Longing for Digital-Free Trips: The Case of a Yoga Retreat

People today are feeling exhausted by the continual distraction of mobile devices. Some are motivated to take a break from digital devices while travelling away from home. A popular combination is therefore to undergo a digital detox as part of a stay at a yoga retreat. This study examines how perceptions of novelty, effectiveness of co-creation of the digital-free hospitality experience, and the feeling of refreshment affect memorable digital-free hospitality experiences, as well as the relationship between these experiences and participants' subjective well-being, intention to revisit, and psychological resilience. Data were collected using WeChat from 522 Chinese guests who had stayed at a digital-free yoga retreat in China between October 2024 and April 2025. The results suggest that novelty, co-creation, and refreshment positively influence memorable digital-free hospitality experiences. Moreover, stays that are more memorable lead to higher subjective well-being, including psychological resilience, and a greater intention to revisit.