TikTok travel: Viral videos become indispensable travel guides

A recent survey shows that TikTok does more than just fuel wanderlust – it has become an important resource for travel planning.

According to a survey by Casino.ca, 59% of Americans make their daydreams come true and hit the road after watching travel inspiration on the video-sharing platform.

These findings are consistent with previous research on consumer behavior trends. Another survey by MGH Marketing in 2023 found that nearly two-thirds of TikTok users expressed interest in visiting new travel destinations after consuming travel content on the app, and 35% actually did so.

TikTok takes over social media

More Americans than ever are using TikTok. The short-form video app has the fastest-growing user base of any social media platform in the United States. According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, one-third of U.S. adults use TikTok—148 million unique users per month, more than any other country.

Young adults use the video-sharing app more often than older Americans. 62% of adults under 30 use TikTok. Among 30- to 49-year-olds, that share drops to 39%, and it continues to decline among older age groups.

This generational conflict cemented TikTok's reputation as Generation Z's preferred social media platform, and many even use the app as a search engine.

Americans are frequent TikTok users, although only 52% post on the app. The survey of 6,000 TikTok users across North America found that Americans open the app six times a day.

The average user in the US watches one hour and 19 minutes of content per day. Of all the US states, residents of Mississippi spend the most time on the app, while residents of Rhode Island spend the least.

Travel planning with #Traveltok

Given the app's demographic makeup, it's no surprise that younger generations are likely to use TikTok as inspiration to plan their next vacation. 69 percent of Gen Z and Millennials find travel ideas among the 1.6 million videos under #traveltok, compared to a third of Gen X and Baby Boomers.

According to a TripIt survey of 1,000 Americans, only 17% of older consumers would plan a trip based on a viral post rather than a traditional travel site like TripAdvisor. Even fewer Gen Xers and baby boomers value social media popularity over a personal recommendation from a friend.

Enterprising travel brands are noticing TikTok's popularity with younger customers. Budget airline Ryanair, for example, uses the kind of rude, slightly nonsensical humor that works well on the app, and has 2.4 million followers. A video joking that passengers keep coming back, no matter how much they complain about their experience, has been viewed 16.2 million times.

Stuart Flint, Head of Global Solutions for Europe and Israel at TikTok, believes the pandemic has played a crucial role in increasing brands' interest in the platform.

In an interview for Skift, Flint told Dawit Habtemariam: “After the Covid pandemic was over, people started thinking about travel. They wanted to explore the world. People just wanted to get away. And because TikTok was then more prominent than before, brands started using it.”

Although he didn't give any numbers, Flint hinted at promising future collaborations: “We don't disclose information about sales. But I can tell you that some really interesting travel brands have worked with us.”

“Booking.com is a really important customer for us. Travel bookings, destinations and airlines have become really, really important to us. So we've seen a lot of growth,” he revealed. Flint praised brands like Ryanair that generate viral content instead of buying ads. “It's not just paid, by the way. They also invest a lot of time and energy in organic content.”

Which travel destinations are trending on TikTok?

Travel content on TikTok ranges from showcasing traditional landmarks to promoting niche experiences. Pop culture tourism is especially popular with nostalgic Zoomers and Millennials, who plan road trips to the Pacific Northwest based on the Twilight series and cross the pond to visit Harry Potter filming locations.

Some eye-catching destinations generate more interest on the app than others. These are the five most popular destinations on TikTok by number of posts:

Dubai

Dubai, a futuristic city in the United Arab Emirates, tops the list with 29.7 million posts. Videos show the towering skyline, luxury shopping malls and stunning desert landscapes. Highlights include the iconic Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, and the Palm Jumeirah, a man-made archipelago.

London

The British capital is a perennial favorite among tourists and TikTok users, with 10.3 million clips posted. Classic landmarks like Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London and Big Ben are always popular with visitors seeking the “red phone box” experience. For younger travelers, influencers recommend trendy neighborhoods like Shoreditch and Camden.

Paris

No viewer will forget the opening ceremony of this year's Summer Olympics. It was a love letter to Paris, an excursion along the Seine and to the city's most famous sights. The real stars of the show were the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Notre Dame. On TikTok, content creators love Parisian cafes, patisseries and the charming streets of Montmartre and Le Marais. The City of Light can be seen in 8.8 million posts.

Istanbul

East meets West in Turkey's largest city. The transcontinental city has been featured in 8.1 million videos on TikTok, showing tourists cruising the Bosphorus and exploring the ancient Topkapi Palace. Must-see sights include Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the bustling Grand Bazaar.

New York City

The Big Apple remains a popular travel destination. TikTokers especially love the city's culinary scene, posting reviews of everything from local bodegas to Michelin-starred restaurants. Broadway shows, rooftop bars, and the vibrant art scene in neighborhoods like Soho and Williamsburg are featured prominently in 7.2 million NYC videos.

This article was created by Media Decision and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.