Last week, the US House of Representatives passed a bill that might see TikTok banned in the United States (US). The BBC reported that “if the bill manages to secure approval in the Senate, President Joe Biden has promised to sign it as soon as it lands on his desk.” This development has sparked questions around the app’s broader impact on various industries, especially within the US.
First released in 2016, within two years it was the most downloaded app in the US and is now projected to surpass 1.8 billion worldwide users by the end of 2024. In its relatively short span, TikTok has already exerted considerable influence over many industries and travel is no exception.
For some, the short-form video app has become their go-to search engine when it comes to thinking about travel. TikTok’s popularity with younger generations has earnt it the title of “Gen Z’s top holiday influencer,” with users reportedly valuing “the authenticity of real people’s travel experiences and opinions (40 per cent) above travel experts (16 per cent). In addition to its popularity with Gen Z, the app has been shown to influence mulitple generations, with a study conducted by MMGY, Portrait of American Travellers, reporting that around 40 per cent of travellers over 30 now prefer to research travel in TikTok over Google search.
Importantly, the impact of the app extends beyond inspiration, with TIkTok translating scrolling into tangible action. In a survey by MGH, 60 per cent of US users surveyed said they have become interested in visiting a new destination (city, beach, park, etc) after seeing a TikTok video about it and 35 per cent were prompted to actually visit a destination after seeing a TikTok video about it. These findings underscore the platform’s influence on travel behaviours beyond the initial research stages. With TikTok exhibiting a considerable sway over travel behaviours in the US, the world is keeping a close eye on the potential ban.
Has TikTok ever influenced you when it comes to holiday booking?
As travel becomes increasingly influenced by the likes of ChatGPT and TikTok, many industry players are embracing digital innovation to capitalise on the opportunities that open up. For more on this see:
