One of Europe's top travel companies has quite depressingly put a number on something that we've all observed, and perhaps have all been guilty of at one point or another.
Nearly half of guests polled by TUI Musement, the tours and activities arm of the travel agent, have admitted to booking a trip or activity because they saw it featured on a "viral" social media post or video.
TUI Musement's data says 48% of responses from Gen Z said TikTok was their top source of travel inspiration, and 50% of them admitted to making bookings based on viral content.
The number was higher for millennials, at 52%.
Meanwhile, another arguably more dystopian stat says 39% of the survey respondents visited a tourist site "mainly to take a photo or record a video".
And, 37% said they sometimes prefer visiting Instagram-famous spots over lesser-known places, whilst a similar number admitted that they felt the need to make trips look exciting on social media.
At the same time, 18% of people in the survey said an obsession with photos is a red flag in a travel companion.
Mirco Fiumene, TUI Musement CMO, evidently opts to take a hedged view, highlighting 'connection', authenticity and 'expertly curated experiences'.
"We have steadily increased our focus on how we can best reach and engage our audience through platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. However, ultimately, what matters most is the holiday itself and at TUI Musement, we help people go beyond the viral moment to connect with the heart of a destination through authentic, expertly curated experiences,” Fiumene said.
The TUI Musement data comes from an independent study, conducted for the travel agent, in January 2026, among respondents in Spain, Italy and the UK.
