Digital detox tourism against post-modernity

Abstract

Technology has become an integral part of daily life. Although developments in the digital world offer many advantages to users, researches show that the use of smart devices is rapidly turning towards a kind of an addiction (digital addiction) in every field. In such unwanted situations, people try to apply a kind of a purification program by staying away from technological devices for a certain period of time with "Digital Detox". Transferring the need for digital detox to people’s holiday experience and thus providing a kind of a technological purification during the holiday periods can be called “Digital Detox Tourism”. Digital detox tourism, which is against post-modernism, attracts attention as a type of tourism preferred by individuals who seek diversity and have different expectations, especially those who want to stay out of intensive technology-based tourism activities. Perceived as fairly new concept in literature that has emerged as a result of the changing tourists expectations, establishing the theoretical infrastructure of digital detox tourism on the axis of post-modernism, evaluating the factors that caused the emergence of digital detox tourism, examining the factors that drive people to digital detox tourism and examination of theoretical and practical work about digital detox tourism; constitute the aim of this study. This study is aimed at researchers and target marketing organizations as it offers valuable conclusions that help better understand the emotions of individuals who are involved in or are avoiding digital detox tourism. Understanding what triggers positive and negative emotions of individuals is thought to help service providers develop their products and marketing strategies.