On-site decision-making in smartphone-mediated contexts

Abstract

The smartphone has become an indispensable travel companion for contemporary tourists. However, how smartphone use during the trip changes the travel context and related travel decision-making is still unclear. By tracing the in-situ decision-making processes in a real-world setting, this empirical study develops a deep understanding of the role of smartphones in shaping the physical and social contexts within which on-site decisions are made. The findings suggest that smartphones create a complex phygital-social context that triggers and supports the development of new travel plans, re-examination of pre-trip plans, and cancellation of pre-trip plans. Interactions with the smartphone-mediated context facilitate efficient decision-making and enable experience optimization. This study provides implications for decision-making theory in tourism and offers practical implications for destination marketing and management.