Families seek vacations as a means to improve family interaction and cohesion. Research on the effects of smartphones and other technology on the tourist experience has gained traction in recent years. Unfortunately, there still remains a void in understanding the role smartphones have on interaction and relationship dynamics during family vacations. Therefore, a qualitative research approach was employed to understand the extent to which smartphone usage influences the family vacation experience. The findings revealed that families relied on smartphones to foster a sense of family unity and retain a sense of individuality. Second, smartphones mediated families’ experience of a destination. Third, smartphones altered the traditional internalization and recollection process of family vacation memories.
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