The Different Faces of the Digital Detox Trend
As public relations people whose professional lives revolve around travel and the many facets that play a part in making it more accessible to all, it’s hard to ignore the role that technology plays in this business. With the passing of tech guru Steve Jobs, and whether or not you consider yourself a “Mac” or “PC person,” we’ve suddenly been forced to evaluate the extent to which technology, and its myriad advantages, has been a catalyst in travel, tourism, and the hospitality business as a whole.
Through the increasing innovation of Apps and social media’s limitless accessibility, it’s clear that the relationship between travel and technology has been and will continue to be a symbiotic one; both aspects of business rely on one another for ease of information, efficiency, and accessibility. It is due to our increased dependence on technology that many find it difficult to part with their cell phones, iPods, iPads, personal computers, and so on. So when the hospitality world initiated the idea of the “digital detox” experience for travelers, the media was eager to record the hype. In some ways, travelers have welcomed this “digital cleanse” as a refresher, while others see it as a nuisance, inconvenience, or worse, an unimaginable thought. Regardless of your personal take on the idea, it’s interesting to notice the juxtaposition between digital detox as a “trend,” and a lack of technology as a chosen lifestyle.
This Wall Street Journal article explains how certain hotels across the US and Central America have begun to implement special packages that incorporate classical books, board games, exercise, yoga, and other activities in order to wean both business and leisure travelers from their PDAs, iPads, iPods, and computers, with a heavy focus on “going off the grid.” For some, this challenge proves impossible. Businessmen and meeting planners aside, the Wall Street Journal reports that 79% of travelers expect to remain connected all or some of the time on their next vacation, while many travelers cited feelings of anxiety and disorientation after waking up with no cell phone at their bedside. Regardless of whether or not travelers are actually booking the package, it’s clearly struck a chord.
A tiny outpost in South America provides a completely different outlook on the “digital detox,” not simply as a trend, but as the lifeblood of a secluded and intriguing locale. This piece from T: New York Times Style blog tells of the remote village of Cabo Polonio, Uruguay, whose bohemian culture is one of tranquility, minimalism, and stylish humility.
Cabo Polonio is only accessible by traversing the expansive sand dunes that guard it, either by 4×4, horse, or on foot. Many permanent residents rent out their piecemeal shacks (made of deconstructed panes of glass, wood, plexiglass, and bamboo) to vacationers in the warmer months. The village has no electricity, and the only power lines in sight are only of use to the local lighthouse. Most of the shacks have a well and tin buckets with a hole in the bottom, serving as the only means for a shower. Cell phone service is a recent addition, but internet accessibility still lags.
Despite its rustic approach, Cabo Polonio has attracted the wealthy, educated, and cultured for decades, including South American pop stars, actors, and high profile professionals who enjoy the village’s tranquility. Year-round residents complain that the primitive lifestyle which has been sustained in the village is unnecessary and detrimental to the development of their businesses and the society in general. Others, including a majority of the aforementioned seasonal visitors, are adamant that Cabo Polonio maintain its quaint charm.
The debate in this seaside village idles on as visitors and villagers mistakenly trample into one another’s houses in the darkness (with no street lights, or even streets, what would you expect?) and businesses feel the need to bring in technology to keep up with the rest of world, while both businessmen and consumers staying at luxury hotels admit to having trouble giving up their cell phone for a few hours, let alone days.
Technology, and the lack there of, affects all of us in certain ways, but it speaks through a different medium when considering communities like Cabo Polonio, whose existence becomes enmeshed between the struggle of tourism and general livelihoods, as opposed to the creation of a trend in order to boost revenue and stimulate buzz.
*Caption: Cabo Polonio, Uruguay
Photo credit: T:New York Times Style Magazine blog.
