OPINION: Scotland’s decision to shut visitor centres + invest in TikTok shows the power of social

Recently Scotland announced that it was shutting down its 25 visitor information centres in favour of investing more in TikTok. Fabulate’s Eliza Lewis says the news highlights the growing importance of social search for all travel brands.
It used to be so simple. A newspaper ad, a travel segment on TV, and of course the travel agency all used to be the starting points for sparking consumer’s interests in their holidays.
But if I look at the hot topic in my own girlfriend group, at the moment, it’s how we can have our 40ths in Italy like Zoe Foster Blake.
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And I’ve never really liked biking but now, thanks again to the Blakes – this trip is saved at the top of my list.
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What used to be polished perfection on aspirational shows like Getaway and The Great Outdoors has now become travel searches on my favourite social platforms inspired by my best friends (in my parasocial universe).
Millennials are the fasting growing demographic on Tiktok and that along with YouTube and Instagram is exactly where I, and 36 per cent of people begin their search when looking for destinations, travel options, accommodation, experiences and food.
Today a growing number of Gen Zers, and even millennials, say TikTok is where they are going when it comes to their holiday plans. According to StudentUniverse nearly two-thirds of Australians (61 per cent to be precise) aged under 25 use TikTok as their first choice when it comes to finding travel ideas and inspiration.
But this is not just a Gen Z trend. An Amex study last year found that 44 per cent of Australians have booked a ticket to a destination because they saw it on social media. That number will only increase.
Social search is a concept all travel marketers in 2024 need to geared towards. And not just for inspiration, at the top of the marketing funnel, but used to drive conversion further down the consumer journey.
Many travel brands have long used influencers. Often in recognition that when especially younger consumers look for ideas on where to go for their next holiday they are often skipping past traditional (read: old school) media in favour of “real” experiences from influencers who have been to the locations they are interested in.
What many brands are missing is that creator content doesn’t just need to be for “travel inspo”. Smart brands are using influencers to go more granular and focus on conversion and operate in the mid-bottom part of the marketing funnel.
Brands like Luxury Escapes do this well. Take a look at this video featuring Gary Mehigan & Matt Preston on an exclusive once-in-a-lifetime India foodie tour – once this post went up it didn’t take long for the tour to sell out.
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In the coming years, videos like this will only become more important. Why? Because social search will unlock a travel marketer’s potential to activate – across all parts of the consumer journey.
Already some brands are responding to the opportunity. Just look at Scotland who earlier this year announced they would be shutting down their 25 visitor information centres.
And what are they replacing them with? TikTok, Instagram and Youtube videos. Why? Because they know these platforms are the best way to showcase the unique and incredible experiences they have to offer.
You can also expect that a lot of this content won’t be highly produced, slick videos. But rather “lo-fi” authentic content from real people highlighting the experiences you can have across Scotland. For the record, swimming in Scotland is cold…
@visitscotland You’ll feel better once your in, promise! 🤪 🎥 IG/alexsophie_ ⚠️ If you’re planning on exploring Scotland’s waters, make sure you follow the Scottish Water Safety Code before you go 💦 #Scotland #WildSwimming #coldwatertherapy
Now that doesn’t mean that Google is irrelevant but what it does mean is that consumers will use the platforms for inspiration before moving to “traditional” search for more targeted/focused search focused like hotel prices or tickets on particular experiences.
Regardless of the medium, inspiration, discovery and conversion have always been an important part of travel marketing but now social search allows us to unlock that power in a way travel brands have never been able to before.
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