Digital detox as a perspective on the development of domestic tourism in Poland

Digital detox has been defined as a voluntary or enforced temporary limitation of the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). In the context of contemporary tourism research, it is regarded as both a type of tourism and a tourism product. The aim of this paper is to discuss the attitudes of tourists towards the use of digital detox, including underlying motives, geographical locations and methods of digital detox practice in domestic tourism in Poland, as well as the experience outcomes achieved. The paper presents the results of a thematic analysis of individual interviews conducted in 2024. Five motives were identified, among which the feeling of mental and physical fatigue caused by the extensive use of ICT in daily life was dominant. The factors that contribute to the facilitation of digital detox can be categorised into two distinct domains: the role of the person and the role of the setting and environment. However, a change in the use of ICT in daily life after a temporary digital detox during a tourist trip was shown to be a considerable challenge, frequently proving unfeasible.