TikTok’s algorithm is helping travelers discover the next hot vacation spot and lean into trends like ‘destination dupes’

• More TikTok users are using the app to find their next vacation, the company's travel lead told BI.
• Companies have leveraged the destination dupes trend, promoting alternatives like Bruges over Paris.
• And the app's algorithm suggests new destinations it thinks users might like.

TikTok is helping travelers find new places for a vacation as users increasingly use the app for search rather than just scrolling for entertainment.

That's according to Hannah Bennett, the travel lead in TikTok's global business solutions team. "People are now really leaning into TikTok to search for the next destination, where to travel, and who to fly with," she told Business Insider.

Bennett said that since 2021, TikTok has seen a fivefold increase in views of travel content. In a survey of UK users last year, 82% said the app inspired them to consider new destinations.

Bennett told BI the "destination dupes" trend has been noticeable, with users interested in a location that's "not completely off the beaten track, but somewhere that's a little bit more undiscovered."

Travel companies like Booking.com and Expedia have been leaning into the travel dupe hype with videos on the app promoting alternative destinations.

As examples, Bennett pointed to people choosing to visit Albania or Montenegro instead of Greece or Italy, or the Slovenian capital Ljubljana instead of Prague. Taipei and Zanzibar have also recently seen more traction, she added.

A record 6.19 million people visited Slovenia last year, and the Zanzibari government's most recent statistics show a 66% increase between February 2022 and this year.

Airlines have also been taking advantage of TikTok's popularity.

Bennett recalled how easyJet capitalized on the virality of scenes from "Airline" — a reality TV show about the budget airline — by reconnecting with its former operations manager Jane Boulton to make a video for TikTok.

She also said she liked how British Airways "championed their crew" in videos, making the company more personable.

"We've focused very much as a company on the e-commerce side, and now we're able to really lean into travel as we continue to see that steady growth following COVID," Bennett told BI.

Booking a holiday isn't an option on TikTok Shop, but she said the app will "dynamically serve you the destination that we think you would like based on the algorithm."

"So the ultimate purchase will happen on the brand's website, but we'd be able to track that and optimize toward it, which is the next step for our brand conversations."