Forget Lonely Planet, Here’s TikTok for Ultimate Proof: ‘People Promote Mass Tourism This Way’

forget lonely planet And Flanders holiday countryYoung tourists are increasingly being guided by TikTok. The platform has thousands of videos about “secret hotspots” and advice from locals. “People want to leave the beaten path, but often they promote mass tourism.”

Korean rice cake tteokbokki may not immediately ring a bell with most people, but at Sint-Katelijnevest in central Antwerp, interested parties wait for up to an hour to savor it. Since Bokki’s opened in December, owner Marleen Peeters has had to hang a “Sold Out” sign in front of the door several times before closing time.

This popularity is not the result of a sophisticated marketing plan, but the result of a TikTok video that Haiyan, a popular food blogger, posted online in mid-December. In it, she visits the store and briefly offers her order. The photos have already been viewed nearly two million times and Peters feels it every day. Young visitors feel free to wait to get their hands on it and post videos about their TikTok experience themselves. “The effect is still significant even five months after the video was posted,” says Peters.

Bucky’s is by no means the only catering company to have received a boost of spontaneous interest via TikTok. A Google executive recently announced that half of young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 prefer using TikTok or Instagram to find a place. There are many videos with advice about restaurants or cafes that have a tasty and affordable menu, and they are often put together somewhat clumsily by people who live near that place. The “live like a local” hashtag works very well.

Unique trips

TikTok users want to avoid tourist traps, so look for suggestions for “secret hotspots” where they won’t smell other tourists. For Antwerp, for example, PAKT, in the heart of the Groen Kwartier, could be a more relaxing option than the crowded Stadspark. And many TikTok users from Ghent are convinced that a visit to Arnold Vander Haeghen’s hidden city mansion is at least as cool as a trip to Gravensteen.

By itself, it is not new for people to try to make their trips unique through alternative channels, says tourism expert Jan van der Burg (KU Leuven). The difference with travel guides like lonely planet Or online forums are just that TikTok is having a faster impact on tourism. With one viral video, an ordinary place can suddenly become a tourist hotspot. Even if there really isn’t room to accommodate such visitor numbers.

In Amsterdam, part of the local population has been complaining for months about the endless queues at the doors of highly popular catering establishments. After successful videos on TikTok, now it’s sometimes longer to queue for delicacies at Chun Café or Koekmakerij Van Stapele than to visit the Anne Frank House or the Rijksmuseum. Meanwhile, traffic jams occur in nearby streets and city services struggle to remove waste.

“People want to get off the beaten path, but oftentimes they promote mass tourism,” says van der Burgh. This discrepancy is easy to explain. When a video about a “secret hotspot” suddenly reaches a multi-million audience, little of the original is left. It is not always easy for cities to find a balance between tourism and local needs.

In various historical sites in Nepal, it is now forbidden to record TikTok videos. Local authorities oppose disrespectful treatment of religious heritage and want to prevent mass tourism from ultimately harming the site. Ancient temples are not always equipped for a large influx of international spectators.

influencers

In their country, some major cities are also trying to develop their own strategy to handle TikTok tourism. Ghent has its own account on which it posts videos about major monuments and major events like the Light Festival, while Bruges is collaborating with influencers who are active on TikTok, among other things.

“We ask them to highlight hidden places in our city,” says Bruges alderman from Tourism Mieke Hoste (Vooruit). In this way, the city wants to promote a better distribution of tourists and preserve the livability of the city for all. In a new pedestrian app, Bruges also proactively suggests visiting less crowded areas and, for example, going to Sint-Annawijk. Unknown to tourists but interesting for those who love silence and religious heritage.

According to Van der Borg, it is important that governments do not create a vacuum for the TikTok movement to ensure that tourism in cities runs smoothly and to avoid huge crowds. “You can anticipate tourism through this collaboration with influencers. By actually giving advice yourself, you can solidify a better spread. Although of course there are limits to what a city can do to keep it under control.”