. So it might be best to include mentions of leadership training in the ad copy, but going after those specific terms with your keyword targeting strategy could be more difficult and expensive. Your best bet is probably to focus on the broader, and still largely unclaimed, men-only retreat market.
As always in the travel industry, your best marketing strategy will always be to delight your existing clients. If you wow your first men-only retreat customer, you’re now opening yourself up to the coveted referral. That customer is now far more likely to recommend you to his friends, family, and coworkers– and not just for men-only retreats!
You’re also setting yourself up to get glowing online reviews, or even quotes/testimonials you can use online.
If you’re going to strike, now is the time. This marketplace may be a whole lot more crowded in 12 months.
Bonus Tip: Don’t Just Market to Men!
Let’s not forget that men are not the only people who are Googling this right now!
As we said earlier, 47% of travelers would encourage the men in their lives to go on a men-only trip. That 47% includes a lot of partners, wives, girlfriends, and mothers who are looking into this for someone they love. That man may never book something like this for themselves. However, the woman looking to book the trips may want to help their loved one deal with unprocessed trauma or get more in touch with healthy masculinity. Or they may simply feel that he could benefit from getting away and experiencing something like this.
In any case, the man going on the retreat may not be the one doing the preliminary research into the various options, or even be the one who books the actual experience.
How Softrip Can Help
You need time to make high-level decisions and plan thoughtful campaigns to get you into new marketplaces.
We can help you save 15 hours a week (per person) creating travel documents, while also sending those proposals 2x faster.
