In the age of the post-pandemic fallout, more and more people are planning their next trip away with friends.
But it might be a surprise to learn that holidaymakers are no longer relying on alcohol to make their trips worthwhile.
In fact, a recent survey by Slingo revealed that over 56% of women aged 25-34 would prefer to take a wellness retreat with pals, as opposed to a boozy girls’ getaway.
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With over 51% of women aged 16-24 also agreeing with the same sentiment of preferring health-boosting trips, it’s no wonder that vacations of this type are on the rise.
One woman who opted to go on a relaxing, alcohol-free trip is Casey Broadbent, 23, who has never been ‘one to go out drinking anyway’.
“I’m not keen on a boozy holiday,” she told Tyla. “I don’t do it anymore, I haven’t done it for years. So, if someone said to me, ‘do you wanna have a boozy weekend away?’ I’d be like, ‘no. I don’t want to.’”
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Instead, the security business entrepreneur was invited on a wellness retreat with her friend to the stunning Glanhenwye Courtyard Cottages in the Brecon Beacons, Wales for a trip organised by group travel operator Weekends Away With Mates.
The pair were thrown into a slew of feel-good activities like physical exercise, meditation and mindful mocktail making with other like-minded individuals whom they’d met at the start of the trip.
She said: “I enjoyed all of the activities, there wasn’t anything that I didn’t enjoy doing!
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"I enjoyed the walk, the HIIT, the yoga, the pub lunch, I enjoyed walking around the village. It was all quite good,” Casey explained of her first wellness retreat at WAWM.
Although the list of energy-boosting activities weren't compulsory, she soon felt motivated to ‘push herself’ even more after getting stuck into the itinerary.
“I think it was good because everything was optional and you weren’t forced to do anything, but I still went and did it anyway because I thought, ‘I’m here, I might as well push myself’.
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"I’d have felt bad if I didn’t do it," she admitted.
Elsewhere, other women have shared their thoughts on wellness retreats, and why they chose them over boozy getaways.
“I was looking for a healthy week away where I could get fitter and stronger,” 30-year-old Tamsin said of her trip to Mykonos, Greece, with Re: Nou.
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“Having done many of Georgie Spurling’s classes in person and on GS Wellness, I knew that I'd have a great time! Mykonos is known for being a party island but it has so much more to offer.
“I wasn't looking for a wild, boozy week away but a relaxed, wholesome week that would leave me feeling rejuvenated,” Tamsin said of her wellness holiday.
She continued: “The people were incredible- they made the whole experience for me. We laughed till we cried and had some wonderful deep conversations too. We came away having made lifelong friends from all around the world.”
Casey, who attended the wellness retreat having only known one out of 12 holidaymakers, admitted to having struggled with ‘meeting new people’ at first.
“By day two I was still getting used to them all and I was just sort of doing my own thing, whereas on day three I actually started to speak to them so that was nice - especially when we went to the pub lunch.”
For the WAWM founder, Ciaran Pillay, making and reinforcing long-lasting friendships through spending quality time together was his exact goal of his business.
He said: “I think in the world we live in at the moment, we spend too much time moving too fast and then life flashes by.
“You probably are enjoying your lives and enjoying your friends through all the social media apps and you feel connected still, but when you go away with mates, you realise the special connections that you actually have.
“It’s that feeling that I think everyone understands when you see your friends, and it’s like you’ve never been apart. It’s a really special moment, and that’s what I’m helping people to experience.”
In the end, Casey’s shy handshakes as she greeted the other wellness seekers soon turned into a warm hug as she wished them goodbye.
“I feel really good for going on it, it was a good holiday,” she told us, confirming that she’d do it all over again.
To book your wellness retreat, head to the Weekends Away With Mates website here.
Topics: Travel, Health, Food and Drink
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Gabriella Ferlita