Social media is the new travel funnel

How TikTok, AI influencers, and Gen Z are flattening the travel funnel and turning inspiration into instant booking

At the Preferred Hotels Global Conference in Singapore, a lively panel discussion unpacked how Gen Z, social media creators, and platforms like TikTok are transforming the traditional travel funnel into a seamless journey from inspiration to purchase. Today, travel isn’t searched - it’s scrolled. With virtual influencers, AI-generated content, and shoppable videos, social platforms are collapsing the gap between dreaming and booking, making travel planning a real-time, video-first experience.

Key takeaways

Social media is the new travel funnel

• Gen Z and creators are transforming travel inspiration into instant commerce.
• TikTok, with hashtags like #TravelTok (30B+ views), blurs the lines between discovery and decision-making.
• Users spend 90 minutes per day on TikTok, increasingly using it as a full-funnel platform.

Influencers: From storytellers to sellers

• Creators like Saudi influencer Ali Almeshaal now run their own travel agencies to meet follower demand.
• Virtual influencers like Singapore’s Rae are gaining traction with 20–30% higher engagement and easier management.

Video is the dominant language

• 80% of content consumed is now video. TikTok is no longer just about fun - it's about functional influence.
• Video enables emotional, fast, and effective storytelling that drives bookings.

Douyin shows the future of travel commerce

• In China, livestream travel sales account for ~70% of TTV.
• With hotel deals and virtual tours, Douyin generated up to $40B in travel TTV in 2024.

TikTok's global travel commerce potential

• While TikTok Shop may follow Douyin’s path, regional fragmentation (payment systems, regulations) will slow adoption.
• Still, momentum is building globally toward embedded travel commerce.

TikTok isn’t just for teens anymore

• Over 50% of users are 30+.
• Trending themes include travel with kids and practical life hacks—key opportunities for family-oriented hotels.

Tips for hotels on TikTok

• “Shoot, then aim”: Test, learn, refine content based on engagement.
• Ditch the brochure: Raw, relatable content outperforms polished promos.
• Be ‘flawsome’: Embrace imperfections and show human side.

Influence is now infrastructure

• Influencer marketing has evolved from branding to core distribution.
• AI influencers are cost-effective and scalable, raising the bar for traditional creator partnerships.

The future of travel marketing is 15 seconds long

• Success lies in short, impactful, scroll-stopping content that turns viewers into travelers.

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