Is Being Bored the Newest Travel Trend?

Have You Heard?

Hyper-connected, always on, 24/7, smartphone addiction, smartwatch — the list goes on of terms we don’t really want to hear when we’re on holiday.  “I’m bored’ is usually another phrase to add to that list. Travelers want adventure, insight, learning, activity, and “something different” when on holiday, right?

It seems not, at least according to U.S. holiday company Getaway, the subject of a recent article in the UK national newspaper The Telegraph.

According to Getaway, everyone is too burned out — and too busy — even on holiday.  Travelers don’t need new experiences, sights, and smells anymore. They need to be bored.

To help holiday makers reach “boredom,” Getaway is offering mini breaks at properties across the U.S. The twist is that once you sign up for a weekend, you won’t know the exact location until a week before. That way, time to research what’s going on in the area or what to do is limited. The thinking is that travelers aren’t meant to do research — they are just supposed to relax.

Inside the cabin at the destination, there’s a lock box for the smart phone. Instead of books and magazines being provided, there are booklets full of poems about the woods and questions to ask your fellow holiday maker (there’s only room for two here).

The trend takes “digital detox” to new heights.