TikTok Unveils Exciting New Ad Tool Tailored for Travel Brands!

TikTok announced on Thursday that it is in the process of launching its inaugural e-commerce product specially tailored for travel brands.

The social media powerhouse is currently testing the product with a limited number of brands but intends to make it broadly available, according to Hannah Bennett, Head of Travel at TikTok, during a presentation at the Skift Megatrends event in London.

This product aims to assist brands in locating users on the platform who are “actively looking to book a trip at that moment.”

“It’s referred to as Travel Ads or Catalogue Ads for Travel. The exciting thing is that it’s the first [TikTok] offering developed on a travel intent model,” she commented. “For our travel team, it’s incredibly exciting and certainly one to monitor.”

Bennett noted that this product would be “exclusively for travel brands” and “ideally available to everyone quite soon.”

A Potential U.S. Ban

As the prospect of a U.S. TikTok ban hangs in the air, Skift’s Airlines Editor, Gordon Smith, inquired from Bennett what the firm would convey to a potential travel brand collaborator.

“Our stance has consistently been the same; we believe any ban would be unconstitutional,” she expressed regarding the U.S. situation.

As for brands, they have shown support. “If anything, we observe advertising revenue continuing to grow,” Bennett stated.

TikTok’s Impact on Travel

Bennett mentioned a common misunderstanding that TikTok is “only a younger platform.”

“We now have a billion users worldwide, and our average age has surpassed 30. In terms of travel, there are numerous subcategories and something available for everyone,” she remarked.

Travel content is consistently expanding on TikTok, with posts featuring hashtags related to “travel” increasing by 250% from the previous year in 2023.

When asked about the audience’s interest in luxury travel, Bennett pointed out that the specific hashtag for luxury travel garnered 27 million views in the past month alone.

“If you’re on TikTok, you will encounter content that resonates with you. It’s not based on who you’re following. If you have an interest in luxury travel, that content will appear,” she noted.

There is also a common fallacy surrounding the purchasing power of TikTok’s user base, Bennett indicated.

“However, the average expenditure per trip per individual, for those who converted through TikTok, was nearly a hundred pounds higher than those converting from other platforms,” Bennett clarified.

Uncovering Destinations

A recent survey revealed that 83% of TikTok users stated that the content within the app ignites their interest in exploring destinations they previously hadn’t thought of.

When asked about TikTok’s potential role in addressing overtourism, Bennett explained that TikTok’s function as a platform to “discover new things” means users are “turning to search on the platform for alternative destinations that might be quite similar to others.”

Bennett offered the examples of Bosnia instead of Croatia and Bruges instead of Paris.

Travel brands aspiring to thrive on TikTok could reference examples such as Booking.com’s account, which “demonstrates exactly how brands can engage on the platform.”

“They maintain an impressive account. They collaborate with major celebrities and creatives in their social team. They’ve integrated with a variety of communities on the platform,” Bennett added.