Community As The New Travel Bestie

COMMUNITY
AS THE NEW TRAVEL BESTIE

+ JUMP TO SECTION

SO MANY SOURCES,

SO LITTLE TIME

As much as Gen Z’ers want to explore the world, the ‘so many places, so little time’ mantra epitomizes their generation’s travel ethos. Young travelers often find it challenging to prioritize destinations, let alone rally their friends and execute plans that leave the group chat and manifest IRL.

Let’s ask Gen Z

So, what ultimately inspires the places and brands that top their bucket lists? And what—or rather, whom—drives them to turn those bucket list entries into actual bookings?

Given the immense value they place on travel, Gen Z relies on more than a single source to build their destination wish list. While friends and family offer initial guidance, the scope of influence has now widened—even expanding into the fictional realm.

For example, many respondents mentioned how popular TV shows like The White Lotus and Emily in Paris sparked their interest in the locations where they were filmed. This trend, known as ‘Set-jetting’, refers to planning trips inspired by TV series and movies. However, these idealized versions of a location, can only go so far with a generation seeking real advice, by real people.

Rhea, 22

I mostly discover new places to travel to through friends. They’re like, I think you’ll like this place. But I also cherish accidental discoveries. I like to discover places for myself.

Dua, 23

I mostly hear about a destination through word-of-mouth. I come from a big family that loves to travel and that’s where I get my first introduction to a place.

Lujayn, 28

In Paris, I insisted on going to Café de Flore to try out the hot chocolate and croissant from Emily in Paris.

Minhal, 23

I would definitely take up the opportunity of travelling once a month if I could work remotely all year round. It’s a dream. That’s 12 trips a year.

Dua, 23

I mostly hear about a destination through word-of-mouth. I come from a big family that loves to travel and that’s where I get my first introduction to a place.

Lujayn, 28

In Paris, I insisted on going to Café de Flore to try out the hot chocolate and croissant from Emily in Paris.

Today, social and digital platforms have become Gen Z’s go-to resource for travel discovery. And though this might not seem like new news, the pool of people they now turn to for online advice extends well beyond their personal circles.

It now includes a community of like-minded travelers whose recommendations fuel not just aspirational wanderlust, but also real travel intent.

And that community has found a home on TikTok.

Hana, 22

After watching The White Lotus, I felt that I would maybe like the same vacation—but it did not actually influence me to go there. With TikTok, however, I will consider recommendations that will influence me to go places. It’s not just inspiration, it’s also action.

FROM FYP

TO IRL

TikTok is where communities come to share their travel experiences, bringing authentic, unfiltered glimpses of people, culture and places to a global platform. As a result, the FYP has naturally emerged as our one-stop shop to dream and get inspired.

Here, Gen Z’ers are not mindlessly scrolling—they’re stopping, saving and bookmarking their favorite travel videos to create a virtual bucket list, ready to dip into when they’re ready to take off.

Sahej, 22

I have an entire folder of saved videos on TikTok related to all-things travel.

59%

of TikTok users have found travel inspiration on the platorm

Source: TikTok Marketing Science Travel Consumer Behavior Survey via Suzy, January 2023

Sahej, 22

I have an entire folder of saved videos on TikTok related to all-things travel

For example, and not coincidentally, several participants revealed saving TikTok videos of trending hot spots like Al Ula in Saudi Arabia and Morocco for future trips, demonstrating the platform’s power to drive discovery—and a legitimate desire to visit these destinations.

For example, and not coincidentally, several participants revealed saving TikTok videos of trending hot spots like AlUla in Saudi Arabia and Morocco for future trips, demonstrating the platform’s power to drive discovery—and a legitimate desire to visit these destinations.

Shumraze, 22

TikTok is an invaluable source of information upfront. It’s obviously because real people themselves share experiences that they’ve had. I’m off to Italy next week and to be honest, the entire trip has been planned on TikTok. Food. Concerts. I wouldn’t have discovered experiences had I not been plugged to TikTok.

Dua, 23

I’ve been seeing a lot of TikTok videos about Morocco, the desert, the food, the culture. And so currently, my dream country to visit is Morocco, because of TikTok.

CROWD-GENERATED

ITINERARIES

Beyond being an unparalleled source of discovery, TikTok’s wealth of content empowers us to plan our trips with confidence. While we love an itinerary suggestion from a friend, it holds more weight when it’s generated—or vetted—by a community that may have experienced it differently and captured it through a new lens.

For Gen Z, the power of community-generated content not only lies in the fact that it’s word-of-mouth at scale, but also in its visual nature. Here, content comes to life through immersive, entertaining and native formats, transforming planning into a truly enriching experience.

Hameed, 21

I love it when someone picks up the camera and takes you with them. It’s informal, personal and authentic. I love a good mix of I’m taking you with me and good cinematography.

Nadim, 25

I care about the videography less than what the person is saying. Shots of culture and nature that attract my attention.

Sahej, 22

I like aesthetic videos. Even if I don’t go to a place, I’d still like to watch.

Hana, 22

In a vlog, you feel like you’re with a person. It’s super casual and it inspires me to go places. It actually inspires me in life and not just in travel. I saw a café in a random person’s vlog once and found myself going there.

Kumayl, 18

TikTok content of places to see and things to do is always a key reinforcement to what I hear from family or friends. TikTok provides a lot of video evidence that shows what a place is like. I’m very visual and I judge through video. So, if it doesn’t look great on camera, then I’m probably not going.

Dua, 23

I don’t like the look and the user experience of travel apps and websites. They’re not aesthetically pleasing. You can’t always have genuine pictures and reviews of the place and some information might be missing. But I love to see ‘live’ videos of places and that’s why I go to TikTok.

Rhea, 22

‘A Day in the Life’ is my favorite content format. I like watching stories about people in a city and I enjoy seeing different ways of travelling.

Amaal, 22

My preferred type of content is ‘A Day in the Life’. It’s potentially what you could be living at one point in the future and an accurate representation of the travel experience vs. the snippets of the best parts.

Adam, 25

I love lists with flashing footage of suggestions. It allows you to get the gist of a whole place in one video. Recs from locals are great because they are more knowledgeable and so you get to manage your expectations better.

Sahej, 22

I trust myself to do the research for a trip but I also need to trust the people who know the most.

REVIEWS =

REAL VIEWS

Among these multiple formats, the classic review remains a universal favorite. Gen Z takes reviews seriously because they provide ‘live and real’ footage from someone who has been there.

We believe that if someone has taken the time to write or speak about their experience, they must have felt strongly enough—whether positively or negatively—to share it with the wider community.

And that is why young travelers have devised a step-by-step approach to efficiently sift through reviews.

Tactics mentioned by respondents include:

Look for videos with a high number of views and comments to gather reliable feedback

Scan both the best and worst reviews to prepare for all possible scenarios

Use the search bar to dig deeper into specific locations, hotels, or experiences mentioned in the reviews

Look for videos with a high number of views and comments to gather reliable feedback

Scan both the best and worst reviews to prepare for all possible scenarios

Use the search bar to dig deeper into specific locations, hotels, or experiences mentioned in the reviews

I like to check the top 5 best and worst reviews and see which keywords pop out. It’s a systematic process of filtering content because I want specifics. I don’t just want to know if the beach is nice—I want to know if it’s good for sensitive skin. I don’t just want to see the food—I want advice and details. Is it worth the price tag? On vacation, time is money, and I want to make sure I’m not wasting any of it.
– Minhal, 22

The thing about reviews on TikTok is that anyone can create them. By giving users the stage and tools to become reviewers in their own right, TikTok has democratized content creation, leading to a new generation of trusted travel critics—or creators. 

Thanks to them, the platform has become a credible source for Gen Z—a place where we feel at ease. We appreciate seeing destinations through the eyes of real people who have lived those experiences. In a way, it’s like seeing a place through our own eyes.

Shumraze, 22

If someone is taking the time to write or explain or speak about an experience that they’ve had, then, they probably feel quite strongly about it, be it positive or negative. So I think that influences me.

Minhal, 22

Because of creators taking their own videos, TikTok shows a place through your own eyes.

Adam, 25

I see a bit of me in creators videos and I love that. Especially with less popular creators. Their content is more credible because you feel that they don’t have an ulterior motive.

COMMUNITY

NOT COMMERCIALS

Indeed, a real person’s perspective has never been more critical, especially at a time when our skepticism towards sponsored content is at an all-time high. Simply put, we’re not fans of typical ads because they don’t always paint an accurate picture of a place the way a real person would.

We trust people—not ads. That’s why we turn to TikTok’s human voices to fact-check obvious brand commercials, particularly in the final stages of our decision-making journey.

Sahej, 22

When it’s an ad, I automatically know that a brand is trying to lure me. And in ads, places are never crowded. it’s unrealistic. On TikTok, how I perceive it is up to me.

Rhea, 22

I love content that doesn’t feel forced. I want to feel like I chose the destination, not that it was sold to me. When it’s too commercialized, I lose interest.

Shumraze, 22

Ads feel generic and surface-level, but TikTok content is more curated and personable. Hearing someone narrating their experience on the ground is way better than an airline’s polished ad.

Lujayn, 28

I skip professionally shot ads. I prefer raw, goofy, authentic content. Also, there’s so much misinformation online because ads blur the lines between storytelling and reality. And I can relate to TikTok content because people tell it like it is.

IN COMMENTS

WE TRUST

This heightened skepticism leads Gen Z to scroll past the ads and dive into the comments section, ‘sussing out’ a destination or a brand through a collection of real opinions.

Commenters form a community we instantly trust because they’re real people, not bots. Accessing the comments on TikTok not only provides insight into the video but also offers a wealth of additional suggestions. This is where we go for that final layer of validation, “community-proofing” our decisions before we click the book button.

Minhal, 22

I read the comments to validate if the place is actually ‘real’ and that the content is not edited or photoshopped. I also check them to find out if the place is far, if it’s safe and whether it’s worth visiting.

Amaal, 22

Jumping to the comments section is great when you’re looking for positive reinforcement. It allows me to validate what’s in the video, but also bring ups new ideas from locals.

Lujayn, 28

I always scroll down to the comment section to access different viewpoints. If the majority is positive or negative, then I will likely be influenced. Comments are part of the process.