Demand For Digital Detox On The Rise

Fed up of ‘scrolling’?, hooked on ‘Facebook’? addicted to ‘Insta’? Then worry not, UNPLUGGED, the UK’s first digital detox escape website, has been observing some of the holiday trends emerging in 2024.

So, read on and prepare to murder the Mac and ditch the phone…..for a little while at least:

Rise in Solo Travel Breaks

Unplugged has recorded an increase in solo travel where guests will go on a digital detox alone. Solo travel or “solo dates” have numerous advantages, including increased confidence, independence and self-exploration. Solo travel also allows people to embrace boredom and solitude which is great for creativity, new ideas and improved cognitive function.

Data:
Unplugged has recorded a 54% increase in solo travellers booking escapes in the last 3 months (compared to previous 3 months). The most popular month to book a solo escape is June and October, at the beginning of each new season. 67% of Unplugged solo travellers are female - which has also increased.

Burnout Breaks / Digital Detox
Burnout is rife and has become commonplace in the workplace. 80% of Londoners admit to suffering from burnout which is mainly caused by workplace stress.

Exhaustion, lack of motivation, feelings of negativity, depersonalisation, lower productivity, and burnout is also associated with too much screen time. 49% of workers also admit to checking work emails for at least one hour a day whilst on holiday, meaning they struggle to beat burnout even when on annual leave.

To combat this, more people are exploring wellness breaks and digital detoxes. According to Unplugged - 54% of guests cite ‘burnout’ and ‘work stress’ as their key reason to stay at Unplugged.

Travel for People Not Places / Social Wellness / Running Retreats
A growing number of travellers are looking for experiences that connect them with people rather than just places.

This includes visiting friends and family, volunteering, running/fitness retreats or going somewhere remote with their partner or best friend to reconnect. People are wanting to socialise in a more wholesome environment, so instead of going to the pub on a Friday night, more are choosing to engage in fitness as social activity to meet other like-minded individuals.

Unplugged has noticed a rise in running clubs within the industry, with more guests asking for run routes near Unplugged cabins. More are partaking in social fitness to meet like-minded individuals.

Train Travel / Eco Travel
Travellers are becoming more aware of the environmental impact of their travel choices, and they are looking for ways to minimise their impact.

Not only are people looking for more eco-friendly hotels, they’re also more aware of their carbon impact by travelling to their destination. “Train Travel” is on the rise, with 36% of people planning to fly less this year.

Wellness Travel / Employee Wellness Travel
A trend that isn’t going away in 2024. Travellers are increasingly interested in wellness and are looking for destinations and activities that can help them improve their physical and mental health.

Whether it’s to improve their sleep, or escape on a yoga retreat, people are still motivated to spend their time and money on improving themselves. Unplugged has noticed more employees going off-grid to beat burnout and has multiple companies signed up to their corporate employee wellness sheme, allowing these businesses to offer digital detoxes to their employees.

Data:
• Unplugged has enrolled 130 employees from 14 companies that offer digital detoxes as part of their wellbeing benefit.
• Global search interest for "wellness travel" has increased by 40% in the past year.
• Global search interest for “yoga retreats” have increased by 50% in the past year.



More details: here