Digital Detox Wellness Hotel
The Future of Wellness Hotels
Reading time: 5 minutes / Christian Hitzl and Eric Bourgault, September 2022
Hotels must switch from a mass product to an individual customer orientated service. The idea is to fulfill customer’s needs and to exceed expectations. A Digital Detox concept within the hotel can help to understand customers needs and can be used to find a new market. The following subjects are discussed in this article
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Why hoteliers should consider digital detox as a market?
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Different Wellness Hotel concepts to switch off.
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What is DigiPause?
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What places need for a digital detox.
„Until just recently, in many developed countries around the world, hotel infrastructures and services were conceived on a mass tourism mindset and run on a silo mentality.“
Eric Bourgault
Founder of D!Gi pause / Wellness Consultant and experienced Designer
Why do hoteliers, especially wellness hotels, need to take into consideration the digital detox market?
Until just recently, in many developed countries around the world, hotel infrastructures and services were conceived on a mass tourism mindset and run on a silo mentality. Post-covid challenges and preferences are now forcing hoteliers to shift their mindset, value of their offer and intangible assets towards alternative tourism ideology and new segments of the wellness market. Hence, the need to look for out-of-the-box solutions and alternatives.
As it is now the case in many places, hoteliers are missing the mark if they only invest in optimizing guest experiences with more technology. Even if they depend on it for personal and professional reasons, travelers are looking for places to rest from their time online. For such reasons, hoteliers need to invest in knowing who their clients are and what their preferences are.
Taking in account, that the demand side is requesting a work-life balance a wellness hotel with an optional digital detox concept can be seen as a new market with a new distribution channel. Hoteliers try to exceed customers needs, and being futuristic helps distribution.
Chances for hotels offering Digital Detox concept?
So, why should hoteliers think about a digital detox concept? To give just some examples for the supplier side: It is a unique way to attract new clients, it helps for a clear positioning in the market, and it enhances direct distributions.
Now let’s check some examples for the demand side: People want to relax, to calm down and to experience a different life while being in a hotel. Hence, to switch off and being surrounded in a new area without distraction can trigger all those points. Since 2015 Digital Detox concepts in wellness hotels became more popular, and a trend has evolved. Especially after Covid-19, the need for disconnecting from the digital world will make a comeback. The real challenge for hoteliers is to inform guests about their offers and to explain different options.
Different Hotel concepts to switch off
Eremito in Italy: The hotel in Parrano in Italy has a stunning landscape, which promotes tranquility and spirituality. And the unique part is, it is a luxury ancient monastery. The unique place promotes harmony with an own wellbeing program. The hotel is ideal for majestic isolation to rediscover essential needs. CLICK HERE to find all hotels from Europe.
EcoCamp Patagonia in Chile: The Camp in Chile has Domes at the edge of the Campsite. Deep in the Torres de Paine National Park, the motto is about sustainability, wildlife and reconnecting to nature. With daily Yoga classes and a wellness program, it is suitable for people all around the world. Explore the nature and reconnect to it peacefully is the goal of this place. CLICK HERE to find all hotels from America.
Schlosshotel Fiss in Austria: A somewhat different path is already taken by the hotel from Austria. Not only has the Hotel included digital detox as a part of their wellness program, also they work together with Monika Schmiderer, one of the first digital detox coach from Austria. The concept allows it to include a session with the coach and in the same time to enjoy the whole offered Spa-Treatments. The connection between professional guidance with wellness ambience in the Austrian mountains is unique. Different approaches can be seen as a new USP for hotels and their guests.
What is DigiPause?
By now, everyone knows that spending less time on your personal technology is good for you. However, many studies are proving the evidence that online addiction is consuming most people’s time, energy and attention on a daily basis.
This is why a wellness by design is the ultimate solution to counterbalance the side effects of this addiction by design.
Hence, the purpose of DigiPause inside the hotel ecosystem. A humanly oriented and nature-based analog technology to let users create their own custom-built experiences of wellness. An integrative and preventive solution to modern dilemmas and ailments arising from the digital revolution.
„The real challenge is to know how to accommodate hoteliers and guest preferences under the same roof. With a revolutionary approach combining integrative and preventive wellness à la carte as a hybrid to create custom-built nature-based offline experiences, DigiPause solution is focusing on that.“ Eric / Founder of D!Gi pause / Wellness Consultant and experienced Designer
How does the perfect place for a digital detox look like?
This is the good part, as digital detox and the definitions are individual and personalized, every place with a clear concept can be an ideal for a digital detox. First, a short summary of what a digital detox is can help to understand the requirements for humans:
- Individual – Every person has different needs. Demands specific places with pre-establish conditions.
- Timely – A specific period is fixed to measure the implementation
- Voluntary – Intrinsic motivation is needed. Exclusive to those willing to admit their incapacity to switch off from their devices.
- Goal – It aims a goal of why people doing it
From the DigiPause ideology (the age reversing factor and science behind the art of unplugging)
- Can be done anywhere at any time with user-friendly settings
- Softer, easier and more realistic.
- Allows instant moments of invigoration for the senses and entire metabolism.
- Inclusive to anyone who wants to explore a healthier lifestyle and phone habits on a daily basis and on their own terms
References and more interesting links to the topic:
- Deloitte, The hotel guest experience landscape, Next-gen hotel guests have checked in: The changing guest experience, from Ashley Reicheld and Stephen Jennings
- Yangyang Jiang & M. S. Balaji (2021) Getting unwired: what drives travellers to take a digital detox holiday?, Tourism Recreation Research, DOI: 10.1080/02508281.2021.1889801
- Ozdemir, M. A., & Goktas, L. S.. (2021). Research trends on digital detox holidays: a bibliometric analysis, 2012-2020. Tourism & Management Studies, 17(3), 21–35. http://doi.org/10.18089/tms.2021.170302
- Gaafar, A.S.M. and Allah, H., 2021. Digital Detox Tourism at The Egyptian Destination: Attitudes and Motivators. Journal of Association of Arab Universities for Tourism and Hospitality, 20(2), pp.88-107.