What is Planned Serendipity? A New Perspective on Travel and Consumer Psychology

When it comes to travel, there are two dominant schools of thought: either you can plan out every minute, or you just hop on the plane and leave everything to chance. You either live by the itinerary, or you fly by the seat of your pants.

One approach has structure and safety, while the other provides opportunities for whim, spontaneity, and serendipity.

But perhaps things aren't so black and white. Enter the concept of planned serendipity: modern consumers often utilize technology to map out a general experience, while also leaving themselves flexible to unplanned whims. And in this way, can potentially open themselves up to the best of both worlds.

One of the pioneers of this concept is Dr. Micol Mieli, a researcher and lecturer at Lund University's Department of Service Studies, whose work aims to uncover the dynamics of modern travel and the influence of technology on consumer psychology.

Her work has deep implications for tourism, travel, and consumer behavior writ large. How do modern consumers balance the drive for highly curated, personalized experiences while leaving open possibilities for happenstance?

Planned serendipity may have the answer. Let's dive in.

What is planned serendipity?

Planned serendipity suggests that planning and serendipity are not necessarily contradictory when people search for information or exhibit buying behaviors. As you mentioned, it is an oxymoron, and the idea is to use this term to capture the complexity of human behavior. My research focuses on tourism, but I believe this concept applies to various forms of consumption.

The main premise is that through mobile technologies, serendipity is both enhanced and diminished.

On one hand, people become more flexible, but this newfound flexibility doesn't always result in a sense of spontaneity. Serendipity still exists, but it becomes somewhat planned. People often plan to encounter unexpected things, which is essentially what serendipity is about. However, they can also double-check and verify these unexpected encounters online. Thus, planning becomes intertwined with serendipity, especially in the context of travel, where it holds great significance.

Is it possible that serendipity and planning aren't actually so diametrically opposed, but are much more than we may appreciate?

Yes, exactly. Planning and spontaneity are more a spectrum, and most people's experience falls somewhere in between, with elements of both, and technology, and especially mobile technologies, enabling that a lot.

How do smartphones and mobile technology enhance serendipity?

In my research, I discuss several aspects of the tourist experience, which also apply to other settings. One key point I emphasize is that traditional information search theory suggests that people make plans based on specific needs and strategies, as if the information is rooted in predefined "seeds" or ideas. However, with the prevalence of mobile technologies, it is more common for plans to be emergent and contingent. This shift has both positive and negative implications. On the positive side, travelers can adapt their plans on the go. On the negative side, this requires significant cognitive effort during the trip, which was traditionally believed to be primarily done in the pre-trip phase.

Another aspect I explore is the shift in focus, where the tourist or consumer becomes the central point of the information search. The emphasis lies on what is available around the individual, rather than solely looking for what exists in the destination or city. While this perspective might not apply to everyone universally, many people recognize themselves in this description. Rather than being solely oriented towards discovering or learning about a place, the focus becomes one's immediate surroundings.

It's important to note that these aspects are just some of the experiences that have emerged from my research, and they might only encompass some people's experiences. However, they shed light on the changing dynamics of information search and tourist behaviors in the context of mobile technologies.

Do you see evidence in your work that mobile technology creates a sort of "safety net" for exploration, especially in a tourist experience? In this way, it could be possible to go off and explore, knowing that you always have your mobile and can call an Uber in a worst-case scenario.

Exactly. And that's one of the positive sides – you feel much more secure and safe. You have access to information at all times. In this way, the meaning of "getting lost" is lost.

In travel, getting lost, things not going according to plan, being unable to find the way, are all part of the tourist experience. But if you know, in the back of your mind, that you will always find a way no matter what, you can recapture a bit of that magic.

What does the research say about what makes for a memorable travel experience? Do people tend to look back most fondly on the planned itinerary or the serendipitous moments?

Yes, it's generally accepted that serendipitous experiences are considered an antecedent of memorable experiences. The most enjoyable, and most memorable experiences are often the ones that are not planned. People tend to discount serendipitous experiences in advance, but when they reflect back, these are often the best parts.

In general, the digital world tends to personalize the consumer experience: personalized products, personalized social media feeds, personalized content recommendations, etc. Are there downsides to constant personalization and curation? Does this reduce serendipity?

That's one of the drawbacks regarding the reduction of serendipity. It's not limited to mobile technologies, though they are even more pervasive nowadays, allowing people to use them anytime. For instance, there's significant research on the role of serendipity in academic research, where it holds great importance.

With targeted advertisements and personalized recommendations, there is a risk of not encountering things outside of your existing interests or "bubble." Many companies and algorithms attempt to incorporate serendipity, and there's ongoing research on integrating it into recommendation algorithms. Given the prevalence of recommendations, personalization, and customization in today's world, serendipity is something to watch closely.

We can't confine ourselves to our bubbles, always confirming what we already know. There's a risk of incrementally limiting our exposure to new and unexpected experiences.

How have you come to think about the tradeoffs in personalized digital experiences?

Based on my personal experience and observation, what happens is that we get this kind of content and products proposed to us to the point of saturation. And then, because of that, our interests become much shorter-lived. That's how it feels, to me, at least. Instead of fostering these in our interests and the things that pique our curiosity, we fill it up right away, like, in as fast as possible through these targeted recommendations, and then they die.

What kind of advice would you give someone trying to embrace more serendipity?

One of the main issues here is that we tend to try and optimize everything as much as possible. In the pursuit of going from point A to point B or finding products at the best price and in the shortest time, we often miss out on a lot along the way. So, in light of this focus on optimization and considering various types of value, it's crucial to recognize that value isn't solely about money, time, or aesthetics. It's also about the value of being comfortable and not getting overly fixated on searching excessively for "the best".

For example, when I travel or shop, I make a conscious effort to assign significant value to not constantly using my phone to search. Instead, I encourage myself to look up more and resist the urge to check everything on my phone. We forget how fun it is to be surprised.

Photo by Mesut Kaya via UnSplash