What did we do before smartphones? Our devices have become an essential tool for modern life, even when we’re on vacation. In fact, technology is revolutionizing tourism. We navigate with Google Maps, we use TripAdvisor to find good restaurants, we share our travel experiences on Instagram, and we instantly message people back home. Imagine if all of these things were taken away from you.
That’s what we did to 24 people who volunteered for our interview-based study on what it’s like to give up your smartphone and travel digital-free. With a growing concern about the negative impact digital technology can have on people’s well-being, especially on vacation, we wanted to find out if a digital detox would help. But we found that disconnecting on vacation comes with emotional challenges of its own.
