The author of “Rainbow Slabs: Co-creating Abundance and the Divine” predicts that wellness tourism will become more popular than general travel.
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Renowned spiritual wellness guide Sia Lanu Estrella transitioned from a corporate career to leading transformational global retreats. Her journey began with a critical realization during her tenure in advertising. Despite achieving great success, including a much-needed promotion, Sia Lanu felt a deep sense of despair. “I couldn’t live someone else’s life anymore,” she said. City TimesThis led to her resignation the next day.
Her transformation didn’t happen immediately; over the course of six years, she juggled a senior PR role with training in therapeutics and writing a novel. While battling chronic illness, she found herself drawn to Peru, a country she had visited for years. A profound spiritual encounter there ultimately led her to move there and leave her corporate life behind.
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Wellness tourism is predicted to be a $1.1 trillion industry by 2025, with Sia Lanu’s retreats in Peru and South Africa standing out. She believes the industry’s growth is driven by a shared realization that “old ways of life” are unsustainable. People are reexamining their lives, seeking deeper connections and authentic experiences. “Sacred places like Peru and South Africa hold great wisdom and help us fully remember the true nature of the universe,” Sia Lanu explains.
She added: “Lockdown has made us realise the importance of living and experiencing. We realised that saying ‘I’ll get there one day’ doesn’t guarantee it. Many of us are now shifting our focus from obligation to nurturing our heart’s desires.”
Manifestation and Empowerment Practices
Sia Lanu’s retreats emphasize manifestation and empowerment through practices rooted in gratitude, presence, intention, ritual, and authenticity. Her latest book is: Rainbow Slab: Abundance and Divine Co-creationguides participants to access their highest form of manifestation. Each day begins with a focused practice designed to help participants tap into their intuition. Through rituals and practical tools, participants learn to weave gratitude and intention into their daily lives, reclaiming their power and authenticity.
“So much of modern life is about doing and trying,” she says. “We’re surrounded by distractions and devices competing for our attention, which can leave us feeling disconnected. To reclaim our power, we must break out of the ‘3D’ illusion.”
Her retreats also focus on authenticity and healing trauma. “We share practices that help participants give themselves permission to be authentic,” she says. “One example is learning that it’s okay to respect your boundaries. There’s a great sense of community and sharing in a group, but sometimes you just want to be alone, you want to be quiet. Decide in advance that if you want to be alone and someone talks to you, you can just put your hands together in prayer and nod. They don’t have to apologize, feel guilty, or be rejected. Just acknowledge with your hands together and walk away. This sounds simple, but some people may have grown up in fear of offending others or feeling that it was dangerous to speak their mind.”
Choosing the Right Retreat
For those considering a wellness retreat, Sia Lanu encourages them to trust their heart and consider practical aspects like location, facilitator, theme, group size, inclusions, giving back, integrative support, etc. “It’s normal to feel nervous, but on a heart and soul level, it should feel ‘right,'” she says. “There’s an inner knowing.”
The future of wellness tourism
Sia Lanu predicts that wellness tourism will become more popular than general travel, offering transformative experiences that enhance the expression of whole life. “I think that as wellness tourism becomes more widely known, it will provide people with incredible healing and transformational experiences,” she says. “The right wellness retreat can provide a huge leap forward that would otherwise take years to achieve.”
However, she warns against facilitators who lack embodiment and integrity, emphasizing the importance of discernment. She adds: “Some people see this opportunity and jump in as facilitators without the proper embodiment. This can lead to dangerous and confusing experiences for participants. We need to choose facilitators who act with integrity and respect the community.”
“Overall, I think wellness tourism will start to become more popular than standard travel, which is really exciting because instead of just visiting a place as a tourist, you actually get to experience so much more. You come back transformed, which is a great gift to give yourself and enhances your whole expression of life.”
With a fanbase across the globe, Sia Lanu is considering expanding her retreats to places like Dubai, known for its luxury and wellness offerings. She has noticed interest from her Middle Eastern clients and is excited to explore new lands and cultures. “All my retreats are a call from the land,” she says. “To go to a country, connect with the land and the local culture, and see what it is calling to share. This is my strong motivation to visit beautiful Dubai soon.”
