You’ve Realised You Need to Comply with Seller of Travel Laws to Run Your Own Retreat… but MLM travel setups don't make you compliant. Read on for all the detail...

Maybe you started out wanting to keep things simple and low cost. It’s easy to see the appeal of signing up for one of those travel MLM schemes like InteleTravel, PlanNet, and the rest, especially when they make it look as if booking travel for a group is as straightforward as clicking a button and earning a bit of commission on the side. Actually, when you dig into the details, it becomes clear that running a retreat is a whole different story.

A lot of people don’t realise this, and there’s no shame in that, it’s a confusing area, and the rules aren’t always obvious at first glance. But if you want to run a compliant retreat, and you’ve started looking into the legal side, you’ll see why it’s so important to get it right from the start.

The Real Difference: Off-the-Shelf Travel Packages vs. Real Retreat Experiences

Travel MLM schemes are designed for selling off-the-shelf packages: flights, hotels, and transfers, all neatly bundled and insured for standard holidays or basic group getaways. If you’re booking a simple trip away, no extra activities, nothing bespoke, these schemes are set up for exactly that. And if that’s all you need, great, job done.

But as soon as you start building a retreat - adding yoga sessions, workshops, coaching, excursions, or anything else that makes your event unique, you’re not just booking a holiday anymore. You’re creating a “dynamic package”, and that comes with a completely different set of rules & responsibilities.

Importantly, companies like InteleTravel actually make this very clear in their terms and conditions. They state that if you start creating dynamic packages, combining travel with your own activities, workshops, or other elements, the responsibility for complying with the Package Travel Regulations (and everything that comes with it) falls to you as the organiser, not them. Their protection and compliance only apply to the pre-packaged travel products offered through their system. As soon as you go beyond that, you’re outside their cover.

Why This Matters for You and Your Guests

Once you add in your own sessions or experiences, you become the organiser of the entire package. If anything happens during your retreat activities, the standard MLM liability cover doesn’t apply to the retreat. The travel MLM’s insurance is strictly for their pre-packaged travel product. So when it comes to your retreat, the workshops, and the experiences that make your event special, you’re on your own. This is where we see a lot of people unintentionally left unprotected, and sometimes it’s only discovered when it’s too late.

Why We’re Different

This is where our expertise comes in. We’re not a travel MLM or a pyramid scheme. We’re a fully licensed, bespoke retreat tour operator and we are insured to create dynamic packages. This is all we do, and we do it properly. We don’t just book hotels and transfers through a commission based system. We can arrange flights and handle every detail of your retreat package, ensuring it’s all covered by the right insurance and legal protection.

We hold our own ATOL licence. You’ll see our ATOL logo on our site, check the number on it, and you’ll find it’s registered directly to us, not to an MLM brand or a third-party travel company. This means your flights and your guests’ money are protected by law, exactly as it should be.

We know the rules, risks, and realities of running retreats inside out. We specialise in dynamic packaging and compliance for all the bespoke elements that make your retreat more than just a holiday.

The bottom line is this: Off-the-shelf travel MLMs are for holidays, not retreats. They aren’t set up, licensed, or insured to cover the unique responsibilities that come with creating a dynamic package. Once you add your own activities, workshops, or specialist sessions, you need more than just mlm travel liability/financial failure. You need cover that’s built specifically for dynamic, bespoke retreat experiences.

That’s our unique difference. We’re a specialist, licensed retreat tour operator, purpose-built to support retreats with the right insurance, ATOL cover, compliance, and guidance at every step.

The legal requirements for retreat operators are strict for a reason. Your guests are relying on you, not just for the travel, but for everything you offer as part of the retreat experience. We’re here to make sure you’re fully protected, operating within the law, and able to focus on what you do best.

With us, you get genuine expertise, bespoke support, and total peace of mind. No grey areas, no risky shortcuts, just specialist cover and proper compliance, tailor-made for retreats.

If you want clarity on where you stand, or you’re ready to run your next retreat with confidence, let’s have a chat. We’re here to help you do it right, every time.