Exploring the Unknown Together: Companionship Traveling Increases Preference for Mystery Offerings

Despite the appeal of mystery offerings in tourism, knowledge about when such tactics may benefit or backfire is limited. This research examines the role of travel context (companionship vs. solo traveling) in tourists’ choice of mystery (vs. non-mystery) offerings. Across five studies (total n = 1,335), the authors find that when traveling with companions, tourists have a higher preference for mystery offerings than when traveling solo. This effect emerges across various tourism contexts (hotel accommodations, restaurant consumption, and destination choice) and in different countries (United States and China). The findings further suggest that diffusion of responsibility mediates this effect. Importantly, this effect is mitigated for those with an independent self-construal. This study enriches our understanding of mystery offerings in tourism, and offers actionable insights for practitioners to effectively utilize mystery offering strategies.