The travel industry has spent decades selling addition. More connectivity. More amenities. More activities packed into every hour of the itinerary. The consistent pitch is that the best trip is the fullest one.
The data suggests travelers may be buying something else. According to the CDC, approximately 1 in 3 high school students used social media every hour or more in 2025. The pattern is not limited to adolescents. As Forbes reports, 98 percent of travelers say they want to disconnect on vacation, with 85 percent hoping to unplug from their phones.
