Should you ditch your smartphone and pay for a smartphone-free vacation?

Can you endure a holiday without your cellphone, resisting the urge to constantly check emails, make phone calls, post tweets, or rely on the omnipotent internet for navigation in an unfamiliar land?

Picture yourself without the aid of a digital translator, struggling to communicate your culinary preferences to the waiter, or navigating using a worn-out, traditional map to reach your desired destination.

In February 2024, FTLO Travel (For the Love of Travel), a US-based travel company targeting millennial solo travelers, will introduce phone-free trips. These trips aim to provide participants with a valuable detox experience, which they believe some individuals would be willing to pay a significant sum for. By disconnecting from their devices, travelers have the chance to engage with locals and fully immerse themselves in their new environment.

FLTO Travel founder and CEO, Tara Cappel, expresses her desire for participants to willingly embark on immersive five-day or week-long trips void of smartphones. This means no access to emails, Instagram, Google Maps, or translation tools. The aim is for individuals to fully embrace the challenge, leading to enhanced experiences and more profound connections.

In the modern era of technology, our reliance on smartphones has grown significantly, leading to detrimental effects on our mental wellness and our capacity to stay in the moment. By eliminating this distraction, tourists can completely immerse themselves in the destination they are exploring, enhancing their presence and establishing genuine connections with the places they visit.

Digital detox vacations have been on the rise in recent times.

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Digital detox destinations

In a world where the screens in our pockets are daily becoming more of a distraction, digital escapes are becoming increasingly attractive.

Ulko-Tammio, located in Finland, recently became the world's inaugural phone-free tourist island, promoting a deeper connection with nature for its visitors.

Several establishments, such as the luxurious Rancho La Puerta in Mexico, market themselves as digital detox destinations, prioritizing moments of undisturbed tranquility by discouraging the use of phones and computers.

FLTO Travels offers phone-free group trips for 14 people starting at $1,999 in Italy (Rome and Florence), Cuba (Havana), Portugal, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Iceland. The longer seven-day trips cost $3,200. Anyone can join from anywhere, as airfare is not included.

Cappel, the trip organizer, emphasizes the importance of leaving smartphones behind. Participants who do bring their phones are advised to either keep them in their luggage or store them securely in the hotel safe.

Travelers who succumb to the allure of digital distractions and are caught using their mobile devices will face consequences. Their smartphones will be confiscated, and if their actions negatively affect the experiences of their fellow travelers, they may even be expelled from the group. The concept of sobriety in travel is currently a popular trend, but for certain individuals, it is a chosen lifestyle.

During a typical day of a phone-free journey, participants will convene at the hotel lobby to review the printed schedule and receive any necessary updates. The trip leader will be the sole individual carrying a mobile phone, solely for emergency purposes.

According to Lamees Khorshid, a psychologist based in California specializing in peak performance, happiness, and relationships, the advantages of traveling without cellphones are boundless.

Removing distractions like phone notifications can help individuals focus better and be fully present in the moment, according to her statements to CNN Travel. She further explains that this can lead to a greater embrace of spontaneity, which may involve engaging in unplanned conversations with strangers, getting lost on purpose, and welcoming serendipitous experiences and unexpected surprises.

FLTO Travel is planning to run phone-free vacations in Iceland and several other countries in 2024.

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Running on autopilot

Not having a phone allows for relaxation as it prevents others from having immediate access to you, letting you fully immerse yourself in your experience without feeling the need to be accountable to anyone or anything else.

Kim Baron, a 40-year-old digital analytics manager from Cleveland, has already completed six FTLO Travel trips. While she hasn't had the opportunity to join a phone-free trip, she eagerly plans to book the upcoming Iceland and Havana trip. According to her, it is crucial to fully immerse oneself in the travel experience, appreciating the food, culture, landscapes, and people.

The benefits of taking a vacation - even before you actually go

Italy offers a variety of exciting activities for phone-less trips, such as cooking classes, truffle hunts, vineyard treks, and exploring the charming contrade of Siena.

The Portugal tours will include cooking classes for pastéis de nata (custard tarts), a private food tour in Lisbon, a day trip to Sintra on a traditional three-wheeled tuk-tuk, a walking tour of Évora with admission to the Chapel of Bones, and a full-day boating adventure.

Phone-free travelers in Iceland can enjoy a Reykjavik food tour, relaxing spa experiences, expeditions to explore glaciers, thrilling jeep rides, and invigorating hikes to Breiðamerkurjökull and Vatnajokull ice caves. Additionally, they can embark on tours of the captivating volcanic Diamond Beach. These trips are especially enticing to millennials who yearn for the unplugged days of their youth, having grown up in a smartphone-free era.

Cuba is also on FLTO Travel's phone-free vacation list.

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Get lost

She mentions that they are not suitable for everyone.

Cappel says that the perfect traveler is one who is eager to face challenges and explore traditional methods of travel. According to him, traveling can be challenging without a cell phone as it requires finding information and directions from people. This experience pushes individuals out of their comfort zones and encourages them to interact with their surroundings rather than relying solely on their phones.

Cappel recently embarked on a captivating journey in Prague with her team, completely devoid of phones, to evaluate the effectiveness of the new format. The three-day trip proved to be an extraordinary and captivating experience.

I strolled around the city for several hours, leaving my phone behind. Throughout my ventures, I became disoriented and engaged in conversations with individuals. I thoroughly enjoy seeking guidance from locals, as it allows me to communicate and overcome language obstacles.

I must say, I had an utterly remarkable day which invigorated me both physically and mentally. Despite covering a distance of 18,000 steps on foot, I found the experience immensely calming.

In 2018, Cappel and her sister set off on a phone-free adventure in Havana. Their biggest obstacle was navigating the city, understanding the bus system, relying on locals for rides, and deciphering restaurant menus that couldn't be translated.

"I didn't have a digital translator, so I had to rely on asking the waiters to physically show me the ingredients of a dish when I couldn't comprehend what it was.

Cappel says she hopes that free-phone trips will help people learn to have occasional phone-free days as a structural part of their lives, during which theyre more "present" in everyday things.