Retreat Tourism in Canada: What the Evidence Supports
Canada has a large and fast-growing wellness economy, and a handful of well-established retreat centres. What it does not have, in published data, is a retreat-only market figure. This article shows what can be said, and what cannot.
The short version.
- This article treats Canada as the destination market. Canadians travelling abroad are discussed separately.
- No authoritative standalone estimate was identified in the sources reviewed for retreat tourism in Canada. Figures that circulate measure wellness tourism or the wider wellness economy.
- Domestic demand dominates: about 92% of Canada's wellness trips in 2022 were taken by Canadians within Canada. Inbound trips were few but averaged roughly three times the spend.
- The health research is international. No Canadian-specific retreat outcome study was identified.
Scope and definition
Retreat tourism in Canada is travel built around a structured, purpose-led residential stay at a Canadian retreat centre: a yoga intensive, a meditation retreat, a digital detox, a burnout-recovery program, or a company off-site. The definitions, forms, and category boundaries are set out in the global overview. The same rule applies here: the format is defined by the program, not by the label.
Market evidence
Newer wellness-tourism context. GWI’s 2025 Global Wellness Economy Monitor reports Canadian wellness-tourism expenditure of US$16.6 billion and 18.8 million trips in 2024 (Table 9.4, page 82). This is the wider wellness-tourism market, not a retreat-only estimate.
The critical caveat. Commercial estimates exist for Canadian wellness tourism broadly, but they measure all wellness-related travel spending, not retreats. They should not be presented as retreat-market figures.
The most defensible context comes from the Global Wellness Institute (GWI), which publishes country-level wellness data using a consistent methodology. GWI figures are in US dollars.
| Measure | 2022 figure |
|---|---|
| Overall wellness economy | US$128.0 billion |
| Global rank (of 218 countries) | #8 |
| Wellness tourism expenditure | US$10.97 billion |
| Wellness trips | 18.1 million |
| Average expenditure per trip | US$605 |
GWI's January 2026 Country Rankings update places Canada's overall wellness economy at US$159 billion in 2024, eighth in the world, with 8.0% annual growth from 2019 to 2024. That growth rate is among the highest of the largest wellness markets. The global overview also cites a US$143.8 billion figure for 2023 and US$13.3 billion for wellness tourism, confirmed in GWI’s 2024 Global Wellness Economy Monitor.
| Year | Wellness economy |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $128.0 billion |
| 2023 (GWI, March 2025 release) | $143.8 billion |
| 2024 | $159 billion |
These measure the whole wellness economy, which includes sectors far beyond travel. The detailed split below is retained from the November 2023 report covering 2019–2022, as a historical baseline. GWI has since released a Canada report covering 2019–2023. The 2024 Global Wellness Economy Monitor reports US$13.3 billion and 16.5 million Canadian wellness trips for 2023 and revises 2022 expenditure to US$9.3 billion. Do not calculate growth by combining that revised series with the older US$10.97 billion estimate. The 2025 Monitor revises the series again: US$10.6 billion for 2022, US$13.9 billion for 2023 and US$16.6 billion for 2024. These are successive report editions, not directly comparable growth observations. The newer country-report domestic/inbound split has not been independently confirmed here.
Domestic and inbound wellness tourism
| Category | Trips | Expenditure | Per trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic | 16.6 million | US$8.71 billion | US$523 |
| Inbound | 1.48 million | US$2.26 billion | US$1,521 |
| Total | 18.1 million | US$10.97 billion | US$605 |
Two points stand out. First, domestic travellers dominated: about 92% of trips and 79% of spending came from Canadian residents travelling within Canada. Second, inbound trips averaged US$1,521 against US$523 domestically. These percentages describe the older report’s 2022 estimates; they are not presented as the latest available split.
None of this establishes the domestic share of retreat travel specifically. It describes the broader wellness-tourism market.
Canadian tourism context
Statistics Canada reports that in 2024 Canadian tourism generated $104.4 billion in revenue (CAD, inflation-adjusted), up 3.5% from 2023. It supported 702,700 jobs and contributed $41.0 billion, or 1.8%, to GDP. Domestic overnight trips reached 105.6 million and overnight non-resident arrivals 19.9 million.
Canadian residents took 292.1 million domestic trips in 2024. The third quarter was the busiest, at 94.3 million, and the first quarter the quietest, at 56.8 million. Holiday, leisure, or recreation was the most-cited purpose in warmer months. That pattern reflects all-purpose travel, not retreats. Some operators counter it with winter programming, such as aurora-viewing packages in Yukon.
Who goes, and why
- Domestic demand dominates, as above.
- Seasonality is pronounced in general travel, peaking in the third quarter and troughing in the first.
- Outbound travel is a separate market. Canadian residents took 38.7 million trips abroad in 2024, spending $52.9 billion CAD. The retreat share of those trips is not established.
The best-sourced guest profile remains the international survey by Naidoo, Schembri, and Cohen, described in the global overview: 60% female and a mean age of 58 among respondents. It describes that survey's respondents. No comparable Canadian retreat demographic survey was identified.
Verified Canadian examples
These illustrate contrasting regions and formats. They are not a ranking and do not indicate provincial market shares.
| Example | Location | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario Vipassana Centre (Dhamma Torana) | Egbert, Ontario | Residential 10-day meditation courses held throughout the year, in English |
| Grail Springs Retreat | Bancroft, Ontario (founded 1993) | All-inclusive stays of 2 to 7 nights with plant-based meals, morning movement, evening meditation, guided forest walk, hot and cold plunge, and saunas |
| Mountain Trek | Kootenay Lake area, British Columbia | Week-long residential health reset in a 15-room lodge with guided daily hikes, nutritionist-designed meals, spa treatments, strength and mobility classes, and mindfulness |
| Spa Eastman | Eastern Townships, Quebec (300+ acres) | Thematic retreats on fixed dates (nutrition, movement, creativity, mindfulness) and flexible all-inclusive stays of three or more nights |
| Ste. Anne's Spa | Grafton, Ontario | Adjacent example: all-inclusive overnight spa stay with hydrotherapy pools, sauna, and trails; two-night weekend minimum |
| Northern Lights Resort & Spa | Whitehorse, Yukon | Adjacent example: eight wilderness chalets with seasonal programming including winter aurora viewing, dog sledding, forest bathing, massage, and saunas |
The last two are labelled adjacent because the examples described here are overnight spa or wilderness stays. This classification applies to those stays, not to every programme an operator may offer. Confirm current schedules and inclusions directly with each operator.
Reported trends
These come from trade and editorial coverage. They describe emerging offerings, not measured shifts across the population. The international trends are covered in the global overview; the Canadian angles are below.
- Regional and “cocooning” wellness. GWI's Wellness Tourism Initiative describes cocooning wellness as a 2026 pattern favouring countryside retreats and nearby nature escapes. Grail Springs markets its drivable proximity, about 2.5 hours from Toronto and Ottawa.
- Winter and aurora as a seasonal draw. Northern Lights Resort & Spa pairs winter aurora viewing with spa services, positioning Yukon as a cold-season wellness destination.
- Longevity programs. Grail Springs is launching a “Longevity & Living Well” program in January 2027, in line with the longevity trend in international coverage.
- Thermal bathing as communal wellness. International coverage describes a “social sauna” trend. Canadian thermal-spa and hotel-spa properties were not individually verified for this format.
Health research
The evidence is international, not Canadian-specific, and applies to retreats as a category rather than to any Canadian operator. No Canadian retreat outcome study was identified. The detail is in the global overview; in brief:
- 2018 systematic review (Naidoo, Schembri & Cohen). Twenty-three studies and 2,592 participants. All reported a statistically significant improvement in at least one outcome. Most studies were small, with limited follow-up, and none reported adverse effects.
- 2017 Queensland study (Cohen et al.). One-week retreat, n = 37, with improvements in weight, blood pressure, mood, and stress. Only 17 people completed the six-week follow-up.
- 2026 review (Burén & Bylow). Seventeen studies, about 6,501 participants, mostly reporting improved mental health and well-being. The authors judge the evidence insufficient for clinical integration. The included interventions ranged from one day to about nine days, so the review is not exclusively about residential retreat travel.
- Adverse effects. Farias et al. (2020) estimated 8.3% prevalence across meditation studies broadly. Pauly et al. (2022) found retreat attendees had higher odds of unpleasant experiences (OR 1.89), without evidence of greater severity. Neither is a retreat-specific incidence rate.
The bounded conclusion. Studies suggest retreats can produce short-term benefits in mood, stress, sleep, and some physical measures. Heterogeneous programs, small samples, limited follow-up, and sparse adverse-event reporting constrain what can be said about durability and safety. Retreats are not a substitute for clinical care.
Practical considerations for Canadian travellers
- Total cost. Packages vary widely. Obtain a complete quote that specifies currency, rate basis (per night or per stay), and inclusions such as meals, treatments, and classes.
- Booking terms. Review cancellation deadlines, refund conditions, and policies for weather or transport disruption before paying.
- Access and transportation. Many retreats are rural and reached by car. Check winter road conditions and flight availability for remote properties.
- Weather contingencies. Canadian winters affect access and programming. Confirm what happens to a booking if weather disrupts travel or activities.
- Dietary and accessibility needs. Confirm in advance that the retreat can accommodate dietary requirements and mobility needs.
- Facilitator qualifications. Check credentials, participant screening, emergency support, and whether each activity is optional.
- Applicable requirements. Check which requirements apply to the specific location, accommodation, and services. They can differ by province and by service type.
- Indigenous cultural experiences. If a program includes Indigenous ceremonies or healing practices, confirm that the relevant community or knowledge-keepers are involved in and benefit from the programming.
Implications for operators and advisors
This section is editorial synthesis from the evidence above, not a finding of any single source.
- Plan around the domestic guest. The wellness-tourism data points to Canadian residents as the core market, though retreat-specific data would be needed to confirm it for retreats.
- Treat inbound as a premium segment. Higher spend per trip suggests different expectations on quoting, inclusions, and transfers.
- Design for the seasons. The third-quarter peak makes shoulder and winter programming a visible differentiator.
- Quote transparently. Currency, rate basis, inclusions, and cancellation terms are the questions guests are advised to ask. Answering them first builds trust.
- Handle Indigenous programming with care. Community involvement and benefit are the stated test.
Questions answered
Is there a Canadian retreat market figure?
No. This research found no authoritative standalone estimate for retreat tourism in Canada. Published figures cover wellness tourism broadly, meaning all wellness-related travel spending.
How big is wellness tourism in Canada?
GWI’s 2025 Global Wellness Economy Monitor estimates Canadian wellness tourism at US$16.6 billion across 18.8 million trips in 2024. The 2022 domestic/inbound breakdown in this article is a historical baseline from an older report, not the latest market total.
Who travels to Canadian wellness destinations?
In 2022 about 92% of wellness trips and 79% of spending came from Canadian residents travelling within Canada. Inbound trips were far fewer but averaged about three times more per trip.
What should I check before booking a Canadian retreat?
Get a complete quote that states currency, rate basis, and inclusions. Review cancellation and weather policies, winter access, dietary and mobility accommodation, facilitator credentials, and, for Indigenous programming, whether the relevant community is involved and benefits.
Outlook
Canada's wellness economy was US$128.0 billion in 2022 and US$159 billion in 2024, growing 8.0% annually from 2019 to 2024. The data show domestic travellers dominating wellness tourism, but they do not establish the domestic share of retreat travel. The open questions match the global ones.
- How large is retreat tourism in Canada, separate from wellness tourism?
- Who attends Canadian retreats, given that no Canadian demographic survey was identified?
- How durable are health benefits, and how often do adverse events occur in retreats specifically?
- How can Indigenous programming be developed with community involvement and benefit?
- Who can access retreat travel, across income, ability, and region?
Key sources
- GWI, Global Wellness Economy Monitor 2025 — Table 9.4, Canadian wellness tourism, page 82
- GWI, Global Wellness Economy Monitor 2024 — Canadian wellness tourism, page 63; revised historical series
- GWI, Canada wellness economy update, March 26, 2025
- GWI, January 2026 country rankings announcement
- Global Wellness Institute, The Global Wellness Economy: Canada (November 2023)
- Global Wellness Institute, The Global Wellness Economy: Country Rankings (2019–2024), January 2026
- Statistics Canada, Tourism among fastest growing sectors in 2024
- Statistics Canada, Vacations in Canada snapshot (National Travel Survey, 2024)
- Statistics Canada, National Travel Survey, Q4 2024
- Dhamma Torana (Ontario Vipassana Centre); Grail Springs Retreat; Mountain Trek; Spa Eastman; Ste. Anne's Spa; Northern Lights Resort & Spa
- Naidoo, Schembri & Cohen, The health impact of residential retreats, BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2018
- Cohen et al., Do Wellness Tourists Get Well?, 2017
- Naidoo, Schembri & Cohen, Vacation or therapy?
- Burén & Bylow, Health retreats and mental health recovery, 2026
- Farias et al., Adverse events in meditation, Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 2020
- Pauly et al., Unpleasant meditation experiences, BJPsych Open, 2022
- Condé Nast Traveller and Vogue, 2026 wellness trends; The Times, corporate retreats; Spa Business