In recent months, travel advisors have been navigating a tumultuous landscape shaped significantly by TikTok’s regulatory challenges. Many advisors who leveraged TikTok to reach potential clients have found themselves in a precarious position. This serves as a crucial lesson highlighting the dangers of relying too heavily on a single social media platform. The Supreme Court’s decision earlier this January to uphold a ban on TikTok due to national security concerns ignited widespread concern among travel professionals, illustrating that the strategies which once seemed secure can shift suddenly and unpredictably.
At the heart of this turmoil lies TikTok’s ownership by the Chinese company ByteDance. Following the ruling, the app was quickly shuttered for a day, only to reopen after former President Trump issued an executive order pausing the ban for a designated period. The continuous back-and-forth over the app’s future not only wreaked havoc on travel marketing strategies but also left travel agencies scrambling to adapt without clear guidance on how to proceed.
Travel agencies such as Intrepid Travel, G Adventures, and Contiki had all embraced TikTok, praising its unique ability to convey authentic travel stories and engage with a younger audience. Leigh Barnes, President of Intrepid, referred to TikTok as the “travel industry’s biggest disruptor since budget airlines in the ’70s.” This characterization underscores the app’s capacity to transform traditional marketing approaches and to foster genuine connections between travel advisors and clients.
However, the swift changes in TikTok’s status have revealed it as a double-edged sword. While platforms like TikTok can yield high engagement rates and offer varied opportunities for storytelling, dependency on any single platform can lead to serious repercussions when their viability comes into question. For example, Intrepid disclosed that around 40% of its total social media engagement is rooted in TikTok, raising alarms about the potential fallout if the platform were to disappear entirely.
The experiences shared by travel entrepreneurs highlight the urgent need for diversity in marketing strategies. Susie Flores, known as “Cruisin’ Susie” on TikTok, expressed her concerns about her heavy reliance on the app, stating that losing its functionality would have devastating consequences for her business. Having initially launched Countdown Travels using TikTok, she saw around 85% of her new clients generated through the platform. However, this ordeal has fueled her desire to broaden her marketing horizons. Flores plans to enhance her presence on social media channels like Instagram and Facebook, acknowledging that adaptability is key to survival in an uncertain landscape.
Walter Biscardi Jr., who founded Where’s Walter Travel, echoes this sentiment by highlighting the importance of flexibility and diversification. His experiences underscore a significant point: while TikTok may have driven a substantial portion of his sales—estimated at 75%—he was also proactively seeking to establish a presence on other platforms before the TikTok turbulence arose. Biscardi’s approach emphasizes the need for travel advisors to swiftly adjust their strategies, leveraging various content-sharing avenues like YouTube and collaborations with other influencers.
The revelations stemming from the TikTok experience encourage advisors to contemplate the stability and longevity associated with building an email list. Marissa Waiters of Spread Your Wings Travel, who grew a significant following on TikTok, now recognizes the risk of depending solely on platforms outside her control. By prioritizing email marketing, she can cultivate direct relationships with clients and seize control of her communication channels. “We don’t own these platforms—your email list, you own your email list,” she articulated, perfectly summarizing the more secure approach that many are beginning to embrace.
This conversation surrounding email lists is gaining traction as advisors assess the sustainability of their marketing approaches. While immediate engagement and marketing via social media remains important, long-term communication strategies rooted in more stable channels will provide advisors the ability to reach clients effectively, regardless of the whims of external platforms.
The turbulence surrounding TikTok serves as a cautionary tale for travel advisors, underscoring the relentless shifts inherent in the social media landscape. The critical takeaway from this unfolding story is to cultivate resilient, diverse marketing strategies that don’t hinge solely on one platform. By integrating traditional marketing methods like email alongside dynamic social tools, travel advisors can better navigate the unpredictable waters of social media while fostering deeper, more sustained relationships with their clients. As the industry continues to evolve, embracing flexibility and innovation becomes not just prudent, but essential for success.