20 TikTok Content Tips for Travel & Tourism Businesses

I say this all the time about TikTok for marketing of visitor attractions, experiences, destinations and days out - feel the fear and do it anyway.

So if TikTok isn’t already part of your brand marketing strategy, you’re missing out on a massive chunk of situationally relevant attention. With Gen Z driving 40% of travel decisions based on TikTok content, it’s time to get your ducks in a row.

Travellers are using TikTok (as well as YouTube, Reddit and AI assistants) more than any other platform in order to find inspiration and things to do for their days out, city breaks and summer holidays.

Here are 20 tips to help your travel or tourism brand show up - smartly and effectively on TikTok:

1. Always Lead with the Hook

Your reason to watch should land in the first 3 seconds. Keep the headline on screen and make sure it shows up on the thumbnail too - this becomes the why of your video.

Inspo: hooks like 'you never knew this xxx existed' or '10 things that will shock you about' - keep it real but make the focus as big and bold as you can.

2. Keep It Under 30 Seconds

Short and sharp wins. Attention spans are short, and TikTok’s algorithm favours full views so keep it snappy. Inspo: really quick behind the scenes snippets or instantly eye catching highlights of a new experience work brilliant - just don't forget the hook to visit.

3. Use CapCut for Editing

CapCut (free and made by TikTok) makes editing and captioning super simple. It’s also packed with templates and transitions that help your videos feel polished without being overproduced.

Inspo: once you're used to using tools like this, create simple templates to add more consistency to your content.

4. Set Defined Content Themes

Create signature formats like:

• Come with me to...

• Behind the scenes at...

• Quick facts you didn’t know about...Having recurring themes gives your audience something to come back for.

Inspo: things like a time lapse of an event or activity being constructed work well. See what people latch onto and explore related ideas and themes.

5. Show the Unexpected

Visitors remember moments, not itineraries. Showcase surprises - the view behind the back gate, the story behind the statue, the thing not in the brochure.

Inspo: get comfy with content not being polished or perfect. Work with teams to make sure they're happy to be on camera and get involved. And more importantly than anything, have fun with the content - off-script, candid and adhoc often produce the least expected and best performing results.

6. Answer a Common Question

Search-first content is huge on TikTok. Think: “Best time to visit?” “What’s included?” “Is it suitable for toddlers?” Search what people are already asking and answer it in your own way.

Inspo: think about creative ways to capitalise on TikTok trends and styles to deliver your FAQ type content.

7. Give Immediate Value

The viewer should get a benefit - a tip, laugh, idea or curiosity hook within seconds. No fluff.

Inspo: think about the problem you solve for your audience - inspire, entertain, educate, inform, entice... if you're a science museum for example, show the outcome of an experiment up front, then take them through the simple steps - this is especially good for things parents can recreate at home with kids.

8. Use Trends Sparingly

Trends can help you go viral, but your own formats build brand. Find a balance. Follow, but don’t get lost in the crowd.

Inspo: if you're looking to use a meme or sound, make it wholly relevant to your brand and the problem you solve, don't just copy it for the sake of it. For example, if it's a narrative from a popular TV series, use it in a way that creates a brand new meaning as part of your own story.

9. Think Vertical

Shoot content portrait-style. This isn’t just a platform quirk - it’s what makes TikTok full-screen and immersive. That might sound basic but it's easy to forget.

Inspo: when you're filming content get used to framing the main subject of your video so that it's easy to overlay captions.

10. Make It Feel Real

Over-produced videos don’t always perform. Audiences want real, relevant and relatable - not shiny and scripted.

Inspo: get the lighting and sound quality spot on, have a plan of the core message you want to get across, but let everything else fall into place as naturally as you can.

11. Caption Everything

85%+ of TikTok is watched without sound. Use captions to make your content accessible, clear, and contextually relevant.

Inspo: opt for the captions function in a tool like CapCut or if you're editing directly in TikTok, make sure to go through and use their tool to remove any filler words and correct any typos.

12. Add a CTA - Even Softly

Encourage viewers to comment, share, or click the link in bio. A casual “fancy a trip here?” can go a long way.

Inspo: Keep it simple and make sure your CTAs aren't too salesy like 'book now.

13. Feature Faces

Content with people - especially your team or visitors consistently performs better than faceless scenic videos.

Inspo: consider having regular faces that feature on your feed so that people start to instantly recognise your content as they scroll. Engage customers as often as possible and encourage staff from across the business to get in the habit of capturing content during their day - even the outtakes.

14. Bring in the Local Story

Gen Z loves authentic, local, meaningful. Use TikTok to bring community stories, myths or behind-the-scenes moments to life.

Inspo: don't just reel off facts and figures, dig into one quirky topic and find a way to bring it to life in your signature style. It might be a ghost sighting and a stuff jump scare, or a historical connection and a bit of period costume dress-up.

15. Experiment with POV

First-person perspective content (like “you’re walking through this with me”) feels personal and immersive.

Inspo: create a cliff-hanger moment to leave people desperate to visit.

16. Reply with a Video

When someone comments, you can create a video reply. It shows you’re engaged and boosts visibility.

Inspo: this is a great way to start a series of videos on a given topic and keep your audience engaged - for example, you asked to see more from the cow milking shed so here we are back to see how the herd are today.

17. Pin Your Best Content

Use the pin feature to showcase top-performing or most useful videos at the top of your profile.

Inspo: the only caveat here is that you might want to pin slightly lower performers if they're more relevant to your business and what you offer.

18. Post Consistently (Not Constantly)

Quality trumps quantity. Find your rhythm, even 2–3 times a week can build steady momentum.

Inspo: content calendars can be great for some but overwhelming for others. If you get in the habit of capturing content every day, then you'll never be short of clips to edit - just make sure you do before they become irrelevant!

19. Play with Voiceovers

Narration adds character. It can be serious, quirky, or emotional - but helps your content stand out.

Inspo: explore who your faces of the brand are and whether a character/voice adds to your style.

20. Measure What Works

Watch analytics: retention, shares, saves. It’s less about likes, more about what people watch again or act on.

Inspo: each week take a look at the posts with the longest view time, most shares and saves. This suggests intent and is worth keeping an eye on what style of videos are doing best.

All set? I'd love to hear how you get on.

Still struggling? Keep this question in mind - how do you want your growing audience to finish this sentence?

"They're worth following because of their xxxx content" And have fun!