Amid Sardinia’s rugged beauty and timeless Mediterranean spirit, Synergy – The Retreat Show returns for its fourth edition from October 7–10, 2025. Focused on sustainability, slow hospitality, and the evolving desires of today’s retreat seekers, Synergy offers an intimate space for meaningful conversations, creative exchange, and transformative connections. Over three immersive days, this boutique gathering not only sparks ideas around responsible wellbeing and the future of slow travel, but also nurtures lasting relationships that nourish both people and businesses. I sat down with founder Laura Montesanti, who reflects on the evolution of Synergy and the deeper purpose that continues to guide it.
It has been three years—how has Synergy evolved?
I see two areas of evolution: personal and structural.
Laura Montesanti, Founder, Synergy—The Retreat Show
On the personal side, I initially approached Synergy’s marketing from a very business-oriented mindset, believing it needed to sound commercial to attract interest. In doing so, I prioritized that over the deeper message of what Synergy is all about. Gradually, with each edition, I realized the most important aspect is to stay authentic to Synergy’s core purpose: fostering meaningful connections and personal transformation for the greater good of helping people heal. This realization reaffirmed for me, both personally and commercially, that purpose should always come first.
Structurally, each edition has evolved to enhance how we deliver the experience to attendees. We listened closely to feedback and learned from it. Attendees expressed a desire to understand more about “the Synergy,” how to make this happen and work concretely, so this year, we introduced a workshop at the start of the event to provide that concrete support—and it was a great success. We also receive valuable feedback from participants about our event content, which leads us to focus more on interactive sessions and shapes the topics and content of what we deliver each year.
As you can see, many aspects of the event have evolved, step by step, to better serve what attendees—the industry—need in order to accomplish Synergies.
“Synergy is not just an event. It’s a movement toward conscious connection, responsible hospitality, and the future of soulful retreats.”
Are you seeing a difference in the type of attendees? Are more practitioners or properties showing interest?
I wouldn’t say there’s been a major shift in participant categories, but there is definitely a growing interest across the industry in incorporating wellness into business models. Many attendees now come to gain a deeper understanding of wellness travel and to establish connections that will support their growth in this direction.
What has been your biggest reward—and why?
The Synergy community is truly flourishing. Experiencing the energy that fills those three days is both special and incredibly rewarding. You can see people connecting on a deeper level, immersed in meaningful conversations, leaving sessions or workshops with a bright spark in their eyes or a big smile on their faces. The sense of contentment and excitement all around perfectly reflects what I envisioned when I started Synergy, and seeing it come together so beautifully is deeply fulfilling.
Synergy 2023, held at Palmaia—The House of Aia, Playa del Carmen
Even more rewarding is seeing my main goal for Synergy—helping more people heal—being realized. Each year, after Synergy, I hear about so many new retreats and wellness travel experiences being created, hotels and wellness practitioners collaborating, and travel designers incorporating wellness into their work. Many attendees are even meeting up as friends in different parts of the world. I truly believe that by working together, the wellness and travel industries can create powerful experiences that support healing on a broader scale. Together, we can make healing more accessible and informed for people everywhere.
All of this brings me pure joy and is the true realization of what I hoped Synergy would achieve.
What will be different in Sardinia?
Each year, we change locations for a few important reasons: to offer attendees the chance to experience the unique holistic heritage each place has to offer and to let the destination shine, showcasing its own healing energy. Every location we choose has an essence deeply linked to wellness and healing.
With Sardinia, we will highlight Italy’s rich artistic heritage and its connection to the healing process, from music to painting to dance. Sardinia is also known as a Blue Zone, guarding the secrets of longevity—a timely topic that we’ll explore in depth.
And for me, as an Italian, I believe that longevity goes hand in hand with happiness. Italians have a natural joy in the way we live, and I hope to share that spirit in our Sardinia edition. After all, we always start and end Synergy with a smile.
Learn more at theretreatshow.com
Mary Bemis
A pioneering voice in spa and wellness journalism, Mary Bemis has spent four decades chronicling, championing, and helping shape the modern spa industry. As Founder and Editorial Director of Insider’s Guide to Spas, she brings a distinctive editorial perspective informed by a career that has helped define the language and landscape of spa media. Mary launched American Spa magazine in 1997, co-founded Organic Spa, and helped launch Luxury SpaFinder and NewBeauty. Her industry leadership extends to board service with ISPA, NYSPA, and WSPA, the latter two organizations she helped establish. She has also served as Special Advisor to the Balneology Association of North America. Today, she serves as Special Advisor to Global Wellness Day and sits on the board of the International Sauna Aid Foundation. Recognized among Medika Life’s Top 30 Influential Voices Transforming Wellness, Mary is also a recipient of the prestigious ISPA Dedicated Contributor Award, an inaugural Folio Top Women in Media honoree, and an American Spa Wonder Woman of Wellness. Her mission remains as steadfast as ever: to keep spa culture alive and relevant, honor its roots, challenge its shortcomings, and inspire an industry to live up to its promise.
- Web |
- More Posts(91)