International retreat guests: language, payment and entry rules
The short answer
Hosting international guests comes down to four decisions made before you open places: which language the sessions run in, pages and e-mails in each guest's language, one price in your own currency paid by card, and an arrival guide that covers entry rules, transfers and time zones. Each guest checks their own visa and insurance.
Hosting international retreat guests works when you decide before opening places which language the sessions run in, show pages and e-mails in each guest’s language, charge one price in your own currency by card, and send an arrival guide covering entry rules, transfers and time zones. The rest is attention to detail.
Which language will the retreat run in?
This is the first decision, and it belongs on the sales page. There are three honest formats:
- One language only. Guests who speak it are welcome, and the page in the other language says so plainly.
- English with a second language welcome. Instructions in English, with a facilitator who can help one on one in another language.
- Fully bilingual. Every session has instructions in both languages, or a translator joins. It works, but it costs time: a 60 minute class with everything said twice carries half the content.
If you go bilingual, a few habits help. Alternate the lead language by block (mornings in one, afternoons in the other), prepare key cues for the practice in both languages, and agree in advance who translates the sharing circles. For guided meditation, short sentences and long pauses work better than live translation.
What needs to be in the guest’s language?
More than the sales page. Think about everything a guest reads before they arrive:
| What the guest reads | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Retreat page, schedule and what is included | This is where they decide to buy |
| Lodging options and prices | Single room, shared room, no lodging |
| Cancellation and refund policy | They need to understand it before paying |
| Waiver | Signing text you cannot read protects nobody |
| Confirmation, deposit and balance e-mails | Charge dates and amounts |
| Arrival guide | Address, transfers, times, what to pack |
The most common mistake is translating only the sales page. If the confirmation, the balance reminder and the waiver arrive in a language the guest did not choose, they feel unsure exactly when they need to trust you. For running a studio in two languages day to day, see bilingual studio booking.
How do international guests pay?
By card. Credit and debit cards work across borders, so a guest in Germany or Mexico can pay for a retreat in Canada or Costa Rica without anything special on their side.
A few simple rules prevent confusion:
- Keep one price in your own currency. A Canadian host charges in Canadian dollars, a US host in US dollars. Do not maintain separate prices per currency.
- Say how conversion works. One line on the page is enough: “Prices are in Canadian dollars. Your bank converts them and may add a foreign transaction fee.”
- Charge the balance to the saved card. If your retreat has a deposit and a balance, charging the card on file on the agreed date is far easier than chasing an international bank transfer.
- Give conversions only as an estimate. If you want to help, write “about” and the date of the rate. Never promise an amount in the guest’s currency.
Which entry rules should guests check?
Entry rules depend on each guest’s nationality and on where your retreat happens, and they change. Two examples worth knowing:
- Brazil has required an e-visa from citizens of the United States, Canada and Australia for tourism since 10 April 2025. Before that, they could enter without one. If you run retreats in Brazil, check the official consular portal before you publish dates.
- Canada asks visa-exempt travellers who fly in for an electronic travel authorization (eTA). It costs CAD $7, and US citizens are exempt (checked October 2026). Travellers from countries that need a visa follow a different process.
What to do as the host:
- Do not give visa advice as if it were final. Write: “Check the entry rules for your nationality and apply early if you need a visa or travel authorization.”
- Leave time. Open international sales early enough for a visa to be processed.
- Decide what a refused visa means for the deposit, and write it in your policy.
What should the arrival guide include?
Guests from abroad arrive tired, jet lagged and often without local mobile data. A short guide sent in their language one to two weeks before answers most questions:
- Full address and a map link
- Nearest airport and travel time by road
- Arrival window (for example, 2 pm to 6 pm) and what happens if a flight is late
- Transfers: included, optional or on their own, with price and how to book
- Every time written in the retreat’s local time zone, named in full
- Weather for the season and a packing list
- Plug type and voltage
- Wi-Fi and phone signal on site
- Emergency contact during the retreat
- A recommendation to buy travel insurance with health cover
Travel insurance deserves its own line. Say clearly that each guest is responsible for their own insurance and that you recommend a policy covering health and trip cancellation. It protects them and reduces hard refund conversations.
How do you handle time zones and contact?
Every date and time you send must say which time zone it is in. “Balance charged on 10 March” is clear. “Welcome call at 7 pm” is not, for a guest in London or Vancouver. Write “7 pm Eastern Time” or send a calendar invitation, which adjusts the time for them.
Agree on a contact channel too. People in different countries use different messaging apps. E-mail works for everyone; a group chat can come later for those who want it.
How do you keep one group, not two?
Retreats with two languages tend to form two tables at dinner. A few habits help the group mix:
- Pair people across languages in partner and small group work.
- When assigning shared rooms, ask whether guests prefer a roommate who speaks their language.
- Have one team member who speaks both languages at meals.
- Explain local customs plainly: meal times, tipping, sun and water safety.
Where elastudio fits
With elastudio for retreats, each guest sees the pages, the waiver and the e-mails in English or Portuguese, whichever they choose, and pays by card in your currency. The deposit is taken at purchase and the balance is charged to the saved card on your date, with reminders before it.
Before you open places
Decide and write down the session language, translate everything the guest reads (not only the sales page), keep one price in your currency paid by card, ask every guest to check entry rules and insurance, and send an arrival guide with times in the local zone. International guests then arrive calm, and the group starts together.
Questions people ask
Should I price my retreat in the guest's currency?
No. Keep one price in your own currency. The guest's card issuer converts it and shows the converted amount on their statement. Say on the page that their bank may add a foreign transaction fee.
Do international guests need a visa to attend a retreat?
It depends on their nationality and your country. Brazil, for example, has required an e-visa from US, Canadian and Australian citizens since 10 April 2025, and Canada asks most visa-exempt air travellers for an eTA. Point guests to official sources and ask them to check early.
Do I have to teach every session in two languages?
Only if you promised it. State the session language on the sales page and whether there is translation. A retreat sold as bilingual that runs mostly in one language leaves both groups unhappy.
What if a guest's visa is refused?
Decide before you sell. Many hosts treat it like any other cancellation under their tiers; some offer a credit toward a later date. Whatever you choose, write it in your cancellation policy.