Chance meetings, the destination paradox, and the social origins of travel: Predicting traveler’s whereabouts?

• Published in: Tourist studies Vol. 18; no. 4; pp. 417 - 441
• Main Authors: Beritelli, Pietro, Reinhold, Stephan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01-12-2018; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: chance meeting; destination; experiential corridors; Meetings; paradox; social embeddedness; Social networks; Tourism; Turismvetenskap; weak ties; destination; chance meeting; experiential corridors; paradox; weak ties; social embeddedness
• ISSN: 1468-7976; 1741-3206; 1741-3206
• DOI: 10.1177/1468797617748292

Have you ever unexpectedly met someone you already knew in a remote travel destination? Many people have or will at least a couple times in their travel biography. In this article, we theorize how such chance meetings help better understand the socially embedded nature of travel behavior and choice. We validate the underlying assumptions with an exploratory empirical study. By conceptualizing chance meetings and connecting them with social network theory, we get closer to predicting where people precisely travel and what activities they engage in at particular points in time. This socially embedded perspective transcends the importance of attractions and activities as object of reference between traveler and place. Broadly, these findings contribute to the discussion on the social origins of travel and on how choices are taken in travel.