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Digital Detox Tourism and Tourist Well-being: A Narrative Review of Emerging Evidence and Theoretical Perspectives

Madara Kumaragamage

Abstract

In an era of hyperconnectivity, individuals increasingly experience digital fatigue and a growing need for balance between online and offline life. This narrative review synthesizes emerging evidence on the relationship between digital detox and well-being, with a particular focus on digital detox tourism as an evolving form of wellness and experiential travel. Drawing on thirty peer-reviewed studies, the review explores how digital disconnection influences psychological, emotional, and social dimensions of well-being. It highlights the theoretical underpinnings of digital detox, including Self-Determination Theory, Attention Restoration Theory, and Eudaimonic Well-being Theory, and discusses how tourism settings amplify these restorative effects. The review concludes by identifying conceptual and methodological gaps and offering directions for future research on digital detox tourism.

Keywords

digital detox tourism well-being mindfulness hyperconnectivity restorative travel

References

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