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Not only is TikTok sweeping the globe, but it is also making waves in the landscape of the tourist industry.
If for some reason you have not heard of the app, it is all about videos that are of a shorter length. Take Vine and apply it to the present day.
Through the course of the Covid-19 outbreak, there was a significant increase in the number of individuals using TikTok, with users of all ages downloading the app. To date, it has been downloaded 3.5 billion times as of the month of May in current year. Since that time, TikTok has shifted its focus from dance routines and Dalgona coffee to social media influencers and brand social strategies all around the globe.
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On the other hand, what does this kind of quick video consumption imply for the contemporary traveller? Here are several instances in which the power of TikTok has been utilized for good, as well as those instances in which it has not been used for good.
When it comes to the contemporary traveler, TikTok is applicable
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TikTok is similar to other social media platforms in that it allows users to search for topics that are currently trending by using hashtags. A staggering 9.5 billion people have seen the hashtag #traveltips as of the time this article was written. From tips on how to make the most of your limited luggage allotment to information on local customs that you need to be aware of before arriving, everything is included.
Furthermore, if you are anything like us, you are utilizing TikTok to do research on your next vacation. According to Skift Research, twenty percent of people who travel utilize social media in the days leading up to their next trip. This includes browsing for places to visit as well as researching activities to participate in. At this very moment, what was formerly a Google search is rapidly transitioning into a TikTok search; nevertheless, we are not quite certain that this term will become popular.
In our opinion, the most interesting aspect of this is the process of discovering local experiences. In the past, you “had to just know about” certain locations, but today such locations are becoming much more accessible. In spite of the fact that this may imply that hidden treasures will not remain secret for an excessively long period of time, it is also an excellent method to promote smaller tourist destinations and sellers. From North Wales to Australia, you may locate places that are off the usual tourist path.
There has been an increase in the number of smaller companies that are going viral on the app. TikTok is quickly becoming an excellent tool to assist local business owners and community initiatives. This is because it provides users with improved options to connect with one another and establish relationships with one another. In point of fact, according to the findings of a recent poll conducted by Business Wire, 72 percent of small companies who post on TikTok believe that organic content, which is material that is not paid for, is highly vital to their success.
What’s more, you can even follow our experiences and get a glimpse of some of the wonderful initiatives in which you may participate.
Regrettably, there are some negative aspects as well. There was a press trip to China that went viral in June of this year, and you may have even heard about it. Shein, a fast fashion brand that is notorious for its very cheap pricing and claims of terrible environmental practices, invited a group of micro influencers to visit their “innovation center.”
A significant number of folks who participated in the trip transformed the trip into bite-sized travel vlogs for TikTok. The trip was centered on the brand and the group’s favorable experience about the factory. It didn’t take long before the influencers began to get criticism for their support of Shein. As a kind of self-defense, many people returned to the application. As an alternative, Dani Carbonari, an influencer, decided to discuss the money she receives as a plus-sized influencer as well as the “anti-Chinese propaganda” she has seen in the United States.
During an interview with TIME, Catalina Goanta, an associate professor at Utrecht University and a specialist in influencer marketing, discussed the potentially detrimental impact that this kind of political advertising and misinformation might have on individuals who are traveling to other countries.
“If you are going to disseminate information such as, ‘Oh, there is propaganda in the United States,’ and you are actually not very diligent in how you convey that message, you could potentially end up doing a lot of harm with the amount of misinformation that you perpetuate,”
However, we are not just experiencing difficulties while we go on press travels to other countries. During the previous year, euronews.travel reported that Tiktok was prohibited at the location where Buddha was born as well as in other popular tourist destinations in Nepal. There are no TikTok notices in place because visitors are causing crowds at holy locations to become disorganized by taking pictures and recording dances with their mobile devices. It is precisely these kinds of tendencies that have the potential to cause harm to sacred locations all across the world, many of which are still used for religious ceremonies.
A novel approach to excursion
In this day and age of TikTok and social media-driven travel, which brought about a shift in the way we see the world, there are a few essential reminders that may assist us in transforming our travels into responsible experiences. These reminders include making respect for local cultures, surroundings, and other travelers a top priority.
By using TikTok as a tool, we are able to get fresh perspectives on the world that we would not have otherwise experienced. Although we have the ability to discover native delicacies, provide assistance to communities, and even locate volunteer initiatives all over the globe, it is important that we keep in mind that each and every site we visit is significant for the people who live there.
If it is utilized in a responsible manner, TikTok has the potential to become a positive influence in the world. In addition to fostering cultural understanding and conservation initiatives, it offers a platform for the dissemination of vital information about environmentally responsible travel.
