The seven best social media moves for tourism brands are: treat social as a booking channel, lead with video, partner with creators under 40, publish traveler content, keep visuals real, feed AI search with independent proof, and measure bookings instead of reach. They rest on Expedia Group data showing 73 percent of travelers say influencer recommendations have directly influenced a booking decision, rising to 83 percent for travelers under 40, from its 2025 Traveler Value Index of more than 11,000 travelers across 11 markets.
Last updated November 7, 2026. Figures carry their own sources and dates.
Quick summary
Social media now shapes tourism marketing more than traditional advertising does. Destinations and travel brands that treat social platforms as an afterthought are losing bookings to competitors who treat them as the primary channel. Video, creators and traveler-shot content carry the strongest figures, and fully synthetic visuals currently erode trust.
In this guide
- 1. Treat social as a booking channel
- 2. Lead with video
- 3. Partner with creators under 40
- 4. Publish traveler content
- 5. Keep visuals real
- 6. Feed AI search with independent proof
- 7. Measure bookings, not reach
- Frequently asked questions
1. How Much Does Social Media Actually Influence Travel Bookings?
Nearly three in four travelers, 73 percent, say an influencer's recommendation has led them to book a specific hotel, tour, destination or trip component, per Expedia Group's 2025 Traveler Value Index. Hotels are the single most common purchase influenced this way, followed by domestic trips and guided tours.
That data point should reorder most tourism marketing budgets. A single well-placed creator partnership now competes directly with a destination's own paid search and display spend, so social belongs in the plan as a booking channel, not a brand-awareness extra.
| Finding | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Travelers whose booking was influenced by an influencer recommendation | 73 percent | Expedia Group, 2025 Traveler Value Index |
| Same figure for travelers under 40 | 83 percent | Expedia Group, 2025 Traveler Value Index |
| Travelers saying video shaped a travel decision | 71 percent | Expedia Group Advertising, October 2025 "Science of Wanderlust" |
| Travelers saying photos shaped a travel decision | 24 percent | Expedia Group Advertising, October 2025 "Science of Wanderlust" |
2. Why Does Video Outperform Photos for Travel Marketing?
Video influences travel decisions at nearly three times the rate of static images, with 71 percent of travelers saying video shaped a travel decision versus 24 percent for photos, according to Expedia Group Advertising's October 2025 "Science of Wanderlust" study.
The same research found travelers respond most to tones of transparency and authenticity rather than polished, ad-like production. In practice, that means:
- Favor short, real-feeling clips of the place, food, rooms and people over studio-polished brand films.
- Show what a day actually looks like, including arrival, weather and crowds.
- Reserve long-form video for storytelling that supports the short clips, not for replacing them.
Platform detail matters here. The TikTok PR guide and Instagram PR guide cover short video on each channel.
3. Why Should Tourism Brands Partner With Creators Under 40?
Influencer impact on bookings reaches 83 percent for travelers under 40, compared with the 73 percent average. A brand courting younger travelers is therefore working with the audience most likely to book on a creator's recommendation.
- Pick creators whose audience matches the traveler you want, not the biggest follower count.
- Give creators real access to the property or destination instead of a scripted itinerary.
- Agree on disclosure and usage rights before the trip, not after.
- Track each creator with a unique booking code or link so results are comparable.
Press trips and creator trips work best when they are planned together, which is how we approach travel PR. For how creator deals are structured, see our influencer marketing services.
4. How Does User-Generated Content Change What Destinations Should Publish?
User-generated content works because it reads as unsolicited proof rather than a marketing claim, the same mechanism that makes earned press coverage more credible than an ad.
- Run branded hashtag campaigns that give visitors a reason to post.
- Reshare standout traveler posts on owned channels, with permission and credit.
- Pair traveler content with real reviews instead of staged photography.
- Build a repeatable process so the best posts are found, approved and shared weekly.
5. Why Should Tourism Brands Avoid Fully AI-Generated Visuals?
Fully AI-generated influencers and synthetic landscapes tested poorly in Expedia Group Advertising's research, drawing skepticism and unease rather than trust. That is a direct warning against leaning on generative imagery in place of real traveler footage for hero travel content.
A practical rule: use AI tools for editing, captions and planning if you like, but keep the people and places travelers are asked to believe in real.
6. How Does Social Proof Help a Destination Show Up in AI Search?
Authentic, traveler-shot content gives AI search tools and recommendation engines independent evidence that a destination delivers what it claims. That matters as more trip research starts inside a chat interface instead of a search bar.
To connect social work to AI visibility, read our guides on how AI picks where travelers go and what 632,542 Google answers cite. Hotel brands can pair this with the channel and budget advice in our hotel digital marketing guide.
7. How Should Tourism Brands Measure Social Media Results?
A tourism brand that wants its next campaign to move bookings, not just impressions, should tie every social effort to a trackable outcome.
| Move | What to track |
|---|---|
| Video | Views, saves, shares and click-through to booking pages |
| Creators | Unique booking codes or links per creator, plus audience age |
| Traveler content | Volume of tagged posts and reshares per month |
| Real visuals | Comment sentiment and engagement versus polished posts |
For a wider view of how travel brands earn coverage and measure bookings, see how travel brands stand out with PR and the hospitality PR guide. For platform, metrics and crisis rules, the social media PR guide shows how they fit together.
For data on which theme parks AI assistants recommend, see the Theme Parks AI Visibility Index.
Frequently asked questions
Do influencer recommendations lead to travel bookings?
Yes. In Expedia Group's 2025 Traveler Value Index, 73 percent of travelers said an influencer recommendation had directly influenced a booking decision, and the figure was 83 percent for travelers under 40.
Does video or photography influence travel decisions more?
Video does. Expedia Group Advertising's October 2025 "Science of Wanderlust" study found 71 percent of travelers said video shaped a travel decision, versus 24 percent for photos.
Should tourism brands use AI-generated influencers?
No, not for hero content. The same Expedia Group Advertising research found fully AI-generated influencers and synthetic landscapes drew skepticism and unease instead of trust.
What is the best first step for a tourism brand?
Start with video and creators under 40, because they carry the strongest figures in the research above, then add traveler content and tracking.
How do you measure social media for tourism?
Use unique booking codes or links per creator and campaign, and read them next to engagement figures, so results reflect bookings and not only reach.
