Offline Is the New Luxury: Why Tech-Free Travel Is Emerging in 2026

Seems all tourism trend predictions for 2026 are about AI. AI itinerary builders. AI customer service. AI personalisation. AI everywhere.

But here’s the interesting thing. While we debate how AI will transform our tourism, many travellers are quietly moving in the opposite direction.

This is what I’m hearing here in the US. It comes up on chair lifts, at dinner parties and in conversations with people who travel often. It’s what Condé Nast, Vogue and major travel publications are writing about.

As technology becomes more powerful, many travellers are actively choosing trips designed around being offline and slowing down.

Digital detoxes

One of the clearest examples is the rise of digital detox retreats. What used to be a niche wellness offering is now moving into the mainstream. Properties are no longer competing on the speed of their Wi-Fi but proudly advertising the option for the absence of it. Guests are encouraged to put phones away and exist without constant notifications. Increasingly, this kind of disconnection is being framed as a luxury rather than an inconvenience.

Reading retreats

Alongside this is the growth of reading retreats. These are not traditional book clubs transplanted into a hotel. They are slow, intentional escapes where the primary activity is simply reading. Travellers gather in quiet settings with minimal structure, optional discussion and plenty of uninterrupted time to turn pages. Vogue has described these retreats as a response to collective burnout and the craving for focus in an overstimulated world.

Grandma hobbies

Then there is what some are calling the rise of “grandma hobbies” as travel experiences. Knitting, crochet, fibre arts and other traditional crafts are becoming the centrepiece of retreats and short breaks. These experiences blend creativity, mindfulness and community. People travel to learn a skill, make something with their hands and share conversation with others who value a slower pace.

What is driving all of this is not nostalgia. It is fatigue. Travellers are tired of being always on. Many are craving holidays that feel restorative rather than performative. Some trend analysts are now calling offline time the new luxury, where opting out of constant connectivity is both desirable and aspirational.

For accommodation providers, this shift matters.

These trends lend themselves to low and shoulder season travel. Quiet months suddenly become ideal for reading weekends, creative retreats or tech-free escapes. They require relatively low investment, thoughtful curation and a willingness to market slowness as a strength.

While AI will undoubtedly continue to reshape parts of the tourism industry, it is worth remembering that travel is ultimately about how people want to feel. Right now, a growing number of travellers want to feel calm, focused, connected and rested.

Sometimes the most innovative move is not adding more technology, but creating space to step away from it.

Join the conversation about this topic on LinkedIn, and learn more about how to attract the 'Slow Travel' market in this article. Get in touch for a chat if you'd like to build a strategy and turn it into marketing campaigns!