How do the new phone-free zones at resorts enhance your vacation experience

In our modern society, we use our phones almost everywhere, even when we are on vacation. It’s all too common to see people glued to their screens. Phones keep us connected to what goes on back home, but isn’t the point of a trip to escape our stressful lives, for a short while? How can we enjoy our getaways if we never really “get away” from our all-consuming virtual worlds? It seems that checking up on with whats going on at work or on social media is keeping vacationers from living the moment of experience. They often head home, realizing their trip was uneventful and unmemorable. With this conundrum in mind, resorts such as Velas Resorts in Puerto Vallarta has created the perfect solution.

The resort’s Detox Concierge Service, or ‘Phone Free Zone’, gives guests the option of locking up their devices during their stay. Many hotels are also offering rewards to guests for giving up their phones, such as free snorkelling tours or a chance to win a free stay, towards encouraging visitors to part with their phones and enjoy a truly memorable stay.

The resorts that are implementing this new service recognize that the distraction of mobile phones can have an adverse affect on their business. Recent studies have shown that people that use their phones for 2 hours a day or more are more likely to have trouble remembering their trip(1). Of course, a bland vacation isn’t good for repeat business, or customer recommendations. A device-free trip allows for living in the moment and enjoying new experiences, which is exactly what every tourism company hopes to offer and what most tourists truly aspire to.

What could a phone-free zone service mean for your guests?

Did you know…

• 69% of parents and 78% of teens check their phones hourly(2)

• Some hotels are offering free excursions or activities to families as a replacement for their devices

^{(1) Science of Memories Study (2016) led by psychologist Art Markham
(2) Common Sense Media}