Thanks to social media, there’s a tiny village in Austria that has become a tourism hotspot because it inspired a popular animated movie, while a landscape in Turkey sees crowds of visitors coming for its iconic views from hot air balloons.
TikTok is no longer just a platform for dance challenges and lip-syncs—it’s become a powerful influence on real-world decisions, including where people choose to travel.
From photogenic beaches in Greece to a diving competition in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the phrase “TikTok made me go there” is more than just a trend; it’s a shift in the way destinations are discovered, evaluated, and booked.
How TikTok Became A Top Source Of Travel Inspiration
A new study by restaurant availability site MouseNotifier has explored the impact of viral TikTok content on travel booking behavior. The company analyzed social media trends—including TikTok hashtags and video views—Google Trends data, and Airbnb and Skyscanner search and booking analytics.
Added to this was a survey of 1,500 travelers aged 18–40 across North America, Europe, and Asia. Survey questions explored how TikTok influenced destination discovery, decision-making, and post-travel satisfaction.
The study found that 71% of Gen Z travelers said they booked a trip because of a TikTok video while 43% had not heard of the destination before seeing it on the video sharing site. 55% said their real-world experience was either exactly or better than expected.
The most shared themes in viral TikTok travel content were unique landscapes, drone shots, cultural immersion, and food discoveries, according to the findings.
Top Travel Destinations Inspired By TikTok
The study also identified the top 10 destinations TikTok has made famous, based on search spikes, social mentions, and booking data. Taking the top spot is Lake Bled in Slovenia for the viral video of rowing to the island. Hot air balloon rides at sunrise over Cappadocia in Turkey come in second, while the blue city of Chefchaouen in Morocco takes the third spot.
In fifth place is Hallstatt in Austria, a mountain village which has garnered fame as the inspiration for the backdrop of the animated movie Frozen. Sixth place goes to Zakynthos in Greece, which is famous for clifftop shots of a disintegrating shipwreck in a golden bay. Thrillseekers have made Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina famous for diving off its historic bridge, while 10th place is taken by the Amalfi Coast for videos of sunny boat rides and dreamy villas.
TikTok Travel Inspiration: Expectation Vs Reality
The survey found 55% of travelers reported a positive or accurate match with expectations from TikTok inspiration. However, 27% said the real-world experience was “underwhelming” compared to the content that inspired them to book. Common gaps were not showing overcrowding in videos, higher costs than anticipated and limited accessibility or poor infrastructure.
Perhaps for this reason, the kind of content travelers consume is changing. Creators with under 50K followers had more trust than celebrity influencers, the study found. “Relatable” travel guides and behind-the-scenes content earned more engagement than overly polished productions.