Getting unwired: what drives travellers to take a digital detox holiday?

While digital technologies and digital devices have made our lives more convenient and efficient, they are associated with physical, mental, and social problems. In response to this, people desire to temporarily ditch their digital devices and refrain from the always-wired world when holidaying. This study examines factors that drive travellers to take a digital detox holiday (DDH), drawing on uses and gratifications theory. We used a mixed methods approach by carrying out a qualitative study followed by two quantitative studies. Through the qualitative study, we identified eight motives of the DDH: mindfulness, technostress, self-expression, social bonding, nature connectedness, relaxation, escapism, and novelty. Through the quantitative studies, we explored the factor structure of the DDH motives and tested the research model that explicates how the eight factors predict the intention to take a DDH. We found that mindfulness, technostress, relaxation, and self-expression each determine the traveller’s DDH intention.