Leading expert from TikTok MENA shared the latest insights for Gen Z travellers during a panel discussion at the ATM 2024, concluding that brief yet powerful video content, such as that shared on platforms such as TikTok, is shown to significantly influence travel decisions.

Only 45 pc of vacations lived up to or exceeded the perfect picture travellers had imagined, reveals a research by travel firm Exodus Travels in 2023.

On average, travellers search through 38 different travel sites to figure out where to go, how to get there and where to book, with 58 pc admitting to abandoning a booking because the process has been too stressful.

According to a press statement by Arabian Travel Market 2024 organisers, in its session “How To Build Influence with Gen Z in Just 30 Seconds,” Marc-Antoine Simon, Industry Manager, Travel and Tourism, MENA, TikTok, shared insights on the latest trends in community-led marketing, demonstrating how brief yet powerful content can significantly influence travel decisions.

“Travel is one of the most sought-after pursuits in people’s lives, so much so that they would sacrifice just about anything to get away. Unfortunately, the high likelihood of a trip leading to unwanted disappointment is why, ahead of a trip, people go the extra mile to ensure that the reward is maximised and the risk is neutralised,” he said.

Simon explained that today, this desire to take control of the search experience sees travellers swapping keywords for human words, queries for communities and information for immersion.

This allows them to discover, on their terms, and transform a daunting endeavour into an enjoyable journey, proving that travel is at the cusp of a new search era fuelled by people.

“Travellers need a search platform that offers fast results with visual content that is mobile and community-led. By creating their own platform, they have eliminated major barriers to travel that once hindered the pre-booking journey, and these communities are making destinations viral overnight,” he added.

The statement adds, citing Albania, a country often overlooked as a tourist destination, as an example that in 2022, the country suddenly gained popularity thanks to an influx of videos showcasing its tourism attributes.

It says that the impact was significant, with Skyscanner reporting a 44 pc increase in flight searches to Albania from the UK, and searches from the US also saw a significant uptick.

The expert panel included other notable figures, including Joshua Roche, CEO of Bulla Connect, Keith Herman, CEO of Trending Travel and Harris Whitbeck, Minister of Tourism of Guatemala. Their discussion focused on social media’s pivotal role in influencing Gen Z’s travel decisions and how these platforms can be leveraged to convert interest into tangible tourist engagements.

“Gen Z is a massive market for Guatemala, being highly educated and curious. With 78 million people using TikTok in Latin America, marketing the destination becomes a blank slate. However, while community-led coverage from Tiktok is welcome, Guatemala would prefer visitors who have a lower impact on our resources. To achieve this, we would need to leverage tools such as AI and Big Data to tailor our messaging to the right audience,” Whitbeck added.