Do travel brands need a TikTok account?

100 years ago, posters enticed travelers to exotic locations. Today’s consumer requires more than a drawing to capture their attention. Modern travel brands are increasingly turning to social media platform TikTok to inspire wanderlust. This popular short-form video app offers a peek into the beauty and magic of travel destinations around the world.

Travel brands are using TikTok to connect with travel enthusiasts. Their posts educate consumers on their unique brand while inspiring a new bucket list trip. More so than a static photo, TikTok’s video format captures the travel experience – the joy of eating a fresh croissant by the Seine, or the cool refreshment of a tropical cocktail on a Hawaiian beach. 

Interested in learning more about travel industry trends? Download our Travel Industry Snapshot for brand rankings and industry insights.  

Measuring the Benefits of TikTok

Using QuestBrand, we examined the data of three popular travel brands with TikTok accounts. For each brand, we compared their brand perception among active TikTok users (those who have used TikTok within the last 30 days) to their brand perception among the general population of US adults. Our goal was to determine whether active TikTok users value these brands differently than non-TikTok users.

First, we examined brand equity. Brand equity measures the value consumers see in a brand at a particular moment in time. It is an average of four components – brand familiarity, perceived quality, purchase consideration, and perceived momentum.

Booking.com

TikTok: @Bookingcom

“The TikTok community is already actively engaged in travel content – #travel has more than 90 billion views – so it is a natural fit for Booking.com to be an active part of this” – Laura Kaye, Global Social Media Director for Booking.com

Booking.com launched its first TikTok-focused campaign in July 2022. They effectively engaged consumers with trip giveaways, influencer partnerships, and compelling travel content. They hoped that TikTok would attract new consumers to the brand, and lead viewers to see Booking.com as a leader in the travel industry.

TikTok users consistently reported higher brand equity scores for Booking.com than the general population of US adults. 

Booking.com Brand Equity – US Adults vs Adults on TikTok – 12 Week Trended Average

QuestBrand. 3/1/22-5/17/23. Base: General population of US adults (Dark Blue), n=10,443. Base: US adults who have used TikTok in the last 30 days (Light Blue), n=3,923.

Airbnb

TikTok: @airbnb

Airbnb’s TikTok account contains quirky, humorous videos highlighting unusual rental properties and the fun of travel.

Like Booking.com, Airbnb’s brand equity is significantly higher among TikTok users than the general population of US adults. Even a sharp rise in brand equity among overall US adults from June to October 2022 is dwarfed by an even larger rise in equity among TikTok users over this same period.

Airbnb Brand Equity – US Adults vs Adults on TikTok – 12 Week Trended Average

QuestBrand. 1/1/22-5/17/23. Base: General population of US adults (Red), n=14,463. Base: US adults who have used TikTok in the last 30 days (Light Blue), n=5,434.

Carnival Cruise Line

TikTok: @carnival

“We are very focused on bringing the same energy to Tik Tok which our guests find onboard from our cruise directors and our Fun Squad (activity and sports hosts). Even if you’re not currently on one of our ships, we still want to put that same smile on your face, and TikTok is one way of doing that.” – Matt Lupoli, Sr. Manager of Public Relations at Carnival Cruise Lines

Carnival Cruise Line uses TikTok videos to introduce viewers to the cruise experience, and to the Carnival brand. Many of their most popular TikTok videos have captured Carnival’s cruise fun in real time.

Equity is not the only brand metric that is regularly higher among TikTok users. Looking at Carnival Cruise Line’s sales conversion funnel, Carnival’s consideration scores are higher among TikTok users than the general population of US adults. This signals that TikTok users are more likely to consider purchasing from Carnival Cruise Lines than the overall population of US adults.

Carnival Cruise Lines – Purchase Consideration – US Adults vs Adults on TikTok – 12 Week Trended Average

QuestBrand. 1/1/22-5/17/23. Base: General population of US adults (Red), n=7,183. Base: US adults who have used TikTok in the last 30 days (Light Blue), n=2,553.

So, Do Travel Brands Need a TikTok Account?

From Booking.com, Airbnb, and Carnival Cruise Lines’ QuestBrand data, it’s clear that TikTok can be a powerful marketing tool for travel brands, capable of raising brand equity and sales funnel metrics.

However, TikTok is only a single marketing tool in these brands’ strategy toolboxes.

Most TikTok users are between the ages of 18-34. TikTok campaigns will primarily impact younger consumers. While TikTok can be an effective way to attract younger consumers, brands must continue marketing efforts in other channels to maintain touchpoints with older audiences.