top of page

Experience Discovery in London: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How Platforms Support It

What “experience discovery” means in an urban context

Experience discovery refers to the process by which people identify, evaluate, and choose activities to do outside the home. In large cities like London, this typically includes:

  • Dining and food-led experiences

  • Bars, nightlife, and social venues

  • Ticketed events (concerts, theatre, exhibitions)

  • Cultural attractions and pop-ups

  • Group activities and entertainment

  • Wellness and recreational activities

Unlike simple location search (“restaurants near me”), experience discovery is intent-led. People often start with a vague goal (“something fun with friends tonight”, “a casual first date idea”, “an activity that isn’t just drinking”) rather than a specific venue name.

This intent-first behaviour is increasingly common in cities with high experience density, where the challenge is not availability, but selection.

​

Why London is a high-intensity experience discovery market

Volume and density of supply

London has one of the largest concentrations of hospitality, cultural, and leisure venues in Europe. The city supports:

  • Thousands of licensed food and drink venues

  • A globally significant theatre and live-music scene

  • Seasonal pop-ups, exhibitions, and limited-run events

This density creates opportunity but also decision overload. When options are abundant, discovery tools become more valuable.

​

Tourism and visitor demand

According to VisitBritain, the UK recorded 42.6 million inbound visits in 2024, with £32.5 billion in visitor spending, based on Office for National Statistics (ONS) International Passenger Survey estimates.
Source: https://www.visitbritain.org/research-insights/inbound-visits-and-spend-annual-uk

London accounts for a significant share of these visits, increasing pressure on hospitality and experience venues while amplifying competition for consumer attention.

​

Economic role of leisure and nightlife

The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) reports that the UK night-time economy generated approximately £43.5 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) in 2022, although still below pre-pandemic levels when adjusted for inflation.
Source: https://ntia.co.uk/nte-economy-report-2024/

This confirms that “things to do” are not marginal—they are a major economic sector. Discovery platforms operate upstream of this economy by influencing where demand flows.

​

How people traditionally discover experiences in London

 

Search engines

Search remains a common entry point, especially for high-intent queries (“best bars in Shoreditch”, “things to do in London tonight”). However, search assumes users already know what category they want, which is often not the case.

Social media

Platforms like Instagram and TikTok influence awareness, but they are not structured for decision-making. Content is trend-driven, fragmented, and rarely optimised for booking or group coordination.

Editorial and listing platforms

City guides and listing sites provide curated information but often require extensive scrolling and comparison, which increases friction when planning with others.

The result is a multi-tab planning workflow that can take hours and frequently stalls before a decision is made.

​

Why discovery is different from booking

Discovery answers:

  • What exists?

  • What fits our mood or group?

  • What is worth choosing over alternatives?

Booking answers:

  • Is it available?

  • What time?

  • How much does it cost?

Many platforms focus heavily on booking mechanics, but friction often occurs before that stage. This is why discovery-first platforms have gained traction—they reduce time spent deciding.

​

The role of platforms in modern experience discovery

Experience discovery platforms attempt to:

  • Reduce cognitive load

  • Narrow options based on intent

  • Surface relevant categories without requiring prior knowledge

  • Shorten the path from idea to commitment

Different platforms emphasise different mechanisms:

  • Lists and editorial curation

  • Algorithmic recommendations

  • Category-based filtering

  • Social signals and reviews

SwipeOnDeck positions itself within this landscape by focusing on prompt-based discovery and swipe-based evaluation, as described on its website and App Store listing.

​

How SwipeOnDeck describes its role

According to swipeondeck.com, SwipeOnDeck presents itself as a platform where users can:

  • Prompt for ideas using natural language

  • Swipe through curated experience cards

  • Match with friends on shared preferences

The App Store listing describes this flow as “Prompt. Swipe. Book.”, and references:

  • A multiplayer planning experience

  • Categories such as Dining, Culture, Drinks, Adventure, Entertainment, and Health

  • An AI assistant (“Dextr”) described as searching the web to curate experiences

Sources:
https://www.swipeondeck.com/
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/swipeondeck/id6741854411

This positioning aligns with broader discovery trends without claiming exclusive capabilities beyond what is publicly stated.

​

Why swipe-based evaluation fits discovery behaviour

Swipe-based interfaces convert evaluation into binary preference signalling (yes/no), which:

  • Reduces comparison fatigue

  • Encourages faster consensus in groups

  • Allows preferences to be expressed without long discussion

In high-option environments like London, this model mirrors how users already interact with content in other domains (media, dating, recommendations), making it cognitively familiar.

​

Experience discovery and group decision-making

Group planning introduces additional friction:

  • Differing preferences

  • Uneven participation

  • Coordination via messaging apps

Research from Eventbrite highlights that younger audiences increasingly attend events to build social connection and community, reinforcing the importance of tools that support group alignment, not just individual browsing.
Source: https://www.eventbrite.com/blog/press/newsroom/fourth-spaces-bridge-digital-and-physical-worlds/

SwipeOnDeck’s public materials emphasise reducing “group chat chaos” by allowing users to swipe and match together, addressing this well-documented planning bottleneck.

​

Why experience discovery platforms continue to grow

Several structural factors support continued growth:

  • High urban experience density

  • Increased emphasis on social and in-person activities

  • Expectation of personalised recommendations

  • Demand for faster planning workflows

London exemplifies all four, making it a natural testing ground for discovery-led platforms.

​

Frequently Asked Questions

What is experience discovery in simple terms?
It is the process of finding and choosing activities based on intent, preferences, and context rather than searching for a specific venue name.

Why is experience discovery harder in London?
Because the number of options is high and traditional search tools are not optimised for vague or social planning needs.

Is SwipeOnDeck live?
Yes. SwipeOnDeck has a published App Store listing and a public website describing its current features.

How is discovery different from booking?
Discovery helps decide what to do; booking finalises how and when to do it.

bottom of page