The Package Travel Regulations aren't red tape. They're a safety net for the people you love teaching. Here's what that means for your retreat, in the UK or abroad.
This guide is general information about how the Package Travel Regulations protect travellers. It isn't legal advice. Every retreat is set up differently, so please get advice on your own situation before you make any decisions.
The short version
If you're a yoga teacher, Pilates instructor or coach planning a retreat, here's the big idea:
The Package Travel Regulations were created to protect holidaymakers. They're not there to catch you out.
When your retreat is booked as a properly protected package, your guests can get a whole set of rights: their money protected if a business fails, someone responsible for putting things right, fair rules on price changes and cancellations, and help if they get stuck.
Without that, your guests could be left chasing a venue, a driver and an airline separately, possibly in another country and another language.
Protected guests feel safer booking, which can make your retreat easier to sell, not harder.
You don't have to carry all of this yourself. There are ways to give your guests full protection while you focus on teaching.
If you want to host a retreat without becoming responsible for the Package Travel Regulations, get in touch.
Why I'm writing this
When I talk to retreat hosts about the Package Travel Regulations, I often see their shoulders creep up towards their ears. Rules, liability, paperwork. I get it.
But I'd love to flip that on its head. These regulations exist because people save hard for their holidays, and they deserve to know their money and their trip are safe. Your guests are those people. They're trusting you with their time off, their wellbeing and often a big chunk of their savings.
So instead of asking "how do I avoid the rules?", I'd love you to ask "how do I give my guests the protection the rules were made for?" It's a much nicer question, and the answer is good for everyone.
What are the Package Travel Regulations really for?
The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 are UK rules that protect people who buy trips made up of two or more parts sold together, like accommodation plus classes, excursions or treatments.
They're why a family who books a package holiday gets their money back if the travel company goes bust. They're why someone is responsible for sorting things out when a hotel turns out to be a building site.
And they don't only cover trips abroad. A weekend retreat in the Lake District can be a package just as much as a week in Bali. What matters is how the retreat is put together and sold.
The whole point is simple: one person takes responsibility, so the traveller doesn't have to.
What protection could your guests get with a package?
Here's what the regulations can give your guests when their retreat is booked as a protected package. The exact rights depend on the booking and the circumstances, but this is the heart of it.
Their money is protected if a business fails
The organiser of a package must have financial protection in place. If the organiser goes bust, guests can get their money back for anything they haven't received, and be brought home if they're already away. Where flights are included, this is usually through ATOL. Without flights, it's done through things like bonding with ABTA, special insurance or a trust account.
For your guests, that means their deposit isn't just sitting in someone's bank account, hoping for the best.
Someone is responsible for the whole trip
With a package, the organiser is responsible for everything in it happening as promised, including the parts run by other suppliers. If the villa isn't as described or the excursion doesn't happen, your guests have one place to go to get it put right.
If it can't be put right, they may be entitled to a price reduction or compensation.
They get help if they're in difficulty
If something goes wrong while they're away, the organiser must give appropriate help. That could mean information about local services, or help contacting home or arranging alternatives.
They can cancel without a penalty in exceptional situations
If something serious and out of everyone's control happens at or near the destination before the trip, like a natural disaster or major unrest, and it significantly affects the retreat, guests may be able to cancel and get a full refund without paying a cancellation fee.
They're protected from big surprise price rises
The price of a package can only go up in limited situations, and only if the contract allows it. Price increases can't be made in the last 20 days before departure, and if the increase is more than 8%, guests can choose to cancel with a full refund.
They can pass their place to someone else
If a guest can't make it, they can usually transfer their booking to another person, as long as they give reasonable notice. There may be some costs involved, but it means a broken ankle doesn't automatically mean losing the whole retreat.
They know exactly what they're getting
Before they book, guests must be given clear information about what's included, the price, payment terms, cancellation terms and who to contact. No grey areas, no surprises.
What could it look like without a package?
Here's a made-up example to show the difference.
Meet Jess. She books a week-long yoga retreat abroad. She pays her teacher for the classes, pays the villa separately for her room, and books her own flight.
A month before the retreat, the villa closes down. Jess could be left trying to get her money back from a business in another country, while her teacher has no obligation, or money, to refund her. Her travel insurance may not cover it, because many policies don't cover a supplier going bust unless that cover was specifically included.
Now meet Priya. She books the same retreat, but as a protected package. When the villa closes, the organiser is responsible for sorting it out. Priya is either offered a suitable alternative or gets her money back for what she hasn't received.
Same retreat. Same teacher. A completely different experience for the guest.
Why this is good for you as a host too
Protecting your guests isn't just the kind thing to do. It can be really good for your business.
It makes booking easier to say yes to. People hesitate before handing over hundreds or thousands of pounds. "Your booking is fully financially protected" is a lovely thing to be able to say.
It builds trust. It shows you take your guests' wellbeing seriously off the mat, not just on it.
It protects your reputation. If something goes wrong, your guests are looked after. Nobody leaves with a bad story to tell about your retreat.
It protects you. Depending on how your retreat is structured, you could otherwise be the person responsible for refunds and problems. With the right set-up, you're not carrying that alone.
How to talk about protection with your guests
You don't need to sound like a solicitor. A few warm, simple lines on your retreat page and booking form can do a lot. For example:
"Your retreat is booked as a protected package, so your money is safe if anything goes wrong."
"You'll have one point of contact for your whole trip, before you go and while you're there."
"If you can't make it, you can usually pass your place to a friend."
Just make sure anything you say matches how your retreat is actually booked and protected. Check the wording with whoever provides your protection.
How can I give my guests this protection?
You've got a few options:
Become an organiser yourself, with financial protection, compliant booking terms and the right insurance. It's absolutely doable, but it takes time, money and ongoing admin.
Work with a travel professional who can take on the organiser side for you. This is what I do through The Earthed Retreat Co., which is powered by Travel Counsellors. Depending on how your retreat is structured, it can sit within Travel Counsellors' legal and financial protection. Your guests get the protection the regulations were designed for, and you get to focus on holding space for your people.
Frequently asked questions
What protection do guests get on a package retreat?
Depending on the booking, guests on a package retreat can get financial protection if a business fails, one organiser responsible for the whole trip, help if they're in difficulty, limits on price rises, the right to transfer their booking, and the right to cancel without a fee in exceptional circumstances.
Are the Package Travel Regulations a bad thing for retreat hosts?
Not at all. They're designed to protect holidaymakers. They do put responsibility on whoever organises the package, but with the right set-up, they give your guests peace of mind and can make your retreat easier to book.
Do UK retreats count as packages too?
They can. The regulations aren't only for trips abroad. A UK retreat that combines overnight accommodation with things like classes, workshops or treatments, sold together, could be a package.
Does travel insurance cover the same things as a package?
Not always. Travel insurance and package protection do different jobs. Many travel insurance policies don't cover a supplier going bust unless that cover is specifically included, so it's worth guests checking their policy.
What's the difference between ATOL and other protection?
ATOL protects packages that include flights. For retreats without flights, protection is usually provided through bonding, specialist insurance or a trust account.
Is this guide legal advice?
No. It's general information to help you understand how the regulations protect travellers. Please get advice on your own situation.
Know someone who runs retreats?
Please send this to them. Protecting guests is something every brilliant host would want to do, if only they knew how.
And if you'd love to give your own guests this kind of peace of mind, let's have a chat. Book a free, no-pressure call and we'll look at your retreat together. [Add booking link]
About Sara
I'm Sara Dickenson, a Travel Counsellor based in Cheshire and the founder of The Earthed Retreat Co. I help UK wellness professionals host retreats in the UK and abroad with the legal and financial protection in place, so their guests are safe and they can focus on what they do best. Find out more about me. I'm a big believer in doing things face to face, so if you're local, the coffee's on me. If not, let’s meet online.