TikTok poised to overtake Facebook as young people travel search

20-02-23

According to a new study from Arival and Phocuswright, TikTok will overtake Facebook as the most popular place young people go for inspiration for travel, activities and experiences. The study, which has revealed key data on what travelers want in 2023, concludes that this change is likely to occur in less than two years.

The "Experience Traveler 2023" report reveals that more than one in four adults under the age of 35 already use TikTok as a source of inspiration when looking for new experiences while traveling, while Facebook is losing influence among this age group. And it's not just the younger generation that is setting this trend; More than one in five young people aged 35-54 also turn to the popular video platform to find things to do on vacation.

Despite the growing popularity of TikTok, Instagram remains the most influential platform for those looking for things to do on the go, with more than fifty percent of people under 55 using it for this purpose.  

"Social media is already an established source of travel planning information and inspiration, but the rapid rise of short-form vertical video and the platforms that are popularizing it are poised to upend the traveler's conventional path to purchase" says Douglas Quinby, co-founder and CEO of Arival. "Young people in particular, millennials and Gen Z, are increasingly turning to TikTok and Instagram to explore experiences and see what's possible, rather than reading lengthy reviews and product descriptions.

These changes in the way younger travelers discover and decide are profound, and the travel industry - and especially the creators and sellers of tours, attractions and experiences - must integrate this into their marketing and content strategy."  

Social networks are still always present in people's trips; only 17% of those under 55 said they would participate in a vacation experience without posting anything about it.  

The Experiences Traveler 2023 study surveyed more than 4,000 adults in the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany in the third quarter of 2022. The survey was conducted online and reached 1,000 respondents per country.