Exploring “Planned Serendipity” and On-site Information Behavior on Smartphones

Micol Mieli ()
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Micol Mieli: Lund University

A chapter in Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2022, 2022, pp 406-411 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract The paper explores tourists’ smartphone-related information behavior on site in light of the concept of “planned serendipity”. The ability to gather information at anytime and anywhere can deeply influence tourists’ behavior, their information needs and the outcomes of their travel plans. In this study, the concept of planned serendipity is used to suggest that the outcome of travel information behavior on site is not entirely planned nor entirely serendipitous. The study employs the Experience Sampling Method (ESM) in combination with qualitative interviews, which allow the researcher to gather data both during the participants’ trip and afterwards. The thematic analysis resulted in four main themes related to information search connected to smartphone use: flexible plans; orientation in time and space; specificity of the query; aiming for optimization. Such conditions result in planned serendipity. The study thus contributes to the conceptualization of planned serendipity as an outcome of smartphone use during travel for information purposes.

Keywords: Smartphones; Planning; Serendipity; Experience sampling method (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-030-94751-4_36

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-94751-4_36

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