Brains
TikTok may have started as a hub for lip-syncing and dance trends, but it’s now one of the most influential platforms shaping how people choose where to travel. A new study analyzing data from January 2023 to March 2025 shows just how far that influence has spread and how much it’s changing the way travelers, especially younger ones, explore the world.
The study by MouseNotifier looked at TikTok hashtags, video views, Google Trends, booking data from Airbnb and Skyscanner, and surveys from 1,500 travelers ages 18 to 40. The findings were striking as it wasn’t just interest—the content translated into real bookings and meaningful travel spikes. 71% of Gen Z respondents said they booked a trip because of a TikTok video, and nearly half (43%) hadn’t even heard of the destination before seeing it on the app. Furthermore, 55% said their experience was either exactly or better than expected.
Among the destinations that saw major booms thanks to viral videos were Lake Bled in Slovenia, Cappadocia in Turkey, and Chefchaouen in Morocco. Each of these places experienced dramatic increases in tourism—up to 320% in some cases—fueled by shareable visuals like hot air balloon rides, vibrant cityscapes, and drone-shot lagoons. Key content themes included cultural immersion, local food, and nature scenes that look almost too good to be true.
Interestingly, smaller influencers seemed to drive the most trust. Content creators with fewer than 50,000 followers were more influential than celebrities, especially when they posted casual or “real-life” behind-the-scenes clips instead of curated highlight reels.
What does it mean for the skiing and snowboarding community?
If TikTok can transform relatively unknown beach towns and mountain villages into global hot spots, it could certainly do the same for winter travel. Imagine lesser-known ski areas gaining attention not through big marketing budgets, but through viral posts showing untouched powder, epic chairlift views, or cozy après-ski scenes. Resorts and tourism boards in snowy regions would do well to pay attention to these shifts. Engaging relatable influencers and sharing honest and visually compelling content could open up new audiences and help build year-round traffic, especially from a younger generation ready to book their next trip based on what pops up in their feed.
For tourism boards and ski resort marketers, the study recommends leaning into the platform’s potential. Strategies like partnering with micro-influencers, highlighting realistic expectations, and encouraging organic, behind-the-scenes content could help build buzz for lesser-known ski regions. It’s also a smart move to make it easier for visitors to create content as media kits, signage, or even branded video challenges can go a long way.
As visual-first platforms like TikTok continue to shape how younger generations travel, ski and snowboard destinations have a unique chance to carve out their place in the feed. In a world where a 30-second video can change someone’s travel plans, TikTok isn’t just shaping where we go, it’s redefining how we discover, evaluate, and experience places. That includes the ones covered in snow that could make people say, “TikTok made me ski there.”
