{"id":549688,"date":"2026-04-30T17:24:11","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T17:24:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.harrisburgnewsnow.com\/news\/story\/549688\/international-retreat-association-launches-may-5-establishing-the-first-professional-standard-for-a-226b-global-industry.html"},"modified":"2026-04-30T17:24:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T17:24:11","slug":"international-retreat-association-launches-may-5-establishing-the-first-professional-standard-for-a-226b-global-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.honolulunewsnow.com\/news\/story\/549688\/international-retreat-association-launches-may-5-establishing-the-first-professional-standard-for-a-226b-global-industry.html","title":{"rendered":"International Retreat Association Launches May 5, Establishing the First Professional Standard for a $226B Global Industry"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"font-style:italic;padding:8px 0px\">A movement born from transformation, designed to elevate a $226 billion industry into its next era of credibility, collaboration, and growth<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">A powerful new movement is emerging within one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. On May 5, 2026, the <strong>International Retreat Association<\/strong> will officially launch, introducing the first professional organization created to unify, support, and elevate the global retreat industry.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The global retreat and wellness tourism market is already estimated at over $226 billion, yet operates without a unified professional structure. With projections reaching $363 billion by 2029, demand for immersive, transformational experiences continues to rise&mdash;while the need for alignment and standards becomes more urgent.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The International Retreat Association was created to change that.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">&ldquo;This industry has grown faster than the infrastructure supporting it,&rdquo; said founder Holly Porter. &ldquo;What was missing wasn&rsquo;t more platforms or programs. It was structure, credibility, and a shared foundation.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">But the origin of the association is more than market demand&mdash;it is deeply personal.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Porter, a 25-year entrepreneur and retreat leader, experienced a life-altering near-death experience during a 70-day hospitalization with COVID-19. That experience sparked a profound spiritual transformation and a renewed sense of purpose.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">&ldquo;Coming out of that, I knew I wasn&rsquo;t meant to return to business as usual,&rdquo; Porter said. &ldquo;I was meant to build something that brings people together and serves at a higher level.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>What began as a personal transformation is now becoming an industry-wide movement.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>A First-of-Its-Kind Professional Ecosystem<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The International Retreat Association is a membership-based professional organization designed to support the entire retreat ecosystem&mdash;bringing together retreat leaders, venue owners, facilitators, educators, and service providers under one unified standard.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">It is not a certification program, software platform, or retreat marketplace&mdash;it is the professional home designed to support them all.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Importantly, the Association is not designed to compete with the professionals it serves&mdash;it exists to support them.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">&ldquo;Our objective is to strengthen this industry,&rdquo; Porter said. &ldquo;We help our members build bigger, more sustainable businesses by providing the tools, connections, and structure they&rsquo;ve been missing.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Support is delivered through live and virtual events, collaborative opportunities, and a tiered membership model designed to meet professionals at every stage of growth.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Key offerings include:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify\">\n<li><strong>Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Industry Toolbox<\/strong> with vetted resources<\/li>\n<li><strong>Education and masterclasses<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Visibility and collaboration opportunities<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The mission is to elevate not just individual businesses&mdash;but the entire retreat industry.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>Solving a Growing Industry Gap<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">As retreats expand across wellness, leadership, healing, and business, many professionals still operate independently without consistent frameworks or support.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The result is missed opportunities, inconsistent experiences, and an industry that has outgrown its foundation.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">&ldquo;If you&rsquo;ve ever felt like you were building this on your own, you&rsquo;re not alone,&rdquo; Porter said. &ldquo;This association creates alignment and gives this industry a true professional home.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>A Defining Moment for Early Members<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The May 5 launch will be celebrated with a live virtual <strong>Launch Party<\/strong>, bringing together retreat leaders and industry professionals worldwide.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The association is also opening a limited <strong>Founding Member opportunity<\/strong>, capped at 100 individuals who will receive lifetime recognition and help shape the future of the organization.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">&ldquo;Every established industry has a moment where it becomes organized,&rdquo; Porter said. &ldquo;The people who step in early don&rsquo;t just join&mdash;they help define it.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>A Movement Rooted in Purpose<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">At its core, the International Retreat Association is a movement grounded in service, collaboration, and impact.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">&ldquo;When we serve from the heart, we don&rsquo;t just lift others, we rise too.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>Building the Future of Retreats<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">As the retreat industry continues to expand, the International Retreat Association is positioned to become the central hub that connects it.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">By creating structure and raising professional standards, the association aims to increase trust, improve outcomes, and unlock new opportunities across the industry.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">&ldquo;This is bigger than one business,&rdquo; Porter said. &ldquo;This is about elevating an entire industry&mdash;and everyone within it.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">&ldquo;This is the moment the retreat industry evolves&mdash;from a collection of independent experiences into a recognized, respected professional sector.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>The International Retreat Association officially launches May 5, 2026.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">To learn more, join the launch event, or explore membership opportunities, visit: <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/internationalretreatassociation.com\">https:\/\/internationalretreatassociation.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"caps\"><span style='font-size:18px !important'>Media Contact<\/span><br \/><strong>Company Name:<\/strong> International Retreat Association<br \/><strong>Contact Person:<\/strong> Holly Porter, Hon. Ph.D.<br \/><strong>Email:<\/strong> <a rel=\"nofollow\" href='http:\/\/www.universalpressrelease.com\/?pr=international-retreat-association-launches-may-5-establishing-the-first-professional-standard-for-a-226b-global-industry'>Send Email<\/a><br \/><strong>Country:<\/strong> United States<br \/><strong>Website:<\/strong> <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/internationalretreatassociation.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/internationalretreatassociation.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.getnews.info\/press_stat.php?pr=international-retreat-association-launches-may-5-establishing-the-first-professional-standard-for-a-226b-global-industry\" alt=\"\" width=\"1px\" height=\"1px\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A movement born from transformation, designed to elevate a $226 billion industry into its next era of credibility, collaboration, and growth A powerful new movement is emerging within one of<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.honolulunewsnow.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/549688"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.honolulunewsnow.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.honolulunewsnow.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.honolulunewsnow.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.honolulunewsnow.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=549688"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.honolulunewsnow.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/549688\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.honolulunewsnow.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=549688"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.honolulunewsnow.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=549688"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.honolulunewsnow.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=549688"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}